Ashtanga Dispatch Podcast

In today's episode, we sit down with Mary Taylor and Richard Freeman to talk about their new book, When Love Comes to Light: Bringing Wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita into Modern Life. https://www.shambhala.com/when-love-comes-to-light-15498.html

Never before has a book felt more timely or applicable. Because who among us doesn't feel like Arjuna right now - standing in the middle of a battlefield, unsure of our own purpose and uncertain of what actions to take? Mary and Richard write as WE are Arjuna and Krishna is actually talking to us.

Mary and Richard are one of the most loving, insightful, and down-to-earth teachers we know. And whether it's in teaching, writing, or simply having a conversation, they truly do bring the yoga to life.

Be the first to receive new podcasts by joining our email. Visit www.ashtangadispatch.com

The Ashtanga Dispatch Yoga Podcast is hosted, edited, and produced by Peg Mulqueen and Meghan Powell. Music by Marc Pilley, whose newest album can be downloaded at www.arksong.net Thanks for listening!

Today's chat is with Mark Robberds, Oliver Crossley, and Scott White who together, formed the Yoga Myth Busters. Their hope is to educate and clarify some of those pesky myths that continue to circulate and persist. Like - are your hips always need to be squared? Is it true that anyone can do anything with just practice? And my favorite: No pain, no gain - true or false? Listen and find out!

Mark is a certified Ashtanga yoga teacher and movement specialist. And Oliver and Scott are both physiotherapists and yoga practitioners who use yoga in their therapeutic work.

Visit our new online Yoga Shala with live and pre-recorded classes by visiting www.ashtangadispatch.com/online-courses.

The Ashtanga Dispatch Yoga podcast is hosted, edited, and produced by Peg Mulqueen and Meghan Powell. Music by Marc Pilley.

This week's offering through the podcast is part of an online talk for Merchant City Yoga in Glasgow on how our definition of a yoga practice could be changing as a result of this ongoing pandemic.

Also please note - we've added another session of our popular online course, Equanimity through the Storm. It begins May 8th and you can find more information here: https://www.ashtangadispatch.com/event/equanimity-thru-crisis/

We hope you’ve been enjoying these shorter broadcasts we’ve been offering this past month - bits of hope and inspiration from various sources as a way to offer support and perhaps some comfort through these trying times. And to remind you - you’re not alone. You have us.

The Ashtanga Dispatch Podcast is edited, produced, + hosted by Peg Mulqueen + Meghan Powell. Music by Mark Pilley. Visit ashtangadispatch.com for more.

During these challenging times, we are here to support you. And so every Monday morning, we will try and bring you a message of hope and comfort.

This week we bring you Roberto Lim from Vital Living Arts with the story of how Shiva got his blue throat along with the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra. We hope you enjoy.

And because of the overwhelming interest, we have added another session of our online course: Equanimity Through the Storm for May. Please visit www.ashtangadispatch.com for more details.

May you be healthy, safe, happy, and free - and always know that are loved.

During these challenging times, we are here to support you. And so every Monday morning, we will try and bring you a message of hope and comfort - perhaps a meditation, a chant, or inspiring words - like this morning's with Dena Kingsberg.

Dena's words were recorded (on an iPhone) during one of her last practice mornings before the shala temporarily closed due to the pandemic.

We hope you continue to take quiet moments for yourself, staying well and keeping faith during through these uncharted waters. And if you need us, we are here for you. Visit ashtangadispatch.com

During these challenging times, we are here to support you. Please visit ashtangadispatch.com to join us for a special program: Equanimity Through the Storm.

We hope you take these few minutes to enjoy this metta meditation with Meghan Powell as a way to ground in loving-kindness - for yourself and for the world. May you be healthy, safe, happy, and know that you are loved by us.

These next episodes will be devoted to one story … Of how a community moves beyond the authoritarian Guru model, and away from the kind of hierarchical structures and rules of silence that have allowed for its members to be hurt, ostracized, and abused. It’s a story about learning from one another - and leaning on one another. One that shifts the focus from rules and dogma - to people and relationships; where leadership is shared and all voices, heard. Because we are the authors. And this is our story. One that begins today - with Kinship.

All the voices you will hear in today's podcast - Erica Morton Magill, Greg Nardi, Pranidhi Varshney, Spiro Antonopoulos, and Kory Sheffer - participated in a weekend gathering in the California desert last December as part of a Kinship initiative. It’s a change of course from the historically hierarchical, authoritarian model that has defined the Ashtanga Yoga community.

Again, if you want to be part of Kinship, please sign up at LAyoga.club/kinship

Special thanks to Marc Pilley whose music you’ve been listening to. The song, Be with Me is from his latest album, Acorns, which you can download at arksong.net

The Ashtanga Dispatch Yoga Podcast is written, edited, produced, and hosted today by me, Peg Mulqueen. The transcript for today's episode can be found on our website along with all links mentioned. Just visit ashtangadispatch.com

Thanks for listening.

"Hierarchies are easy. That’s why we set them up. But the hierarchies have such a lack of resilience in response to rapid social change. And we're in a situation of rapid social change - in a profession that is seeing rapid changes." - Theo Wildcroft

In today's episode, Dr. Theo Wildcroft talks about the identities and labels we attach to ourselves and our yoga practice and how we all benefit from moving from traditional linear models and towards more inclusive and horizontally organized networks.

The Ashtanga Dispatch podcast is hosted, produced, and edited by me, Peg Mulqueen - along with Meghan Powell. Music is by Marc Pilley

Visit www.ashtangadispatch.com for more about Theo including notes and links from today's show. And thanks for listening!

As one of today's most prolific explorers and mountaineers, Conrad Anker is a legend in the climbing world - though certainly not limited to it. Because Conrad has long been a source of inspiration for me. From his many summits (including Everest 3x and Meru) to his humanitarian work and activism - Conrad claims not to know anything about yoga philosophy, and yet his life says otherwise.

In today's episode, Conrad talks to me about the necessity of risk, overcoming obstacles, facing fear, and getting older - as well as the responsibility we have as human beings to take care of each other and this world. (See? I told you he is a yogi - whether HE knows or not!)

The Ashtanga Dispatch podcast is hosted, produced, and edited by me, Peg Mulqueen. Along with Meghan Powell. Music is by Marc Pilley

Visit www.ashtangadispatch.com for more about Conrad including notes and links from today's show. And thanks for listening!

As an anatomy teacher and neuromuscular therapist - David has spent most of his career working with people in pain and helping them find a way out. And as the person who literally wrote the book on Yoga Anatomy, it makes sense that yoga students in particular - often with an injury or other physical issues - look to David for answers. At the same time, answers are something David seldom gives. Instead, he’d rather hand the power back to students - encouraging them to do their own exploring and experimentation:

1. Figure out what position makes it feel better relative to what body position makes it feel worse. So you know.

2. Give yourself permission to change the way you’re practicing so you can get closer to that position where it doesn’t hurt. Until you understand more, figure out more.

3. Once things calm down, start exploring even further and widdling things down

Look for David's 3-D animated kinesiology course for anyone who wants to learn their muscles, functional movement, and how the asanas fit together. Visit https://3dmusclelab.com

Ashtanga Dispatch is all about creating and supporting community - and this podcast would not be possible without the help of good friends like you who share our mission. Please visit ashtangadispatch.com/donate to learn ways you can help and contribute.

The Ashtanga Dispatch Podcast is edited, produced, and hosted by Peg Mulqueen along with Meghan Powell. Music by Marc Pilley.