Ashish Arora is a yoga teacher based in Seattle, Washington, originally from Delhi, India, and currently leading teacher trainings and retreats around the world. In this episode we delve into the art of teaching, what tradition actually means in the context of yoga, yoga philosophy, and navigating cultural appropriation as a yoga teacher. Ashish also shares tips for remembering your students' names and finding your teachers. If you're a yoga teacher thinking deeply about why you teach, where the practice comes from, or how to bring more joy into the practice, this episode is for you!

Practice with Ashish

Find Ashish on Instagram: @ashishyoga

Listen to the previous episode with Ashish

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) 

30-day trial: Join Yoga Trade Council & take workshops with me

(my sponsor) Get a job teaching yoga abroad? https://yogatrade.com/ 

⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND ⁠(My sponsor) 

⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠

Time Stamps: 

00:00 intro

01:40 OfferingTree

3:41 presence while teaching

5:33 tips for remembering your students’ names

10:06 growing up in India

15:01 laughter breathwork

17:11 the vastness of yoga

19:20 peacock pose & joy

23:45 finding your teachers

28:16 tradition in yoga

37:40 breath & energy

42:22 what is your definition of a yogi?

46:32 cultural-appropriation in yoga

55:57 what is our responsibility as yoga teachers?

59:55 rapid fire questions 

01:03:17 billboard question

I started a top 5% Spotify video podcast without being an influencer, and the years that you didn't see, built everything. Truthfully, I feel like I'm just getting started, but when I pause, I see that I have come a long way! This podcast is my "true north" and the reason I wake up and get to "work" writing, interviewing and creating every day. I believe in the power of inspiration, especially in times like these. I wanted to tell my full story, for those who are asking. I hope you feel inspired to think about telling (and creating) your OWN story, whatever it may be. I believe in you. :) And thanks for being part of the Leadership and Yoga fam.

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND

⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠

Londrelle shows us how spiritual practice becomes music that heals the world. Welcome to the inner workings of Londrelle’s songs, his creative process, and how he shares what he knows with the world. His music is communion with God, and he follows the Bhagavad Gita as instruction for everything he creates. Let’s talk about his spiritual practice and how it has made him the artist we know today: from maha mudra, kriya yoga and meditation to making music that elevates our vibration. Londrelle brings words of wisdom for us on how we can make an impact in the world, and also how we can make it through our own dark nights of the soul as he shares his own story from birth to present day. 

“Spiritual practice helps us tune into our gifts and abilities, they make us more open and less tense about what we do, so that we can go with the flow of that greater consciousness and intelligence that is always there.” -Londrelle 

“God for me is not something that you can put your finger on it, but you can't miss it. Everywhere you go, everywhere you turn, there is the presence of the most high God.” -Londrelle

Londrelle on instagram

Londrelle on Spotify

Londrelle’s mindfulness app: Eternal Sunshine

Londrelle’s website

Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) 

Join YogaTrade Council & take workshops with me (Try it free) And check out jobs on https://yogatrade.com/  (My sponsor)

⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠

Time stamps:

00:00 this is Londrelle!! 

01:00 Yoga Trade

02:00 OfferingTree

03:10 join the podcast?

05:00 yoga connection 

07:30 Bhagavad Gita as instruction for music

09:00 how Londrelle writes songs like Gratitude

10:15 more meditative than creative

11:45 when a song arrives, no sleep or pause, until it’s complete

14:30 if they can see it in you, they can see it in themselves

16:45 God: when you close your eyes and think of God..

18:00 Protest and activism: Police brutality 

20:00 setting out to serve, you open yourself to universal intelligence

24:00 music is broadcasted to the world & shapes culture

27:00 growing up: no space to dream, only survive

31:10 Londrelle’s story from birth

33:45 studying the divine you see your own true nature & importance

35:10 Londrelle’s teachers/influences

39:00 religion & spirituality are the same, two expressions of the same truth

41:00 virgos! both Londrelle and Shawna are virgos. 

45:00 dark nights of the soul & initiations

46:00 death experience

49:30 tests following 

53:00 can’t escape yourself. wherever you go, there you are

55:00 artist journey: becoming the Londrelle that we know today

57:50 music is a science 

59:00 Londrelle’s spiritual practices: maha Mudra, kriya yoga & meditation

1:01:43 be less tense & tune into our gifts

1:02:00 is there yoga in your music?

1:04:00 supporting people going through darkness with our art

1:05:09 winter in life

1:08:00 self-acceptance

1:11:00 impact in the outer world and introspection 

1:12:50 this world is not meant to be heaven

1:14:00 the world as a projection of yourself

1:15:58 yoga’s role in addressing suffering of the world

1:18:00 yoga is the process of opening ourselves

1:19:00 how can we keep our dreams alive (song discussion)

1:21:00 doing music for 25 years: dreams are seeds

1:23:00 how to dream: look to serve

1:25:00 billboard message: stay free!

FOR CONTEXT, SEE THE FULL EPISODE. This is the musical poetry, quick taste of my episode on the architecture of a moonshot dream coming true. It also is a standalone piece to get you thinking about your dreams and how to move towards them.

Is it spring for the tree of your dreams stop trying to hold your life together with glue, and start giving your attention to what you actually want to grow.

(In the style of my immersive special episodes... )

This is the architecture of a moonshot idea coming true (a transmission, not a list.) Let’s talk about how improbable dreams become reality. Blending mindset, spirituality, yoga philosophy, and personal storytelling, this episode explores manifestation, self-belief, identity shifts, intuition, and the energetic process of becoming. Perfect for listeners interested in personal growth, spiritual development, leadership, and conscious living, this is a reflective, poetic transmission designed to expand your perspective and reconnect you with your power.

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

Join YogaTrade Council & take workshops with me (Try it free) And check out jobs on https://yogatrade.com/ 

⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠

Time stamps:

00:00 intro

01:00 poetic 

03:00 what restored my faith in myself

09:50 Yoga Trade 

13:07 definition of moonshot

16:00 why architecture 

18:45 the mountain 

20:00 the improbable bus story 

27:00 event horizon discomfort 

33:00 the moment you KNEW 

35:00 living as that version of you

41:00 how do we change beliefs

44:00 the better we are at being patient, the less we need it

49:00 being that brings opportunities 

55:00 musical poetry: tree of your dreams

Kirby Gordon is a yoga teacher based in Austin, Texas and hosting retreats around the world. In this episode we talk about nomadic teaching, building confidence and decisiveness as a teacher, and advice on hosting your first retreat. Kirby also shares tips for teaching yoga and finding your people. If you're a yoga teacher looking to travel, are ready for your next adventure or to take that next step, this episode is for you!

Kirby’s Website: https://www.kirbyyoga.com  

Find Kirby on Instagram: @kirbygordon 

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) 

30-day trial: Join Yoga Trade Council & take workshops with me

(my sponsor) Get a job teaching yoga abroad? https://yogatrade.com/ 

⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND ⁠(My sponsor) 

⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠

Time Stamps: 

00:00 intro

01:39 OfferingTree & TEND

05:09 nomadic teaching

13:00 decisiveness & confidence 

19:03 finding your people

26:18 traveling after teacher training 

31:05 consistency in yoga practice

34:35 the importance of yoga retreats

39:20 hosting your first yoga retreat 

44:32 leave your students with something they can take with them

48:00 what makes an exceptional yoga class?

51:32 rapid fire questions

52:36 billboard question

Hey fellow underdog. Did you know that the world loves an underdog? Let’s talk about why, and what that means for you. If you feel stuck, behind, or like an underdog in your life, business, or creative path, this episode will show you how to turn that struggle into your greatest advantage. We break down the underdog mindset, the biggest mistakes keeping you stuck (like comparison, shiny object syndrome, and self-doubt), and practical steps to build momentum, confidence, and long-term success as a creator, yoga teacher, or entrepreneur. Whether you're growing a podcast, building a brand, or chasing a dream, this episode is your roadmap to stop feeling behind and start winning.

It’s a 3-part episode: 

1. Reasons being an underdog is a blessing. 2. Major underdog mistakes that will keep you flailing, stuck and hopeless. 

3. Instructions for living as an underdog. (For now. Because this is just an era.) 

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) 

Join YogaTrade Council & take workshops with me (Try it free) And check out jobs on https://yogatrade.com/ 

⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠

Time stamps: 

00:00 intro

04:28 3 part episode

08:30 Yoga Trade

10:00 OfferingTree 

12:00 join the podcast! 

13:55 PART 1: underdog blessings

17:50 nothing to lose

22:18 days of “trying” train you

26:00 you don’t want a one hit wonder

30:50 the danger of starting when things are easy

33:55 PART 2: underdog mistakes

36:20 envy 

38:20 blindly leaping on a shiny object

41:00 not looking at what you create critically

45:40 “this is my only chance” 

47:50 judging yourself too soon

49:20 expert positioning when you’re not

51:15 PART 3: underdog instructions

In this yoga teacher roundtable, yoga teachers from around the world share stories from teaching and practicing yoga: their "goosebump moments," unexpected lessons, synchronicities, and their very own billboard messages. See the link below if you're a yoga teacher and would like to participate in the next roundtable!

⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠

Thank you so much to the participating yoga teachers! Links to connect with them:

Chelsea Forte: @fortechelsea, https://www.embodiedsoul.art/

David Marquez Hincapie: @Davidinbalance

Aakash Shah: @djkash_official

David William Pearce: @davidwilliampearce, https://sexprayers.online/davidwilliampearce

Izzy Martens: @yoga.humans, yogahumans.substack.com

Rachel Larsen: @racheology, rachellarsenyoga.com

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) 

30-day trial: Join Yoga Trade Council & take workshops with me (my sponsor)

Get a job teaching yoga abroad? https://yogatrade.com/ 

⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND ⁠(My sponsor) 

Time Stamps: 

00:00 intro

01:46 yoga trade 

02:57 mini-lesson from art (TEND)

05:04 cueing 108 sun salutations (rachel)

7:48 you never know what someone’s going through (david marquez hincapie)

10:02 full circle: from the first class to teaching (izzy)

13:28 learning to slow down & find stillness (aakash)

16:57 synchronicities (chelsea)

21:03 finding yoga community & a magical savasana (david william pearce)

26:48 izzy marten’s billboard message

29:39 rachel larsen’s billboard message

31:16 chelsea forte’s billboard message

33:26 aakash shah’s billboard message

34:27 david marquez hincapie’s billboard message

36:45 david william pearce’s billboard message

39:32 closing

So much of the wellness world has become busy work to keep up from focusing on the bigger problems in the world. But our own selfish pursuits don’t bring happiness anyways. So can we take more accountability for what’s happening around us? 

In a season of world politics and wars that feels like spiritual wintertime, let’s talk about ignorance and neutrality vs standing up, jumping to conclusions vs thinking for yourself, and how we can stay informed while not losing our power and sanity. 

Who is the bad leader? Is it them, “up there?” Is it you? Is it me? Let’s find out. Today’s episode is a combination of poetic interpretations of the current state of events and its effect on our state of being. 

My substack piece mentioned “What’s going on up there”

Piece by Jeff Foster “Behind the Curtain”

Video about meditation mentioned

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) 

⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠

Time stamps: 

00:00 intro

03:30 the mental whirlwind of being in a season of winter

06:00 who this episode is for

07:30 my turn to answer: can yoga change the world?

9:30 OfferingTree

11:00 my story: burnt out on news

15:58 we create what we consume, but that doesn’t mean..

17:23 what does this have to do with yoga?

22:00 2 steps for better democracy 

25:20 beliefs are tea steeping in your water

26:30 desire to “belong” to a group

28:00 being a real activist means

31:30 the 3rd option

36:00 when is it enough?

40:00 survival mode does not gift the privilege of contemplating 

43:50 news 

48:50 bad leaders characteristics 

50:00 just trying to get through the week

51:20 Jeff Foster “I saw behind the curtain”

56:00 spiritual bypassing

59:30 “it’s all divine plan” 

1:00:00 take accountability, you are not a hamster

1:05:00 how to make real change

DJ Taz Rashid is a DJ and music producer creating music with a deeper mission to awaken, uplift, and empower humanity with music. His work lives in yoga, breathwork, dance and wellness spaces around the world, and you’ve likely already heard some of his tracks in a yoga class or added them to a playlist of your own. In this episode, we explore the power of music, how a carefully curated playlist can completely shift the energy of a yoga class, the practice of creating with intention, and more.

DJ Taz on Spotify

DJ Taz’s Website

Find DJ Taz on instagram @djtazrashid 

⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠⁠

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) 

30-day trial: Join Yoga Trade Council & take workshops with me

(my sponsor) Get a job teaching yoga abroad? https://yogatrade.com/ 

⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND ⁠(My sponsor) 

⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠

Time Stamps: 

00:00 intro

1:31 yoga trade

2:43 offering tree

4:00 TEND & mini-lesson from Art

08:20 starting to create music with intention

14:38 expectations in the creative process

16:43 music is energy and emotion

19:55 music is a powerful portal

24:17 the mission to awaken & empower humanity with music

26:49 study your own story

30:15 did you ever doubt your music path?

37:54 creating with intention

41:17 consistency & finding a focus

45:50 understanding music as a yoga teacher

48:21 tips for yoga teachers on making an intentional playlist

50:12 yoga classes without music

52:30 festivals

57:20 collaborating in art

01:01:17 current inspirations?

01:06:01 getting aligned then taking action

01:09:31 rapid fire questions

01:10:44 billboard question