Yoga Inspiration
by Kino MacGregor
Join Kino MacGregor, one of the world's master yoga teachers, as she shares her yoga life hacks to translate the wisdom of yoga into a happier, more peaceful, more loving life. Listen to authentic, raw conversations and talks from Kino on her own and with real students about what yoga is really all about. Ignite or rekindle your inner spark to get on your mat and keep practicing.
Episodes
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#241 In Conversation with Kino MacGregor and Dr. M.A. Alwar
What does it really mean to be a good yoga teacher? Is it enough to understand the teachings, or must we also embody them in how we live? In this episode of the Yoga Inspiration Podcast, Kino MacGregor welcomes Dr. M.A. Alwar, esteemed Sanskrit scholar, senior professor at Maharaja Sanskrit…
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#240 Yoga Will Show You the Way: The Attitude That Transforms Practice
Sharath Ji used to say, "Yoga will show you the way." Those simple words hold the essence of the yoga path. Practice is not about control or achievement. It is about devotion, humility, consistency, and trust in the process itself. Yoga evolves as we evolve. Some days, practice is strong and…
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#239 Do We Need a Teacher? The Role of the Guide in Yoga and the Journey Within
In this episode of the Yoga Inspiration Podcast, Kino MacGregor explores one of yoga's most enduring questions: Do we need a teacher? Through personal stories, classical yoga philosophy, and reflections on lineage, she looks at the role of the teacher as guide, the responsibility of the student,...
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#238 The Rebellion of Yoga: Beyond Āsana into Pratyāhāra
In this episode of the Yoga Inspiration Podcast, we explore what it really means to practice yoga beyond the physical postures. Āsana may be where many of us begin, but it is only one part of the larger Ashtanga Yoga method. Kino looks at the tendency to measure progress through increasingly...
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#237 The Yoga of Daily Life: Living with Yajña, Dāna, Tapas, and Dharma with Tim Feldmann
In this episode of the Yoga Inspiration Podcast, Tim Feldmann explores what it means to live yoga beyond the mat through the Bhagavad Gītā's teachings on yajña, dāna, and tapas. Yoga is sometimes interpreted as a withdrawal from thought, action, and the responsibilities of ordinary life. Tim…
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Bonus Episode: Before You Begin the Intermediate Series
In this episode, we explore what it really means to be ready for Ashtanga Yoga's Intermediate Series. Second Series is often approached through its physical landmarks: deeper backbends, leg-behind-the-head postures, arm balances, inversions, and demanding strength transitions. But the deeper...
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#236 From Effort to Stillness: The Journey of Ashtanga from Gross to Subtle
From Gross to Subtle: The Journey of Ashtanga Yoga Practice In this episode, Kino MacGregor and Tim Feldmann explore the two ends of the yoga spectrum: the gross and the subtle, the dynamic and the still, the effortful and the refined. Ashtanga Yoga asks us to inhabit both worlds, jumping…
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#235 Patience in Yoga Practice: Abhyāsa, Vairāgya, and the Wisdom of Stages
In this episode we explore one of yoga's most essential lessons: patience. Drawing from Patañjali's Yoga Sūtras 3.6 and 1.12, we reflect on why everything in yoga unfolds in stages and why true progress comes through the twin practices of steady effort, abhyāsa, and non-attachment, vairāgya....
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#234 The Work of Second Series: Ashtanga Yoga Intermediate Series
In this episode of Yoga Inspiration, Kino answers student questions about the Ashtanga Yoga Intermediate Series, traditionally known as Nāḍī Śodhana. We explore the structure and purpose of Second Series, including its deep backbends, leg-behind-the-head postures, arm balances, inversions, and…
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#233 The Three Pillars of Tristhāna with Tim Feldmann
At first glance, Ashtanga Yoga may look like a simple sequence of postures. But beneath the surface lies a subtle framework that carries the entire method: Tristhāna, the threefold support of breath, posture, and gaze. In this episode, Kino and Tim explore the deeper meaning of Tristhāna. The…
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#232 Living as a Yogi: Sincerity, Sattva, and the Eightfold Path
What does it really mean to be a yogi? In this episode, Kino explores the heart of yogic life beyond postures and performance. A yogi, she reminds us, is someone sincerely committed to realizing the Self and who understands that cultivating sattva (clarity, harmony, and balance) is an essential...
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#231 The Business of Yoga: Leadership, Marketing, Pricing & Growth with Bruce Barkus
What does it take to build a successful yoga business while staying true to your values? In this episode, Kino MacGregor sits down with business leader and longtime mentor Bruce Barkus to explore the intersection of yoga, entrepreneurship, leadership, and service. Drawing on decades of executive...
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#230 Yoga is Mind Training: How to Steady the Mind Through Practice
Yoga is more than flexibility or physical strength. At its essence, yoga is the training of the mind. In this episode, Kino MacGregor explores how yoga philosophy, breath, and daily practice help steady the mind, re-pattern habitual thinking, and cultivate inner awareness. Drawing from the…
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#229 Deep Practice, Full Heart: Why Consistency Changes Everything
What does it really mean for practice to deepen? It is not a bigger backbend or a more dramatic shape. It is the quiet transformation that comes from showing up day after day. In this talk, Kino explores how steady effort widens our capacity to feel the full spectrum of life. The highs may feel...
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#228 The Benefits of Traditional Ashtanga Yoga Practice: From Nectar Drop to Ocean with Tim Feldmann and Kino MacGregor
Recorded at Nøsen Yoga Retreat in Norway, Kino and Tim explore the deeper benefits of traditional Ashtanga Yoga practice. Together, they reflect on Yoga as both a drop of nectar and an ocean, drawing on the Yoga Sūtra, the Bhagavad Gītā, and the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā. From strength and vitality in...
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#227 Beyond Asana: The Complete Path of Yoga with Srivatsa Ramaswami
Srivatsa Ramaswami is one of the last direct students of the legendary yogi Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, often regarded as the father of modern yoga. He studied with Krishnamacharya for over three decades, receiving a deeply traditional education in āsana, prāṇāyāma, chanting, and classical yoga...
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#226 Avidyā: Lifting the Veil of Ignorance in Yoga
Avidyā: Lifting the Veil of Ignorance in Yoga Ignorance is rarely felt as ignorance. In yoga, this root affliction is called avidyā, the veil that causes us to mistake impermanence for permanence, suffering for joy, and the non-self for the Self. In this episode, Kino MacGregor explores the…
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#225 Grief as a Teacher: Remembering SharathJi
Grief is a powerful teacher. It doesn't ask for permission before it arrives—it simply comes, dismantling everything we thought we knew about love, faith, and permanence. It turns the familiar inside out, leaving us raw and exposed to the mystery of loss. In this heartfelt episode, Kino…
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#224 Viveka-khyāti: Seeing Clearly in an Age of Confusion and Acting Without Losing the Heart amidst Conflict
Yoga has never been a path of withdrawal from the world. It is a path of learning how to stand within it without losing clarity. In this episode, we explore the yogic concept of viveka, the capacity to see clearly and discern what is essential from what is transient. Drawing from the Yoga Sūtra,...
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#223 In Conversation with Dr Raj: The Stories Behind The Poses
Episode Description In this conversation, Kino sits down with Dr. Raj Balkaran to explore the deeper dimensions of yoga practice beyond physical postures. Together they discuss mythology, meaning, and the role of story in shaping how we understand and embody yoga. Dr. Balkaran shares the origins…
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#222 Grief, Presence, and the Courage to Stay Human with J.S. Park
In this episode of The Yoga Inspiration Podcast, Kino MacGregor sits down with hospital chaplain, writer, and grief expert J.S. Park for a deeply grounding conversation about grief, presence, and what it means to live with an open heart in a world that can feel overwhelming. They explore why…
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#221 In Conversation with Andrew Tanner of The American Yoga Council
In this episode of the Yoga Inspiration Podcast, Kino MacGregor is joined by Andrew Tanner, yoga teacher of over 20 years, founder of the American Yoga Council and the Berkshire Yoga Festival, and author of So You Want to Open a Yoga Studio. Together they explore what it truly means to be a...
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#220 The Astrology of 2026 - the Year Everything Changes with Gahl Sasson
In this episode of the Yoga Inspiration Podcast, I sit down with astrologer and teacher Gahl Sasson for a thoughtful conversation on cycles, change, and finding meaning during times of transition. Together we explore how astrology and yoga intersect as tools for self awareness, timing, and…
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#219 Healing Through Grief: How Yoga, Practice, and Community Carry Us Forward When Everything Falls Apart
This episode is a reflection on a year marked by grief, loss, and profound inner reckoning. I share openly about the death of my teacher, the unraveling of relationships I once trusted, and the disorienting experience of being misunderstood, judged, and rejected in ways I did not expect. What…
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#218 Is Yoga Inherently Healing? Trauma, Activation & the Power of Presence with Terri Cooper and Kino MacGregor
In this episode, Kino speaks with trauma-informed yoga educator and activist Terri Cooper to explore the deep connection between yoga and healing. What is trauma, really? Is yoga inherently trauma-sensitive? And how can teachers and students use yoga to navigate emotional activation and create...
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#217 Walking in the Light of the Guru: Lineage, Faith & Living Wisdom
Each year, under the bright full moon of Guru Purnima, yoga practitioners and seekers around the world pause to honor the timeless presence of the Guru, the teacher who removes darkness and reveals the light that has always been within us. This was written in July 2025, the first Guru Purnima…
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#216 The Importance of a Teacher, the Meaning of Being a Student and the Power of Transmission.
In a world where information is always within reach, it's tempting to believe we no longer need teachers. With a few clicks, we can access ancient texts, videos, and tutorials on nearly any aspect of yoga. But there's something that the internet cannot give you: transmission. Yoga is not simply...
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#215 Dialogue and Discipline, Rethinking Authority in Ashtanga Yoga
In this deeply honest and sometimes difficult conversation, Melissa Matt, Kino MacGregor, Peg Mulqueen, Sarah Nelson, and Greg Nardi take a courageous step into the heart of Ashtanga Yoga's ongoing reckoning. This episode asks some of the most pressing and uncomfortable questions facing our...
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#214 The Quiet Turning: Meditation, Yoga, and the Truth of Impermanence
Podcast notes The Quiet Turning: Meditation, Yoga, and the Truth of Impermanence One of the most frustrating instructions I ever received in a meditation class was deceptively simple: Close your eyes and quiet the mind. I remember thinking, if I could do that, I wouldn't be here learning how to...
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#213 Abhyāsa: The Sacred Art of Returning, Practice, Repetition, and Inner Cultivation
What does it really mean to practice yoga not just once in a while, but again and again, across years, through resistance, joy, boredom, and transformation? In this episode, Kino and Tim explore the deeper meaning of abhyāsa, the Sanskrit word often translated as "practice," but whose roots…
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#212 Understanding the Ashtanga Yoga Opening Invocation: Etymology, Meaning & Inner Alchemy
The yoga community is like one big family, not united by fancy poses but by a shared love for this ancient practice. It doesn't matter what shapes your body can or can't make; what matters is that you keep showing up and giving your best effort. What binds us is presence, not perfection. The...
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#211 A Supported Practice: Finding Balance Between Yoga and Strength Training with Kino MacGregor and Wade Oakley
In this insightful episode of the Yoga Inspiration Podcast, Kino MacGregor sits down with longtime Ashtanga practitioner and teacher Wade Oakley to explore the intersection of traditional yoga practice and modern strength training. Wade shares how an early shoulder injury led him to Ashtanga Yoga...
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#210 Living Legacy: Sri Shubha on Krishnamacharya, Yoga, and Teaching from the Heart
In this rare and heartfelt conversation, Kino MacGregor sits down with Sri Shubha, daughter of the legendary T. Krishnamacharya, to share stories and insights from the man often called the father of modern yoga. Sri Shubha offers a deeply personal glimpse into her upbringing in a household where...
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Bonus Episode: The Spiritual Hustle: Build Your Authentic Yoga Business Without Losing Your Soul
This bonus episode is a gateway into The Spiritual Hustle, an honest, practical, and soul-centered approach to building a yoga or wellness business. The conversation traces the roots of practice, the call to teach, and the leap of faith it takes to create an online presence that stays true to...
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#209 Roots & Branches: Writing, Teaching, and Living Yoga with David Swenson
In this warm and inspiring episode, Kino MacGregor welcomes her dear friend and legendary Ashtanga Yoga teacher David Swenson for a conversation about his new book, Only Dead Fish Go With the Flow. David shares what sparked the idea for the book — a collection of stories, reflections, and wisdom...
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#208 The Many Shades of Devotion in Yoga
Join Kino MacGregor, Tim Feldmann, Wade Oakley and Chandana Bhowmick as they discuss what devotion means for each of them. Finding the fuel of devotion in their practice is more sustainable than the fuel of ambition. Hear how they each found the student's heart of love in their relationship with...
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#207 How Yoga Teaches Us to Stand Up for Justice Without Losing Our Peace
In a world filled with conflict, injustice, and harm, how do we respond as yogis? In this episode, Kino explores the powerful yogic concept of *kṣānti*—forbearance, patience, and compassionate endurance—through scriptural sources including the Bhagavad Gītā, the Bodhicaryāvatāra, and the Yoga...
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#206: Dharma Talk: Why We Think It's Important to Keep Practicing Ashtanga Yoga with Kino and Tim
Why We Think It's Important to Keep Practicing Ashtanga Yoga and Why We Hope You Keep Practicing Too Dedicated Ashtanga Yoga practice is a powerful journey worth pursuing, even decades after your first class. Reflecting on more than 25 years of practice, we've discovered profound reasons to stay...
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#205: Dharma Talk: The Discerning Eye of the Yogin — Becoming Connoisseurs of Spiritual Knowledge
We are, by nature, discriminating beings. We develop taste — for art, food, fashion, architecture. We learn to tell what is real from what is imitation, what is durable from what is fleeting. We become connoisseurs of culture, cuisine, aesthetics. So what happens when that same discriminating...
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#204: Dharma Talk: The Grace of the Guru
In the sacred journey of yoga, the figure of the guru—the teacher, the revealer—is not merely someone who instructs us in techniques. The guru is the light that removes darkness, the presence that dispels confusion, and the voice that calls us back to the Self. The Sanskrit word guru itself is...
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#203: An Ocean of Grace, Saumanasya - The Cheerful Disposition of the Yogi's Mind
Many of us come to yoga seeking relief. Relief from pain, from restlessness, from uncertainty. And sometimes we find it. But over time, what we discover is more lasting than relief. We discover presence. We discover steadiness. We discover a kind of joy that doesn't have to shout. It only has to...
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#202: How Yoga Grows a Heart of Unconditional Compassion
In the closing prayer of the Ashtanga practice, we chant: svasti prajābhyaḥ pari-pālayantāṁ, nyāyena mārgena mahīṁ mahīśāḥ, gobrāhmaṇebhyaḥ śubham astu nityaṁ, lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu. These ancient words are an offering — a prayer for all beings to be protected, for the rulers of the…
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#201: Tears of the Path: Saṁvega and the Ocean Within — A Reflection on Feeling Deeply, Seeing Clearly, and Walking the Path with Urgency
As we go deeper on the spiritual path—whether through yoga, meditation, or self-inquiry—we often discover a paradox: We feel more peace… but we also feel more pain. The highs become transcendent. The lows, unbearable. We start to feel everything more intensely. This intensity is not a mistake. It...
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#200: The Benefits of Strong Practice in Cultivating Tapas
Sometimes we may not understand why it is necessary to engage in strong practice. This talk dives into how the effects we put into asana practice cultivate a powerful internal fire of purification. This was a talk given after a 4 day immersion with Kino and Tim in Bangkok. Practice LIVE with me...
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#199: Honoring the Lineage and Understanding Merit in Ashtanga Yoga
Kino and Tim discuss how to honor the lineage in the absence of our teachers. They further dive into the definition of what constitutes merit in the practice of Yoga. Ending with a Q&A that captures the spirit of the conclusion of their first week of teaching in Bali Practice LIVE with me...
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#198: The Lifelong Path of Yoga: Kino MacGregor on Insightful Self-Discovery
Why yoga? Anyone who has practiced for a decade, two decades, or even a lifetime knows that the answer to this question is anything but simple—or perhaps so simple that words fail to capture it. Some truths can only be understood through embodied knowledge, a form of wisdom that arises not from...
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#197: Tristhana Unveiled: Breath, Body, and Mind in Ashtanga Yoga with Kino & Tim
Join Kino and Tim as they explore Tristhana, the foundational framework of Ashtanga Yoga that unites breath, body, and mind. Whether you are new to the practice or have been teaching for years, this episode offers a deeper look at how these three elements work together to cultivate presence…
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#196: Astrology Talk with Kino MacGregor and Gahl Sasson
Astrology is more than just predictions. Join Kino and Gahl for a conversation about spirituality, past lives, and how astrology can help guide us along our journey Gahl Sasson makes Kabbalah, astrology and psychology engaging, illuminating, and fun. His book, A Wish Can Change Your Life,...
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#195: Discipline, Method and Studentship in Ashtanga Yoga
With set sequences, rules, and repetitions, Ashtanga is often seen as a devotion to discipline. But if you look closely, it is a delicate orchestration where breath, movement, and focus unite to reveal the clarity within. In today's episode, we reflect on the purpose behind the method, exploring...
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#194: The Pillars of Happiness with Mary Taylor and Richard Freeman
Mary Taylor and Richard Freeman join us to share timeless insights exploring how impermanence and interconnectedness form the foundation of a meaningful life. With wisdom rooted in years of spiritual practice, they reflect on the paradox of happiness – not as something to chase but as a natural...
About this show
Join Kino MacGregor, one of the world's master yoga teachers, as she shares her yoga life hacks to translate the wisdom of yoga into a happier, more peaceful, more loving life. Listen to authentic, raw conversations and talks from Kino on her own and with real students about what yoga is really all about. Ignite or rekindle your inner spark to get on your mat and keep practicing.
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Kino MacGregor
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