Yoga Story Express

Join Lynn as she interviews Carolyn Diggins, Yoga Story member and owner of Full Moon Elixirs. Carolyn is a community herbalist and master gardener. Hear her story as she went from product development for a corporate company to running her own herbal apothecary. Listeners will receive 10% off of Personal Wellness Consultations. Use the code YOGASTORY26 at checkout. Consultations are available no matter where you are located. https://fullmoonelixirs.com https://fullmoonelixirs.com/products/personal-wellness-consultation  

Today, we spoke with Gita Chakrabarti, a 15 year yoga practitioner.  Gita is the CEO and founder of Gutbff, a different kind of granola with 20 different plant ingredients to help nourish your gut biome.  Gita is a graduate of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a former VP of merchandising at both Walmart and Sam's Club. Gita started her yoga practice after a rafting injury and has kept it up for over 15 years because of the impact it has physically, mentally and emotionally.  We speak about her Indian heritage, yoga in the Western world and how yoga has evolved.   Listeners can find Gita's products at www.gutbff.com and get 15% off their first purchase by using the code yogastory15

In this season, Lynn interviews different people from all walks where yoga has impacted their life.  Each person will tell their "yoga story" and what parts of yoga is present in their daily practice.  On our 100th episode, Lynn interviews Lee Williams.  Lee started yoga when he was 65 years old and turns 80 this year!  He is a Marine, Vietnam Veteran, world traveler and member of the RazorVets.  He was a member of Yoga Story from the very beginning - we call these members the OGs - and continues to practice meditation and mindfulness.  He was active in the Veterans Yoga Project and taught classes at the local VA.  

Today, Lynn interviews Mandy Ryle, (ERYT500, CSCS, Certified Nutrition Coach, Certified Pain Care Aware)!  We hear about Mandy's "yoga story" and how she ended up specializing in yin and pain care. We'll talk about why this practice of yin is so important and why a teacher would need this knowledge in their teaching toolbox, regardless of the style they teach.   Mandy will be hosting a yin & somatics training for yoga teachers at Yoga Story in September 2025.  You can find out more on our website www.yogastory.info/workshops   More info on Mandy: Mandy Ryle (ERYT500, CSCS, Certified Nutrition Coach, Certified Pain Care Aware) brings her unique expertise as a Pain Care Coach to a comprehensive Yin Yoga and Somatics Teacher Training. Based in Omaha, Nebraska, Mandy offers a powerful synthesis of ancient wisdom and modern science. With over a decade of experience leading Yoga Teacher Trainings (since 2012) and a deep understanding of movement as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Mandy goes beyond traditional Yin Yoga. She empowers teachers to understand the neurophysiological underpinnings of pain and movement, integrating principles of pain science education, mindfulness, and somatic practices inspired by the Feldenkrais Method®. Mandy's passion for learning is an asset from which her students, clients and trainees benefit. Her dedication to staying at the forefront of research – evidenced by her consistent exploration of scientific literature and yearly study of integral anatomy in the cadaver lab – translates into a training rich with value and practical application. Her ability to distill complex information into clear and engaging lessons has made her podcast, The Yin Yoga Podcast, a valuable resource for listeners worldwide (ranking in the top 15%). This training is an invitation to learn from a teacher who is both a seasoned guide and a dedicated student. Mandy's collaborative approach and attention to individual learning needs and styles will ensure you leave feeling not only knowledgeable but truly inspired to share the transformative power of integrated Yin Yoga and Somatics with your students. 

Hear from one of our "OG Members" - Lisa Lockwood!  A long term Yoga Story member and small business owner, Lisa recounts her years as a yogi, what got her started and why she continues to incorporate yoga into her life.      

Join Lynn as she interviews Yogi Cynthia Hawes, a local practitioner who mainly practices with Yoga Story virtually.  Cynthia has been practicing for over 25 years, lives with a disability and is an amazing ceramic artist.  Listen to her story and how, when you make people feel seen and important, they in turn, will make others feel seen and important.  Also, if you practice with us virtually, you can thank Cynthia for that ;) You can find Cynthia's amazing works at https://www.instagram.com/cynthiahawesceramics/  

Join Lynn as she interviews guest teacher Chelsea Dygert.  Chelsea is an ERYT 500, y12sr (trauma informed yoga) and studied cacao in Costa Rica and in Mexico. Chelsea hosts cacao ceremonies across the Missouri and now NWA region!  Chelsea talks about how she started hosting them, what experience she wants others to take away from her events and how cacao works as a heart opener.   Join Chelsea at Yoga Story on 2/9 from 4-5:30 p.m.  Sign up through www.yogastory.info/workshops

Join Lynn & Rachel as they discuss sobriety and celebrate Rachel hitting 1000 days sober!  Rachel is a regular at Yoga Story and kicked off her sobriety journey by reading The Alcohol Experiment by Annie Grace.  We talk about coping, giving back and connection without alcohol.  Sober curious?  Join us in our 30 day book club hosted by Gabby & Lynn!  Virtual participation is welcome - just drop us an email at [email protected]

Are we limiting our ability to create resiliency in our lives by depending on alcohol when times are stressful?  Can we create deeper connection in our relationships and to ourselves by examining our relationship with alcohol? Yoga Story owner Lynn, and Yoga Story teacher Gabby, discuss their journey of eliminating alcohol and their upcoming program Dry January, using The Alcohol Experiment by Annie Grace. 

Join Lynn as she interviews Joel Manning, HR consultant, wellness counselor, mindfulness coach and more!  Today, we tackle the concept of discipline and exercise and why the way we approach moving our bodies matters.  We redefine what discipline can mean in the framework of self love and how moving our bodies out of love vs. shame and guilt will reap different outcomes mentally and physically.   Joel services can be found on their website at www.asisconsulting.net/services or through instagram at @as_isconsulting.  Their business number is 479-579-9610    

Welcome back to the Yoga Story podcast for 2024!   Today, Lynn interviewed Casey, one of our yoga teachers with almost a decade of teaching under her belt.  Casey loves kids yoga and yoga for beginners but recently dove into the world of a brand new topic, and one that is rapidly growing in popularity - menopause!   Listen as we discuss why she choose this area of study, the wild ride menopause can take you on, how EVERY single biological woman is affected and how yoga can help empower you on this beautiful journey. Casey is hosting a workshop in Northwest Arkansas on August 3 from 2-3:30 p.m. CST.  If you are interested in signing up and live locally, go to our website at www.yogastory.info/workshops to register.  If you do not live locally and would like to participate virtually, email Lynn at [email protected]

Meet our teacher who will be heading up the prenatal programs at both Yoga Story and our new studio in downtown Rogers, Yoga Story DTR!  Melissa is a 200 hr RYT, pre and post partum doula, certified indigenous lactation consultant and has a Bachelor's in public health.  She is passionate about teaching others about their options when it comes to birth and about reaching marginalized communities to better infant and maternal health.  Her classes are educational, challenging but also an opportunity to release tension for a balanced experience. She believes that your pregnancy and yoga journeys are parallels of each other.  

Yoga Teacher and Sound Healer Stephanie Kelly joins Lynn today on the podcast to discuss what sound healing is and why it's beneficial not only to the body but the brain as well.  We discuss noise pollution, sound frequencies, binaural beats, vibrations and how they all work together to help our cells return to their natural state.  Additionally, we announce Yoga Story's newest tool in sound healing - the vibra acoustic sound lounger!  In the near future, you'll be able to book 20-25 min appointments on this cutting edge technology.     Sound healing research foundation for more resources on sound & vibrations and how they impact our systems: https://iaminharmony.com/pages/science-research

Last meditation in our series on duality - life and death

Meditation 4 in our duality series - light & shadow

Meditation 3 in our duality series. Masculine & feminine energy

Meditation on solar and lunar energy. Meditation 2 of our duality series

Meditation on the energy of yin & yang

Join us for our next meditation series launching on World Meditation Day, May 20th. This series will be on duality or opposites. We will meditate on five different pairs of opposites: yin and yang, lunar and solar, feminine and masculine, shadow and light, and death and life.

Lynn & Milo continue their conversation on Trauma and how yoga helps us process.  In today's episode, we cover the difference between regulating resources & coping mechanisms, and examples of each.  We discuss feeling our feelings as a practice and that it's not scary to feel those uncomfortable feelings when we are safe and regulated!  We discuss toxic masculinity & creating safe spaces for men to feel their feelings and what that can look like (hint, it's not dramatic crying). Stay tuned for part 3 where we cover Milo's upcoming series at Yoga Story!

Listen as Lynn is joined by guest Milo Fish!  Milo is a trained trauma informed yoga teacher and we discuss what trauma is, how yoga can help, what drew Milo to her different training courses and what the difference is between coping mechanisms and regulating resources.  More coming in part 2! Milo is trained in the following: Healing toolkit -Sarah Baldwin Trauma Informed REWIRING Abundance -Sorina Maria Body’s Response to Trauma (Polyvagal perspective)  -Dr Scott Lyons and Dr Stephen Porges Coregulation & Growing The Capacity for Love -Dr Scott Lyons and Dr Stephen Porges The Neuro-Chemistry and Embodiment of Stress Buffering -Dr Scott Lyons Applied Polyvagal Theory in Therapeutic Yoga  Level 1  -Dr Arielle Schwartz and Dr Stephen Porges Level 2  -Dr Arielle Schwartz Post-Traumatic Growth: Mind-Body Tools to Foster Resilience and Awaken to your Potential -Dr Arielle Schwartz Applied Polyvagal Theory in Yoga: Nourish Your Nervous System -Dr Arielle Schwartz   She recommends following these creators on Instagram and you can find her @miloisadora @sarahbcoaching  @theembodylab @repairing_the_nervous_system  @marina.y.t  @heartandcircle  @carolynspringwriter  @sarahdergins  @breakthecycle_coaching  @jeanpsychologist  @soma.psych  @somaticexperiencingint  @brittfrank  @breakingdowncptsd @ingridclaytonphd    She also highly recommends the film The Wisdom of Trauma   by Gabor Maté

Lynn interviews yogi & artist Kim Moore on today's podcast!  They explore mental health including anxiety and major depressive disorder.  Kim opens up about her struggles, how she hacks her own brain & using her pain as a source of creativity for her art.   The piece discussed in the podcast can be viewed and purchased at Yoga Story in Bentonville or through Kim's Instagram @KindnessMattersStudio

In this episode, Lynn interviews Rachel Wagner - our meditation teacher, hiking leader & book club organizer extraordinaire!  Rachel's company, Wagner Wellbeing, is hosting an online journey to your soul's purpose - Unlocking You in 2022.  Lynn & Rachel discuss how they both left the corporate world for the yoga world and why.  Rachel covers her program, what it entails and how you can use her methodology over & over through various life stages.   Show Notes: Registration can be found at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/unlocking-you-in-2022-registration-211070747287

Listen in as Lynn interviews Julie about her passion for kid's yoga!  She'll review some stats on depression in kids and how she has seen it impact the children she teaches.  Next, Julie will interview our youngest yogi - Stella!  Stella is 14 years old and has already hit 100 classes in one year!  Stella will tell us how yoga has helped her physically and mentally plus which ones are her favorite classes. 

Lynn, Julie & Beth tackle the topic of Body Image, the fitness & yoga industry and how we can help change the landscape with the words that we say.

Our love isn’t directed only to ourselves and other humans. Nature is also deserving of our love for all it provides us.

Whether it’s a family member, close friend or adversary, practicing love to everyone is how we can make the world a better place for all.

Love begins with you! You must love yourself before you can love others.

Love extends beyond ourselves, others and nature. All living things are deserving of our unconditional love. There is an unspoken connection between us and our pets that speaks volumes if you are willing to listen.

Lynn, studio owner, & Julie, studio manager, discuss their journeys to alcohol sobriety and how it relates to their yoga practice.

We catch up with mountain biker & yogi, Rachel Melilli.  Hear how she incorporates yoga into her routine, how it helps with her cycling (mountain, gravel & road), aids in recovery and keeps her mindset right when she races.  Rachel has been a Yoga Story member for 2 and half years, is an equestrian and races for the Phat Tire cycling team. 

Seeing the world through a neutral lens; honoring the cycles of light and dark; easing (not escaping) the suffering of life

Join Lynn for a 30 minute meditation focusing on presence, being here NOW.  She will guide you through your 5 senses to be aware of each one, then integrating them as a whole while staying present in our bodies and breath.  

Audio from a live 60 minute yoga power flow class with Lynn Hancock, owner of Yoga Story in Bentonville Arkansas.  This class is challenging and strength oriented.  You will find your physical edge and level up!  This class is appropriate for those with experience in yoga, can understand verbal cues for common yoga poses and do not have any medical restrictions or need clearance from a doctor to participate in exercise.  Since we are not able to supervise form or offer in person instruction through this medium, you assume all risk and liability if you choose to practice along with this recording.  

Join Lindsay for a relaxing and restorative legs up the wall meditation.

Join Lynn for a live, previously recorded, power flow class!  We've captured the audio from one of our virtual zoom classes and would love for you to follow along.  It is recommended that you have a strong yoga practice in that you know verbal cueing and names of poses without a visual reference.  

Today's grounding meditation with Lindsay White.  This meditation is practiced standing.  Bare feet on the earth would be a good earthing integration as well.

Try this meditation right before bedtime with Yoga Story teacher and massage therapist, Lindsay White.

Getting grounded during times of instability

Join Suzie in cultivating the power of the heart through this loving kindness meditation.  

Last meditation of our 21 day chakra meditation Chant: Lam Vam Ram Yam Ham Om

Day 20 of our 21 day chakra meditation Chant: Lam Vam Ram Yam Ham Om

Day 19 of our 21 day chakra meditation Here is the order of the seed sounds Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham, Om

Introduction to the crown chakra and it’s meaning

Say 18 of our 21 day chakra meditation

Day 17 of our 21 day chakra meditation