Krishna Das, best-selling western chant artist of all time, talks with J about what a real guru is and the practice of chanting. They discuss KD’s experience of Neem Karoli Baba and the role of a guru, his early beginnings of leading kirtan in NYC, singing to clean out the dark places, overcoming the pitfalls that come from becoming more interesting to others, understanding deeper love, and experiencing heart spaces as interconnectedness.

Trina Altman, author of Yoga Deconstructed®: Movement Science Principles for Teaching, returns to the show to touch base with J on expanding movement diets and meeting goals. They catch up on whats been happening since they last spoke and how they have been navigating the pandemic, discuss the evolution of yoga teaching, Trina’s views on utilizing movement, and the deeper inquiry into ourselves that transcends labels or categories.

Andrew Rosenstock, host of the Touching Into Presence Podcast, talks with J about Rolfing and other forms of mind/body therapies. They discuss the history of Rolfing and being “rolfed,” Andrew’s viewpoint on both technique and philosophy, parallels between structural integration and yoga therapy, movement, gait analysis, what can actually be done to a structure and why, and the somatic exploration at the heart of facilitating awareness.

Elisa Malinverni, founder of Way of The Mother Bern, talks with J about handling the quarantines and moving forward. They discuss the differences between how Switzerland and the USA have dealt with the pandemic, the blog she wrote about teachers giving away classes and devaluing the profession, the deep value of community and circles of trust, and the need for teachers to reimagine relationships and retain individual platforms.

Hareesh Wallis, Founder and Head Faculty of Tantrika Institute and author of Tantra Illuminated, returns to the show to talk about shifting paradigms of existence and near enemies of the truth. They discuss cultivating a reverent feeling towards life, balancing devotion with discernment, understanding gurus, kindness and tough love as pedagogical strategies, receiving downloads of innate intelligence, and understanding subjectivity.

Adam Schwartz, yoga teacher and podcast listener, talks with J about the dark underbelly of Yoga to the People NYC. They discuss the @yttpshadowwork Instagram account that started publishing anonymous testimony of manipulation and abuse at what was a premier yoga presence in the NY scene prior to covid, Adam’s first-hand experience of practice and training at YTTP, inner workings of studio policies, and lessons to be learned.

Lucie Vogel, Original Goat Yoga Mama and survivor of the Dahn Yoga cult, talks with J about holding institutions accountable and a defamation lawsuit filed by Matthew Remski. They discuss Dahn Yoga and her involvement in the organization, when the locust of control shifts in high-demand groups, legal barriers to accountability, why Lucie wrote an article exposing Remski’s lawsuit, and making sure our efforts to achieve justice are true to purpose.

Chris Preist, co-director of Bristol Zen Dojo, talks with J about the teachings of TKV Desikachar and collectivizing institutions of yoga. They discuss Chris’s history and study in both yoga and zen, the process of mind and ego, the role of oo-jai pranayama, going from gross to subtle awareness, deep commitment and teacher/student relationships, the failing of institutions to address abuse, and the power of sincere friendship and mutual bonds.

Heather Plett, author of The Art of Holding Space, talks with J the day after the 2020 election about what it means to hold space and learning to navigate in the dark. They discuss the liminal threshold of ambiguity and disorientation that occurs when we find ourselves transitioning, circles of trust and vulnerability, brave vs safe spaces, power and privilege, selective judgement, and creating new social contracts that foster equality and humility.

Jeff Krasno, author and host of the Commune Podcast, talks with J about the trajectory of yoga in our culture and its role in the larger collective fate of humanity. They discuss the origins of Wanderlust, downsides to turning yoga teachers into rock stars, the vital contribution that earnest teachers make in society, our current perilous moment, being open to learn from opposing viewpoints to counter polarization, and keeping faith in our institutions,

Hong Gwi-Seok, author of The Gift of Somatic Particularity in Iyengar Yoga and teacher at the Iyengar Yoga Detroit Cooperative, talks with J about evolving practice and bottom-up social change. They discuss her history with Iyengar Yoga, misconceptions about BKS Iyengar, the notion of somatic particularity, hierarchical power abuse, yoga and social change, and the spirit of inquiry at the heart of exploring interconnectedness with all things.

Judith Hanson Lasater, author of Yoga Myths: What You Need to Learn and Unlearn for a Safe and Healthy Yoga Practice, returns to the show and talks with J about letting go of the myths that once dominated yoga classes and embracing the spiritual underpinnings of practice. They discuss the genesis of her latest book, the inner workings of triangle pose, Mula Bandha as an energetic technique, and the heart space that really makes it all work.

Simon Borg-Olivier, co-founder and owner of Yoga Synergy, talks with J about both the science and metaphysics in his work uncovering the essence of yoga. They discuss his experience of studying with the gurus and pioneering yoga in the west, the influence of tradition in the process of innovation, energy in the human system, modern body vs traditional body, natural breathing, and recognition of our inherent interconnectedness.

Seane Corn, co-founder of Off the Mat, Into the World, talks with J about a PSA she posted regarding QAnon and the 2020 election. They discuss the recruitment of wellness influencers into the QAnon web of conspiracy theories, the co-option of legitimate causes, well financed social media used to manipulate and deceive, discerning truth, practicing radical accountability, and the hope that out of this mess will come a reckoning.

Amy Weintraub, author of Temple Dancer and Yoga for Depression, talks with J about old times and her new fiction work on sacred sexuality. They discuss her pioneering direction in yoga for mood management and mental health, getting caught up in admin and moving away from developing teacher trainings, her return to fiction writing, the story of the temple dancers, and embracing the spiritual power that is inherent in all of us.

Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor, coauthors of When Love Comes to Light: Bringing Wisdom from The Bhagavad Gita Into Modern Life, talk with J about their new translation and interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita. The conversation begins with a check-in on how things are going in the pandemic and then turns to the relevance of the Gita to our current situation. They discuss the text as a commentary on hierarchies…

Dr. Monea Tamara Abdul-Majeed, Racial Justice Educator and Yoga Teacher, talks with J about anti-racism and the need for all voices to be heard. They discuss having courageous conversations with family and friends, change making from top down and bottom up, radical viewpoints and self care, being resilient, performative allyship, the fraught polarization of our current politics and being forced to choose the lesser of evils in the coming election.

Carol Horton, author of 21st Century Yoga and Yoga PhD, returns to the show to provide a sober analysis of authoritarianism on both sides of the political aisle and perspective on the choices we all are facing. They discuss the erosion of dialogue and debate, the politics and social mores that are fueling the polarization, illiberalism and decentralized authoritarianism on the left, and finding ground for wisdom and hope.

Kishor Stein is a former student of Manouso Manos who talked with J at the end of last year about the abuse he witnessed, but it was never made public until now. Seven months later, they reconnect to introduce the episode by discussing why it was not originally released and why they are doing so now. The original conversation is about abuse that is commonplace in yoga classes and having a teacher you once admired but can no longer support.

Tias Little, author of The Practice is the Path and Yoga of the Subtle Body, talks with J about liminal spaces and subtle body healing. They discuss his background and evolution from rigorous physicality to somatic embodiment, mining dreams for messages from beyond, using slower movement and poetic language, delving deeply into emotional shadows, reconciling the imaginary realm, and learning to embrace the wonder of existence.