In this episode, I share five important lessons I have learned from practicing yoga, which include letting go of mental and physical burdens, being kind to ourselves, and building inner resilience. These lessons are not just applicable to yoga but can be incorporated into our daily lives to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Episode Highlights:

• Insights on yoga poses and life lessons.
• Yoga poses offer valuable life lessons in different shapes
• 5 things yoga poses teach us about navigating life
  • Yoga poses make you fitter, stronger, healthier, or wholesome.
  • You put yourself in different shapes and orientations in yoga poses regularly.
  • You embrace the unknown.
  • You learn to surrender.
  • We learn to treat ourselves with true self-compassion, kindness, and respect.

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Today I am going to walk you through a guided beginner-friendly Yoga Nidra practice. For those of you who are exploring Yoga Nidra for the first time, this is a deep guided relaxation practice usually done in the position of Shavasana.

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Yoga Nidra is an ancient practice that holds immense potential for our well-being, yet it remains somewhat hidden in the shadows. Today, we’re fortunate to have Sandeep Manur, a seasoned yoga teacher, studio owner, and teacher trainer, back on the podcast to unravel the mysteries of Yoga Nidra.

Episode Highlights:

• What is yoga nidra and how is it different from shavasana?
• The origin of yoga nidra from the Bihar School of Yoga
• What are the benefits of yoga nidra
• Does yoga nidra have any connection with hypnosis?
• The 8 stages of Yoga Nidra
  • Internalization
  • Sankalpa
  • Body awareness
  • Breath awareness
  • Opposites
  • Visualization
  • Sankalpa
  • Externalization
• Can one have more than one Sankalpa in their yoga nidra practice?
• Under what circumstances can one change or update the sankalpa?
• Does sankalpa have a connection with dharma or purpose in life?
• How to find a Sankalpa?
• What is the significance of the three repetitions of Sankalpa?
• How to navigate Yoga Nidra from the beginner stage to the intermediate and advanced?
• Suggestions to help people stay awake
• How long should a yoga nidra be for it to be effective?

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Spirituality is a term that is frequently used in our yoga communities. However, what does spirituality actually signify when it comes to yoga? To discover the answer to this question, I am thrilled to introduce a new guest, Ram Jain, who will be discussing the fundamental principles of spirituality.

Episode Highlights:

• What spirituality means in the context of yoga
• How does one begin their spiritual journey in yoga
• The difference in spiritual perception between yogis and modern-day practitioners
• Can yoga bring one happiness?
• Should someone practice yoga to find more joy?
• The six pillars of happiness
• Recognizing and addressing the imbalances in the six pillars of happiness
• The difference between religion and spirituality from the lens of yoga
• Is yoga a religious practice?
• Things to keep in mind in walking the path of spirituality
• How does one teach themselves to reflect?
• Other essentials of spirituality?
• Temporary guide for someone who hasn't yet found a guide or teacher
• Recommended scriptures to study
• Introducing the concept of deeper yoga and reflection to students
• How can a yoga or an asana teacher improve their confidence when it comes to sharing yoga?
• Defining what spirituality is going to be individually
• Navigating the individual spiritual journey inside relationships

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It's fascinating to explore the topic of gurus in yoga and the meaning behind the word. In this episode, we delve into the characteristics of a guru, when you might need one, whether it's possible to practice yoga without a teacher, and so much more. Our guest today is Dr. Manasa Rao, who has been on the show before.

Episode Highlights:

• What is the role of a guru in yoga?
• What traits or characteristics to look for in a guru?
• The different levels of teachers and the different types of students
• The difference between a regular teacher and a guru
• Is guru a title
• Do gurus impact more deeply than teachers?
• The caliber of the student
• The responsibilities of a guru and a student
• Discerning a fake guru from a competent teacher
• When is a student ready for a guru?
• Insights for seeking a guru

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In this episode, I’m doing a deep dive into what type of asana will help during perimenopause. I'll share some tips on how to approach your practice, which pranayamas are useful, which restoration techniques will leave you feeling rejuvenated, what will really add value to your practice, and what yoga principles in living yoga are we going to really pull from.

Episode Highlights:

• The difference between perimenopause and menopause
• Asana practice in younger years
• The practice of asana during the four weeks of menstrual cycle
• We have to let our asanas evolve as we age
• Three things that yoga teachers would want to do:
  • Poses to stretch and lengthen the lower abdomen, upper thigh region
  • Poses for gentle pressure on the abdomen
  • Poses to soothe the mind
• The three rules of perimenopausal practice
• Three main things to keep in mind when it comes to pranayama practices.
  • Three cooling Pranayamas
  • Balancing Pranayama
  • Bhramari
• Resting is priority
• Fixing your body will not fix all your problems
• Manomaya Kosh

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The topic of women yogis in India is often overlooked and not widely discussed due to its complexity and nuances. It involves many layers of cultural factors. Popular yoga often includes discussions about yogis, but there is a mysterious aspect to it. To shed some light on this topic, I decided to invite Prasad Rangnekar back, one of our favorite guests, to discuss the history of women practitioners, specifically yogis and yoginis in India.

Episode Highlights:

• Was yoga a man's practice?
• The distinction between saying women yogis and yoginis
• Defining yoga in context
• The role of women in society and their impact
• The link between the feminine divinity and the goddesses in India and women yogis
• The Vedic period
• The privacy of women in their practice of sadhana
• Women yogis at the end of BC Period to the Common Era
• What are yoginis?
• Things to consider as a modern-day practitioner about the topic of yoginis

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I know that some of you have been requesting an episode about mudras. When it comes to mudras, I couldn't think of a better person to have this conversation with than our favorite guest, Indu Arora. We delve into the concept of namaste as a mudra and explore mudras that extend beyond the hands. Indu defines what mudras are, their origin, and how to practice them. Additionally, she provides advice for those who are new to the idea of mudras and how they can explore it further.

Episode Highlights:

• Mudras and their relevance to today's yoga
• The origins of mudra
• Relationship between mudras and the Sukshma Sharira and prana
• Beginner's guide to mudras
• The context between Namaste and Anjali Mudra
• The significance of elements between mudra and namaste
• Hasta mudra: the use of the right hand versus the left hand
• Is Drishti a mudra?
• The mind mudras
• Advice for beginners in mudras

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