Kim Hopkins, executive director of the Shanthi Project, talks with J about the not-for-profit work of providing yoga and mindfulness education to children and adults. They discuss different phases of the organization and where things were when Kim took over in 2023, working at Sony Music, revenue structures and fund development plans, substituting the term yoga for mindfulness, importance of data collection and research, having an in person space, bases of support, and the long game of creating meaningful change.

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Neil Taylor joins the show to follow up with J on the ongoing conversation about mindfulness education. They discuss Neil's entrance into practice, the importance of solitude, quality of presence, Thich Nhat Hang, the Satipattana Sutta, the end of suffering, inner bliss and demons, ignorance and true nature, cessation, self and no-self, levels of awareness, distinguishing between mindfulness and meditation, mysticism and the secular, neurological patterning, energy bodies, letting the mystery be, and embodying compassion.

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Karin Lynn Carlson, founder of Return Yoga and author of the substack Gristle and Bone, returns to touch base with J on the reckoning going on in the yoga profession. They discuss starting online platforms before it was a thing, 200hr teacher training model and the false promise of a career, marketing conundrums, living paycheck to paycheck, effects of the pandemic on in person spaces, AI, relying upon wealthy students, looking for jobs to pay bills, reconciling the downfall of the American dream, and finding direction from within.

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Cassie McKamey is a listener of the show whose email to J led to this conversation about coming to yoga on the internet through a lens of christian faith. They discuss growing up in a church community in Kansas, youth pastors and questioning authority, following rules vs inquiring within, learning yoga on YouTube, personal relationship to God, being responsible for what you teach, following Jesus, guided meditation and divine will, forms of worship, and being humble enough to believe in something greater than yourself.

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Sarah Powers, co-founder of the Insight Yoga Institute, talks with J about integrating Yoga, Tao, and Mindfulness. They discuss the progression of yoga into a physical orientation to wellness instead of deeper inquiries, cliche of yoga profession, earlier days at Yogaworks, Paul Griley, different camps within Yin Yoga, differentiating Iyengar method, energy bodies, negotiating terms to honor all parts of ourselves, discipline and empathic support, and learning how to ungrasp and explore changing views to access joyful wisdom.

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Edward Clark and Laurie A, Greene, co-authors of Yoga and the Body: The Future of Modern Yoga in the Studio and Beyond, talk with J about interrogating assumptions from within and without yoga traditions. They discuss the ancient origins of yoga, perspectives in theater arts, distinguishing asana and vinyasa, meaning making, reasons for having a body, trauma, emotions, postural attitudes, evolving language in teaching, risk aversion and intensity of inquiry, empathy, being honest communicators, and experiencing every day awe-inspiring beauty.

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Adam Keen, host of the Keen on Yoga Podcast, returns to the show to revisit a conversation they started years ago about the role of teachers and teachings. They discuss recent scandals in the Ashtanga community, teaching styles and somatic dominance, origins of Ashtanga, tradition and market competition, implications of the "active series," homogenization of Mysore rooms, adjustments, hip replacement surgery, showing fallibility, and holding ourselves to account so we can provide something of meaning and purpose.

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Anna Taylor, author of Weaving Mindfulness & Compassion into Yoga Teaching, talks with J about the intersection of mindfulness education and yoga. They discuss being curious about why yoga works, noticing the impact of practice, mindfulness not thoughts, doing and being, attention training, involvement of the heart, equipping people to listen, effort vs observation, failure and feeling taken care of, secular spirituality, pacing, strong flows and music, bringing ourselves into a Satvic state, and promoting values that we believe in.

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Chris Cochrane is a listener of the show who joins to talk with J about her unique background and perspective on science and yoga. They discuss working for NASA analyzing semiconductor crystals grown on the space station, scientists and engineers who are into yoga, micro-gravity and crystal structures, distortions in the atomic order, connection between science and spirit, water witches, probability and preciousness of life, benefits of practice, horse wisdom, equestrians, Patanjali, Shakespeare, and living your dream.

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On the occasion of the 10-year anniversary and 500th episode of the show, J reflects on the state of the yoga profession and industry. He discusses the progression from blog writing to podcasting and his latest post entitled "What I've Learned About Where We Are," the effects of the pandemic on attendance patterns and the role of teachers, myths about marketing and expertise, cravings for connection and immediate gratification, current status of the center J opened a year ago, direction, purpose, and facing grim outlooks with courage and conviction.

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