J. Brown Yoga Talks

Chris Preist, co-director of Bristol Zen Dojo and author of Zen Streams, returns to talks with J about the intersection of zen and yoga. They discuss spiritual practice vs performance, learning rules through experience, connection between sound and spirit, feeling with intention, textual meanings, learning objectives, professionalization and marketing, actualizing non-duality, understanding emptiness, spacious luminosity, digital technology, freshness of words, and the discipline needed to retain authenticity in a capitalistic world.

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Rachel Morarjee, former journalist and friend of the show, talks with J about the arc of gen-xer perspectives on yoga and the world. They discuss receiving shaktiput, the early yoga scene in china, external gurus and choosing teachers, expressions of authority, developing a personal practice, transcending ego, chanting, death of retail, spirituality and faith, battle for souls, meeting challenges of modern society, devotion to God, fall of the yoga masters, life stages, and facing darkness by anchoring yourself to a source of grace.

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Bernie Clark, author of PRANA: One breath, many worlds, talks with J about his new book exploring philosophy, physiology, and the energetic axis of the yoga experience. They discuss stories imagining pre-vedic to Vedic tim es, shamans and yogis, evolution of societies, tribal ritual and institutional gods, reincarnation, relationship with the divine, role of prana in tantra, Desikachar and Descartes, Theosophy and Chakras, fascia, clairvoyance and energy healing, and understanding the difference between spirit and soul.

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Joanne Spence, author of Trauma-Informed Yoga: A Toolbox for Therapists and founder of Yoga in Schools, talks with J about the origins of trauma-informed care and the relationship between yoga and faith. They discuss coming to yoga through life challenges, exploring different approaches, breath focus, early paths into yoga therapy, working at a psychiatric hospital, trusting in lived experience, scientific explanations, attending seminary, being part of a church, secular approaches, and keeping communications straightforward and kind.

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Leslie Howard and Richard Rosen, co-authors of SAVASANA - Between Breath and Death, talk with J about the importance of practicing final relaxation. They discuss the shortening of savasana over the years, death doulas and cafe's, the dissolution of self, the moment of death, guided meditation, asana and pranayama, reincarnation, falling asleep, alignment, using props and minimizing distraction, breath focus, rolling to the side, being the witness, fitness orientation, embracing things as they are, and recognizing the precious nature of life.

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David Procyshyn, founder of doyogawithme.com and author of a Freedom from Anxiety newsletter, talks with J about the current state of the online yoga space and different ways to think about marketing. They discuss the ebb and flow of online sales, loyalty and word of mouth, knowing your audience, saturation and competition, paying for advertising, affiliates, Facebook, discounts and promotions, customer segmentation, maximizing user experience, websites, retreats, and questioning assumptions that inhibit playfulness.

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Jim Bennitt, co-founder of Tejas Yoga and founder of Yoga for Grapplers, talks with J about the trajectory and evolution of Gen-x yoga careers. They discuss the yoga wave that started in the early nineties, old-school classroom dynamics, finding community, appeal of Jiu-Jitsu, cult aspects across different modalities, discernment of alignment, opening a center in the golden years, functional movement, accessibility, male friendships, post pandemic numbers, people leaving yoga, and the inspirational sparks that keep us motivated.

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Sharon Molloy is a close personal friend of J and she joins the show to talk about their shared journey through yoga into faith. They discuss coming together around non-achievement, getting off on esoterica, discovering mystical realms, discerning materialism, making sense of lies and injustice, transhumanism, proof of the soul, evil, biblical prophecy, believing vs following, holy alignment and baptism, brokenness and the nature of self, hearing the voice of God, and experiencing the pinnacle of love through saving grace.

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Adam Rumack, co-founder of Open Circle, talks with J about subtle changes to the inner life of yoga communities and beyond. They discuss third series Ashtanga, taking over a Mysore room, nature-based rights of passage work, high demand communities, authorization, purity myths, underlying reality of natural order, hero journeys, perennial wisdom and power vacuums, vulnerability and responsibility, creating spiritual connection, attachment and strategic planning, and caring about each other enough to get beyond simple explanations.

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Once again, J offers his annual year end reflection on where things stand going into the new year. He discusses the grief of learning that a family member has terminal cancer and the mixture of love and sadness that the holiday season entailed, the difficult realization that he will likely need to close his yoga center, contributing factors and underlying economics, online algorithms, trade organizations, the dissolution of identity and career paths, realms of man vs realms of divinity, and finding an honest and straightforward way of proceeding through life.

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Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.