Bex Tyrer - On Women in Yoga

In today’s episode, I’m joined by the incredible Bex Tyrer (she/her), a powerful voice in contemporary yoga and a longtime teacher based at the Yoga Barn in Ubud, Bali.I first met Bex a few years ago when I dropped into one of her classes at the Yoga Barn and loved it so much that I returned a year ago for her 10-day immersion, Myth, the Magic and the Mastery. We might even be cooking up a project together in Bali in 2026, so stay tuned!One of the things I loved most about studying with Bex was diving into the history of yoga, how it has evolved, who gets to shape the narrative, and what that means for the way we practice today. Bex brings a grounded, informed, and refreshingly critical perspective that cuts through the noise in modern yoga discourse.In this episode, we explore:What the roots of yoga really tell us about its original purposeHow women have been included and excluded in yoga - both historically and nowThe tension between yoga’s liberatory potential and the ways the industry often fails womenWhere yoga can do harm, and how it can do betterBex’s experiences teaching yoga in extraordinary settings, including prisons, refugee camps, and women's sheltersBex’s background spans academia, activism, and embodied wisdom. She has a Master’s degree in Development Studies, worked as a researcher at Oxford University, and has spent the last 15+ years teaching thousands of yoga students and training hundreds of teachers - all while weaving in her deep commitment to social and environmental justice.And yes, this was a very Bali conversation, complete with tech improvisations and two surprise visits from a cobra mid-interview!I can’t wait for you to listen.Connect with Bex at https://freedom-through-movement.teachable.com/Access my nervous system regulation playlist at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/joinDownload the free Patañjali’s Eight Limbs and Mental Health Aware Yoga ebook at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/8limbsJoin the online Mental Health Aware Yoga training starting 16th February 2026 today at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/onlineThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.