Most yoga teachers are taught that chest opening is the key to better pranayama, but what if that’s actually the last thing to focus on?

In this solo episode, I share the five areas of asana practice that matter most when preparing the body for pranayama. We explore lung anatomy, spinal mobility, nervous system regulation, hip flexor tension, diaphragm function, and why true breath expansion comes from working with the whole body, not just the chest. If you want your pranayama practice to feel more effortless and effective, this episode offers a practical framework you can start applying right away.

Episode Highlights:

• Common pranayama preparation myths
• Body as the container of prana
• Side and back body breathing
• Lung anatomy and breath capacity
• Spinal mobility for pranayama
• False expansion through chest opening
• Nervous system regulation through breath
• Front body dominance and stress
• Hip flexors and diaphragm function
• Lower abdomen freedom for breathing
• Chest opening as a result
• Intelligent asana preparation framework
• Breath literacy in practice
• Actionable pranayama preparation steps

Pranayam Teacher Training 2026

Prana & Presence: An Immersive Week of Yoga, Stillness & Soulful Study in Southern Italy

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What is Vishoka Meditation, and how can it help us move beyond sorrow? I sit down with Ishan Tigunait of the Himalayan Institute to discuss consciousness, breath, meditation, and the deeper purpose of yoga practice.

Episode Highlights:

• Himalayan tradition and lineage
• Understanding consciousness
• Technique versus experience
• Foundations of Vishoka Meditation
• Moving beyond sorrow and suffering
• Obstacles on the spiritual path
• Body, breath, and prana awareness
• Significance of the navel center
• Characteristics of healthy breathing
• Breath qualities and meditation
• Role of the teacher
• Qualities of a sincere student
• Individual versus group meditation
• Meditation and community service
• Living as a fuller expression of self
• Daily meditation as self-discovery
• Learning Vishoka Meditation

Pranayam Teacher Training 2026

Prana & Presence: An Immersive Week of Yoga, Stillness & Soulful Study in Southern Italy

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I’m joined by Andrew McGonigle for a deep dive into Ujjayi Pranayama, the breath technique often called “ocean breath.” We explore the anatomy, nervous system effects, breath retention, and why Ujjayi is far more nuanced than most modern yoga classes make it seem.

Episode Highlights:

• Ujjayi breath foundations
• Ujjayi body mechanics
• Inhalation versus exhalation use
• Ujjayi in vinyasa yoga
• Breath literacy beyond technique
• Breath as tool, not goal
• Natural breath versus Ujjayi
• Ujjayi and nervous system regulation
• Trauma-sensitive breath practices
• Ujjayi during pregnancy
• Breath retention and kumbhaka
• Internal awareness through pranayama
• Teaching Ujjayi progressively
• Heating versus cooling effects
• Classical versus modern Ujjayi
• Personal choice and breath agency

Pranayam Teacher Training 2026

Prana & Presence: An Immersive Week of Yoga, Stillness & Soulful Study in Southern Italy

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I’m sharing the deeply personal story behind why I revamped my Pranayama Teacher Training and how grief transformed my relationship with breath, pranayama, and teaching yoga. I also dive into breath literacy, why breath is more than just a technique, why Ujjayi is often overused, and the foundational breathing principles I believe every yoga student and teacher should understand.

Episode Highlights:

• Revamped Pranayama training launch
• Personal pranayama backstory
• Grief and relationship with breath
• Turning pain into purpose
• Breath literacy philosophy
• Breath beyond technique
• Beyond inhale and exhale
• Ujjayi breath reconsidered
• Breath and nervous system connection
• Steady breath and steady mind
• Nasal breathing in yoga
• Nostrils and brain connection
• Pranayama training details
• Italy retreat updates

Pranayam Teacher Training 2026

Prana & Presence: An Immersive Week of Yoga, Stillness & Soulful Study in Southern Italy

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What’s the real difference between a yoga teacher and a content creator? In this episode, I break down the subtle (but important) signs that can help you tell them apart, so you can choose how and who you learn from more intentionally. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by courses, content, or conflicting advice online, this one will help you cut through the noise.

Episode Highlights:

• Distinguishing teachers vs content creators
• Recognizing modern yoga landscape shifts
• Understanding intention vs impact
• Spotting marketing-driven yoga approaches
• Identifying email list obsession patterns
• Recognizing freebie-heavy funnels
• Noticing inflated metrics vs real impact
• Understanding numbers vs student transformation
• Identifying “old yoga failed” narratives
• Spotting packaged personal opinions
• Recognizing transactional teaching models
• Understanding lack of long-term mentorship
• Identifying short-term course interactions
• Spotting constant free content loops
• Recognizing overconsumption in yoga learning
• Identifying sales funnels vs real practice
• Noticing aesthetic-driven curation
• Recognizing curated vs embodied teaching
• Spotting trend chasing without depth
• Noticing high presence, low-impact profiles
• Understanding digital reach vs real-world impact
• Defining qualities of a yoga educator
• Understanding teacher-student relationships
• Recognizing long-term guidance and accountability
• Understanding contextualized traditional teachings
• Identifying student integration over time
• Recognizing course consumption patterns
• Auditing followed yoga accounts
• Evaluating course quantity vs depth
• Committing to one teacher long-term
• Assessing teacher retention of students
• Practicing consistency with one method

Pranayam Teacher Training 2026

Prana & Presence: An Immersive Week of Yoga, Stillness & Soulful Study in Southern Italy

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Should you teach stretch or strength first in your yoga classes?

In this episode, I break down a clear, practical framework for sequencing, especially for beginners. Learn how to balance flexibility, strength, and mobility in a way that builds confidence, prevents injury, and actually supports long-term progress.

If you’ve ever felt unsure about how to structure your classes, this one’s for you.

Episode Highlights:

• Stretch vs strength sequencing clarity
• Teaching beyond rigid formulas
• Flexibility vs strength in yoga practice
• Injury risks from imbalance
• Beginner-focused sequencing approach
• Building body awareness and proprioception
• Starting with lower body flexibility
• Creating early success through sensation
• Targeting major muscle groups
• Lower body: glutes, hamstrings, quads
• Upper body: side body and breath
• Introducing range of motion work
• Dynamic movement vs passive stretch
• Shoulder and hip mobility focus
• Adding strength for beginners
• Tabletop as foundational strength
• Standing poses for lower body strength
• Sequencing stretch before strength
• Balancing release and stabilization
• Beginner ratios: 70–30 to 60–40
• Adjusting for hypermobility and special cases
• Intermediate student progression
• 50–50 balance and alternating focus
• Teaching with intention and adaptability

Pranayam Teacher Training 2026

Prana & Presence: An Immersive Week of Yoga, Stillness & Soulful Study in Southern Italy

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I sit down with Vikram Jeet Singh to explore Sankhya—the philosophical framework behind yoga—and how it helps us understand the mind, reduce suffering, and cultivate real awareness. It’s a practical, eye-opening conversation on discernment, identity, and seeing clearly.

Episode Highlights:

• Sankhya pronunciation clarified
• What Sankhya is and why it matters today
• Sankhya as philosophy vs. psychological framework
• How Sankhya is practiced in real life
• Core structure and framework of Sankhya
• The goal of Sankhya and ending suffering
• Understanding purusha and prakriti
• Creating separation between observer and experience
• Discernment (viveka) as a core practice
• How to build and strengthen discernment
• Buddhi vs. ahamkara in decision-making
• Samskaras, kleshas, and repeating patterns
• Identifying true discernment vs. ego-driven thinking
• The gunas and their role in the mind
• Real-life application of sattva, rajas, and tamas
• Understanding tamasic vs. rajasic tendencies
• Strengthening the “viveka muscle”
• Creating space between stimulus and response
• Reducing inner friction and reactivity
• Teaching yoga without Sankhya awareness
• Learning Sankhya: teacher vs. self-study
• The role of tattvas in understanding reality
• Vikram’s book and ways to study with him

Pranayam Teacher Training 2026

Prana & Presence: An Immersive Week of Yoga, Stillness & Soulful Study in Southern Italy

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What does it really mean to be a good yoga student? In this conversation, I sit down with Medha Bhaskar to explore the framework described in the Hatha Yoga Pradeepika for cultivating a meaningful yoga practice. We talk about the importance of understanding the principle before the process and how the mindset we bring to our practice shapes what we learn from it.

Medha walks us through the Badhaka Tattvas (the habits that weaken a practice) and the Sadhaka Tattvas (the qualities that strengthen it), while reflecting on how these classical teachings apply to modern yoga students and teachers. From boundaries and energy management to perseverance and self-awareness, this conversation offers a grounded look at what it means to truly grow through yoga.

Episode Highlights:

• Introduction to the Hatha Yoga Pradeepika, its historical context, and its role as a practical manual within the broader body of classical yoga texts.
• Understanding the difference between principle and process in yoga practice, and why focusing only on techniques can lead to a narrow understanding of yoga.
• Exploring the mindset of a yoga student and why self-awareness and intention matter more than simply showing up to practice.
• The Badhaka Tattvas and the six behaviors described in the Hatha Yoga Pradeepika that diminish practice, beginning with overconsumption and excess sensory input.
• How overexertion and constant striving can weaken a practitioner’s energy and lead to imbalance.
• The impact of excessive talking and scattered communication on focus, clarity, and the integration of learning.
• Why rigid rule-following without reflection can create guilt, imbalance, and disconnection from the purpose of practice.
• The role of over-socialization and lack of boundaries, including how modern lifestyles and digital engagement affect a practitioner’s focus and energy.
• The final diminishing factor: inner instability and scattered attention, and how it can lead to burnout, confusion, and lack of direction in practice.
• Shifting to the Sadhaka Tattvas, the qualities that nourish and strengthen a yoga practice.
• The importance of enthusiasm and genuine interest in sustaining long-term engagement with yoga.
• Why courage and perseverance are necessary when confronting personal limitations and challenges on the mat and in life.
• Developing discernment and clarity in understanding the deeper principles behind yoga practices.
• Cultivating commitment and steady resolve to remain engaged in the process of self-inquiry and growth.
• The role of mindful association and supportive community, while still maintaining independence and personal responsibility for one’s path.
• Reflecting on how yoga evolves from something we do into something we become, shifting from practice as action to practice as a way of being.

Pranayam Teacher Training 2026

Prana & Presence: An Immersive Week of Yoga, Stillness & Soulful Study in Southern Italy

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Teaching mixed level classes can feel overwhelming, especially when your students are all at different stages in their practice. In this episode, I share simple, practical ways to structure your classes, offer options, and create a more inclusive and confident teaching experience.

Episode Highlights:

• Mixed-level classes are the norm and should be approached with that mindset
• The distinction between mixed-level and all-level classes
• The importance of shifting from sequence-focused to student-focused teaching
• Building sequences that include a variety of pose categories
• Why full-body sequencing works better than peak pose sequencing in mixed classes
• Including standing poses, balances, backbends, twists, seated, supine, and inversions
• Using progression and regression options for every pose
• Maintaining a middle path that supports both beginners and experienced students
• Why themed sequencing is more effective than peak pose sequencing
• The importance of developing strong pose literacy
• Offering benefit-based alternatives when poses are not accessible
• Setting expectations at the beginning of class to normalize options and autonomy
• Encouraging students to move at their own pace and take ownership of their practice
• Using props as an essential teaching tool for accessibility and adaptability
• How mixed-level classes can build trust, community, and long-term student engagement

Pranayam Teacher Training 2026

Prana & Presence: An Immersive Week of Yoga, Stillness & Soulful Study in Southern Italy

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Are we actually studying yoga, or just consuming it? In this episode, I explore the traditional frameworks that shaped authentic yogic learning and why modern education often skips the foundations. If you’re serious about deepening your practice beyond certifications, this conversation will shift your perspective.

Episode Highlights:

• The difference between modern yoga education and traditional teacher-student learning
• Why student qualification (Adhikari Bheda) mattered before receiving teachings
• The method of progressive revelation (Arundhati Darshana Nyaya)
• Traditional classifications of yoga students in Hatha Yoga
• The threefold process of learning: listening, reflection, and deep assimilation
• The three valid means of knowledge outlined in the Yoga Sutras
• The four foundational qualifications for serious spiritual study
• The structure and progression of the four chapters of the Yoga Sutras
• Kriya Yoga as a practical framework for disciplined study
• Why slowing down and refining your approach changes everything

Pranayam Teacher Training 2026

Prana & Presence: An Immersive Week of Yoga, Stillness & Soulful Study in Southern Italy

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