Explore every episode of the podcast The Love of Yoga Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.09 Lighting Up a New Path with Anjali Rao & Jivana Heyman | 29 Jul 2024 | 00:43:10 | |
“Yoga is a microcosm of what's happening in every institution, including the judicial system, employment, medical care, all of that. So I'm just creating a small shift, hopefully, in people's perspectives and understandings of the prevalence of caste in Yoga history.” Join us for the captivating season finale of our podcast as Jivana interviews Anjali and they dive into a deep, transformative conversation. In this special episode, Anjali and Jivana discuss: Personal and Professional Changes The motivations and inspirations behind Anjali’s decision to pursue her Doctorate this Fall. A sneak peek into Anjali’s first book, set to release in Fall 2025. The book tackles profound questions such as: Is there such a thing as non-patriarchal yoga? How does caste intersect with yoga? How is yoga used as a tool of oppression? Pushback and rejections Anjali faced while writing this book and why this topic is crucial in today’s world. Zionist backlash Jivana faced and the challenges of dealing with social media criticism. The tough decision to close the non-profit and the significant transitions within Accessible Yoga Free Resources for Teachers We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 2.08 The Alchemy of Anger with sujatha baliga | 29 Jul 2024 | 00:34:20 | |
CW: Abuse sujatha baliga’s work is characterized by an equal dedication to crime survivors and people who’ve caused harm. A former victim advocate and public defender, baliga was awarded a Soros Justice Fellowship in 2008 which she used to launch a pre-charge restorative juvenile diversion program. In her most recent position as the Director of the Restorative Justice Project, sujatha helped communities across the nation implement restorative justice alternatives to juvenile detention and zero-tolerance school discipline policies. She is a guest lecturer at universities and speaker and speaks publicly and inside prisons about her own experiences as a survivor of child sexual abuse and her path to forgiveness. She is worklng on her first book, Angry Long Enough: Towards Healing and Repair for Ourselves and the World. sujatha’s faith journey undergirds her justice work. A long-time Buddhist practitioner, she’s a lay member of the Gyuto Foundation, a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Richmond, CA, where she leads meditation on Monday nights. In this episode, Anjali and sujatha discuss: sujatha’s personal story that led her to a transformational meeting with the Dalai Lama. How can we metabolize righteous anger? What do the teachings say? What is the practice of this alchemy? What role do our inner lives play in the collective? The significance of fractality of this transformation. Connect with sujatha on her website or on Instagram @sujathabaliga Free Resources for Teachers We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 20. Grief as a Portal for Collective Liberation with Tysir Salih | 26 Jul 2024 | 00:36:12 | |
"All of the stories from the Bhagavad Gita, it's so clear to me. These are calls to action. We'll even start with ahimsa..." In this episode, Anjali Rao and Tysir Salih discuss the impact of witnessing multiple genocides and wars in real time and how Yoga practitioners can respond to the atrocities in the world. They also speak to how we can show up in solidarity and in alignment with the yogic teachings. Tai Salih (she/her) E-RYT® 500, YACEP®, came to Canada as a refugee in her youth. Today she is the Founder of the Red Ma'at Collective and is currently working towards her designation in Psychotherapy. Her dedicated passion to heal through her own traumas has guided her desire to do more for and within the community. Tai's approach encompasses a compassionate and intersectional lens that is geared towards uplifting and empowering BI&WoC/gender-expansive folx. Tai is an intersectional feminist, who believes in uplift and empowering women/gender-expansive folx through intersectional wellness, therapeutic yoga, and education on trauma healing to build resiliency and autonomy. Tysir’s path in Yoga and experiences as a yoga practitioner/teacher Our impact on situations happening around the world Practices to support you during times of collective grief Practices of both Self care and Collective care
We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 19. Are We Free Yet? with Tina Strawn | 26 Jul 2024 | 00:49:45 | |
"What are some of the things that you do every day to kind of keep yourself grounded or receptive? Open?... I love this question. I'm going to give you three things that I do every day. One is my meditation practice, coming to stillness every day, coming to my breath, and turning inward." Tina Strawn (she/they) is a joy and liberation advocate, racial and social justice activist, author of "Are We Free Yet? The Black, Queer Guide to Divorcing America." Tina is also the owner and host of the Speaking of Racism podcast and she is the co-founder of Here4TheKids and abolitionist movement to ban guns and fossil fuels. The heart of Tina's work is founding and leading Legacy Trips, immersive, 3-day antiracism weekends where participants visit historical locations such as Montgomery and Selma, AL, and utilize spiritual practices and other mindfulness based resources as tools to affect personal and collective change. Tina has three adult children, an ex-husband, an ex-wife, and an ex-country. She has been a full-time minimalist nomad since February 2020 and currently lives in Costa Rica. Tina travels the globe speaking, writing, teaching, and exploring where on the planet she can feel safe and free in her queer, Black, woman-identifying body. In this conversation Tina and Anjali discuss: Tina’s path in Yoga and experiences as a Yoga practitioner/teacher The story of Legacy Trips and the excavations from these journeys Her book Are we Free Yet, The Black Queer Guide to Divorcing America? Unfolding of grief and healing on multiple levels and holding the complexities of power and privilege Here4TheKids is an abolitionist movement to ban guns, and the roadblocks that we face in this country from a cultural perspective Tina’s practices of care during turbulent times to remain open and receptive Checkout Tina's work on their Website or follow her on Instagram!
We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 18. The Gift of Purpose as an Adaptive Yoga Teacher with Rodrigo Souza | 26 Jul 2024 | 00:37:08 | |
"One thing that I like about teaching Yoga is that it's something that I give and receive at the same time, teaching Yoga supports me, it makes me feel connected to a deep sense of purpose." –Rodrigo Souza Rodrigo Souza (he/him) is an Adaptive & Accessible Yoga teacher with experience in teaching yoga to folks who have gone through Trauma & Disability. He sustained a spinal cord injury after a fall accident. Through direct personal experience with traumatic injury and chronic pain he took charge of his recovery and decided to optimize his long-term well-being by deepening his yoga practice. He also teaches for several Non-profits, community centers and newly injured folks in an Active Rehabilitation Center in Sweden. He is focused on creating a supportive community for those who have experienced trauma, loss & and disability through Adaptive & Accessible Yoga. Eventually, he decided to become a Yoga teacher and teach from his own experience, creating Allihopa Accessible & Adaptive Virtual Yoga Studio, where he teaches folks with a diverse range of abilities from all over the world. In this conversation Anjali and Rodrigo discuss: Rodrigo’s journey being paraplegic and reconnecting to the body Finding purpose through teaching adaptive yoga Rodrigo’s inspirations as a yoga teacher His unforgettable moments as a teacher Learning through teaching Ways in which people with disabilities can be supported in Yoga spaces Practices of nurturing and self care Check out Rodrigo's work on his website and be sure to follow him on Instagram! For those new to Anjali, you can learn more about her work via her website and you’ll find her on Instagram as well.
We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 17. Scattered Goddesses: History as a Teacher with Dr. Padma Kaimal | 26 Jul 2024 | 00:48:39 | |
One of the objectives of this podcast is to shine a light on the work of compelling scholars, offer a multi-disciplinary approach to Yoga, and connect it to everyday Yoga practitioners. Yoga history is vast and multi-dimensional, and can be intimidating for many. As a subject of study, it's barely given any space or thought outside of the academic realm. And yet there is an overwhelming need for many to know more and to contextualize the teachings of Yoga. In this week's episode with Dr. Padma Kaimal, someone who has researched and published about a very specific subject in history, the stories behind the 10th century Tantra Yogini sculptures of South India. Dr. Padma Kaimal’s book, Scattered Goddesses, traces the journeys of 10th century Tantra Kanchi Yoginis, their birth homes in ancient South India, through colonization to their present homes in twelve separate museums in North America, Western Europe, and South India. In this conversation, we discuss: Unpacking a non-binary approach to history. How “seeing connections and interdependencies rather than polarities and oppositions” help shed light on the various conflicts in our world now. How we can hold the tension of appropriation and misrepresentation of colonized cultures along with fostering narratives of inter-dependency. Unearthing non-patriarchal narratives in Yoga. Whether museums are the problem, the solution, or both, to fights over cultural property. We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. They also offer FREE resources and webinars for yoga teachers — check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 16. Yoga and Liberation: A Critical Interrogation with Dr. Tria Blu Wakpa | 23 Jul 2024 | 00:39:13 | |
Dr. Tria Blu Wakpa is a scholar and practitioner of Indigenous contemporary dance, North American Hand Talk (Indigenous sign language), martial arts, and yoga. Professor Blu Wakpa has taught a wide range of interdisciplinary and community-engaged courses at public, private, tribal, and carceral institutions. In 2020, she was the first Assistant Professor at UCLA to receive a Chancellor’s Award for Community-Engaged Scholars. Professor Blu Wakpa is a co-founder and Co-Editor-in-Chief of Race and Yoga, the first peer-reviewed journal in the emerging field of Critical Yoga studies. It examines issues surrounding the history, racialization, sex(ualization), and inclusivity (or lack thereof) of the yoga community. The journal features research-based articles, editorials, and reviews of books, films, and art exhibits. In this episode, Anjali and Dr. Tria Blu Wakpa discuss: Dr. Tria Blu Wakpa's current work as a scholar and practitioner of Indigenous contemporary dance and North American Hand Talk The genesis of Race and Yoga, and how the project has expanded (Follow their Instagram: @raceandyoga) Dr. Wakpa’s thoughts on the state of Yoga today How can we tap into the transformative potential of Yoga and the tension between carceral systems and this liberatory practice Core tenets of Indigenous sign language In the Race and Yoga journal article, Transforming Space: Spatial Implications of Yoga in Prisons and Other Carceral Sites, the author examines the possibilities and limitations of practicing Yoga in prisons. How can we hold the discourse and the movement for abolition along with the practice of Yoga in prisons? Dr. Blu Wakpa’s practices, especially during moments of activation We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. They also offer FREE resources and webinars for yoga teachers — check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 15. Getting Clear with Emily Dalsfoist | 23 Jul 2024 | 00:49:29 | |
What does it mean to be in right relationship to the practices and teachings of yoga as a white-bodied yoga practitioner? What does it mean to teach and offer these practices when we ourselves have no direct ties to this ancient spiritual lineage? This is some of what Tristan and guest Emily Dalsfoist discuss in this winding conversation about privilege, yoga, solidarity, parenting, and so much more. Emily (she/her) is a mother, trauma sensitive yoga teacher, and musician based on the land of the Cowlitz & Clackamas Peoples. Emily has sought to integrate her connection to nature with her teachings and she brings the teachings of Yoga into her role as a parent. In this conversation, Emily and Tristan discuss: How Emily came to yoga, and what compelled her to pursue teacher training Emily’s process of uncovering the richness beyond asana in a capitalist white-washed western yoga world The ways in which Emily has sought to integrate her connection to nature with her teachings How she brings the teachings of yoga into her role as a parent …and more Check out Emily’s offerings on her website and be sure to follow her on Instagram! This is Tristan’s final guest episode! Thank you, Tristan, for hosting on Anjali’s behalf this summer. Be sure to stay connected with Tristan! You can learn more about them on their website and you’ll find them on Instagram as well. We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. They also offer FREE resources and webinars for yoga teachers — check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 14. Getting Visible with Riss Giammalva | 23 Jul 2024 | 00:57:36 | |
Marketing doesn’t have to be spooky, and visibility as a yoga teacher or entrepreneur doesn’t require “perfection.” – Riss Giammalva Riss is a storyteller, communications and marketing specialist, joyful movement enthusiast, and future skeleton living on land stolen from Peoria, Anishinabewaki, and Waawiyatanong peoples, now known as Detroit-ish, Michigan. In the digital management realm, Riss works to support folks in confidently communicating their ideas and aspirations on a grand scale, visually, verbally, and creatively through inclusive and diverse content creation and marketing management strategies. In the movement and wellness space, Riss assists those who do not typically ‘fit the mold’ find joy in moving their bodies, by reminding them that movement does not have to be spooky. With specific interest and focus on supporting larger-bodied, queer, trans, neurodivergent, and disabled populations, Riss believes in people over power and patriarchy, in building relationships rather than transactions, in inclusion, accessibility, mental health and collective liberation, and they believe, whole-heartedly, in authenticity, amplifying marginalized voices, and creating kick-ass supportive communities. In this conversation, Riss and Tristan discuss: How Riss came to yoga, what their initial foray into a social media presence looked like, and how both yoga and social media were key parts of their healing journey The fact that showing up and putting yourself “out there” on the internet doesn’t get any less spooky over time The role of storytelling in marketing and visibility and how narratives related to internalized oppression might impact one’s relationship to being visibile The value of authenticity over perfection and relationships over transactions …and more Check out Riss’s work on their website and be sure to follow them on Instagram! For those new to Tristan, you can learn more about them on their website and you’ll find them on Instagram as well.
We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. They also offer FREE resources and webinars for yoga teachers — check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 13. Getting Embodied with Terra Anderson | 17 Jul 2024 | 00:49:33 | |
"When I talk about pleasure and embodiment, I'm talking about your unique individual moment that feels true for you in your body. Not what you're being sold. And so I think that, you know, when we're talking about oppression and social justice, and I say something like, I believe pleasure is the antidote, I actually mean it.” —Terra Anderson In so many yoga spaces and in the wellness world in general, we talk a lot about embodiment. But what does it actually mean to “be embodied”? Terra Lyn Anderson has devoted their life to being a conduit for the healing connection between body and mind for both individuals and the collective. While pursuing their graduate degree in Somatic Counseling Psychology at Naropa University, Terra began to envision what the healing potential of embodiment would look like on a large societal scale, with people aware and empowered by both thought and feeling, attuned to one another, in love with and trusting of their own bodies, and able to consciously and intentionally regulate their nervous systems. Inspired by the vision of an embodied, empowered and connected society, Terra directed their focus to studying the physical impact and healing of oppression trauma. They pursued supplemental trainings in social power differentials, racial justice, intersectionality, embodied sexuality, gender diversity, and organizational transformation. Terra believes that social justice is inherently tied to the body, as is oppression and trauma. Their unique approach to healing, education and activism is characterized by a commitment to empowering the relationship between body and mind. In this conversation, Terra and Tristan discuss: The definition of embodiment and the role of privilege in this conversation How embodiment connects with our consent practices, and our abilities and ways in to hearing a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ The role of embodiment, and pleasure, in trauma healing and in dismantling systems and challenging oppression …and more Check out Terra’s work on their website and Instagram and learn more about their co-facilitated offerings with Weeze Doran on Weeze’s website. For those new to Tristan, you can learn more about them on their website and you’ll find them on Instagram as well. Free Resources for Teachers We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. They also offer FREE resources and webinars for yoga teachers — check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 12. Getting Free with Michelle Cassandra Johnson | 17 Jul 2024 | 00:59:10 | |
“We have to get to the root of the root of the root and actually heal that if we wanna create something different, and if we want to create conditions for us all to be free, that's the conversation…I think the core is the same in every book I've written thus far: Are we gonna do what we need to do to get free?” —Michelle C. Johnson In this episode, Michelle joins Tristan Katz as Tristan begins a summer podcast takeover for Anjali Rao! Michelle Cassandra Johnson is an activist, social justice warrior, author, anti-racism consultant and trainer, intuitive healer, and yoga teacher and practitioner. She has led dismantling racism work in many settings for over two decades and has a background and two decades of practice as a clinical social worker. Michelle’s work centers on healing from individual and collective trauma, coming back into wholeness, and aligning the mind, body, spirit, and heart. This conversation explores many themes relating to Michelle’s books, including: The role of collective trauma and collective healing Disruption while staying committed to balance Feeling and honoring our individual heartbreak while challenging systems …and more Be sure to check out Michelle’s most recent book, We Heal Together: Rituals & Practices for Building Community & Connection, and pre-order her upcoming book, A Space for Us: A Guide for Leading Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Affinity Groups! You can connect with Michelle through her website and Instagram—she has lots of amazing upcoming events and offerings so be sure to check those out and support her work. For those new to Tristan, you can learn more about them on their website and you’ll find them on Instagram as well. Free Resources for Teachers We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. They also offer FREE resources and webinars for yoga teachers — check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 11. What's Yoga Gotta Do With It? | 17 Jul 2024 | 00:12:29 | |
As she transitions into a brief summer hiatus, in this episode Anjali: Revisits the vision and intention of the podcast, and reflects on the past 6 episodes Weaves together the different threads of the teachings of Yoga Illuminates Yoga's the connection to social change Discusses creating avenues of connection to Yoga scholars Introduces the new guest host for the summer podcast episodes Want to share feedback or suggestions? We'd love to hear from you! Share your thoughts here. If you're offering praise, let us know if we can use your comment as a testimonial in our public-facing communications and include your name and pronouns. A huge thank you to the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check them out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to get a discount and access FREE webinars today! | |||
| 2.07 The Luminous Self with Tracee Stanley | 29 Jul 2024 | 00:31:41 | |
“Yoga is not something that we do. Yoga is a state of consciousness, and yoga is either present or not. And, for us to be able to perceive the difference and to have the tools to be able to welcome this state of consciousness into space where it is not present. Because that unity consciousness is exactly what we need to heal the world.” Tracee Stanley is the author of the bestselling book Radiant Rest: Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation and Awakened Clarity and the forthcoming The Luminous Self: Sacred Yogic Practices & Rituals to Remember Who You Are (Oct 2023 by Shambhala Publications). Tracee is the founder of Empowered Life Circle, a sacred community and portal of practices, rituals, and Tantric teachings inspired by more than 25 years of studentship in Sri Vidya Tantra and the teachings of the Himalayan Masters. As a post-lineage teacher, Tracee is devoted to sharing the wisdom of yoga nidra, rest, meditation, self-inquiry, nature as a teacher, and ancestor reverence. In this episode, Anjali and Tracee discuss: Tracee’s path into the work and pivotal moments that perhaps on reflection and hind sight, feel like watershed moments Inspiration to write The Luminous Self "Ritual is the fascia that holds the center when it seems like everything is falling apart." How can we cultivate rituals that are authentic and sustainable, especially given the scale of heartbreak that we are witnessing in the world? The importance of studentship in our paths and how can we maintain that as householders Healing in a world that is hurting so deeply The benefits of Yoga Nidra in the modern world If you were to change one thing about the world of yoga, what would it be and why? Connect with Tracee on her website and on Instagram @tracee_stanley Free Resources for Teachers We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga.
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| 10. Here 4 the Kids: A Conversation with Saira Rao | 17 Jul 2024 | 00:22:54 | |
Saira Rao is an activist, producer of the provocative documentary, Deconstructing Karen, co- author of White Women: Everything You Already Know about Your Own Racism and How to Do Better, and host of radically honest conversations at Race2Dinner. Since our last conversation on this podcast, Saira has embarked on a new movement effort, called Here 4 the Kids, to push “unexplored and unprecedented action to end gun violence”. During this conversation, Saira and Anjali discuss: • Saira and Regina’s experiences of hosting sold-out events all over the country at Race2 Dinner conversations • Gun violence is the number one cause of deaths for children in the United States. How we move past the political gridlock • How dominant culture is complicit in suppressing efforts to end gun violence • What Here 4 the Kids is • How listeners who want to be a part of this movement can join in • Join the Denver June 5th Here 4 the Kids sit-in! It's history in the making! Check out https://here4thekids.com/ and follow them on Instagram to learn more about how you can get involved with Here 4 the Kids today! You can follow Saira on Instagram and keep up with everything she’s up to here. Thank you, Saira, for this incredible and timely conversation! A huge thank you to the support of our partner OfferingTree - an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check them out www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to get a discount today! | |||
| 09. Demystifying Tantra with Dr. Sravana Borkataky Varma | 17 Jul 2024 | 00:38:08 | |
This conversation with Dr. Sravana Borkataky Varma demystifies Tantra. Sravana is a historian, educator and social entrepreneur, currently working as a Lecturer at Harvard University and at University of North Carolina-Wilmington, where she teaches introductory courses on World Religion and higher level courses on Hinduism, Buddhism, Religion and Film and the History of Yoga. She is also the co-founder of the non-profit, Lumen Tree Portal. Sravana invests in building communities with individuals from various faith backgrounds who believe in kindness, compassion and fulfillment. In this conversation Anjali and Dr. Sravana Borkataky Varma discuss: Dr. Sravana Borkataky Varma’s initiation into a Sakta Tantra lineage in Kamakhya, India and her journey as a scholar-practitioner-professor of Religious Studies The definition and fundamental elements of Tantra Dominant narratives of Tantra and cultural appropriation Recommendations for modern practitioners and students who want to study Tantra You can find Dr. Sravana Borkataky Varma on Instagram, sign up for her newsletter to stay updated on everything she’s up to in the world, and check out her website. | |||
| 08. Unpacking Culture, Power and Agency with Chemi Lhamo | 24 Jun 2024 | 00:42:01 | |
The Dalai Lama is a symbol of hope and peace for millions of people all over the world, and has given the world much, so generously for decades. The world saw an edited clip of the Dalai Lama and a child that went viral a few weeks ago. Many non-Tibetans were numb, outraged, shocked and dismayed at an interaction that brought up much discomfort based on personal and collective history of harm and abuse by religious leaders and Yoga teachers who have misused and abused their power. Since then, Tibetan leaders, activists and practitioners, and people from the community have spoken up about how this has been misinterpreted. An expression of affection, a phrase often used by Tibetan elders misconstrued. This conversation unpacks all this with Chemi Lhamo, a repeat guest on the podcast. Chemi is a community leader and human rights activist, often called to speak about Tibet on global platforms. During this conversation, Chemi and Anjali discuss: • The impact of the video and how the ensuing backlash felt in the Tibetan community • The intergenerational trauma of displacement and erasure from the Dominant cultural narratives • How Tibetans in Tibet are responding to this situation Differences in cultural norms of affection and expression; the harm of ethnocentrism • Reflections on how non-Tibetans can show solidarity with the Tibetans right now • What we can learn from this and how we can move forward • How we can practice discernment at a time like this • How we can anchor ourselves into the teachings • How we can be in solidarity with the Tibetan people A huge thank you to the support of our partner OfferingTree - an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check them out www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to get a discount today! | |||
| 07. Manifestation of Caste: Naming the Invisible with Prachi Patankar | 24 Jun 2024 | 00:40:10 | |
Born and raised in rural India, Prachi Patankar was raised by a freedom-fighter grandmother and parents deeply involved in anti-caste, feminist, and peasant movements. Over two decades in New York City, she has been an activist, educator, grantmaker, and writer involved in social movements which link the local and the global, police brutality and war, migration and militarization, race and caste, women of color feminism and global gender justice. Through her work, Prachi has been involved in innovative projects to link social justice movements between the United States and the Global South. In this episode, Anjali and Prachi discuss: • Prachi’s background growing up in rural India and how that informs her work and life now • How caste system as the oldest system of social stratification and the most insidious has been institutionalized • The manifestation of caste in the diaspora • The inroads of caste abolitionists into some institutions • Ways in which we can be allies and in solidarity with the movement • Prachi’s thoughts regarding the intersection of caste and Yoga • Prachi’s non-negotiables of self care A huge thank you to the support of our partner OfferingTree - an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check them out www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to get a discount today! | |||
| 06. The Audacity of Being with rüdrāksh chand and Tristan Katz | 24 Jun 2024 | 00:38:46 | |
rüdrāksh chand is an organizer, anti-carceral practitioner of abolition, lifelong student of Yoga, an artist at large. Tristan Katz is a trans-queer equity inclusion facilitator and consultant/teacher/space holder, and creator of courses on Conscious Marketing. They are also on the Board of Accessible Yoga and are working on their first book! In this episode Anjali, rüdrāksh, and Tristan discuss: • rüdrāksh and Tristan’s introductions into the teachings and practice of Yoga • The ways in which the Dominant culture manifests in Yoga spaces, especially for gender non-conforming practitioners. • Holding the tension between the performativity and the necessity of TDOV and other days/ months of celebration • Commodification of yoga and social justice programs •Allyship is a verb as you say, in the context of the attack on trans rights, ways to be in solidarity with the trans community • Mutual aid as an ongoing practice of solidarity | |||
| 05. Self Care as Sva-dharma with Indu Arora | 24 Jun 2024 | 00:42:13 | |
Indu Arora is a Yoga and Ayurveda teacher, mentor, and author, based out of the USA. She considers herself a student for a lifetime. Indu has been sharing about Yoga philosophy, Yoga Therapy, and Ayurveda for the last two decades across more than 50 cities worldwide. Her unique gift is making Yoga and Ayurveda a practice, which is equally useful and accessible for a beginner as for a sincere seeker who has made Yoga a lifelong journey. She is inspired by and taught under Kriya Yoga, Himalayan Yoga and Kashmir Shaivism Yoga lineages. She has studied in a traditional Guru-Shishya parampara. Her teaching style is rooted in empowering and inspiring students to awaken the inner Guru through insight, discernment and self-inquiry. Her core philosophy is ‘Yoga is a Work-in and not a Work-out’. She is the author of Mudra: The Sacred Secret (2015), Yoga: Ancient Heritage, Tomorrow’s Vision (2019), and SOMA: 100 Heritage Recipes for Self-Care (e-book, 2020; updated hard copy, 2022). In this episode, Anjali and Indu discuss: Indu’s personal story of learning and studying Yoga with her elders and teachers in India Self care as Svadharma: The role of self care in knowing, being and observing our Dharma Self care as Ahimsa: We are practicing ahimsa by taking of our physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual self and this is a journey toward the SELF (Atman) Discriminative discernment: Are we checking in or checking out? Mudras are accessible, powerful, accessible and subtle practices of self care Indu’s non-negotiables of personal self care Resources: The Mudras discussed in the episode are: You can connect with Indu on Instagram, Facebook, and her website! A huge thank you to the support of our partner OfferingTree - an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check them out www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to get a discount today! | |||
| 04. Liminality in Liberatory Movements with Shawn Moore | 17 Jun 2024 | 00:39:32 | |
Residing at the intersection of leadership and mindfulness, Shawn creates sacred spaces for stillness and self-inquiry to help changemakers align their strengths, intention, and impact. Reckoning with his own contemplation of burnout, purpose, and alignment from a career in higher education and student affairs for over 10 years, Shawn transitioned out of his role as Associate Dean of Student Life & Leadership at Morehouse College in the fall of 2021 to focus more on mindfulness and stillness-based training programs and workshops. He is a Buddhist Dharma practitioner, whose impact filters through the practices of meditation, sound healing, yoga nidra, restorative yoga (E-RYT® 200, RYT® 500, YACEP®), and Gallup-Certified Strengths coaching, with a blend of over 18 years of personal practice and trainings. In addition to holding community space through classes, he provides training in leadership and strengths-based development, and workshops in mindfulness, meditation and sound healing. He has contributed workshops, practices, and educational opportunities for celebrities like Questlove, and various yoga studios and colleges, Yoga International, Embodied Philosophy, Sounds True One, the Human Rights Campaign, Spotify and Lululemon. He currently serves as the Community Engagement Specialist for Muse®, the neuro-technology, brain health, and meditation company. While being a proud dog dad, a hardcore gamer, and lover of all things anime, Shawn also hosts a podcast called The Mindful Rebel® Podcast that creates a platform to continually explore this unique intersection of leadership and mindfulness. In this episode, Anjali and Shawn discuss: • Shawn’s personal journey into Yoga and other mind-body-spiritual transformative practices: From academia to a spaceholder of folks in the justice movement • Finding the connective tissue between academia and Buddhist teachings • Liminality liberatory movements: the need to consciously acknowledge and cultivate spaces • Reimagining “ not knowing” • How systems and institutions of Dominant Culture work against the slowing down • Non-negotiable rituals and processes to cultivate capacity • How we can cultivate spaces that allow for mindful processing/metabolizing change You can connect with Shawn on Instagram at @shawnj_moore and by signing up for his newsletter where he periodically drops new practices for his community. A huge thank you to the support of our partner OfferingTree - an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check them out www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to get a discount today! | |||
| 03. Black Spirituality in Justice Movements with Ash Williams | 17 Jun 2024 | 00:47:27 | |
Ash Williams is an anti-carceral and reproductive justice organizer. He received his BA in Philosophy from UNC Charlotte in 2015 and his MA in Ethics and Applied Philosophy from UNC Charlotte in 2016. For the last five years, Ash has been vigorously fighting to expand abortion access by funding abortions and training other people to become abortion doulas. In this episode, Ash and Anjali discuss: • How Black queer and trans folks have been and are at the frontlines of justice and liberatory movements • Abortion and the medical industrial complex • Decolonizing birth and learning from reproductive justice history • How we can refuse binaries • How each of us can disrupt and heal from carceral logic and lean into Abolition • Building solidarity across movements: How can we show up as allies? Connect with Ash on Instagram @ashwilliamclt CALLS TO ACTION: Also, thank you to the support of our partner Offering Tree! Check them out offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to get a discount today! | |||
| 02. Belonging, Cultural Appropriation, & Tibetan Buddhism with Chemi Lhamo | 23 May 2024 | 00:40:10 | |
Chemi Lhamo is a community organizer and a human rights activist. She served as the Community Health Lead at Parkdale People’s Economy and on the Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust’s board. She is recognized in Maclean’s Top 50 Power List and as the Toronto Urban Hero for Social Issues for 2022. Formerly the CEO/President among many other roles at the University of Toronto Scarborough Student’s Union, she has served the board of Canadian Tibetan Association of Ontario and Students For a Free Tibet Canada. In this episode, Anjali and Chemi discuss: - Chemi’s work on Free Tibet as well as community organizing in Toronto - How we cultivate a sense of belonging in our communities - Tibet's human rights struggles - A snapshot of the contributions that Tibet has made in the world of Yoga, including Tibetan Buddhism, mindfulness, centering community - How Tibetan Buddhism is appropriated by western practitioners - How we can show up as allies - Staying centered in the midst of so much suffering Connect with Chemi on Instagram @chemilhamoooo Call to action: Sign the petition (here) for Thermo Fisher CEO Marc Casper to stop collecting of DNA from Tibetans. We're so grateful for our sponsor, OfferingTree – an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. | |||
| 01. The Trauma of Caste with Thenmozhi Soundararajan | 15 May 2024 | 00:54:47 | |
Thenmozhi Soundararajan is a Dalit Civil rights artist, organizer, and theorist who has worked with hundreds of organizations to better understand the urgent issues of racial, caste, and gender equity. Working across disciplines she is an innovative strategist and thinker that has built bridges between many communities around the world. Through her work at Equality Labs, Thenmozhi has mobilized the South Asian American community to confront their historical trauma and to break the silence about caste, and to commit to ending caste apartheid, gender-based violence, white supremacy, and religious intolerance. Thenmozhi previously co-founded Third World Majority, an international media training organization and collective that supported people from disenfranchised Her intersectional, cross-pollinating work—research, education, art, activism, and digital security—helps to create a more generous, global, expansive, and inclusive definition of South Asian identity, along with safe spaces from which to honor the stories of these communities. Thenmozhi’s work has been recognized by the U.S. Congress, The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, The Producers Guild of America Diversity Program, The Museum of Contemporary Art, The Sorbonne, Source Magazine, Utne Reader, The National Center for the Humanities, The National Science Foundation, The Ford Foundation, and The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. She is a frequent contributor on issues related to South Asia, caste, gender, and racial Equity, as well interfaith issues and peacebuilding, and has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, BBC, Guardian, ABC, and NBC news. She was also an inaugural fellow of the Robert Rauschenberg Artist as Activist, Atlantic Foundation for Racial Equity, and is a current fellow at Stanford Center for South Asian Studies. In this episode, Anjali and Thenmozhi discuss: - The behind the scenes process for Thenmozhi's book, The Trauma of Caste: A Dalit Feminist Meditation on Survivorship, Healing, and Abolition. - How caste operates as a system of oppression - How embodiment acts as a form of resistance - The importance of caste abolition ancestors like Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and feminists like Savitribai Phule - How we can unlearn caste even when it's invisibilized and ignored to lead to shared healing - How folks living in the diaspora can show up during these times as unchecked ethno nationalism and religious fundamentalism rise in India - How we can practice yoga as Allies of the caste abolition movement - How we can create spaces that invite and nurture folks from all backgrounds You can connect with Thenmozhi on her website and on Instagram @dalitdiva. We're so grateful for our sponsor, OfferingTree – an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. | |||
| 2.06 Illuminating Our True Nature with Michelle Cassandra Johnson | 29 Jul 2024 | 00:44:36 | |
Michelle Cassandra Johnson is an author, activist, spiritual teacher and practitioner, racial equity consultant and trainer, and intuitive healer. She approaches her life and work from a place of knowing we are, can, and must heal individually and collectively. Michelle teaches workshops and immersions and leads retreats and transformative experiences nationwide. As a dismantling racism educator, she has worked with large corporations, non-profits, and community groups. Michelle was a Tedx speaker at Wake Forest University in 2019 and has been interviewed on several podcasts in which she explores the premise and foundation of Skill in Action, along with embodied approaches to racial equity work, creating ritual in justice spaces, our divine connection with nature and Spirit, and how we as a culture can heal. Michelle published the first edition of Skill in Action: Radicalizing Your Yoga Practice to Create a Just World in 2017; and the 2nd edition of Skill in Action in November 2021, published by Shambhala Publications. Her second book, Finding Refuge: Heart Work for Healing Collective Grief, was published by Shambhala Publications in 2021. Her third book, We Heal Together: Rituals and Practice for Building Community and Connection, published by Shambhala Publications, explores the deep knowing and truth that we are interconnected; we belong to one another. We Heal Together offers rituals and practices meant to dream us into a new way of being to benefit the highest and fullest good. Her latest book, A Space For Us: A Guide For Leading Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Affinity Groups, was published by Beacon Press in August 2023. Michelle leads courageously from the heart with compassion and a commitment to address the heartbreak dominant culture causes for many because of the harm it creates. She inspires change that allows people to stand in their humanity and wholeness in a world that fragments most of us. In this conversation, Michelle and Anjali discuss: Kleshas as an inquiry: Michelle’s new book on kleshas What does healing mean when the world is ablaze? Our collective nervous systems Michelle’s writing as a practice of reclamation and re-connection Her go to rituals during the writing process Role of community care and collective How does she practice care as a space holder? Connect with Michelle on her website or on Instagram @skillinaction You can receive 30% off if you pre-order Illuminating Our True Nature from Shambhala Publications. Use TRUENATURE30 at checkout. Free Resources for Teachers We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 2.05 A Song for Liberation: Activism with Music with Leila Hegazy | 29 Jul 2024 | 00:26:08 | |
“It should be enough to listen to Palestinian voices and Arabs voices, and we need to ask that question of why do we need a Western source to stand with us in order to be heard?” Leila Hegazy is an Egyptian-Italian-American singer-songwriter, social media creator, teacher, and activist in New York City. Using music to advocate for Palestine is one of her passions, and her adaptations of popular songs aim to help those in the pro-Palestine movement feel seen, as they battle the absurdity of the occupation and Western propaganda. Leila is currently working on a protest album for Palestine and plans to donate the proceeds to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. She is also in the process of recording her next project with her twin sister duo, HEGAZY. In this episode, Anjali and Leila discuss: Leila’s musical path and background as an Arab-Italian-American living in New York City Music as a practice of connection to social change Accessible and authentic activism Culture, appropriation and power Social media as an important source of information Palestine allyship and sources and actions for folks Buy Leila’s single on Bandcamp based on the poem by beloved Palestinian Professor and writer, Dr. Refaat Alareer. All proceeds will be donated to Dr. Alareer’s surviving family in Gaza to help them rebuild. Connect with Leila on Instagram @leilajhegazy.
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| 2.04 Women, Gender and Yoga History with Anjali Rao | 29 Jul 2024 | 00:18:28 | |
Are there women and non binary practitioners and teachers in yoga history? And if they are a part of yoga history, why dont we know of them? And if they are not a part of history, why not? In this episode celebrating Women’s History Month, Anjali shares the complex history of women, femme and gender expansive folks in yoga history. This is a vast topic, so she delves into the following: Four big reasons why there is a paucity of information on ancient femme and women in yoga The necessity of understanding the expansiveness of yoga and the fluidity of gender Highlights of yoga history as it relates to specific yoga traditions and gender Her own story of why she got interested in the topic Want to learn more? Join Anjali, Tristan Katz, and other special guests for YOGA + GENDER: Solidarity as a Practice for Collective Transformation each Thursday May 9th - 30th from 10AM-12PM PST. This 4 week comprehensive series delves into the dynamics of gender in yoga, through history to the present moment. We will explore yoga history as it relates to ancient women, femme, and gender expansive folks through various mediums such as literature, art, and poetry. This inquiry will inform an exploration of the modern yoga context and best practices to cultivate liberation-oriented spaces. We will look at ways in which we practice cross sectional solidarity, and build authentic relationships across differences for collective transformation. Free Resources for Teachers We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga.
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| 2.03 Healing Justice Lineages with Erica Woodland | 29 Jul 2024 | 00:47:36 | |
“Are we doing the things that we need to do to co-regulate and to self- regulate so that we can be as strategic as possible and so that we can also not take each other out in the process of getting free?” Erica Woodland (he/him) is a facilitator, consultant, psychotherapist and healing justice practitioner with more than 20 years of experience working at the intersections of movements for racial, gender, economic, trans & queer justice. Erica is a co-editor of the anthology ‘Healing Justice Lineages: Dreaming at the Crossroads of Liberation, Collective Care and Safety’ (North Atlantic Books, 2023) & Founder/Executive Director of the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN.com). In this special episode, Anjali and Erica discuss: Erica’s journey and path into the work, a calling from the ancestors Collective memory regarding the legacy of resistance, roots and lessons for building movements and healing. Foundational premises of healing justice and the abolitionist approach to justice The meaning of healing Learning from the mistakes of our movement ancestors Misconceptions that people have about healing justice work The integrality of dissent How we can prevent the values of dominant culture, for example, capitalism or hyper individualism from seeping into movement work Practices of care Connect with Erica on his website or on Instagram @ebmore1 @nqttcn @hjlineages You can order the Healing Justice Lineages Book HERE! Free Resources for Teachers We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 2.02 Who is Wellness For with Fariha Roisin | 29 Jul 2024 | 00:49:48 | |
“If we were able to just hold the multi- dimensional state of all things, I think we would just be more evolved. Because we are such binary thinkers that everything's this or that, and it's actually limiting. It's limiting us. It's limiting others. It's limiting society.” Fariha Róisín is a multidisciplinary artist, a Muslim queer Bangladeshi, who is interested in the margins, liminality, otherness, and the mercurial nature of being. Her work has pioneered a refreshing and renewed conversation about wellness, contemporary Islam, and queer identities and has appeared in The New York Times, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Vice, Village Voice, and others. She is currently the deputy editor of Violet Book, sits on the advisory board of Slow Factory, and frequently writes essays on her Substack from everything about comparing yourself to others, schadenfreude, and the deeply profound film, Saint-Omer. Róisín has published a book of poetry entitled How To Cure A Ghost (Abrams), a journal called Being In Your Body (Abrams), and a novel named Like A Bird (Unnamed Press) which was named one of the Best Books of 2020 by NPR, Globe and Mail, Harper’s Bazaar, a must-read by Buzzfeed News and received a starred review by the Library Journal. Upon the book’s release, she was also profiled in The New York Times. Her first work of non-fiction Who Is Wellness For? An Examination of Wellness Culture and Who it Leaves Behind (HarperWave) was released in 2022, and her second book of poetry is Survival Takes A Wild Imagination is out Fall of 2023. *Episode Content Warning: mention of abuse* In this episode, Anjali and Fariha discuss: Fariha’s path into this work as a multi disciplinary artist/ writer/ radical femme Muslim Moving excavations from Fariha’s lived experiences, her healing from abuse and trauma, and how these inform and hold her work in the world now. Navigation of imposter syndrome as an immigrant Gaza and Palestine: what does showing up as a dedicated ally look like for those of us who are geographically far away from the lands? What is anti colonial wellness? How can we manifest and co create spaces of care? What role does art have in activism? Who is Wellness for? The inspiration and the process of writing. Liminality is critical in collective transformation. How can we build capacity and portals of expansion into liminality? Fariha’s practices of care during tumultuous times. Connect with Fariha's work on Substack and follow her on Instagram @fariha_roisin Free Resources for Teachers We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 2.01 The Social Change Ecosystem as A Guide Map with Deepa Iyer | 29 Jul 2024 | 00:36:17 | |
“We are at a crossroads as individuals and collectives in this moment to figure out how we're going to approach what is happening around us.” Deepa Iyer is a South Asian American writer, strategist, and lawyer. Her work is rooted in Asian American, South Asian, Muslim, and Arab communities where she spent fifteen years in policy advocacy and coalition building in the wake of the September 11th attacks and ensuing backlash. Currently, Deepa leads projects on solidarity and social movements at the Building Movement Project, a national nonprofit. She has written two books, We Too Sing America and Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection. Her first children’s picture book, We Are The Builders, will be released in the fall of 2024. Many people are moved to do something and often feel overwhelmed by the scope and the vastness of all that is going on in the world. Can you share more about some of the roles in the social change model, and how can one go about finding their place, their role? In this special episode, Anjali and Deepa discuss: The biggest misconceptions around justice work Radical visioning for the world we live in Liberation Practices of care in times of adversity Connect with Deepa on her website and Instagram @deepaviyer. Free Resources for Teachers We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||
| 21. Finding the Center with Anjali Rao | 26 Jul 2024 | 00:18:58 | |
"Asking questions is renouncing a bloated sense of one’s ego, is an exercise in humility, not as an end in itself but as a springboard for authentic and skillful responses." In the last episode of 2023, Anjali shares about 5 lessons from the first chapter of the Bhagavad Gita: The power and the essentiality of an intentional pause Talk to a friend/Listen to a friend: Connection and relationships are important for collective liberation Asking questions is important for skillful action Finding the Center doesn't mean neutrality Staying engaged in the seeking of your role. The seeking is the practice She also shares a brief background of Mahabharata and the Gita, the relevance of the first chapter during these times, and an invitation for reflection from five lessons from the First chapter. "To ask questions is to be hopeful, honest and true. Interested in learning from Anjali Rao? Connect with her on Instagram and be sure to checkout her Upcoming Course: Lighting Up the Path: A Critical Insight into Yoga, Religion, Caste & Race
Free Resources for Teachers We are grateful for the support of our podcast partner OfferingTree — an all-in-one, easy to use business platform for classes, courses, memberships and more. Check it out at www.offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga. | |||