If you’re teaching regularly but still not feeling financially stable, this episode is going to land. I’m breaking down the real reasons so many yoga teachers stay stuck in inconsistent income, from over-reliance on studio work to missing structural pieces in their business model, and what actually needs to change. Most importantly, I share practical, grounded steps you can take to start shifting from hustle and guesswork into a more sustainable way of working.

Check out all the details for my Retreat here: https://www.amymcdonald.com.au/returning

Support the show on Patreon. Here is the link: https://www.patreon.com/AmyMcDonald

In this episode, I’m sharing the story behind my brand new Ashram Retreat happening this October at the Yoga Association of Victoria Ashram in the Wombat Forest. I talk about my own experiences in ashrams, the difference between practicing Yoga and truly living it, and why immersion, simplicity, and community can be so deeply transformative. We also explore the impact of constant stimulation on the nervous system and why so many of us are craving more depth and sincerity in our practice right now. Plus, I share all the details about the retreat itself, including the optional bonus business intensive for yoga teachers.

Check out all the details here: https://www.amymcdonald.com.au/returning

Support the show on Patreon. Here is the link: https://www.patreon.com/AmyMcDonald

In this episode, I explore the yogic concepts of saguna and nirguna as two very different approaches to launching and selling your offers: structured strategy versus intuitive flow. I unpack the specific strengths and pitfalls of both styles, and why neither is inherently “better” than the other. We also talk about how experience helps us move from needing rigid structure into deeper self-trust and discernment. If you’ve ever wondered whether you need a better plan or simply more trust in yourself, this episode is for you.

Support the show on Patreon. Here is the link: https://www.patreon.com/AmyMcDonald

REFERENCE

Frawley, David (2009) Inner Tantric Yoga: Working with the Universal Shakti, Motilal Banarsidass International, Delhi

If your yoga offers feel a bit random or disconnected, this episode is your nudge to rethink the pathway. I’m talking about krama, the idea of intelligent sequencing, and how your workshops, trainings, and retreats should actually build on each other, not sit in isolation. I share practical ways to make your offers align thematically, attract the same people, and naturally lead into what’s next. Plus, how to follow up in a way that feels like guidance, not a sales pitch. If you want the full episode, please sign up for Patreon!

Here is the link: https://www.patreon.com/AmyMcDonald

I recently met someone who asked me to define my spirituality. What is Svādhyāya and are you making time for it? In this episode I’m reflecting on what ‘spirituality’ is, how to grow and learn about the self in a non-obsessive way and why I think Eric Carmen has an important lesson for us in allowing for expansive moments in class. Enjoy!

If you value this show, please do consider supporting my work on Patreon. It’s just $5 AUD a month and it makes a big difference to me. Here is the link: https://www.patreon.com/AmyMcDonald

REFERENCES

Bryant, Edwin F (2009)The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, North Point Press, New York

Lee, Jenny (2016) True Yoga: Practicing with the Yoga Sutras forHappiness and Spiritual Fulfilment, Llewellyn Publications, Woodbury

Leventhal, Les (2014) Two Lifestyles, One Lifetime, Yoga with Les, Ubud

Wallis, Christopher, D (2023), Near Enemies of the Truth: Avoid the Pitfalls of the Spiritual Life and Become Radically Free, Wonderwell, Los Angeles

If you’re teaching in studios and quietly wondering why your classes aren’t fuller, this one’s for you. I’m sharing three shifts I see make a real difference: making it ridiculously easy to book, being intentional (not reckless) with Meta ads, and actually building your own brand alongside studio work. It’s honest, practical, and the kind of conversation that moves you from ‘This is interesting’ to ‘OK, I’m actually doing something about it.’

If you value this show, please do consider supporting my work on Patreon. It’s just $5 AUD a month and it makes a big difference to me. Here is the link: https://www.patreon.com/AmyMcDonald

Today we’re visiting the Mahabharata, and specifically talking about an influential and very discrete villain. How do we spot people that talk a big spiritual game but actually conduct themselves very badly? What can we learn from these people? Then I finish with 5 grounded, real-life ways to practice discernment, not just with others, but within ourselves. This is where the work actually gets interesting.

Learn more about my counselling service here: https://www.amymcdonald.com.au/counselling

If you value this show, please do consider supporting my work on Patreon. It’s just $5 AUD a month and it makes a big difference to me. Here is the link: https://www.patreon.com/AmyMcDonald

REFERENCE:

Pattanaik, Devdutt (2010) Jaya: an Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata, Penguin, Delhi

In this episode, inspired by what would have been Ram Dass’s 95th birthday, I share a very human moment of ending up with a little egg on my beard in a business connection that was not what it seemed. Using Ram Dass’s famous article as a jumping-off point, we explore how to navigate misalignment with honesty and grace. I’m also dipping into the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali 2.8 and what it teaches about aversion, and the temptation to shut down or harden after things go sideways. This is a conversation about staying open, taking the lesson, and remembering that not every path is meant to be walked together forever.

If you value this show, please do consider supporting my work on Patreon. It’s just $5 AUD a month and it makes a big difference to me. Here is the link: https://www.patreon.com/AmyMcDonald

REFERENCES:

Bryant, Edwin F (2009) The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, North Point Press, New York

Finger, Alan and Newton, Wendy (2018) Tantra of the Yoga Sutras, Shambhala, Boulder

Goldberg, Philip (2010) American Veda: How Indian Spirituality Changed the West, Three Rivers Press, New York

‘Egg on My Beard’ https://www.kashiashram.com/egg_on_my_beard.pdf accessed 7 April 2026

This week I’m joined for an inspiring conversation with Amy Landry. A beacon for those craving a connection to tradition and timeless wisdom, Amy Landry is a registered senior yoga teacher, ayurvedic practitioner, mentor, odissi dancer, podcast host, author of The Ocean of Yoga, facilitator of the Study Yoga summit, and founder of the online Shruti School of Yoga. I’ve devoured her book and found great solace and inspiration in its pages. Get yourself a copy!

Book - https://amyelandry.com/oceanofyoga/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/amyelandry/

If you value this show, please do consider supporting my work on Patreon. It’s just $5 AUD a month and it makes a big difference to me. Here is the link: https://www.patreon.com/AmyMcDonald

The ‘modern Yoga industrial complex’ is FUCK!ING wild, man! So much so that it’s easy to forget why we even teach Yoga anymore! In this episode I’m reading from some of the books that always bring me solace when I’ve lost my mooring in Yogaland or am feeling disappointed by people who talk a big Yoga game but conduct themselves terribly. I hope it’s useful.

Join me tomorrow for my new free training ‘Remember Why You Began’ here: https://mailchi.mp/amymcdonald/remember

If you value this show, please do consider supporting my work on Patreon. It’s just $5 AUD a month and it makes a big difference to me. Here is the link: https://www.patreon.com/AmyMcDonald

REFERENCES:

Farhi, Donna (2006) Teaching Yoga: Exploring the Teacher-Student Relationship, Random House, London

Feuerstein, Georg (2011) The Path to Yoga: an Essential Guide to its Principles and Practices, Random House, London

Landry, Amy (2026) The Ocean of Yoga: A Complete Guide to Living the Teachings, Tradition, and Practice, Shambhala, Boston

Lowenstein MD, Keith G. (2021) Kriya Yoga for Self-Discovery, Inner Traditions, Rochester

Stone, Michael (2009) Yoga for a World Out of Balance, Shambhala, Boston