Accessible Yoga Podcast

Join Jivana Heyman and Deanna Michalopoulos for the final episode of the Accessible Yoga Podcast’s fourth season, celebrating Jivana's 30 years of teaching. In this reflective conversation, Deanna turns the tables and interviews Jivana about his journey, asking him to answer the paramount question posed to every guest throughout the season, “What is one teaching that's made an impact on your life and continues to today?” The episode offers an intimate look at what this yearlong series has meant, with heartfelt gratitude to the guests, team, sponsors, and listeners who made it possible. The conversation ends with appreciation for everyone who has been part of this journey and the promise of returning after a short break with a new season. Topics Include: Non-attachment and selfless service Yoga as preparation for death The transformative impact of yoga practice and teaching How service benefits both the giver and the receiver Yoga as a living tradition passed down through generations The future of yoga and the yoga community Hope for moving beyond capitalism toward collective kindness     Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

Join Jivana Heyman in conversation with his friend, Itzel Hayward, a former lawyer turned yoga teacher who brings together yoga, Buddhism, nonviolent communication, and social justice work. Itzel shares her journey of integrating these seemingly separate parts of her life into a unified practice centered on service, empathy, and compassion. The conversation delves into the philosophy of restorative and transformative justice as alternatives to punitive systems, and how these approaches align with yogic principles. Itzel explains nonviolent communication as both a technique and a lens for seeing everyone's actions as attempts to meet universal human needs. Together, Jivana and Itzel discuss Sutra 1.33 from the Yoga Sutras, known as the "locks and keys" teaching, and how it can be applied to relationships and social justice. At the end of the episode, Jivana and co-host, Deanna Michalopoulos, continue to explore Sutra 1.33 (friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and equanimity toward the non-virtuous). They discuss how these practices help us overcome obstacles to enlightenment while serving others in the world. The conversation concludes with reflections on non-attachement and how it is a central theme in the yoga teachings. Topics include: Integration of yoga and social justice Itzel’s contribution to Jivana’s book, Yoga Revolution Dual vs. nondual yoga teachings and their implications for social justice How becoming a parent taught Itzel about non-attachment and empathy Addressing guru abuse and creating safer spiritual spaces Balance between internal and external practices in yoga Check out: Itzel’s upcoming event, Engaged Nonduality: Awake Awareness, Wise Action — A Nondual Approach to Anti-Racism on Sunday, February 1, 2026, https://www.attunedliving.com/events/engaged-nonduality Tracee Stanlee’s book, The Luminous Self   Join a free Accessible Yoga webinar! Join the first session of The Art of Teaching Chair Yoga as a FREE course preview:Friday January 23rd, 202610:30am PT | 1:30pm ET (75 mins) -- Register Here Find Your Center Practice: Explore Balance in a Chair & On a MatMonday February 2nd, 2026 9am PT | 12pm ET | 5pm GMT -- Register Here Building Balance in Accessible Yoga WorkshopThursday February 19th, 2026 10am PT | 1pm ET | 6pm GMT -- Register Here   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Itzel: Itzel Hayward is a yoga teacher, facilitator, and former attorney whose work sits at the intersection of contemplative practice, justice, and collective care. After more than a decade practicing law in the areas of consumer protection and economic justice, she felt called to explore ways of restoring communities to wholeness after harm. She turned to restorative and transformative justice, compassionate communication, mindfulness, and yoga as practices of repair and healing—both outwardly and inwardly. Through her organization, Attuned Living, and in her role as an Adjunct Professor at UC Law San Francisco, Itzel supports inclusive, collaborative processes rooted in presence, agency, and right relationship with ancestors, community, and the living world. attunedliving.com | bsky.app/profile/attunedliving.bsky.social | linkedin.com/in/itzelhayward | instagram.com/attunedliving   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

Join host, Jivana Heyman, as he welcomes Oneika Mays, for an inspiring conversation about her forthcoming book, "Sit with Me : A No BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation," which details her transformative work at Rikers Island prison in New York City. Oneika shares her journey, the challenges of teaching mindfulness in a prison setting, and her practice and understanding of metta (loving-kindness). Together, Jivana and Oneika discuss the importance of embodied wisdom, the role of storytelling in teaching, and the need for self-compassion and boundaries in service work. Oneika opens up about the vicarious trauma she experienced and how to recognize when to walk away from situations that no longer serve us. The episode also features an exploration of how ancient teachings like Patanjali's Sutras relate to contemporary practice. Jivana and co-host, Deanna Michalopoulos, discuss the paradox of embracing the body fully before learning to release attachment to it, offering practical insights for teachers navigating yoga’s complex philosophies. Topics Include: Processing trauma through writing The importance of supervision and support for service-oriented teachers Balancing service work with concerns about upholding oppressive systems Embodied wisdom and listening to your body's signals Cultivating a relationship with yourself through yoga and meditation Jivana’s upcoming free webinars and The Art of Teaching Chair Yoga Training, January 23 - February 24, 2026 Pre-Order Sit with Me : A No BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditationby visiting Oneika's website https://www.oneikamays.com   Join a free Accessible Yoga webinar! Join the first session of The Art of Teaching Chair Yoga as a FREE course preview:Friday January 23rd, 202610:30am PT | 1:30pm ET (75 mins) -- Register Here Find Your Center Practice: Explore Balance in a Chair & On a MatMonday February 2nd, 2026 9am PT | 12pm ET | 5pm GMT -- Register Here Building Balance in Accessible Yoga WorkshopThursday February 19th, 2026 10am PT | 1pm ET | 6pm GMT -- Register Here   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Oneika: Oneika Mays is a writer and facilitator who leads with joy, passion, and wisdom. As a Black, queer feminist, meditation teacher, and yoga instructor with nearly 15 years of teaching experience, she brings a poignant lens to building a more compassionate world. Oneika’s gift is taking big ideas and teachings and weaving them with stories. She’s rooted in what she’s studied but teaches from her own experience. Oneika’s your teacher, your auntie, your friend - here for the work of personal and collective liberation. Her memoir Sit With Me (HarperOne, March 2026) delivers a no-BS journey to mindfulness that embraces the mess. Grounded in Buddhist and yogic teachings, Oneika has taught at Rikers Island, Yoga International, and Embodied Philosophy. She believes joy is a revolution and getting closer to your heart is how we change the world. IG @oneikamays | Substack @oneikamays     Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

Join Jivana Heyman in conversation with his longtime teacher and mentor, Swami Ramananda, a monk (sannyasi) in the Integral Yoga tradition. Swami Ramananda, who has dedicated nearly 50 years to the practice and teaching of yoga, shares profound insights, offering practical wisdom on working with the mind and cultivating inner peace. He discusses the challenges and rewards of monastic life, and how living in service has shaped his understanding of yoga practice. Together they explore the importance of spiritual community, the transformative power of meditation, and essential yogic concepts including non-attachment, surrender, and compassion. In the second part of the episode, Jivana reflects on his 30-year yoga journey and how his practice has transformed his relationship with his mind. He shares that the concept of non-attachment has been a life-changing teaching, helping him understand that happiness comes from within, rather than external circumstances. Jivana emphasizes that yoga isn't about fixing ourselves but rather shifting our identification from ego to spirit, and he expresses gratitude for his teacher Swami Ramananda's influence on his practice and life. Topics include: Jivana’s history with and departure from Integral Yoga The role of meditation in everyday life Non-attachment as a path to freedom while still engaging with the world Sangha (spiritual community) and how it supports yoga practitioners The relationship between inner practice and outer service Bhakti Yoga, prayer, and surrender Developing a compassionate relationship with ourselves    We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Swami Ramananda: Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco and a highly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition, with over 45 years of dedicated practice. A certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of Yoga Alliance, Ramananda is known for his compassionate presence, deep wisdom, and ability to translate the timeless teachings of Yoga into accessible tools for everyday life. He offers practical methods for transforming life’s challenges into pathways toward inner freedom and realizing one’s full potential. A co-founder of the Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI), Ramananda brings together individuals committed to social justice, environmental healing, and spiritual activism. His warmth, insight, and gentle humor have inspired and uplifted countless students on the path of Yoga. @swami_ramananda_108 | facebook.com/Swami Ramananda 108   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of mental health challenges and suicidal ideation. Please practice self-care when deciding whether to listen. In this episode, Jivana Heyman sits down with longtime friend and colleague ML Maitreyi to discuss her journey as a yoga teacher living openly with bipolar disorder. Maitreyi shares candidly about how yoga became a lifeline in managing her mental health and the importance of community and discusses the particular challenges of being open about mental health in a yoga world. Maitreyi also celebrates the release of her new chair yoga book, explaining why she wrote it as an "encourager and friend" rather than an instruction manual. Together, Jivana and Maitreyi discuss the significance of the teacher-student relationship and the importance of mutual respect and collaboration. In the second part of the episode, Jivana and co-host, Deanna Michalopoulos reflect on the importance of addressing mental health in the yoga community and why chair yoga represents the distilled essence of yoga. Jivana also introduces his new course, "The Art of Teaching Chair Yoga," designed for yoga teachers. He explains the course's focus on teaching skills and the importance of creating a holistic and engaging class experience Topics include: Breaking the silence around mental health in the yoga community Challenging the pervasive myth that yoga should "fix" or cure mental health conditions Alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana) as a nervous system regulation tool Teaching as invitation rather than instruction The art of distilling complex yoga teachings into simple, accessible practices Check out ML Maitreyi's book, Chair Yoga for Strength and Balance: Accessible Exercises to Improve Mobility and Relieve Pain on sale now!    We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with ML Maitreyi: ML Maitreyi is the Founder, Director and Teacher Mentor for Accessible Yoga Sacramento/Tahoe which has offered a free weekly class for the past decade. ML brings with her 30 years as a practitioner and 20 years of experience sharing yoga in diverse community spaces. In December 2025, her first book, Chair Yoga for Strength & Balance: Accessible Exercises to Improve Mobility & Relieve Pain, was released in partnership with Harper Collins Focus and Cider Mill Press. Her Sanskrit name, Maitreyi, means "friendly". She has relocated from California and now permanently resides in San Felipe, Baja Mexico.   IG: @accessibleyogaml, @accessibleyogasacramento   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Take advantage of the Winter 2025 sale between now and December 15th, click here to save 20% on select annual plans.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

Join Jivana Heyman for an inspiring conversation with Heather Sheree Sanders, founder of the Sedona Yoga Festival, about karma yoga, community organizing, and the often overlooked work that happens behind the scenes in the yoga world. Their conversation explores what it means to be a humble leader in yoga, the transformative power of yoga, and why Western yoga may finally be reaching a pivotal moment where practitioners are ready to go deeper than asana-focused practice. Heather shares how merging her natural gifts with her yoga practice helped her find a sustainable balance between passion and service. She shares her vision for the Sedona Yoga Festival, emphasizing its role in providing a comprehensive yoga education and fostering community. Together, they reflect on the transformational power of in-person events and the need for human engagement in the yoga community. The episode also features a listener question from Eric Johnson about finding courage as a yoga teacher, sparking a profound discussion about how yoga builds prana (energy), why ethical practice is essential for directing that power, and how our authentic selves – including our struggles and vulnerabilities – are actually our greatest gifts to share with the world. Topics Include: Deconstructing narrow definitions of what yoga "looks like" Heart-led leadership through karma yoga ​ Recognizing the teacher-student relationship as sacred Community organizing as activism Approaching yoga holistically The power of yoga nidra Heather’s work with Sedona Yoga Festival, Yoga Unify, The Ramble Burlington Jivana’s book, Yoga Revolution: Building a Practice of Courage and Compassion Check out the next Sedona Yoga Festival, April 23-26, 2026   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Heather: Heather Sheree Sanders, Producer and Director of the annual Sedona Yoga Festival in Sedona, AZ, has been a practitioner of yoga since 1996. She believes passionately in yoga's ability to heal and to create peace, and focuses her efforts on bringing authentic yoga to people everywhere through a variety of platforms. Heather's commitment to building community and offering service in the field of yoga, arts, and consciousness is reflected in decades of event and conference creation and direction, as well as program development dedicated to mentorship, civic engagement, creativity, and collaboration. sedonayogafestival.com linkedin.com/in/heathersheree  instagram.com/heathershereesanders instagram.com/sedonayogafestival linkedin.com/company/sedona-yoga-festivalfacebook.com/sedonayogafestival facebook.com/heathershereesanders    Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsor! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

Join Jivana Heyman for a heartfelt conversation with fellow yoga teacher, Francesca Cervero, host of The Mentor Sessions Podcast. Together, they explore teaching during difficult times, yoga and parenting, the art of one-on-one teaching, and the power of co-creating a yoga practice with students. Drawing on her training in Tibetan Buddhism, Francesca discusses how loving-kindness meditation helps her teach her D.C.-area students who are experiencing heightened stress amid federal job cuts and political turmoil. She shares invaluable wisdom from her 20 years of teaching, reflecting on a transformative moment with her first private client. In the second half, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, unpack the concept of vairagya (non-attachment) and why it's essential for both yoga teachers and activists right now. Jivana clarifies how non-attachment differs from apathy, explaining how freedom from selfish craving actually enables more skillful, compassionate action in the world. They also preview Jivana's upcoming eight-week course on building a personal pranayama and meditation practice through the eight limbs of yoga. Topics include: How political turmoil and social stress are showing up in yoga classes Finding balance between acknowledging reality and creating sanctuary Maintaining boundaries as a yoga teacher The importance of peer-support and mentorship for yoga teachers Why emotional neutrality enhances creativity and skill Jivana’s upcoming online training, Accessible Pranayama & Meditation: Exploring the Eight Limbs of Yoga* Check out Francesca's online course, The Science of the Private Lesson™ Online Training and her podcast, The Mentor Sessions Podcast.    We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Francesca: Francesca Cervero (she/her) has been a full time yoga and meditation teacher since 2005 and offers private and group yoga classes as well as yoga teacher mentoring andeducation. Francesca combines deep spiritual teachings with the latest in movement science and rehab research, all in a fun, breath-based movement practice. Francesca’s teaching also makes a direct link between yoga, meditation and political action. The practices of yoga strengthen our ability to sustain hard work, and the teachings of yoga ask that we take political action to make a better world. Her passion lies in the craft of teaching yoga as its own practice. In her work with both students and teachers, Francesca’s focus is teaching yoga and meditation in skillful, nurturing, and accessible ways that makes the practice both supportive and meaningful. www.francescacervero.com | IG: @FrancescaCervero    Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsor! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

In this episode, host Jivana Heyman sits down with Finlay Wilson, known on social media as the Kilted Yogi. Together they explore what it means to make yoga truly accessible, the power of community-based service, and the importance of authentic representation in the yoga world. Finlay shares about his new book, Adapting Chair Yoga for Every Body, and the work of his nonprofit organization in Scotland, which runs extensive free programming including prenatal and postnatal classes, wheelchair yoga, chair yoga for amputees and veterans, and community outreach in schools, hospitals, care homes, and prisons. Finlay also opens up about his personal journey from being a young person using mobility aids and experiencing an unwelcoming first yoga class, to finding transformation through Ana Forrest's pivotal question: "Why are you trying so hard?" Later in the episode, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, reflect on Finlay's inspiring work and explore the relationship between self-discipline and self-compassion and how service through karma yoga actually fills us up rather than depletes us. They also discuss Jivana's upcoming course on Accessible Pranayama and Meditation, which uses the eight limbs as a framework for deeper practice. Topics include: Chair yoga as a joyful, social practice Moving from dissociation to embodiment in practice The importance of LGBTQ+ representation in yoga Creating spaces of belonging and acceptance The danger of weaponizing yoga teachings against ourselves Using asana to prepare for subtler practices The relationship between karma yoga (service) and bhakti yoga (devotion) Check out: Finlay's book, Adapting Chair Yoga for Every Body, on sale now! The upcoming Accessible Pranayama & Meditation: Exploring the Eight Limbs of Yoga online course with Jivana Heyman    We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Finlay: Finlay Wilson is the CEO of Heart Space and an internationally recognized yoga teacher committed to making the practice accessible to everyone. His leadership is rooted in a deep belief in the social-economy model, where all profits from paid classes fund Heart Space’s wide-ranging free community and outreach programs. As a highly experienced instructor, Finlay's expertise lies in creating truly inclusive and adaptive practices for all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. He is the author of the new book, Adapting Chair Yoga for Every Body, demonstrating his specialized knowledge in modifying yoga to meet people wherever they are on their well-being journey. Through Heart Space, Finlay guides a mission-driven team dedicated to delivering trauma-informed and affirming services, with a strong focus on building resilience and community for vulnerable populations, including young people and the LGBTQ+ community. www.finlay-wilson.com | IG: @finlay0901 | FB: finlaytwilson | Tiktok: @scottishyogaboy    Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.  OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.  **Join their upcoming free webinar!  October 28th at 10:00am Pacific Time, Your Homepage 101: Craft a Website That Grows Your Business with Mado Hesselink    Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

Join host, Jivana Heyman, as he talks with Rebecca Sebastian, host of the Working In Yoga Podcast and cherished friend. Together they explore the evolving landscape of yoga teaching, the importance of creativity in practice, and the irreplaceable value of human interaction. Rebecca shares her journey from accidental yoga teacher to studio owner and yoga therapist, and how she found a sense of belonging in the yoga community. She also discusses her upcoming project —a digital magazine for yoga professionals, aiming to foster a supportive community and share industry insights. In the Question and Answer segment, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, respond to a listener's question about incorporating anandamaya kosha (bliss body) in a yoga class. They describe exploring the koshas, from the subtle bliss body to the physical body, as an inward journey that leads to a broader sense of connection. Topics include: Bringing back discussion and conversation as part of a yoga class Building connection instead of competition with peer support AI and its impact on the yoga industry Yoga teaching vs. yoga therapy How to stay creative when teaching Practical advice for new teachers The role of Accessible Yoga in serving diverse populations Check out: Rebecca's podcast: Working in Yoga PodcastRebecca's Facebook group: The Future of Yoga TherapyNischala Joy Devi - Pioneer in yoga therapy and the Dean Ornish ProgramJnani Chapman - Creator of YCat (Yoga for Cancer) programAccessible Yoga Ambassador & Mentorship Program with Rodrigo Souza  We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Rebecca: Rebecca is a 20+ year yoga teacher, 14 year yoga therapist, former studio owner, yoga non-profit co-founder, host of the podcast Working In Yoga and the editor and founder of Inside Yoga Magazine, a trade magazine for yoga professionals. www.workinginyoga.com | @rebeccasebastianyoga @workinginyoga    Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.  **Join their upcoming free webinar!  October 28th at 10:00am Pacific Time, Your Homepage 101: Craft a Website That Grows Your Business with Mado Hesselink     Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

In this special episode, host, Jivana Heyman, sits down with longtime friend and colleague, Anjali Rao, to discuss her groundbreaking new book, Yoga as Embodied Resistance: A Feminist Lens on Caste, Gender, and Sacred Resilience in Yoga History. Together, they discuss yoga's complex history and the need to bridge scholarship and practice. Drawing from both her Indian heritage and 30 years of living in the United States, Anjali shares her unique perspective on yoga history and how it has inspired her work. She discusses the structure of her book, which includes foundational knowledge about yoga, caste, and Hinduism, as well as historical case studies. Additionally, she reflects on her transformative first yoga class as a breast cancer survivor and her passion for teaching yoga philosophy. In the Question and Answer segment, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, respond to a listener question about teaching yoga in conservative religious communities and discuss navigating fundamentalist concerns while maintaining the integrity of the yoga teachings. Another listener asked about balancing perfectionism with the practical application of yogic ethics in daily life, inspiring a conversation about ahimsa (non-violence). Topics include: The complexity of yoga history and viewing yoga as a collective creation from multiple traditions and perspectives How patriarchal structures have shaped traditional yoga teachings The impact of resistance movements on yoga The concept of essentialism The challenge of practicing ahimsa in everyday life The Trauma of Caste: A Dalit Feminist Meditation on Survivorship, Healing, and Abolition by Thenmozhi Soundararajan The Yoga Tradition: Its History, Literature, Philosophy and Practice- Georg Feuerstein   Pre Order Yoga as Embodied Resistance: A Feminist Lens on Caste, Gender, and Sacred Resilience in Yoga History by Anjali Rao today!  Register to attend the Special Book Launch Event, live online, on Friday, October 17th, 1-2pm Pacific / 4-5pm Eastern - hosted by Accessible Yoga! Join the Yoga As Embodied Resistance: Reading Circle! A four-session series to study and discuss the book in community. Live with Anjali on Zoom. October 24 and 31, November 7 and 11, 1-3pm Pacific / 4-6pm Eastern.   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Anjali: Anjali Rao brings an intersectional and decolonial feminist lens to the study of philosophy and yoga history integrating storytelling, art and poetry. Emphasizing an embodied approach, her work deconstructs the dynamics of power in yoga spaces. She is on the faculty of multiple yoga teacher training programs. She is the host of The Love of Yoga podcast bridging scholarship, activism and yoga.  She is currently pursuing a PhD in Philosophy and Religion in California Institute of Integral Studies. Her first book, Yoga As Embodied Resistance: A Feminist Lens in Caste, Gender And Sacred Resilience in Yoga History, North Atlantic Books is available for order. https://www.yoganjali.me/ | @yoganjali     Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.  **Join their upcoming free webinar!  October 9th at 11:00am Pacific Time, Holiday Sales That Actually Convert: A Studio Owner's Guide to Seasonal Promotions with Niki Riga beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

Join host, Jivana Heyman, as he welcomes his guest and longtime friend, David Lipsius, for a powerful conversation on ethics and the evolution of yoga institutions in the West. Together, they explore how personal spiritual practice sustains authentic leadership and share wisdom for yoga teachers about discovering their true calling and serving their communities with integrity. David shares his journey from being a yoga student to turnaround CEO at Kripalu, where he helped shift the organization from a harmful past into a thriving retreat center. He also reflects on his time as CEO of Yoga Alliance, where he led initiatives to revise the Yoga Alliance Standards (including adding content about accessibility for the first time), as well as create systems of accountability, a Code of Conduct, and a scope of practice for yoga teachers — all of which continue to shape the yoga world today. In the second part of the episode, Jivana and co-host, Deanna Michalopoulos, echo David’s advice to yoga teachers. They emphasize that instead of measuring success against industry standards, teachers can focus on serving their communities, creating their own opportunities, and trusting that their offerings are powerful and enough. They also respond to a listener’s comment on the previous episode, diving into the ongoing challenge of comparing integrative practices with Western medicine. Topics include: How repair can happen after harm in yoga communities Accessible Yoga’s part in restructuring the Yoga Alliance Standards and Code of Conduct Why a code of ethics is essential for safe and inclusive yoga spaces Lessons from activist and grassroots organizing that inform leadership Teachings from the Bhagavad Gita and The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Check out: Yoga Alliance's Code of Conduct   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with David: David Lipsius is a Yoga Teacher, Spiritual Wellness Coach, End-of-Life Doula, and student of Yoga, Ayurveda and Jyotish. He is the former President & CEO of Yoga Alliance and Yoga Alliance Foundation and former CEO of Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. David is also an Emmy-nominated director from his years at NBCUniversal and served as an Executive Producer on the documentary film Agniyogana, a meditative inquiry into the lost art of classical Hatha Yoga. Today, David advises Yoga and other wellness professionals seeking to improve their strategic and operational excellence to enhance social impact. IG: @dlipsius  | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/david-lipsius-8920a267    Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.  **Join their upcoming free webinar!  Access the replay: Teaching Without Burnout: How to Stay Inspired as a Yoga Teacher with Brea Johnson beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

In this episode, host, Jivana Heyman, spends time with his good friend, Steffany Moonaz, research scientist, author, yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and founder of Yoga for Arthritis. Together they reflect on their parallel journeys and explore the intersection of yoga tradition, modern science, and accessibility. Steffany, who describes herself as “evidence-based and heart-centered,” brings her unique expertise in both Western research and yoga to discuss how these two worlds can inform and enrich one another. In addition to sharing her insight into yoga research, Steffany shares the personal reflections and teaching experiences that have impacted her work and spiritual journey. Later in the episode, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopolous reflect on Steffany’s work and accomplishments and the importance of people, like Steffany, who create a bridge between conventional medical science and yoga. They also discuss the benefit of having autonomy within a framework of practices, sensitivity and awareness with experience, and the benefits of having good yoga teachers/therapists. Topics include: The importance of flexibility in research protocols The concept of “yoga snacks” – short, simple practices can create meaningful change Integrating yoga philosophy into yoga teaching and practice Ethical principles in yoga and how they guide safer, more accessible teaching practices The importance of humility and curiosity when teaching diverse populations   Check out:  Steffany's Intro into Meditation Course: 8 Week Series Class To Learn How To Confidently Meditate with Dr. Steffany Moonaz.  Accessible Yoga’s Yoga for Older Adults Course: Building a Safe & Effective Practice   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Steffany: Dr. Steffany Moonaz is a yoga therapist and research scientist in San Diego. She serves as the Research Director and Professor at Southern California University of Health Sciences. She completed undergraduate work in biology and dance at Oberlin College, earned an MFA from University of Maryland and completed her PhD in public health at Johns Hopkins University, helping to develop and evaluate a yoga program for individuals with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. She then spent a decade at the Maryland University of Integrative Health co-creating a Master of Science in Yoga Therapy and a university-wide culture of evidence-based practice. Dr. Moonaz is focused on bringing yoga to people with arthritis in communities around the world and educating yoga professionals about this population through Yoga for Arthritis courses, The Yoga Rheum podcast, and related advocacy work.  Her first book, “Yoga Therapy for Arthritis: A Whole-Person Approach to Movement and Lifestyle” was published by Singing Dragon in 2018.  A subsequent memoir entitled, “Driving Home: Cancer, Concussion, Mom and Me” was released by FriesenPress in 2024. Her third book on yoga research is anticipated in 2026. https://arthritis.yoga | IG: @yoga4arthritis, @drmoonaz    Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.  **Join their upcoming free webinar!  September 9th at 11:00am Pacific Time, Teaching Without Burnout: How to Stay Inspired as a Yoga Teacher with Brea Johnson beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

“Am I observing or absorbing? Am I caring or carrying?” Join host, Jivana Heyman, as he talks with Zabie Yamasaki, accomplished author and founder of Transcending Sexual Trauma Through Yoga. Zabie shares about her mission to empower survivors of sexual violence, highlighting her work on college campuses and how trauma-informed yoga supports survivors in their healing journey. Together, Jivana and Zabie examine how body-based practices are complementary to talk therapy, as healing trauma requires integrating the body and mind. Zabie talks about her new book, "Protect Your Energy: A Gentle Guide to Nurture Your Nervous System, Cultivate Rest, and Honor Your Needs," which offers practices to nurture the nervous system. They also discuss the importance of boundaries and protecting your energy as a yoga teacher. Later in the episode, Jivana and co-host Deanna Michalopoulos further reflect on boundaries, the yogic principle of brahmacharya (wise use of energy), and what it means to support students without taking on their burdens. Topics include: Creating a safe and supportive environment for survivors The eight-week curriculum Zabie developed for college campuses and trauma agencies Yoga research projects Creating inclusive spaces for survivors of all gender identities The benefits of predictability, ritual, and repetition Avoiding burnout in teaching and service work The opportunity for connection and healing in community Teaching as karma yoga Pre-Order Zabie's book, Protect Your Energy: A Gentle Guide to Nurture Your Nervous System, Cultivate Rest, and Honor Your Needs Check out the podcast episode with Jivana discussing yoga as a compliment to talk therapy here. Learn more and join the Trauma & Yoga Series: Exploring Power, Privilege & Healing, featuring Zabie Yamasaki and other guests, now available On-Demand: https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/trauma-and-yoga   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Zabie: Zabie Yamasaki, M.Ed., RYT (she/her) is the Founder of Transcending Trauma through Yoga which is an organization that offers trauma-informed yoga to survivors, consultation for universities and trauma agencies, and training for healing professionals. Zabie has trained thousands of yoga instructors and mental health professionals and her trauma-informed yoga program and curriculum is now being implemented at over 30 college campuses and trauma agencies including the University of California (UC) system, Stanford, Yale, USC, University of Notre Dame, and Johns Hopkins University. She has received countless awards in victim services and leadership, including the Visionary in Victim Services award from one of the largest rape crisis centers in California and the Voice of Courage Award from Exhale to Inhale. She is the author of the book, flipchart, and affirmation deck, Trauma-Informed Yoga for Survivors of Sexual Assault: Practices for Healing and Teaching with Compassion zabieyamasaki.com | IG: @transcending_trauma_with_yoga   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.  **Join their upcoming free webinar!  September 9th at 11:00am Pacific Time, Teaching Without Burnout: How to Stay Inspired as a Yoga Teacher with Brea Johnson beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

In this episode, host, Jivana Heyman, reconnects with his guest and longtime friend, Uma Alessandra Cocchi, who shares Accessible Yoga internationally, leading trainings in Italy, London, and beyond. Jivana and Uma reflect on their memories together since first meeting in 2013 and discuss how Accessible Yoga provides a gateway to personal transformation, community, and empowerment. Their conversation explores the connection between Accessible Yoga and yoga therapy, highlighting Uma’s scientific research on how yoga supports people with chronic digestive diseases. Uma also speaks about her upcoming in-person training in London with Rodrigo Souza, the significance of yoga philosophy in her teaching, and the life-changing impact of applying yogic principles to real-life experiences. In the second part of the episode segment, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, discuss the benefits and challenges of inversions in yoga practice. They discuss the importance of personalized attention in yoga practice and the benefits of having a well-trained teacher or therapist. Topics Covered: Uma’s journey from fashion to yoga Accessible Yoga in Italy Accessible Yoga vs. yoga therapy Concepts of time and space as mental frameworks Yoga teaching as service Using yoga philosophy to guide asana classes Empowerment through accessibility Yoga practice and personal growth Finding a yoga teacher/therapist/studio you connect with   Train with Uma in London August 15-17! - Join the ACCESSIBLE YOGA TRAINING with Alessandra Uma Cocchi & Rodrigo Souza. Learn more and register at https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/london-2025 Join the FREE ACCESSIBLE YOGA SERIES: PRACTICE & WORKSHOP with Jivana Heyman. Register here: https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/fall-2025-ay-workshops Practice (1 hour) A New Perspective: Accessible Yoga Inversions with Jivana Heyman - Friday August 8, 2025 Workshop (1 hour) Inverting Safely: How to Teach Accessible Inversions with Jivana Heyman - Tuesday September 16, 2025   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Uma: Alessandra Uma Cocchi is an Accessible Yoga trainer for Europe since 2016. She is also an experienced Integral Yoga trainer, a certified yoga therapist involved in scientific research, and a mentor within the Integral Yoga Therapy faculty. Based in Italy, Uma founded 'YAP Integral Yoga Centre' in 2004, a non-profit association dedicated to social advancement through Yoga. In 2015 she launched 'YAP Specialized Yoga', an organization focused on promoting Accessible Yoga in therapeutic settings and contributing to the field through scientific research. www.accessibleyogaeurope.com | IG: @accessible_yoga_europe, @alessandra_uma_cocchi_yoga | FB: Yoga Accessibile Italia - Accessible Yoga, Italy, Alessandra Uma Cocchi Yoga   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. **Access the replay! July 31st at 12:30pm Pacific Time, Design a Registered Series That Sells Itself with Michael Jay beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

In this episode, Jivana Heyman speaks with yoga teacher and spiritual guide, Shanna Small, about accessibility, mantra, and yoga philosophy. Their conversation highlights the importance of integrating yogic teachings into everyday life and finding a personal yoga practice that is intuitive and joyful. Shanna opens up about the challenges of navigating abusive yoga lineages, the awakening that followed her physical injury, and how the murder of George Floyd propelled her into social justice work through the lens of yoga. Shanna shares her passion for mantra and spiritual practice, emphasizing how deeply these tools can transform our minds and lives. In the Question and Answer segment, Jivana and co-host, Deanna Michalopolous, share listener comments and questions, including a question about next steps for yoga teachers interested in offering accessible/adaptive yoga. Jivana shares resources for ongoing training and highlights the importance of learning from students and other yoga teachers. Topics Covered: Shanna’s history with and transition away from Ashtanga Yoga The Vedic tradition of chanting mantra Healing from abuse in yoga lineages Embodying yogic principles as a form of social justice Applying the yoga principles in everyday life The revolutionary power of yoga   Check Out: ​​ Shanna’s weekly group, The Householder’s Guide to Yoga Accessible Yoga Podcast episode with Melissa Shah The Luminous Self by Tracee Stanley Lee Majewski’s book, Spirituality and Yoga: Bridging the Sacred and the Human, out this November. Click here for pre order link. Upcoming Accessible Yoga Training Online, September 26 - November 7th, 2025 Upcoming Accessible Yoga Trainings In-Person: Santa Barbara, August 1-3, 2025 and London, August 15-17, 2025 Join the Accessible Yoga Community Facebook Group Join the Accessible Yoga Ambassador & Mentorship Program    We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Shanna: Shanna Small is a yoga educator and spiritual teacher with over two decades of experience in the field. Her work centers on accessibility, social justice, and the deep wisdom of yoga philosophy. Rooted in the Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, and Vedic teachings, Shanna guides students beyond the surface into embodied transformation. She is the creator of Householder’s Guide to Yoga, a program that helps modern seekers integrate ancient wisdom into daily life. Through her teaching, Shanna invites us to remember that yoga is not just a practice on a mat, but a way of life.  shannasmallyoga.com | @shannasmallofficial   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. **Join their upcoming free webinar!  July 31st at 12:30pm Pacific Time, Design a Registered Series That Sells Itself with Michael Jay beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

Join host, Jivana Heyman, and guest, Michelle Cassandra Johnson, for a rich and insightful conversation about community, collective care, and the creative process. Together, Jivana and Michelle explore the evolving role of the yoga teacher, the importance of being grounded in humility and service, and how we can use yoga as a path to truth and connection. As an accomplished author, educator, and activist, Michelle offers insight into her books, including her first book, Skill in Action, and her sixth and newly released book, The Wisdom of the Hive, which draws inspiration from honeybees and their interconnectedness. Michelle also offers a glimpse into her upcoming book, which focuses on protection practices, and how it ties into her ongoing work. In the second part of the episode, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, reflect on the conversation between Michelle and Jivana and Michelle’s impact on the yoga world. They reinforce the importance of community and what it means to practice non-attachment as a yoga teacher while remaining true to yourself. Topics Covered: Michelle’s books, including Skill in Action, Illuminating Our True Nature, and her newly released book, The Wisdom of the Hive: What Honeybees Can Teach Us about Collective Wellbeing The experience of writing a book and discovering one’s personal writing style Mindful leadership as yoga teachers The risks of ego and power A teaching from Lama Rod Owens Heart centered teaching   Check out: The Teacher's Guide to Accessible Yoga Podcast Interview with Michelle The Wisdom of the Hive Book Club More events with Michelle: https://www.michellecjohnson.com/events Learn more and join the Trauma & Yoga Series: Exploring Power, Privilege & Healing, featuring Michelle Cassandra Johnson and other guests, now available On-Demand: https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/trauma-and-yoga   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Michelle: Michelle Cassandra Johnson is an author, activist, spiritual teacher, racial equity consultant and educator, and intuitive and shamanic healer. She approaches her life and work from a place of knowing we are, can, and must heal individually and collectively. Michelle facilitates workshops and immersions, leads retreats and transformative experiences nationwide, and offers an array of healing services for individuals and groups. For over 25 years as a racial equity educator, she has worked with large corporations, non-profits, and community groups. Michelle is a five-time published author, and in May 2025, her sixth book, The Wisdom of the Hive, published by Sounds True and co-written with her best friend, Amy Burtaine, was released. 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 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. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, sweet dog, Jasper, and her honeybees. www.michellecjohnson.com/ | @skillinaction | facebook.com/skillinaction   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. **Join one of their upcoming free webinars!  Replay available: Text to Connect: SMS Strategies for Studio Growth with Chris Appiah Replay available: Why You’re Not Selling Out Your Classes…& What To Do About It! with Barry Kostabi beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

Join host, Jivana Heyman, as he welcomes his longtime mentor and pioneer in yoga and accessibility, Matthew Sanford, for a powerful conversation about yoga and human potential. As Jivana reflects on his 30 years of teaching, they discuss the influence of Matthew's work on Jivana's journey and how Matthew’s first book, Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence, inspired Jivana to start Accessible Yoga. Matthew shares stories from his early injury, the beginnings of his yoga path, and the evolving philosophies of his upcoming book. He offers his profound insights into consciousness and a vision of yoga that transcends physical form—where sensation, presence, and subtle awareness guide healing and transformation. In the second part of the episode, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos discuss Jivana’s personal evolution, highlighting Matthew’s role in the early days of Accessible Yoga. They also share a conversation about how to hold space for trauma and discuss the upcoming Trauma & Yoga series with Accessible Yoga. Topics include: Interconnectedness of mind and body Prana (life force), breath, and subtle energy Metaphors of gardening and planting seeds Trauma as an intersectional injury Spiritual growth through loss The value of collaboration and community Learn more and join the Trauma & Yoga Series: Exploring Power, Privilege & Healing, featuring Matthew Sanford and other guests, now available On-Demand: https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/trauma-and-yoga   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Matthew: Matthew Sanford (he/him) is an expert in the process transformation through the healing power of yoga. Paralyzed from the chest down at age thirteen and beginning yoga at age twenty-five, Matthew knows firsthand the transformative effect that yoga can have on the mind-body relationship. He is an internationally recognized yoga teacher, a sought-after public speaker, and founder of the non-profit Mind Body Solutions. He is the author of the critically acclaimed Waking: A Memoir Of Trauma and Transcendence (Rodale: 2006). Matthew has also been working with people living with a wide array of trauma, loss, and disability since 1997. He also works with leading psychologists, psychiatrists, and neuroscientists, including Bessel van der Kolk, Ruth Lanius, and Wendy D’Andrea, and is a regular presenter at the internationally acclaimed Boston Trauma Conference. mindbodysolutions.org | @mindbodysolutions   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. **Join one of their upcoming free webinars!  June 27th at 9am PT, Text to Connect: SMS Strategies for Studio Growth with Chris Appiah July 16th at 9am PT, Why You’re Not Selling Out Your Classes…& What To Do About It! with Barry Kostabi beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

In this thought-provoking episode, Jivana Heyman speaks with marketing expert and equity activist, Tristan Katz, about the intersections of yoga, truth, identity, and social justice. Together, they explore how yoga can be a tool for personal and collective liberation, especially for the trans and queer communities in a time of sociopolitical tension and violence. In the second part of the episode, Jivana and Deanna reflect on a listener question from Rebecca Sebastion about the future of yoga. In response, they discuss the impact that AI (Artificial Intelligence) has and will continue to have on the yoga world. To counter it, they emphasize a focus on ethics, equity, and the tangible vibration of human connection. Topics include: The impact of Michelle Cassandra Johnson’s book, Skill in Action, on Tristan’s path Dismantling assumptions and showing up authentically Creating inclusive and welcoming yoga spaces Yoga for self-care and resilience, especially for marginalized communities The importance of truthfulness (Satya) over performative expertise in teaching Showing up and wrestling with hard questions The importance of listening to marginalized voices The evolving role of yoga teachers Check out: Rebecca Sebastian’s Podcast: Working In Yoga "The Future of Yoga" - Yoga Journal article by Deanna Michalopoulus   **You are invited to celebrate Jivana’s 30th Anniversary with a special yoga practice that tells the story of Jivana’s life. To access the recording, click here. This event was live streamed on June 4th and raised money for The Trevor Project, supporting queer and trans youth. We encourage you to donate to The Trevor Project by donating here: https://www.thetrevorproject.org   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Tristan: Tristan Katz (they/he) is a business consultant, conscious marketing strategist, and equity-inclusion facilitator with a lifelong commitment to human rights and justice. Tristan supports individuals and organizations in aligning their values with their messaging through an intersectional, anti-oppression lens. Tristan’s work centers authenticity, relationship, and accessibility, and they’ve collaborated with authors, educators, and cultural leaders as well as organizations like Stanford University, HubSpot, Portland Public Schools, and Port of Portland. Currently, Tristan serves as COO and Director of Programming at Fruition Growth Network. He is also a longtime yoga student, Yoga Journal game-changer (2021), and former board member of Accessible Yoga. www.katz-creative.com | @tristankatzcreative   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. **On June 16th at 12:00 PM Pacific Time, discover 'How to Host Courses in OfferingTree' and easily create, manage, and sell your online courses directly on their platform. Register here! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

"Yoga isn't about achieving something. It's about being with what is and trusting that that's enough in the moment." – Sunny Barbee Join host, Jivana Heyman, and guest, Jacquie “Sunny” Barbee, for an uplifting conversation full of humor, vulnerability, honesty, and deep insight. Sunny shares her journey from self-doubt to self-acceptance, offering powerful reflections on satya (truthfulness) and how living her truth has made her a more authentic and relatable teacher. Together, Sunny and Jivana explore how true accessibility is about creating spaces where people feel seen, valued, and invited to show up as they are. In the Question and Answer segment, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, reflect on the concepts of wholeness, faith, and joy. Jivana answers a listener question on teaching yoga to students with varying disabilities, offering insight into the heart of his teaching philosophy and training methods. Topics include: Teaching to older adults Community connection in chair yoga classes The deeper meaning of satya, beyond truth telling Imposter syndrome and the ego The importance of representation in yoga spaces Jivana’s technique of ‘Prepare separately, practice together’ - AY Blog Post Sunny’s faculty roles with Accessible Yoga, including the upcoming Chair Yoga for Everyone course June 25 - July 23, 2025 The ABCs of Yoga - Jivana's book The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga or Jivana's IG Post   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Sunny: Jacquie “Sunny” Barbee is an E-RYT 500hr  yoga teacher living in the Panhandle of Florida.  Sunny finished  YTT in 2016 after turning to an asana practice to help with her chronic illness and depression. While in YTT she realized there was a need for more teachers that didn’t fit the stereotypical “yoga body” image like her and that she could make a difference in helping people see that yoga is for every body. She is able to share with others how to customize their practice to fit their own body, whether that body is larger, aging, or living with illness or injury, much like she does with her own practice.  What she loves most about teaching is that she tries to create safer spaces where the student can connect and make peace with their bodies.  sunnybeeyoga.net | @sunnybeeyoga | facebook.com/SunnyBeeYoga   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AYP Podcast Sound Engineer

In this heartfelt episode, Jivana Heyman reconnects with longtime friend and fellow yoga teacher, Kristie Dahlia Home. The two first met in their 200-hour yoga teacher training in 1995 and together they reflect on the evolution of their practice, their shared history with Integral Yoga, and the role of spiritual community over the decades. Dahlia shares her radical life decision to live on a boat for five years, her shift into a more intuitive, devotional, and trauma-sensitive approach to teaching, and the way she holds space today through "workshops for living" that center meditation, embodied practice, and spiritual support. The episode also includes a deep and honest discussion about abuse in yoga lineages, the complexity of separating the teacher from the teachings, Jivana’s personal journey leaving Integral Yoga to create the Accessible Yoga organization. In the Question and Answer segment, a listener question sparks discussion of how the Yoga Sutras offer trauma-informed wisdom. Topics Covered: Sangha and friendships rooted in spiritual practice Jivana and Dahlia’s shared experience with ministry service Reclaiming meditation as a natural human capacity The devotional practice of yoga through chanting and meditation Cultural appropriation and yoga Yoga teachers as spiritual leaders   Annapurne Mantra annapūrṇe sadāpūrṇe, śaṃkara prāṇavallabhe, jñāna vairāgya sidhyarthaṃ, bhikṣāṃ dehica pārvati, mātā ca pārvatī devī, pitā devo maheśvaraḥ, bāndhavāḥ śivabhaktāśca, svadeśo bhuvanatrayam Salutations to Mother Annapoorna: O mother Annapoorna, You who are always full (with the gift of food and blessings), You who are the beloved of Shankara (Shiva), O mother Parvati, please grant me the alms of your grace, to awaken within me spiritual knowledge (jnana) and detachment, freedom from all worldly desires (vairagya). Salutations to mother Annapoorna, my mother Devi Parvati, and my father, Deva Maheswara (Shiva). My friends are the devotees of Lord Shiva, and my residence is all the three worlds (whose Lord is none other than Shiva-Parvati). Aarti Mantra jyoti jyoti jyoti swayam, jyoti jyoti jyoti param, jyoti jyoti jyoti arul, jyoti jyoti jyoti Sivam, vaama jyoti soma jyoti, vaana jyoti jnaana jyoti, maaha jyoti yoga jyoti, vaata jyoti naada jyoti, ema jyoti vyoma jyoti, eru jyoti veeru jyoti, eka jyoti eka jyoti, eka jyoti jyotiye Light, O light of self-effulgence, Light, O light of absoluteness, Light, O light of gracefulness, Light, O light of auspiciousness, Light of Siva, light of moon, Light divine, light of wisdom, Light of Heaven, light of yoga, Light of wind, light of sound, Light delight, light of water, Rising light, vital light. The only light, the only light, Give us light, O light of lights.   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Dahlia: Kristie Dahlia Home (she/her) has been teaching the arts of wellbeing and healing with devotion for 30 years. Dahlia is a voracious learner with training in Instinctive Meditation, Yoga, Thai Massage, Reiki, Intuitive Healing, and Chi Nei Tsang. She has taught people of every age and state of health, including extensive work at UCSF and California Pacific Medical Centers. Her students say that they appreciate her warmth, contagious love of life, and keen attention to the unique needs of each individual. She currently teaches online and at her home in Port Townsend, Washington; more at beloved.org. beloved.org | FB: Kristie Dahlia Home, Insta: @priestess_of_the_mystery, Bluesky: @kristiedahlia.bsky.social   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AYP Podcast Sound Engineer

Join host, Jivana Heyman, as he talks with renowned yoga teacher and writer, Kathryn Budig. Kathryn shares her journey through injury, healing, and transformation in her yoga practice and teaching. Together, they discuss the evolving world of yoga, the shift away from celebrity culture, the importance of authenticity as a teacher, and why it's okay — and essential — to be yourself. Kathryn opens up about her shoulder surgery recovery, her transition away from more athletic asana practices, and her creation of a more sustainable, joyful teaching style through her online platform, Haus of Phoenix. She also shares how honesty and feedback from students have reshaped her approach to teaching over the years. Stay tuned after the interview for a discussion with Jivana and Deanna Michalopoulos, where they reflect on Kathryn's insights and share listener stories about transformation through yoga. Topics Covered: Rethinking asana practice for long-term health Building an authentic online community Why creativity, playfulness, and joy are essential to the yoga journey Kathryn’s publishing house, Inky Phoenix Press, a division of Bindery Books Letting go of unrealistic expectations and focusing on personal growth How COVID reshaped the global yoga community and teacher-student relationships Reflections on Accessible Yoga, teaching with injuries, and staying true to yourself The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and it’s many translations Resources Mentioned: Haus of Phoenix — Kathryn’s online community Jivana’s book Yoga Revolution Pantanjali's Yoga Sutra by Shyam Ranganathan The Secret Power of Yoga by Nischala Joy Devi The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: A New Edition, Translation, and Commentary by Edwin Bryant Inside the Yoga Sutras by Jaganath Carrera   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Kathryn: Kathryn Budig (she/her) is the founder of the online platform Haus of Phoenix and acquiring editor of Inky Phoenix Press under Bindery Books. www.kathrynbudig.com | @kathrynbudig, @thehausofphoenix, @theinkyphoenix   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AYP Podcast Sound Engineer

In this thought-provoking conversation, Jivana Heyman speaks with educator, yoga teacher, and sound healer, Shawn Moore, about the deeper dimensions of teaching yoga—especially the often-overlooked role of the yoga teacher as a leader and space holder. Shawn shares insights from his background in higher education, Buddhism, and stillness-based practices, unpacking what it means to hold ethical and energetic space for students. He discusses why self-care is a radical responsibility, and how rest practices like restorative yoga help us show up more fully. In the Question and Answer segment, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, further breakdown the role of leadership and community care, in a conversation supported by listener questions and feedback. Topics Covered The concept of “Entrainment” and how our nervous system impacts the room Shawn’s transformative experience with restorative yoga at Sacred Chill in Atlanta Teaching as facilitation—not performance or perfection How to encourage students’ exploration and autonomy  Reflections on guru culture and the teacher-student relationship Shawn’s interest in creating experiential learning opportunities for students through his workbooks and card decks The upcoming Accessible Yoga Restorative Yoga Series, featuring Shawn as one of ten presenters   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Shawn: Shawn Moore (he/him) empowers movement builders and social impact leaders to get still to lead skillfully by created sacred spaces for renewal, self-inquiry, and disruption. As a Contemplative Learning & Development Strategist, he specializes in mindfulness, social equity, and strengths-based leadership, blending integrative approaches that bridge research and tradition to support transformative leadership.  Shawn is a dedicated Buddhist practitioner who brings compassion and insight to the intersection of Dharma, leadership, and embodied action. With nearly two decades of personal practice, he integrates meditation, yoga nidra, restorative yoga (E-RYT®500, YACEP®), and sound healing into his work. His expertise extends to designing and leading impactful training programs, including Inward Illumination™ Meditation Leader Training and Chill So Hard™ Yoga Nidra & Restorative Yoga Leadership Training.  Shawn has collaborated with organizations like Blue Origin, Spotify, the Center for Urban and Racial Equity, and Sounds True One. Whether facilitating workshops, coaching leaders, or authoring resources like Sound is My Sanctuary: A Practical Guide to Sound Healing as a Portal for Self-Exploration, his mission remains the same: to help leaders align their strengths, intention, and impact to create meaningful change. shawnjmoore.com | @shawnj_moore   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Connect with Joe: Joe's Yoga and Fitness   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. Yogamatters Discover over 2,500 yoga and wellbeing items. Use code JIVANA15 at the checkout to apply a 15% discount to your order of yoga props (one use per customer). www.yogamatters.com     Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AYP Podcast Sound Engineer  

In this episode, host, Jivana Heyman, reconnects with his guest and good friend, Amber Karnes, to reflect on non attachment and self acceptance through challenges and life changes. Amber, whom Jivana credits for shifting contemporary yoga culture, shares about her professional and personal journey since COVID. Together, they remember the work they have done together over the years, including starting this podcast in 2020. In the Question and Answer Segment, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, feature two voicemails from callers, Tyi-Sanna and Taylor that spark conversations about the importance of interpreting yoga teachings through diverse perspectives and the role of healthy debate in understanding ancient texts. Topics Include: Amber's retreats in Mexico and Virginia Body positivity vs. body neutrality and self acceptance The connection between self image and culture/society Yoga and personal growth and social justice Self care and taking pause Intergenerational living and support Yoga history authors who examine gender and caste: Anjali Rao and Nischala Joy Devi Jivana's book, Yoga Revolution   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Amber: Amber Karnes is a multi-disciplinary artist, community builder, educator, and yoga teacher. She has over 25 years of community-building experience and marketing know-how under her belt. Amber is the creator of Body Positive Yoga and the co-creator of other successful yoga projects like Accessible Yoga School and the Yoga For All Teacher Training. Currently, she hosts adventure retreats where daring women can explore body acceptance through yoga, nature, and travel. She also offers marketing strategy coaching for solo business owners. Her new projects include a surfing retreat for complete beginners and an online community for biz owners who want to quit social media. Find her at amberkarnes.com amberkarnes.com | @amberkarnesofficial   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman     Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. Yogamatters Discover over 2,500 yoga and wellbeing items. Use code JIVANA15 at the checkout to apply a 15% discount to your order of yoga props (one use per customer). www.yogamatters.com     Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer

Join host, Jivana, and guest, Rodrigo Souza, as they discuss teaching yoga with compassion and awareness, the role of yoga in healing trauma, and the importance of representation and advocacy for people with disabilities in yoga. Rodrigo shares his journey of living with a spinal cord injury and how yoga became a transformative tool for healing and self-acceptance. He reflects on his first time teaching a yoga class and the impact it had on his students and himself. In the Question and Answer segment, Jivana and Deanna discuss the importance of empathy in today’s world, the significance of self-compassion, and allowing space for all experiences in yoga. Jivana answers a question about who his current teachers are and his ongoing learning and growth as a yoga teacher. Topics Include: Yoga as a tool for healing Strategies for creating safe and inclusive yoga spaces What gentle yoga means beyond asana Why being present in the body can be challenging for students The importance of language and offering choices in yoga classes Accessible Yoga Training Online: Learn from Rodrigo and other guest teachers Rodrigo's Yoga for Disabled Folks online course The Accessible Yoga Ambassador & Mentorship Program, led by Rodrigo The upcoming Accessible Yoga Restorative Yoga Series, April 24-May 27, 2025   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Rodrigo: Rodrigo Souza (he/him) is an Adaptive and Accessible Yoga teacher with experience in instructing folks who have endured trauma and disability. After suffering a traumatic injury which left him paralysed from the chest down, Rodrigo recognised the significance of taking care of his own recovery to enhance his long-term well-being. This journey inspired him to become a yoga teacher, where he aims to share his personal insights into discovering joy in movement and rest. www.allihopayoga.com | @allihopayoga (IG)   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman     Connect with Cheri Clampett: Therapeutic Yoga Check out the Cumbria Yoga Foundation!      Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. Yogamatters Discover over 2,500 yoga and wellbeing items. Use code JIVANA15 at the checkout to apply a 15% discount to your order of yoga props (one use per customer). www.yogamatters.com     Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer

In this powerful episode, host, Jivana Heyman, and guest, Tamika Caston-Miller, examine yoga as revolutionary—being a catalyst for personal and collective transformation. Tamika shares about her work in Houston, Texas, as both an educator and a permaculturist, creating a culture of sustainability, both in nature and within the community. Together they discuss their commitments to learning and expanding beyond comfort zones and practicing self awareness without judgement. In the Question and Answer segment, Jivana and Deanna share voicemails from Ber McCall in Ireland and Jo Stewart from Garden of Yoga in Australia celebrating Jivana and the teachings they have learned from him. Deanna also shares a question regarding making yoga offerings financially accessible and Jivana describes his approach to offering free content on social media and the importance of making teachings accessible through various platforms. Topics Include: Lessons about life through the lenses of gardening and permaculture Capitalism and disconnection from nature Panchamaya Kosha: the five spiritual layers of being The variety of ways to continue education and learning Teaching with a lens of curiosity and beyond physical postures Learning from challenges and pratipaksha bhavana The teachings of yoga philosophy in Jivana’s book, Yoga Revolution The upcoming Accessible Yoga Training Online, March 6 - April 17th, 2025   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Tamika: Tamika Caston-Miller is a yoga educator, executive coach, and mindful communities builder living the life of urban farmer florist in Houston, Texas. She curates nature-inspired yoga practices in service to collective care through the lens of rest, resilience, and ancestral repair. Tamika is founder of inclusive wellness space The Ranch Houston and virtual yoga studio & school Ashe Yoga Collective, constributes to Yoga Journal, and is a former board member of Accessible Yoga Association. Tamika aims to build intersectional, intergenerational, multiethnic communities that center radical compassion, agency, and self acceptance. Her modern application of ancient yogic principles is inspired by her understanding of yoga as a practice of right relationship with others, the planet, and oneself. www.tamikacastonmiller.com | www.asheyoga.com | tamikacastonmiller.substack.com | @tamika_castonmiller  (IG)   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman     Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. Yogamatters Discover over 2,500 yoga and wellbeing items. Use code JIVANA15 at the checkout to apply a 15% discount to your order of yoga props (one use per customer). www.yogamatters.com   Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer

Join host, Jivana, and guest, Melissa Shah, to reflect on the fullness of the path of yoga as an inner practice that translates to outer action and service. Melissa shares about her grassroots efforts to support her LA community after the recent fires and together they discuss how yoga helps foster resilience, prevent burnout, and serve as a tool for community care. They share thoughts on the importance of slowing down to integrate teachings and embrace the present moment. In the Question and Answer segment, we hear inspiring stories from Sally Denton and Jackie Driscoll about the impact of yoga in building community and the wisdom of nature as a teacher. We also hear from Lesley on her goals to merge her roles as Occupational Therapist and yoga teacher and her excitement to join the upcoming Accessible Yoga Training Online in March. Topics Include: Activism and social justice through a yogic lens Generational cycles of trauma and healing Breaking Western values of perfectionism and urgency Teaching what you know The value of repetition in practice The balance between acceptance and change Highlights of the upcoming Accessible Yoga Training Online, March 6 - April 17th, 2025   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here: https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Melissa: Melissa Shah (she/they), founder of Find Your Breath, is an Indian-American yoga therapist who works to educate folks on how to practice yoga holistically through one-to-one and group sessions, retreats, and uplifting South Asian and BIPOC wellness leaders. She also regularly guest lectures for trainings and events across the U.S,, where she educates people on the more subtle aspects of yoga, such as mantra and pranayama. One of Melissa’s greatest passions is to create and co-create supportive spaces for rest and exploration of Self that are rooted in radical inclusion. Their work has been featured by NBC Asian America and in Yoga Journal, Anti-Racism Daily, SHAPE magazine and Women's Health Mag. www.findyourbreath.net | @findyourbreath (IG)   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Connect with Lesley: @mindbodyflow_yoga       Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. Yogamatters Discover over 2,500 yoga and wellbeing items. Use code JIVANA15 at the checkout to apply a 15% discount to your order of yoga props (one use per customer). www.yogamatters.com   Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer

In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, Jivana spends time with artist and yoga teacher, Scottee, to explore identity, accessibility, and the power of yoga to support marginalized communities. Scottee shares stories of growing up in working-class North London to finding yoga as a form of healing and expression. Together, they discuss the intersections of queerness, class, neurodivergence, and yoga, questioning how yoga spaces can be more inclusive and equitable and a source of support in the current political climate. In the Question and Answer segment, Rebecca Sebastian leaves a heartfelt voicemail celebrating Jivana’s 30 years of teaching and Elisa Jouannet shares a transformative lesson from her yoga teacher: "Wherever you are, that's perfect." Jivana answers a question about how he made a living while teaching yoga and discusses with cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, the challenges of integrating business with yoga. Topics include:  Speaking out against injustice, and the role of yoga in providing hope and peace The connection between running and yoga Pros and cons of studio classes Yoga for end of life and holding space for loss The beauty of the student-teacher relationship and its impact on personal growth The importance of financial accessibility and equity  Shared resource: Tristan - Stop Charging Your Worth Training   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here: https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Scottee: Scottee (he/they) is a self taught actor who has received critical acclaim for his work in theatre and audio, he is also the creator behind Wonkee. Wonkee is a digital club with a focus on inclusive yoga practice, self paced learning, creativity and self care, whose practices are made with the weird, sad, mad, fat, neurodivergent, sensitive, soft natured and queer amongst us.  wonkee.club | @scotteeisfat | @wonkee.club   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Connect with Rebecca: @rebeccassebastianyoga Connect with Elisa: @elisajouannet   Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. Yogamatters Discover over 2,500 yoga and wellbeing items. Use code JIVANA15 at the checkout to apply a 15% discount to your order of yoga props (one use per customer). www.yogamatters.com Credit: Mikus (they/them), AYP Podcast Sound Engineer  

“You can only wake up someone who is asleep, not someone who is pretending to be asleep.” - Indu Arora In this episode, host, Jivana Heyman, chats with his guest and good friend, Indu Arora, who shares her journey in yoga and the lessons she learned in her youth, which began a lifelong study of yoga. Together, they emphasize the importance of ethics and explore profound themes like humility in teaching, the intersection of tradition and modernity, and the joy of living a balanced life through yoga. The Question and Answer segment with Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, featured a question submitted about how to provide a full authentic and profound experience into a 45 to 60 minute yoga class and shared a listener voicemail about developing yoga for functional aging.  Topics include: Impact of fires in Southern CA - Couch Yoga Fundraiser Class Ethics as a work in progress Reflections on queerness and spirituality Living yoga in daily life The evolving nature of the yoga teachings as we learn and grow in our practice Shorter vs. longer yoga classes and the importance of a regular and consistent practice Sharing yoga with the aging population and an introduction to the Accessible Yoga School training: Accessible Yoga for Older Adults   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here: https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Indu: Indu Arora (she/her), Ayurveda and Yoga Therapist considers herself a student for lifetime. Her teachings are deeply rooted in the philosophy: 'Nothing has the greatest power to heal, but Self.’ Authored: Mudra: The Sacred Secret (2015, also translated in German and French languages) Yoga - Ancient Heritage, Tomorrow"s Vision (2019) SOMA - 100 Heritage Recipes for Self-Care (2020) Hardcopy + eBook www.yogsadhna.com | @induaroraofficial | www.facebook.com/InduAroraOfficial    Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman     Thank You to Our Sponsors!   OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus (they/them), AYP Podcast Sound Engineer

Host, Jivana Heyman, kicks off this celebratory series with the first of 30 conversations marking his 30th year of teaching yoga. In this episode, Jivana welcomes Shannon Crow, host of The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast and cherished friend, for an inspiring conversation about their shared journeys, the profound teachings of yoga, and the lessons that have shaped them. The question to start these conversations is, “What is a story, teaching, or practice from your past that continues to inspire you as you move forward on your path of yoga?” Shannon shares a moving story from her early days as a yoga teacher about releasing control and embracing openness—a theme that resonates deeply in her life and practice today. Jivana reflects on his experiences with his first teacher and the mindfulness practices she imparted, from gardening to the Japanese tea ceremony. Together, they explore the sacredness of everyday moments and the power of living yoga off the mat. This heartfelt conversation sets the tone for a season dedicated to meaningful stories, rich teachings, and celebrating yoga's ability to transform lives. Topics include: Why Jivana decided to celebrate 30 years of teaching with 30 special guests Shannon's journey from Kundalini Yoga to becoming a mentor and podcaster Lessons in non-grasping, letting go, and parenting through the lens of yoga The sacredness of the present moment and mindful action How storytelling can illuminate the depth of yoga philosophy and practice   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here: https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Shannon: Shannon Crow (she/her) is a yoga teacher, trainer and host of The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast. She is passionate about helping yoga teachers to specialize so that they can stand out with their unique yoga offerings. Shannon is the founder of Pelvic Health Professionals and a Mom to her three best teachers. www.theconnectedyogateacher.com | @theconnectedyogateacher | facebook.com/groups/connectedyogateacher   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman   Thank You to Our Sponsors!   OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana.   Credit: Mikus (they/them), AYP Podcast Sound Engineer

Welcome to season four of the Accessible Yoga Podcast! Host Jivana Heyman celebrates 30 years of teaching yoga by reflecting on his journey and setting the stage for a season filled with meaningful conversations with dedicated yoga practitioners and teachers. This episode is a heartfelt introduction to Jivana’s personal story, the history of Accessible Yoga, and what to expect from this season. Join Jivana as he shares his gratitude for the yoga teachings, the lineage of practitioners who’ve preserved these teachings, and the powerful impact yoga has had on his life. He also introduces an interactive component for listeners, inviting you to share your stories, questions, and reflections. Topics Include: The season’s theme: 30 episodes, 30 minutes each featuring conversations with 30 different yoga teachers Reflections on Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga and his upcoming book on making meditation accessible An invitation for listener participation   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here: https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org Connect with Jivana: www.jivanaheyman.com |  @jivanaheyman   |  facebook.com/jivanaheyman

In this final episode of the Accessible Yoga Podcast, Anjali and Jivana discuss:  What does it mean to make yoga accessible? The danger of oversimplifying a yoga practice The importance of reflecting on who we see as “experts” in yoga How caste still influences yoga today   The nuances of saying “I’m not the teacher for everyone” Accessible Yoga Association’s newest podcast - For the Love of Yoga with Anjali Rao

Saira (NOT Sara) Rao grew up in Richmond, Virginia, the daughter of Indian immigrants. For forty years, she wasted her precious time aspiring to be white and accepted by dominant white society, a futile task for anyone not born with white skin. Several years ago, Saira began the painful process of dismantling her own internalized oppression. Saira is a lawyer-by-training, a former congressional candidate, a published novelist and an entrepreneur. Saira is the co-founder of Race2Dinner, the New York Bestselling Co-Author of White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How To Do Better and the subject and Executive Producer of the documentary Deconstructing Karen. In this episode, Anjali and Saira discuss: The role of radical honesty in challenging white supremacy How performative activism upholds the status quo How yoga practitioners can actively disrupt racism in yoga spaces The impact of speaking truth to power Connect with Saira on Twitter or on Instagram @race2dinner @sairasameerarao  Purchase Saira's book: White Women Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How to Do Better Watch Saira's documentary: Deconstructing Karen

Teo Drake is an organizer, a teacher, and an artisan who works in wood and steel. As a queer and trans long-term HIV/AIDS survivor, the practices and philosophies of yoga and Buddhism have been both life-saving and provided the foundation for his organizing and teaching. He is a co-founder of the Transforming Hearts Collective, a collective dedicated to the spiritual care and liberation of queer and trans people, and has served in leadership in several different organizations in the worlds of HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ advocacy, faith and spirituality, well-being, and anti-oppression, including being a founding member of the Transgender Law Center’s project Positively Trans and serving on the faculty and board of Off the Mat, Into the World. His writing can be found in the anthology Yoga and Body Image and at the blog Roots Grow the Tree, and his artisan crafts can be found at The Tinkering Gnome Connect with Teo: www.transformingheartscollective.org | @TeoDrake This week's episode is a recording of Teo Drake's keynote at the Accessible Yoga Conference Online: Practice Isn’t Meant to “Fix”, It’s Meant to Heal. 

Tejal Patel is a first-generation Indian American yoga teacher, writer, podcaster, and community organizer. She advocates for yoga through a social justice lens and educates and empowers individuals and groups around the world to do the same. She accomplishes this with the Tejal Yoga online studio, the abcdyogi global community, and the Yoga is Dead Podcast. In this live episode, Jivana and Tejal discuss: The Yoga is Dead podcast How to go from having a concern or awareness and turning it into action The importance of service in yoga Taking yoga off your mat Yoga and politics Tejal's opening Accessible Yoga Conference keynote - "The Audacity of Hope for Yoga" Connect with Tejal: @tejalyoga Enjoy one free class at Tejal Yoga, now through Dec 31, 2022 Use code: 100PP-AYCTY at tejalyoga.com Tejal Yoga offers accessible movement and continuing education in a warm online environment. Our knowledgeable South Asian instructors are committed to the authentic and spiritual practice of yoga. Join us for any of these community-focused practices: Meditation: All Beings, Meditation: BIPOC Centered Pranayama & Breath Control Pranayama & Breath Slow Poses & Philosophy, Meditation: On Philosophy, Meditation & Sun Salutations, Restorative Poses & Poetry Readings, Science & Spirituality Satsang, Go Beyond The Asanas Learn more at tejalyoga.com  

Anusha is the Wellness Consultant for Hoag Hospital, one of the top rated hospitals in the USA where she leads on integrative medicine and implementing mindfulness and meditation practices for maternal mental health programs, early risk assessment for breast & ovarian cancer prevention programs and breast cancer survivorship programs. Anusha is very passionate about her work in STEM and is one of the first people to create a meditation program to be used in clinical research at Hoag Hospital. Anusha is a sought after motivational speaker around the world on the science of mindfulness and meditation and the intersection of wellness and social justice. She has delivered keynotes for health and wellness conferences, Universities, Fortune 500 companies and corporate events across North America and the UK. Anusha has over 15 years of international senior management experience working for Fortune 50, 100 and 500 global corporations, social justice non-profit organizations & private companies in three continents. She holds a BA, MA, Diploma in Mentoring, Certified Professional Life Coach qualification, Yoga Teacher E-RYT and is a Meditation Practitioner. Anusha is an Adjunct Professor at San Diego State University on the intersection of wellness and social justice, a Contributing Editor at Yoga Journal, the world’s largest Yoga magazine, a Faculty Member with Off The Mat and a community partner with the Yoga and Body Image Coalition. Anusha is also a Teacher and Presenter at Kripalu, North America’s largest Yoga Center and Retreat, Ambassador with Yoga International and an Ambassador with the Food + Wellness Equity Collective. Women’s health and social justice is at the heart of all that Anusha is involved with. Anusha is on the Medical Advisory Board of the national non profit Living Beyond Breast Cancer and an Advisory Board Member with Yoga Ed, an organization focused on merging science and Yoga and introducing these practices to children and teens in educational settings around the world. Anusha co-founded the movement Women of Color + Wellness @wocandwellness which is focused on decolonizing wellness and making yoga and wellness more equitable, accessible, and inclusive. Anusha’s first book Meditation with Intention: Quick & Easy Ways to Create Lasting Peace was released in January 2021 by Llewellyn Worldwide. You can order your copy today HERE. In this episode, Anjali and Anusha discuss: Insight into Anusha’s path as a consultant for hospitals and institutes integrating research regarding meditation for cancer care and survivorship Dimensions and role of collective care for those going through diagnosis and treatment The importance of disrupting misinformation  Dominant culture, politics, and health care at the intersections How we can support loved ones, colleagues, and friends going through cancer treatment?

The Accessible Yoga Podcast is back for Season 3 with a live podcast recording as a part of the grand opening of the new Accessible Yoga Community! In this special episode, Jivana and Anjali discuss: The new Accessible Yoga Community How Anjali started practicing asana How yoga intersects with social justice The relationship between yoga and politics Binaries in yoga spaces What to expect during the upcoming season of the Accessible Yoga Podcast

In this Season 2 finale, Amber and Jivana discuss: Their lives and current challenges How our activism and practice is showing up for us in this moment Amber’s bike reels on instagram Themes from Season 2: Community Care/Sharing Power/Community Collaboration Shift from top down teaching to community led Jivana’s remixes on instagram The current contemporary yoga world is complex, shifting to local Not getting caught up in a binary of “advanced” vs gentle How Accessible Yoga is often misused to make us fit in rather than to celebrate our differences and individuality Encouraging students to find individuality in community Marginalized folks are some of our greatest innovators Your difference is your superpower Safety and inclusion in yoga Be sure to visit past episodes with our amazing guests like: Matthew Sanford, Nischala Devi, Michelle Cassandra Johnson, Octavia Raheem, Jacoby Ballard, Marlysa Sullivan, Reggie Hubbard What Accessible Yoga Association is up to: New online Accessible Yoga Community, ambassadors get first access (join here) Accessible Yoga Community Studio - online studio where people can study with teacher leaders from the AY community, dedicated AY content Conference coming up, Moving from Me to We, October 14-16 Pre-conference intensive on Increasing Accessibility - Matthew Sanford, Natalie Tabilo, Ryan McGraw, Donna Noble, and Jivana Upcoming monthly themes: August: Yoga & Environmental Justice, September: Yoga & Cancer Amber’s term as President of AYA’s board of directors is up, Anjali Rao stepping up as our new president

Shannon Crow is the host of The Connected Yoga Teacher podcast and a consultant for yoga teachers. She shares what she has learned (and continues to learn) as a yoga entrepreneur. She’s also the founder of Pelvic Health Professionals.  Shannon is passionate about this work so that yoga teachers have more time and energy to share the yoga that lights them up. She became a yoga teacher in 2006 and continues to teach weekly group and private classes in Owen Sound, Ontario, with a specialty in Yoga for Pelvic Health. Shannon is dedicated to helping yoga teachers define their niche and thrive at marketing. She thrives in a community that is playful, diverse, and supportive. This is what inspired her to create The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook group. Shannon offers in person and online teacher training. She is the co-founder of the MamaNurture Prenatal Yoga School and developed the Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training. Connect with Shannon on her website, at https://pelvichealthprofessionals.com/, or on Instagram @theconnectedyogateacher. In this episode, Jivana and Shannon discuss: Supporting and connecting yoga teachers Learning in public Being in the mess as a way to evolve as a practitioner and teacher How Pelvic Health Professionals evolved Cisgender men and pelvic health Yoga and gender  the Pelvic floor                           Trauma informed teaching and anatomical language Pelvic health awareness in yoga classes Fear-based language vs. clear contraindications How to teach with this information What does “engage the pelvic floor” “engage the core” mean? Weak vs relaxed pelvic floor What is the core? More subtle is more advanced Shannon also offers a discount code for Pelvic Health Professionals!

A community organizer, wellness activist and author of the book American Detox: The Myth of Wellness and How We Can Truly Heal, Kerri is recognized across communities for her work to bridge transformational practice with social justice. She’s been teaching yoga for over 20 years and is known for making waves in the wellness industry by challenging norms, disrupting systems and mobilizing people to act. Her leadership has inspired CTZNWELL, a movement to democratize wellbeing for all and is committed to creating the conditions where everyone can thrive. In this interview, Jivana and Kerri discuss: the process of writing a book and finding your voice Kerri’s personal transformation which started with the death of her step father in the 9/11 attacks. the myth of wellness and its intersection with ableism, healthism, and the dangers of the concept of “cure.” Kerri's upbringing and how she struggled with perfectionism and the ways perfectionism steals us of possibility and true healing. Kerri describes the ways that we can’t be well when others are suffering and the work she has done politically to address this disparity the challenges for the yoga community in making wellness equitable white supremacy and the ways it has informed wellness Kerri’s new book, American Detox: The Myth of Wellness & How We Can Truly Heal

Matthew Sanford is an expert in the process of transformation through the healing power of yoga. Paralyzed from the chest down at age thirteen and beginning yoga at age twenty-five, Matthew knows firsthand the transformative effect that yoga can have on the mind-body relationship. He’s the author of Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence, and the founder of the nonprofit organization, Mind Body Solutions.  Book, Waking:A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence Organization: Mind Body Solutions Online Classes: The Hub Jivana explains how connecting with Matthew launched the first Accessible Yoga Conference The role of the student and the role of the teacher - sit shoulder to shoulder Finding agency “Yoga is infinite. You can’t put your arms around the whole ocean.” “Let the emptiness be full.” “Poses don’t end at the terminus of your body” Set conditions for the mind to receive from places it can't control Breath being the link Wheelchair users grounding with their base, reconnecting to the earth Boundaries and reference in asana Humanity & humility

In this episode, Amber and Jivana discuss: How Accessible Yoga is often misused to make us fit in rather than to celebrate our differences and individuality How ableism prevents folks from being seen in our classes What’s missing in our contemporary yoga practice How to make yoga classes more equitable Ways to share power with your students How to encourage students to find individuality in community The importance of inner experience vs outer appearance The intention behind trauma-informed teaching Your difference is your superpower Community as a proving ground for getting to know yourself How to find a supportive community as a student Details about the Accessible Yoga Community Celebration May 31st  

Cindu Thomas-George is the Founder and Principal Trainer of Shakti Diversity and Equity Training. As a DEI practitioner, she designs and facilitates professional development experiences that promote equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and intercultural competence. As a nationally recognized speaker, Cindu’s speaking engagements are focused on encouraging cross-racial allyship, disrupting anti-Asian hate, moving beyond color-blindness to color consciousness, disrupting anti-Blackness in communities of color, and creating inclusion for women of color in the workplace. Cindu is also an award winning tenured professor of Communication Studies at the College of Lake County specializing in Intercultural Communication and Public Speaking. In her seventeen years of working as a diversity educator, she has developed a mastery of creating and facilitating impactful learning experiences that equip individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to be advocates of diversity and agents of change who are empowered to work towards cultivating an inclusive, equitable, and anti-racist society. Her passion and commitment for this work extends beyond her professional life- Cindu actively volunteers and is a co-founder and Board member of Malayalees for Social Justice, co-founder of South Asian Solidarity. Movement, and sits on the advisory board of Orion3. Previously, she was a board member of YWCA Lake County where she helped direct the organization’s racial justice initiatives and programming. In this episode, Anjali and Cindu discuss: Diversity and heterogeneity in Asian communities Solidarity with Black folks as people of color White adjacency and how to disrupt the model minority myth Relevance and recommendations to start grassroot level social change in the communities of influence. Connect with Cindu on her website or on Instagram @shaktidiversityandequity

Content warning: disordered eating, sexual trauma Nityda Gessel (she/her), LCSW, E-RYT, is a mother, licensed somatic psychotherapist, trauma specialist, yoga educator, speaker, author, and heart-centered activist, residing on the unceded land of the Chesepian people, commonly known as Virginia Beach, VA. Nityda has devoted her life to uplifting others, working at the intersection of Eastern spirituality, holistic mental health, and embodied activism. She is the founder of the Trauma-Conscious Yoga Institute, creator of The Trauma-Conscious Yoga Method®, and author of forthcoming Norton book on trauma healing and embodied spirituality. In this episode, Jivana and Nityda discuss: Her background as a ballet dancer Trauma from being in the dance world How she experienced sexual trauma and started yoga to heal How she integrates yoga as a therapist What she teaches yoga teachers about trauma and their scope of practice People pleasing Yoga as a pathway to liberation Abuse in yoga, and we often are taught to teach in an authoritative way Benefits of trauma conscious yoga Yoga as a spiritual practice - but we lose connection. Trauma healing is also about remembering our truth Systemic trauma intersecting with acute trauma Neuro-biological trauma healing through yoga How do we teach in a trauma conscious way Doing your own work first Not being performative. What do the people in front of you need right now?  Connect with Nityda on her website and on Instagram @trauma_conscious_yoga_method Accessible Yoga School’s Trauma & Yoga Series

In episode 56, Jivana and Amber discuss practical ways we can embody the yoga teachings’ concepts in the way that we teach. They explore three themes from the yoga teachings (atman, non-attachment, and brahmacharya) and discuss how we can shift our teaching methodology to model these concepts for our students, making them more relevant to their real lives. In this episode... Amber & Jivana discuss the concept of atman and how we can do more to recognize each students inherent wholeness We are not here to fix or change our students How to create agency in students and encourage them to listen to themselves Using interoception and self-sensing tools to encourage students’ internal guidance How the concept of non-attachment can help us be of service in a more clear way Checking our ego around students doing something different than what we cue Not being attached to students’ health outcomes or practice improvements Recognizing individual students own their practice Shifts in language that help students choose what is best for themselves How to apply brahmacharya to our teaching practice Setting appropriate boundaries with students Scope of practice and ethics in teaching Staying in right relationship with our students Creating a personal code of ethics and scope of practice

In episode 55, Amber interviews Laura Sharkey, an autistic meditation teacher and social justice activist. They speak about their experience of ableism and other forms of oppression that are present in many yoga communities, as well as practical tools that non-disabled folks can use to confront bias. We discuss the importance of seeing our disabled community members as whole, capable human beings with agency and choice, and how we can support them in non-ableist ways. We talk about the difficult emotions that arise when we confront unconscious bias and how yoga can support us in building more resilience for difficult conversations or work. Finally, Laura shares some tips on how yoga teachers can make “quiet and still” practices more accessible to neurodiverse students.   In this episode: Laura introduces themself and talks about how yoga helped them feel at home in their body for the first time in their 40s We discuss ableism, anti-fat bias, and other forms of oppression present in yoga communities, and how Laura brings a yogic framework to their social justice activism Laura counters the dangerous assumption that someone’s spiritual awareness or dedication to practice can be gauged by how they look or how “healthy” they are, or that yoga can “heal” or “fix” anyone They discuss “cure culture” and the medical model vs social model of disability Laura shares tips on how we can approach and support disabled students in equitable, non-ableist ways We discuss building resilience for the uncomfortable work of confronting bias and how we can better learn to be in relationship to disabled people Laura shares tips for teachers to make quiet and still” practices more accessible to Neurodiverse people, and talks about why “fidgeting” isn’t necessarily a bad thing Finally, they share ways that yoga teachers can help students to experience downregulation even if it doesn’t look “typical” Resources: Connect with Laura on Instagram @lcsharkey Off The Mat Into The World An #ACTUALLYAUTISTIC Response to Autism Awareness Month 10 Ways to Rise Above Ableism (even if you didn't realize you needed to) Why Some Commonly Used Language Hurts people with Atypical Neurology Brilliant Imperfection: Grappling with Cure by Eli Clare Ableism/Language written by Lydia X. Z. Brown Autistic Self Advocacy Network Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network

NISCHALA JOY DEVI is a masterful teacher and healer. For many years she has been highly respected as an international advocate for her innovative way of expressing Yoga and its subtle uses for spiritual growth and complete healing. Her dynamic delivery and deep inner conviction empower each individual, allowing the teachings to expand beyond boundaries and limitations of any one tradition enabling her to touch people’s hearts.  She was graced to spend over 25 years as a monastic disciple with the world-renowned Yogiraj Sri Swami Satchidanandaji, receiving his direct guidance and teachings. She also was blessed with teachings from great Yoga masters in US, India and worldwide. Originally trained in Western medicine, she began to blend western medicine with Yoga, offered her expertise in developing the yoga portion of The Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease, and co-founded the award-winning Commonweal Cancer Help Program. Her book “The Healing Path of Yoga,” and her Abundant WellBeing Audio Series expresses these teachings.  With her knowledge of yoga and her experience in assisting those with life-threatening diseases (particularly people with heart disease and cancer), she created Yoga of the Heart®, a training and certification program for Yoga teachers and health professionals designed to adapt Yoga practices to the special needs of that population.She is now dedicated to bringing the Feminine back into spirituality and the scriptures, in her book, The Secret Power of Yoga, a woman’s guide to the heart and spirit of the Yoga Sutras and Secret Power of Yoga Audiobook Nautilus Book Silver Award Winner! Understanding the need for more love and compassion in today’s world, The Namaste Effect: Expressing Universal Love through the Chakras, her most recent book, explores a heart-centered way of living through the mystical chakras. In this episode: Jivana talks about Nischala being one of his first teachers Nischala created the yoga portion of the Dean Ornish Heart Disease Reversal Program, which was the first to integrate yoga in the west.  Nischala’s four books: The Healing Path of Yoga The Namaste Effect Meditation in the Yoga Tradition The Secret Power of Yoga - Revised Edition comes out May 2022 Nischala discussed founding the IAYT - International Association of Yoga Therapists Her revised edition of The Secret Power of Yoga - a translation of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali She recently translated the 3rd and 4th Pada (chapters) which are usually not studied because they’re very esoteric She discussed Pada 3, which focused on siddhis (powers) The fourth chapter is the Kaivalya Pada, which is the chapter on Isolation She discusses her work in yoga therapy for people with heart disease and cancer

This episode is a replay of a conversation between Jivana Heyman and Octavia Raheem on Jivana's podcast, Yoga Revolution. This week’s guest, Octavia Raheem, teaches us to slow down, prioritize rest, and honor our varied human experiences. Octavia is a mother, author of "Gather," yoga teacher, and founder of Starshine & Clay Online Yoga and Meditation Studio for Black Women and Women of Color. A deep listener and truth teller, Octavia is a gatherer and space holder for rest and awakening. As a teacher and leader she has the skill of hearing beneath the surface for what isn’t being said, yet needs to. Octavia has more than 15 years of experience and nearly 10,000 hours of leading classes, immersions, and trainings. She guides us toward resonance and connection even when the truths we witness, hear, and encounter vary from our own. Her conversation with Jivana touches on how these truths arise in today’s world, as well as what it means to practice activism as a form of yoga, the importance of mindful space holding and compassionate language, and how simply being is perhaps the most important practice of all.   Order Octavia's new book "Pause, Rest, Be" Learn more about Octavia. Follow Octavia's inspirational Instagram. 

In episode 52, Amber interviews Maya Breuer, yoga teacher, community activist, and Yoga Alliance’s Vice President of Cross-Cultural Advancement. She shares about the work Yoga Alliance is doing for teachers working in marginalized communities as well as her important projects like the Yoga Retreat For Women of Color, Black Yoga Teachers Alliance, and more. Maya talks about the importance of self-care for Black women and how the yoga practice has kept her grounded during challenging times. In this episode... Maya introduces herself and talks about the work she does with Yoga Alliance as Vice President of Cross-Cultural Advancement Maya shares about Yoga Alliance Foundation’s Teaching for Equity program which offers stipends for yoga teachers working in marginalized communities She talks about the origins of the Yoga Retreat for Women of Color, which has been held since 1999 at Kripalu, as well as what you can expect if you come to the retreat Maya tells her yoga origin story from the 1970s and how rediscovering yoga in the 1980s helped her heal herself and find peace Maya talks about her teachers and how she came to study to become a yoga teacher, followed by how the Black Yoga Teachers Alliance came to be Maya discusses the importance of self-care for Black women as well as how the pandemic has been for her and her practice Maya shares her go-to breathing practice for grounding herself as well as some things that are lighting her up these days Resources: Teaching for Equity program Yoga Retreat for Women of Color Kripalu Amrit Desai  Beryl Binder Berch Tom Gilette Judith Lasater Stephen Cope Lakulish school in India Black Yoga Teachers Alliance

Content warning: this episode contains discussion of death and grief. In episode 51, Amber and Jivana talk about how they are each navigating grief and loss in their personal and professional lives. We’ll discuss tools that help us from humor to therapy to our yoga practice. We talk about how concepts from yoga philosophy have helped us reduce suffering and embrace the nature of life as it really is. Amber leads us in a simple movement practice that can be done from a chair. And finally, Jivana reads a short excerpt on grief from his book Yoga Revolution, then leads us in a meditation.  In this episode... Amber & Jivana check in and catch up We highlight some of the Accessible Yoga programming for the month of February We share some of our favorite resources for navigating grief and caring for our hearts and minds Amber shares how humor helps her cope with grief and loss Jivana reminds us not to judge our “trauma responses” as inherently negative, since sometimes they’re survival tools We discuss how sometimes patterns that have served us when we were younger aren’t needed anymore and how therapy has helped each of them We talk about how picking the right folks for your support system can make a big difference We discuss how the yoga practice helps us stay grounded through grief and loss, and actually embrace life as it is Amber leads a short movement practice that can be done in a chair Jivana reads an excerpt from his book Yoga Revolution and leads us in a short meditation  Resources: Molly Lannon Kenny Yoga for Grief and Loss by Karla Helbert Yoga Revolution by Jivana Heyman Finding Refuge: Heart Work for Healing Collective Grief by Michelle Cassandra Johnson Deb Malkin’s instagram (@movewithdeb) Dallas Rising is holding an unique session on Secret Grief Nichala Joy Devi

The information on this Podcast does not constitute medical or other professional advice and should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your physician, psychotherapist, or other health care provider.  Please note, the views, information, or opinions expressed during this program are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of the Accessible Yoga Association, its Board of Directors, and its employees. Robin Rothenberg, C-IAYT is a long time yoga therapist and yoga researcher. She serves as Chair of the Accreditation Committee for the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) as well as the Advisory Council. She has presented on lower back pain at SYTAR (Symposium for Yoga Therapy and Research) and is considered one of the foremost experts in the area of yoga therapy for lower back pain. Her ability to speak articulately to the way in which yoga impacts the nervous system, mind and emotions has led to her presenting at both NAMA (National Ayurvedic & Medical Association) and SYTAR on the subjects of anxiety and stress. For the past three years, Robin has immersed herself in a personal study of the breath, of the ancient teachings on pranayama, and the science of respiratory physiology. The result of this inquiry has her calling for a “Breath Revolution” in the yoga community. Her new book, released in 2020, Restoring Prana: A Guide to Pranayama and Healing Through the Breath, suggests a serious re-evulation of the ‘big breathing’ habit, and a scientifically supported return to the roots of yoga which teach us to retain prana, by minimizing breath while increasing breath suspensions. She is currently researching yoga for long COVID.  In this episode they discuss: Robin’s interest in prana and pranayama  Common misconceptions and mistakes that yoga teachers make in the area of teaching and practicing pranayama  Importance of CO2 levels in the body Breathing through the nose Keeping the breath slow and close to the body She leads Jivana through a short pranayama practice Connect with Robin on her website: Essential Yoga Therapy Robin's books:  Restoring Prana: A Guide to Pranayama and Healing Through the Breath  The Svadhyaya Breath Journal