Shows
Ashtanga Yoga: For the SeekersDefining Dharma: A Discussion on the Ramayana with Justin Curnow, Part 2Welcome back to Part 2 of Justin’s discussion about Dharma as it is presented in the Ramayana. Today, Justin gets introduces the character of Hanuman, the idea that the majority of what we experience is a creation of our own mind, and ways to keep that rather daunting thought simple and practical for our every day lives.*This was a live lecture originally held over zoom.IF YOU ENJOYED THIS INTERVIEW, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE & DROP ME A RATING. Thank you!!!Find Justin on...2025-04-1047 minAshtanga Yoga: For the SeekersDefining Dharma: A Discussion on the Ramayana with Justin Curnow, Part 1Justin leads a discussion about Dharma as it is presented in the Ramayana. The concept of Dharma has taken on a modernized definition in most western yogic circles. And while this definition is not entirely divorced from its original idea, it is a small section of a much larger picture.Dharma is one of most important concepts in eastern spiritual traditions. In this discussion we will use the Ramayana, an Indian epic poem, to help us define what Dharma is in its ancient context.In Part 1, Justin (1) defines the concepts of Karma, Samsara...2025-04-0352 minAshtanga Yoga: For the SeekersHealing Through the Body: Trauma, Somatics, and Yoga with Rebecca FergusonIn this “The Body Keeps the Score”-esque conversation, Rebecca and I we explore how our nervous systems hold onto past experiences and how movement-based practices (cough like yoga) can help reprocess these patterns that are quite literally stuck in our brains.Rebecca explains the difference between big “T” and little “t” trauma, why we hold on to the familiar, top-down vs. bottom-up approaches to therapy, and how EMDR works.“When someone is drowning, it’s not the time to teach them how to swim.” Sometimes we need to feel safe before w...2025-03-271h 01Ashtanga Yoga: For the SeekersBibi Lorenzetti on Hearing Our Inner TruthBibi has a way of eloquently articulating the experiences that are, well, really, really hard to articulate. In this episode, we talk about how the practice of ashtanga yoga helps refine our ability to listen and discern what is true—and what is your mind projecting something on to the truth. We all have that deep intuitive voice within ourselves, it just takes a matter of getting quiet enough to hear it, and then faith and a structure that allows us to go forward with what we hear.2025-03-201h 00Ashtanga Yoga: For the SeekersBreaking Inherited Patterns with Melissa MattIn this episode, Melissa and I talk about the process of breaking old patterns, feeling the things you used to avoid, and learning to regulate yourself in a way that doesn’t leave you exhausted.Melissa shares what it was like to grow up being the “nervous system regulator” for the family, to losing a lot of people close to her in a very short period of time, and ultimately, how she went from detaching from those feelings to being able to trust them. We also get into the role of...2025-03-131h 01Ashtanga Yoga: For the SeekersWade Oakley on Practicing for LongevityIn this episode, I get to ask Wade about how he balances his advanced ashtanga yoga practice with his (seemingly contradictory) advanced strength training routine. One actually supports the other—and, as it turns out, by concentrating more on the “physical” elsewhere, Wade has been able to find more of the “less physical” in his actual practice.Along the way, we talk about the benefits of doing the hard thing, his trips to Mysore, India, and cultivating the superpower of making space.“Few people can look at you on any given day and have dropped how you have...2025-03-061h 09Ashtanga Yoga: For the SeekersTiaga Prem on Yoga as Awareness, the Teacher in Front of You, and Being in a Frequency of Devotion, Part 2Welcome back to Part 2. In this Episode, Tiaga Prem and I will be diving deep into 1) exploring how Krishnamacharya’s influence shaped modern practice; 2) the subtle transfer of spiritual knowledge through teaching to the individual; and 3) the concept of devotion as love and the importance of doing those things that put you in that frequency. IF YOU ENJOYED THIS INTERVIEW, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE & DROP ME A RATING. Thank you!!!Where to find Tiaga Prem’s: https://dharmatemple.circle.so/feedPractice with Tiaga Prem...2025-02-2750 minAshtanga Yoga: For the SeekersTiaga Prem on Yoga as Awareness, the Teacher in Front of You, and Being in a Frequency of Devotion, Part 1“Just practice, and the rest will come.”In Part 1 of our talk, Tiaga Prem and I discuss 1) how the call to a spiritual discipline generally begins with the question, “who am I?” (and what that actually means); 2) how awareness and listening are the real goal of yoga; and 3) how to play the game without losing track of what we're doing and why.Stay tuned for Part 2--next week.IF YOU ENJOYED THIS INTERVIEW, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE & DROP ME A RATING. Thank you!!!Whe...2025-02-2031 minAshtanga Yoga: For the SeekersTaylor Hunt on the Work that is Ashtanga YogaToday’s talk is a particularly powerful post-led conference that my teacher, Taylor Hunt, gave to us in July 2024—right after the Led Class that we filmed for Sādhaka Studio. After led classes, Taylor usually gives a conference—an opportunity for students to ask questions, talk about their practice, or, sometimes, Taylor has something he wants to share.I fully believe that everyone needs a teacher. No matter what you are doing—yoga or otherwise—you need a mentor or someone who has carved out a little bit of that path...2025-02-1322 minAshtanga Yoga: For the SeekersPractical Spirituality with Justin CurnowJustin and I talk about the difference between practical and mystical spirituality—why it matters, and perhaps why one starts to seek out a spiritual practice in the first place.
We share our own individual pulls towards spirituality (and, I keep asking him questions about this whole nonattachment thing I’ve been experiencing—only to lose, and then experience again, and then lose again).
One of my favorite things that he said was:
What brings you to spirituality sometimes is this something you can't identify inside yourself; this hole inside yourself. And then maybe...2025-02-0657 min
Leadership and YogaMarla Tortorice on Ashtanga Yoga, Slowing Down and DisciplineToday my guest is Marla Tortorice, also known as Marla’s Yoga on instagram. Marla is a yoga instructor who practices both Ashtanga and Vinyasa, and a yoga content creator.
As Marla started Ashtanga a little over a year ago, this is a great episode for you if you want to hear what Ashtanga is and why you might enjoy it from the POV of someone who has encountered great contentment and progress in her newfound practice.
If you are tuning in today, you will also hear about how we o...2023-08-0451 min