J. Brown Yoga Talks

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium.

Vanessa Kudrat Weinberg, founder of Body Mind Gifts, is an old friend of J's from their early college years who showed up to one of his final classes in Brooklyn after not seeing each other in over fifteen years. They reconnect and reminisce on the old days at NYU, talk about Vanessa's studies with Yogi Bhajan, the early days of the internet, and the ways in which wellness and yoga have gone mainstream and become professions. The conversation also examines the effects of new media on yoga teachers and the policies of yoga centers.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium.

Trina Altman, creator of Yoga Deconstructed® and Pilates Deconstructed®, talks with J about her viewpoint on the limitations of the physical side of yoga for fitness and health. They discuss life events and influences that have led to the combination of modalities and techniques informing her teaching and approach to yoga and embodied movement. J learns about the differences between Yoga and Pilates, and they examine how the new teaching landscape lends itself to exploring a wider scope and more diverse diet of movement.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium.

Melissa Hagedorn, founder of the Northwest Yoga Conference, joins the podcast for a lively and redemptive conversation after J accidentally used a photo of hers on one of his blog posts and got a polite but firm request to cease and desist. All is made well as they discuss Michelle's mobile lifestyle and her call to create a yoga conference against all odds. They also discuss the accessibility of conference offerings, the pay or lack there of for teachers, and the ways in which balance can be struck between yoga and commerce.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium.

Noah Mazé, founder of YOGAMAZÉ, talks with J about his early exposure to yoga, how he came to meet John Friend during the formative time of Anusara, the trajectory of his teaching and the effects that the Anusara downfall had on him, and the ways in which the thread of his yoga has carried through and expanded. They also discuss the online videos of Noah doing crazy asana stuff, the repercussions of those videos being posted without context, a recent scandal, Facebook trolls, and the discussions that exemplify and shape our times.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium.

Cora Wen is a name that J knew from his early remembrances of the yoga world, yet it wasn't until this talk that he knew anything about her. They discuss Cora's origins in yoga, the many amazing teachers that she has worked closely with over the years, and some reasons why she has maintained a slightly underground status. The conversation also tracks some yoga-going-into-the-mainstream history, some of the pitfalls and troubles that come with the territory, what things look like today and what might be warranted given the new conditions.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium.

Leslie Kaminoff invites J to join him for the last of his live oral history events at The Breathing Project. They are accompanied by a small group of staff and friends for an intimate conversation about what has gone past and what lies ahead. The discussion tracks some history behind the Breathing Project, the publication of Yoga Anatomy and rumors of a potential third edition, and all the emotions around saying goodbye as the space reincarnates into the Babies Project and Leslie sets a new course for himself and The Breathing Project Foundation.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium.

Nischala Devi, author of The Secret Power of Yoga: A Woman's Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras, joins the podcast and brings J some inspiration and joy. They talk about her many years in ascetic life, the process of leaving it, new paths forged since, and what its like to translate Patanjali's Yoga Sutras from a woman's perspective. They also discuss the evolution of yoga from its beginnings as an alternative lifestyle into a mainstream industry, and what might be needed to retain the heart and soul of the practice.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium.

David Lipsius, president and CEO of Yoga Alliance, sits down with J to talk about the issues facing the organization and his new leadership role. They discuss David's history and credentials, his study and training in yoga, and what he hopes to do at the YA. The conversation tackles many of the misconceptions regarding YA, problems with the standards, a lack of transparency in the past, what is going to change going forward, and how we might start an honest dialogue to raise the value and social impact of the yoga profession.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium.

Michelle Ryan, founder of Ashtanga Yoga Northampton, has been listening to the podcast and, after hearing J and his guests talking about new models for yoga centers, felt compelled to reach out via email. She is running her center in a different way that brings some new ideas to the table, so J brought her on to discuss what she is doing. They track Michele's background in yoga and owning centers, the pitfalls and tribulations of the life, and the methods that she has arrived at to forge more sustainable means of operation.

You are listening to the free version of J. Brown Yoga Talks. To hear the rest of our conversation, please subscribe to podcast premium at: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/premium.

Amy Ippoliti talks with J about being in the right place at the right time, at the cusp of yoga's entrance into the mainstream, through the rise and fall of the Anusara popularity, and the path to healing and learning in the aftermath of the scandal. They swap some tales of the early NY scene, get into the real story behind why Anusara fell apart, compare the time that they came into to teaching with some of the realities that new teachers are facing today, and find shared purpose in their love of yoga and passion for helping people.