Hands-on assists are a source of fear for a number of teachers who want to do the right thing for their students. I invited my friend dallas delahunt to come back and have a conversation with me about teaching hands-on. We are both known for doing hands-on enhancements when we teach, and so we talk about why and how, and some strategies for moving forward with hands-on teaching.

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The brilliant and indefatigable Joanne Sarah Avison, Certified Yoga Therapist, Structural Integration practitioner, and author of Yoga: Fascia, Anatomy and Movement joins me for a conversation. Joanne weaves together anatomy, history, architecture, motherhood, teaching, reconceptualizing how we talk about movement needs, sacred geometry - the list goes on! You have to listen to believe it.

Joanne takes us through a tour of the definition of fascia, biotensegrity, and a reconceptualization of the body and mind away from the language of biomechanics. We touch on the balance of forces in the body, and the fascia as a sensory organ, but you also get a tour through the historical politics of cadaver work and the sacred geometry of our makeup!

Those of you with no experience with fascia and anatomy trains education may be bowled over by the vastness of information coming at you, but Joanne sprinkles our conversation with personal stories, metaphors, and tangents that will keep you fascinated. Those of you with tons of education in this area will want her to come back for another chat and to read more from Joanne.

Fortunately for all of us across the pond, some online learning is coming available from her soon.

Show Notes:

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A yoga primer for new students. This episode is for you to share with people you think would benefit from a yoga practice, but maybe need to hear it from someone else. It might also be of interest for yoga teachers to hear how you can speak to the benefits of yoga to people who aren't on the yoga train yet.

Do you remember how difficult it was to walk into your first yoga studio? The landscape of yoga has changed a lot in the last 10 years, but once you're on the inside, sometimes it's hard to imagine how foreign it can seem from the outside. This episode includes some practical information for people beginning a yoga practice, since there's a few things they may want to know on the beginning of this journey.

Show Notes:

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In this week's episode, I answer a lot of the questions that come my way from students in class and teacher training. I explore certain cues, alternatives and engagement approaches to the poses Happy Baby, Bridge, standing balances, gate pose variation, and Shoulderstand poses.

For more information on Kathryn's work, where to find her, and more podcasts, visit www.intelligentedge.yoga

For online practices, including accessible yoga classes from retreat and specifically recorded for patrons, visit www.patreon.com/intelligentedgeyoga

Book recommendations! I'm always being asked what I'm reading or what I'd recommend on particular topics, so I plucked three well-loved books off my shelves on Ayurveda, Yoga and Anatomy and tell you what's great about them, including some of my favourite passages and information.

The Everyday Ayurveda Cookbook by Kate O'Donnell
While it may seem unusual to recommend a cookbook for reading, Kate's book is a cookbooknot a recipe book. She fronts the recipes with a wonderful and thorough section on some of the theories and concepts behind Ayurveda cooking and digestion.

21st Century Yoga: Culture, Politics and Practice, edited by Carol Horton & Roseanne Harvey
This collection of essays is essential reading to the socially minded yogi. I always recommend it to yoga teacher training grads who are looking for some of the cultural issues pertinent to the evolution of yoga. Published in 2012, it's still a relevant read even if some things have happily evolved with the conversation, and many things have not. A great way to get into the minds of some smart yogis you may not have heard of yet, and original writing from those you have.

The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health and Disease, by Daniel E. Lieberman
A history of how humans arrived at being human from being apes, which we learn was not a foregone conclusion! A fascinating journey through how and why we evolved into what we are, what we lost as we gained a long the way, and the impact that culture (not just modern culture!) has had on us. This book has been so useful in my teaching and understanding of anatomy.

For more information on Kathryn's work, where to find her, and more podcasts, visit www.intelligentedge.yoga

For online practices, including accessible yoga classes from retreat and specifically recorded for patrons, visit www.patreon.com/intelligentedgeyoga

Tiffany Cruikshank joins the podcast to discuss what it's like to be one of the best known yoga teachers on the international circuit, her teacher training levels of Yoga Medicine, her history and future of teaching, and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

For more information on Kathryn's work, where to find her, and more podcasts, visit www.intelligentedge.yoga

For other online practices, including accessible yoga classes from retreat and specifically recorded for patrons, visit www.patreon.com/intelligentedgeyoga

We don’t need to look further than a stereotype to know that vegetarianism and yoga share the same company. This week's episode examines the Hindu roots of vegetarianism and yoga, why or why not vegetarianism for the yogic path, as well as a trip through a few Ayurvedic ideas on juice fasting and Tantra!

For more information on Kathryn's work, where to find her, and more podcasts, visit www.intelligentedge.yoga

For online practices, including accessible yoga classes from retreat and specifically recorded for patrons, visit www.patreon.com/intelligentedgeyoga

Meet the wise and lovely Barrie Risman: a yoga teacher and mentor in Quebec whose teaching journey of over 20 years has taken her through studio ownership, a strong commitment to doing the work, and being of service through the World Spine Care Yoga Project.

Show Notes:

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Yoga has a lifestyle science, Ayurveda - the "wisdom of life" - that helps us individualize our yoga and wellness plans. I talk a little bit about the history of Ayurveda, a couple of its central concepts, and offer an unorthodox dosha ("constitution") quiz if you've ever wondered about your yoga psychology profile.

Show Notes:

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