Dear Humans,

Izzy shares her personal journey through a challenging year marked by a car accident, emotional trauma, and healing. She reflects on the lessons learned about suffering, resilience, and the importance of balancing light and dark in life and yoga practice. Additionally, she discusses her upcoming yoga retreat in Portugal and the significance of reconnecting with inner wisdom.

00:00 - Reflections on a Challenging Year

10:17 - The Impact of Trauma and Suffering

20:29 - Navigating Darkness and Light

29:58 - The Journey of Healing and Growth

32:13 - Planning a Transformative Yoga Retreat

Come join us in Portugal! Learn more and use code HEART for a 10% discount on the entire retreat: https://www.yogahumans.com/portugalretreat

Interested in trying out OSEA? Using this link and code YH10 for a listener discount! https://bit.ly/3Nb7dPa

Dear Humans,

If you’ve been following along with me on Instagram, then you’ve probably seen me reflect on the challenges of this past year in the aftermath of the car accident I was in this January.

I suffered a pretty serious concussion during the accident, which prevented me from doing inversions (head below heart) for over a month. That month felt lik…

There are some yoga teachers whose presence stays with you. Even if you only cross paths with them occasionally, you remember how it feels to be in the room with them.

For me, Lauren Lewis has always been one of those people.

In this episode, Lauren and I talk about the long arc of becoming a yoga teacher. The early days when you feel like you’re spinning a hundred plates at once. The awkwardness of standing in front of a room and wondering if you belong there at all. The slow process of building confidence, finding your voice, and eventually learning how to get out of your own way.

If you listen, please leave a comment and share what nuggets of wisdom you’re taking away from the episode! Liking, commenting, and sharing this episode with others really supports the project. Thank you.

Meet Lauren Lewis

OSEA is a skincare company with values that are easy to stand behind. Plus, their products are lovely. Try OSEA using code YH10 for 10% off.

In this special Teacher Teatime Chat, Izzy and Nico sit down for a wide-ranging, heartfelt conversation about what it means to be a yoga teacher right now. Together, they reflect on dharma, suffering, yoga philosophy, and the lived reality of teaching in modern studios — from Sanskrit and namaste debates to mentorship, community-building, and staying connected to your own practice.

What I Read in Yoga This Month is an offering for my paid subscribers. Today I’ve provided three readings and reflections that you might consider sharing with your yoga class as we enter a new calendar year.

But, this approach strays from the typical “resolution” creation and dives into what it means to really create sankalpa or intention in the yogic path. Spoiler alert: It’s different than the western approach.

I hope this helps you reflect on your own approach to intention setting and how you might share these ideas with your students!

As always, if you like what you hear, or it sparks something for you, I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

In this warm and honest conversation, Izzy talks with yoga teacher and creator Charlotte Muller (@breathe_strength) about teaching with heart, humor, and truly good sequencing. Charlotte shares how her early health journey and the loss of her mom shaped her path, how she found her teaching voice, and why humor and creativity matter in yoga. They also dive into foreshadowing, sustainable teaching, and building real community with other teachers.

Timestamps:0:00–14:21 — Background14:21–21:35 — Creative Sequencing21:35–30:15 — Humor, Voice & Presence30:15–37:00 — Memorizing Sequences37:00–41:00 — Foreshadowing41:00–46:00 — Creative Process46:00–53:00 — Collaboration & Friendship53:00–End — Balance & Closing Thoughts

Poet James A. Pearson joins me for a deeply human conversation about courage, creativity, and the art of paying attention. We talk about the seasons of life—how autumn asks us to let go, how the “mud season” teaches patience, and how trust and faith carry us through our own winters.

Find James at https://jamesapearson.com/ and be sure to buy his beautiful book The Wilderness That Bears Your Name

Dear Humans,

I’ve been teaching this sequence over the past week and I’m absolutely loving it!

I wanted to share it with you in this live format, so that you could practice with me.

This is a 30 minute class, where we focus on fluid and flowing movements, exploring circles and cycles. It’s juicy, it’s powerful, and it’s a perfect reminder to let go.

I wi…

In this episode of Dear Humans, Izzy is joined by guest, friend, and fellow yoga teacher Sydney McCowan (formerly Sydney Clemens!).

Listen in for a deeply insightful conversation that moves from the internal world of intuition to the transformative power of community. They begin by exploring the practice of listening to that inner voice—how loud it can be, and why it’s essential to trust our gut feelings.

The discussion naturally flows into the magic of yoga retreats, highlighting their upcoming Portugal retreat as a powerful container for this kind of inner work. They delve into the nuances of being a modern yoga student and teacher, covering everything from balancing a personal practice with teaching, the discipline of home practice, and the profound importance of inclusive language and permission-giving in class, highlighting Sydney’s upcoming workshop: Cueing with Confidence. Izzy and Sydney share their philosophies on creating classes where students feel empowered, seen, and able to explore movement in a way that feels authentic to them.

This episode is a must-listen for any yoga student or teacher looking to deepen their practice, trust themselves more fully, and understand how a retreat can be a catalyst for profound change. A special reminder: the tiered pricing with a 20% discount for the Portugal retreat ends on October 10th!

Meet your guest

“I’m Sydney (she/her), a yoga teacher based in Washburn, Wisconsin. I’m passionate about creating inclusive and nourishing spaces for people to connect with themselves. I teach in local studios, work with middle and high school students, and lead international retreats. Ultimately my goal as your yoga teacher is to guide you back to the sensations in your own body.

My teaching blends vinyasa, intuitive movement, and somatic practices with the intention of helping students tune into their own experience and move in a way that feels true to them.

In addition to yoga, I study and share practices rooted in menstrual health and cyclical wisdom. I studied with and have a deep appreciation for my Menstruality Training with the Red School based in London in 2023.

I love offering tools that support people in reconnecting with the deep intelligence of their bodies. I live along the south shore of Lake Superior, where I recharge through cold swims, forest hikes, and foraging mushrooms. I’d love to connect with you. In person or online.”

Join us in Portugal

Move. Breathe. Return to you.

This retreat is for anyone craving a shift. Not just rest—but reconnection. Reconnection to body, mind, and spirit, but also to community. Through daily yoga, guided meditation, intuitive movement, and deep conversation, we’ll explore what it means to come home to your body, your purpose, and your own inner rhythm.

✨ A pristine escape in Northern Portugal

✨ Movement practices in the sun-drenched studio

✨ Daily meditation and communal silence

✨ Rituals and ceremonies to help us deepen our connections

✨ Spacious rooms. Good food. Good humans.

QUESTIONS? Check our FAQ page or send us an email at [email protected]—remember we are offering 20% off at the Root Pricing level with the code “Root” until October 10th!

Dear Humans,

I wasn’t able to schedule a live class with you this July, but here’s a 30 minute recorded class that I hope you’ll take when the time is right!

I was called to move slowly today, finding juicy movements that worked us into the inner and outer hips, hamstrings, and shoulders. Think one-part slow vinyasa class and one-part restorative class.

…