Today’s episode is about how yoga gives us new eyes to see life, differently. To see things as they actually are, not as we are. Because every one of us has the filter of the ego on every piece of information we take in. We have distractions preventing us from seeing the beauty of what’s in front of us. We have AI and the mental noise preventing us from hearing the extraordinary silence of being alive. The extraordinary state of being present, perhaps for the first time in our lives or the first time in a while.

In an age dominated by AI, constant distraction, and hyper-abstraction, it’s easier than ever to feel disconnected from our bodies and the beauty right in front of us. Yoga is the ultimate form of embodiment, which is the ultimate antidote to feeling disconnection in the digital age of AI slop.

Social media workshop for yoga-inspired people:https://www.patreon.com/shawnakru/posts/social-media-for-167218388?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/shawnakru⁠⁠⁠⁠

Shawna’s website⁠ - https://www.shawnakru.com/⁠⁠

Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠https://www.shawnakru.com/yoga-teacher-roundtable

time stamps: 

00:00 yoga’s eyes poem

01:00 yoga is about trust

2:25 information overload

03:30 stories and embodiment instead of abstraction (ai is abstraction machine) 

04:05 what ai really is

05:06 living as a machine not a human

06:45 ai fear mongering

07:54 yoga begins with listening

10:15 yoga poem 34

11:30 see through yoga’s eyes

This is how yoga healed my relationship with God, what spirituality is without religion, and overcoming religious trauma. I used to have a huge aversion to the word "God." Growing up with a religious background left me carrying so much guilt and fear that when I stepped away from church in college, I unintentionally shut down my spirituality and creative spark altogether. It took over a decade of yoga, deep philosophical study, and unexpected everyday encounters to reclaim what that connection actually means to me.

• How yoga healed my relationship with God and helped me move past religious trauma

• Why so many of us feel triggered by the word God or resistant to traditional religion or spirituality without religion

• What texts like the Bhagavad Gita actually teach about divine energy

• How to find sacred meaning in everyday moments, soil, and simple presence

Whether you consider yourself agnostic, deeply spiritual, religious, or completely unlabelled, this episode is an invitation to think for yourself, drop the rigid rules, and step into the sweetest feeling of all: knowing the divine within you.

Social media workshop on Patreon: Leadership and Yoga CLUB. To support my work on this podcast, join monthly workshops, meet fellow listeners, and more… Join below. 

https://www.patreon.com/cw/shawnakru 

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

OfferingTree is an all-in-one business platform for yoga teachers and studios. It handles your website, scheduling, payments, and marketing in one place. Try it free and get a discount with my link here⁠⁠! (My sponsor) 

Sign up for Yoga Trade’s passport: https://join.yogatrade.com/membership

(My sponsor)

Here is the complete, consolidated set of timestamps for Part 1 and Part 2, filtered so that every section is spaced at least 3 to 5 minutes apart for optimal YouTube video chaptering:

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Praying to the Sun with a Stranger (Yoga Poetry)

03:59 - Who Today’s Episode Is For

06:03 - The Search for the Divine Within (Swami Vivekananda Quote)

08:29 - What Does God Really Mean? (Episode Agenda)

10:52 - Sacar Las Piedritas: Sponsor Announcements (OfferingTree & Yoga Trade)

13:13 - Is Yoga a Religion? Breaking Down the Definition

18:09 - Rethinking Worship, Devotion, and Power

22:50 - What the Bhagavad Gita Teaches About God

27:21 - Experiencing Nature as the Divine

32:01 - Returning to Presence & Unpacking Religious Guilt

36:49 - The Osho / Young Life Land Connection & Dogma

39:07 - The 6 Systems of Indian Philosophy (Shad Darshana)

41:33 - Social Media for Creators & Patreon Workshop

44:27 - Reclaiming Your Inner Power: Talking to My Uber Driver

47:12 - "Take the Word Back" (Guest Insight from Ben Kalra)

This interview with Deepika Mehta, one of India's most prominent yoga teachers, is all about creativity and devotion within the practice of yoga. Deepika is a Level 2 Authorized Ashtanga teacher, trained directly under Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, is a global speaker, and has also worked in television and media. We talk about her creative process, spiritual practice, movement as expression, embodiment, and about the essence of yoga, which she describes as "arriving at stillness through movement." She also shares about a serious rock climbing accident that changed the course of her life, and how she found her way back to movement and yoga after being told she may never walk again.

Deepika’s Instagram @deepikamehtayoga

Practice with Deepika (Retreats and Offerings)

Patreon: Leadership and Yoga CLUB. To support my work on this podcast, to meet fellow listeners, and more… Join below. 

https://www.patreon.com/cw/shawnakru 

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠

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

Sign up for Yoga Trade’s passport: https://join.yogatrade.com/membership

(My sponsor)

Time Stamps:

00:00 intro

03:01 Yoga Trade & Offering Tree

08:52 childhood memories 

11:50 spirituality growing up

13:18 spirituality now

16:59 archetypes

19:16 early impressions of yoga 

20:55 rock climbing accident

26:01 creative expression 

29:45 what is your creative process?

32:55 first ashtanga practice

42:04 qualities of a yogi?

46:11 working in media and television

55:44 how do you prepare to teach or lead?

01:00:36 rapid fire questions

01:02:01 billboard question

Today’s episode is a lifeline and wake up call to stop fighting change (or wishing for it but procrastinating it) and a reminder that often the miracle is already in motion. 

Change isn't a sign that you failed or that life is falling apart; it’s proof that life is making room. Before any miraculous manifestation or quantum leap occurs, the universe clears out what can no longer fit in your next season. The right help, the right people, and the exact resources you need are already on their way to meet you halfway.

My guided journal: 

https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/ 

Original writing by Victoria Hutchins I mentioned: “For the ones who left” from MAKE BELIEVE. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBwWfhQv4kU/?igsi=MTY2ZmIxNzZmYXhlZA== 

People I’m enthusiastic about writing of mine: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Db_JM3Dm9M4/?img_index=7&igsi=YTV5ZWs3Z242c29m 

Yoga Teacher Roundtable application:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1OLW6ewNcsIy8OX7rjlWOTvCNavZ3U9uHgYgcyj1RfGI/edit  

Patreon: Leadership and Yoga CLUB. To support my work on this podcast, join monthly workshops, meet fellow listeners, and more… Join below. 

https://www.patreon.com/cw/shawnakru 

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

OfferingTree is an all-in-one business platform for yoga teachers and studios. It handles your website, scheduling, payments, and marketing in one place. Try it free and get a discount with my link here⁠⁠! (My sponsor) 

Sign up for Yoga Trade’s passport: https://join.yogatrade.com/membership

(My sponsor)

This roundtable episode brings together three yoga teachers from around the world to share stories of their most memorable yoga teachers. Those who have, in some way, made a real impact on their practice and their lives. These anecdotes offer valuable insights into meaningful leadership, along with a peek into some moments that have shaped their yoga journeys.

Šárka Bobotová’s Instagram @sarka.bobotova and podcast

Elle Minty’s Instagram: @iamelleminty and Elle’s Teacher @annekluit.respace

Samantha Mora’s Instagram @samanthacmora and Substack

Patreon: Leadership and Yoga CLUB. To support my work on this podcast, join monthly workshops, meet fellow listeners, and more… Join below. 

https://www.patreon.com/cw/shawnakru 

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

OfferingTree is an all-in-one business platform for yoga teachers and studios. It handles your website, scheduling, payments, and marketing in one place. Try it free and get a discount with my link here⁠⁠! (My sponsor) 

Sign up for Yoga Trade’s passport: https://join.yogatrade.com/membership

(My sponsor)

Time Stamps:

00:00 intro

08:55 making mistakes while teaching (Elle Minty)

14:45 music & the yoga of service (Sam Mora)

23:20 teaching from presence & devotion (Šárka Bobotová)

32:10 Sam Mora: message & offerings

34:52 Elle Minty: billboard message & offerings

37:32 Šárka Bobotová: billboard message & offerings

44:34 closing thoughts

“Releasing the need to look like you "made it" unlocks your deepest creative freedom.” 

“Sometimes the most impressive thing you can do is to not be impressive at all.” 

Today we talk about the difference between the yoga "celebrity" mindset (focused on status, polish, and external validation) versus the "artist" mindset (focused on process, raw expression, and internal truth). This episode explores why the era of the polished, untouchable "yoga celebrity" is coming to an end, and why the world is starving for authentic artists instead. From overcoming social media comparison traps, to understanding Rick Rubin’s philosophy of decoupling self-worth from output, to true style is actually a quality of your consciousness (inspired by The Gene Keys), and details on the upcoming live Social Media Workshop inside the Patreon community.

Join my social media workshop on Patreon

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠ - mailing list

OfferingTree is an all-in-one business platform for yoga teachers and studios. It handles your website, scheduling, payments, and marketing in one place. Try it free and get a discount with my link here⁠⁠! (My sponsor) 

Sign up for Yoga Trade’s passport: https://join.yogatrade.com/membership

(My sponsor)

Time stamps:

00:00 intro

06:54 animation 

09:25 yoga celebrities inspired me 

10:20 confidence is not a “look”

14:00 Jeff Foster - Spiritual Zombie

23:50 art helps us feel emotions 

26:30 step 1: light

28:25 step 2: nothing to hide, nothing to prove

29:30 behind the curtain

37:00 step 3: subtle feeling body

41:00 step 4: be okay refining

44:00 step 5: style is quality of consciousness 

51:00 step 6: numbers 

53:30 social media workshop

56:52 the creative revival

the feeling of yoga, and some words that try to describe it. stream of consciousness, and musical. this is for my seasoned yogis who want to put words to what yoga means to you, and also for yoga curious people who want to hear about a decade of practice put into freestyle prose and poetry about yoga asana versus the feeling of yoga, yoga philosophy, and what yoga really means.

Patreon: Leadership and Yoga CLUB. To support my work on this podcast, join monthly workshops, meet fellow listeners, and more… Join below. 

https://www.patreon.com/cw/shawnakru 

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

When I feel impatient, it’s an incredibly disturbing energy because I usually fear that rushing will block my success or sabotage what I want most. But while stuck in a nightmare series of travel delays in Paris on my way to see a close friend, I had a massive breakthrough about why we experience this frustration. I realized my impatience wasn't actually about the lost time or missed plans, but rather a deep-seated fear of disappointing other people and letting them down. Once you shine the light of awareness on the true root of your impatience, that heavy urge to force outcomes starts to dissolve so you can finally step into flow grace. 

Patreon: Leadership and Yoga CLUB. To support my work on this podcast, join monthly workshops, meet fellow listeners, and more… Join below. 

https://www.patreon.com/cw/shawnakru 

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

OfferingTree is an all-in-one business platform for yoga teachers and studios. It handles your website, scheduling, payments, and marketing in one place. Try it free and get a discount with my link here⁠⁠! (My sponsor) 

Sign up for Yoga Trade’s passport: https://join.yogatrade.com/membership

(My sponsor)

Clara on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamcleer/ 

Clara’s NGO Rights and Roots: https://www.instagram.com/rightsandrootsorg/

Recorded live in Guatemala after co-teaching Yoga Summer School together with the rest of the Cactus Club, my dear friend Kimi Hajian is back on the podcast. Kimi is a yoga teacher based in Prague, teaching classes both in person and online through her app, "Alkimi." This time we get into bhakti yoga, the yoga of relationships, the archetype of Hanuman, and the practice of chanting. Kimi shares what it means to her to stay rooted in the sacred without losing touch with ordinary, "normal" life. That yoga isn't about becoming someone new, it's about becoming more you.

Kimi’s Website

Alkimi App

Kimi’s Instagram

Patreon: Leadership and Yoga CLUB. To support my work on this podcast, to meet fellow listeners, and more… Join below. 

https://www.patreon.com/cw/shawnakru 

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠

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

Sign up for Yoga Trade’s passport: https://join.yogatrade.com/membership (My sponsor)

Time Stamps: 

00:00 intro

01:22 sponsors

05:57 the cactus club & yoga summer school

08:27 intentional sharing online

13:27 creative process

15:21 daily rituals

21:21 what does yoga mean to you?

23:51 staying rooted in reality

26:46 balancing the sacred and the mundane

28:47 archetypes

32:44 bhakti yoga

38:06 kirtan & voice

40:54 the yoga of relationships

46:19 “yoga is for normal people”

1:09:34 billboard question

This episode is for you if you feel like you’ve been holding yourself back, not wanting to look too crazy. If you’ve been hiding your bad angles, trying to be perfect, or even perfectly “authentic.” What if what you actually need is to embrace the weird, unpolished, wild, extreme parts of you? What if you could stop hiding yourself? 

And what if doing just that could help others do the same? It might be exactly what leads you into the big, meaningful work you’ve been dreaming of, or into your next creative project. It might just help you remember your power. The world needs you to show up as you are: not despite the parts of yourself that you try to hide, but because of them.

“The unique voice is the one that gets made fun of, but it's the one you recognize without even hearing their name…”

Patreon: Leadership and Yoga CLUB. To support my work on this podcast, to meet fellow listeners, and more… Join below. 

https://www.patreon.com/cw/shawnakru 

Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠

⁠Shawna’s website⁠

⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠

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

Sign up for Yoga Trade’s passport: https://join.yogatrade.com/membership (My sponsor)

Time Stamps:

00:00 intro

01:01 tendency to avoid extremes

05:20 noticing & collecting stories

07:26 ujjayi breath

08:36 feeling like you’ve “made it”

12:36 beyond authenticity: let yourself be weird

13:54 stop hiding your “bad’ angles

19:40 big things come from extremes

22:01 sponsors

26:54 stop hiding yourself

29:13 if you can spot it, you’ve got it