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.

Neil Pearson, coauthor of Yoga and Science in Pain Care, returns to the show to talk with j about integrating yoga and the cutting edge of pain science. They discuss the importance of creating therapeutic alliances, self-care instead of self-management, autonomic physiological synchrony and empathy, education as a form of pain treatment, biopsychosocial model as a non-dual perspective, yoga teaching vs yoga therapy, and fostering human resilience by evolving the stories we tell. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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.

In June 2019, J traveled to Sydney, AU and while he was there he recorded this live panel conversation with Nicole Walsh, Mark O’Brien, and Michael de Manicor. They discuss Nicole’s history with Bikram Yoga and the AU scene and her new direction with InYoga, Mark’s insights into Qi Yoga’s longevity and how to maintain a practice over time without getting caught up in the trends, and Michael chimes in on the move to advanced training at The Yoga Institute and serving our communities. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies and Ropana CBD.

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 Joy Devi, author of The Namaste Effect, returns to the show to warm J’s heart and inspire us all to be in a place of love and oneness. They discuss what’s been going on in the two tears since they last spoke, the fear and anxiety that currently pervades, how we might counter injustice with yoga, definitive evidence of our own divinity, practical applications of chakra theory, what the “namaste effect” is, and how we can live in this world expressing love and compassion as a primary action. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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.

Lauren Walker. creator of Energy Medicine Yoga, talks with J about energy healing and her circuitous path in yoga. They discuss their shared history in NYC in the 90’s, Lauren’s departure from yoga and pursuit of other modalities, how politics and unforeseen events shaped her choices, connection with nature and developing primitive skills, Donna Eden, misunderstandings about chakras, and seeing past arbitrary limitations to reveal our inherent power and ability to heal. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies and Ropana CBD.

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.

Chase Bossart, founder of Yoga Well Institute, is a longtime student of TKV Desikachar and friend of J’s who returns to the show to shed some light on the essence of yoga with an unconventional view of Patañjali’s Yogasūtras, Samkhya, and Bhagavad Gita. They discuss whether Patanjali wrote the commentary of his sutras, Chase’s reasoning for looking at the sutras alone, misconceptions about the definition of nirodhah and other terms, and a universal picture of yoga based on perception and knowing. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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.

Bernie McDonald is walking 100 miles in every US state and decided to stop by J’s studio in Allentown, PA. They discuss why he started walking, the sort of interactions he has had in the yoga world during his travels, aspects of the country that most of us don’t ever see or think about, how he stays focused on his purpose when things get difficult, preconceived ideas about who and what we are supposed to be, the power of kindness and friendship, and the simple beauty and profound majesty of life as it is. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

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.

Lara Land, founder of Land Yoga and SOULFest NYC, talks with J about opening a yoga center in Harlem and becoming an ally for diversity in yoga. They discuss family life and some early days in the NY scene, her level 2 Ashtanga authorization and where she stands on the turmoil in that tradition, what it was like to open a center in Harlem, why she formed a non-profit and started programs to reach underserved populations, and the challenges we face when attempting to address institutional injustice. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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 Johnson, author of Skill in Action, talks with J about the intersection between racism, social justice, and yoga. They discuss the life experiences that led to her work, dismantling racism training, the heartbreak related to institutional oppression, actions being held accountable to principles and people, intentions around creating inclusion, leveraging privilege to create space for people of color, the challenge of reconciling paradoxes, and the universal truth that everyone is connected. This is episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

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.

Jana Long, director of Power of One Yoga Center and co-founder of the Black Yoga Teachers Alliance, talks with J about the history of yoga in the black community. They discuss the earliest influencers of yoga in Black America, the expressions found in black art and spiritual life, Jana’s many years of self-directed practice before discovering other black teachers and receiving training, her experiences in Africa and ashram life in India, why she started BYTA, and the universal threads that unite and transform. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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.

James Mallinson, senior lecturer in Sanskrit and Classical Indian Studies at SOAS, Principle Investigator at The Hatha Yoga Project, co-author of Roots of Yoga, reached out to J after hearing his name mentioned on the show and it lead to this conversation about the research he is pioneering and its implications on yoga in the modern world. They discuss Jim’s academic pursuits, his guru, the philology of physical yoga practices, and the symbiosis between scholarship and living traditions. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

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.

J returns to his former studio in Brooklyn, now Goodyoga, and is joined by Amy Matthews, Sam Chase, and Christie Roe for intimate conversation about the nature of our anatomies and the values we are aligning with. Amy expands upon J’s ongoing inquiry into the biopsychosocial viewpoint, Sam discusses the resilience training he has been developing which challenges people to connect what they feel and value, and Christie provides a millennial perspective on what is happening on the ground. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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.

Peter Blackaby and Bernie Clark come together with J to consider the nature of human anatomy and the process of affecting change. Initiated by Peter after he listened to Bernie’s last appearance, this probing conversation was an opportunity to clarify points of agreement and hash out some areas of departure. They discuss whether the spine is primarily a source or stability or mobility, what poses do to our tissues or patterns, and the intents and purposes that forge a deeper understanding. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

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.

Greg Lehman, author of Recovery Strategies - your pain guidebook, talks with J about addressing pain and what it means to be a “movement optimist.” They discuss the benefits of bio-mechanics and some of the misconceptions that are still being taught about the body, what is meant by the idea of a neutral spine, if tissue damage correlates with pain, what nociception is, and the importance of getting active so we can address our beliefs and know better what is sensitizing us. This episode is sponsored by Ana Luisa Jewelry and RopaNa CBD.

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.

Dr. Aimée Shunney, naturopathic physician trained in both modern medical science and integrative medicine, talks with J about CBD and the growing research around Cannabis medicine. They discuss some of the history behind cannabis research, the endocannabinoid system in our bodies, different strains and applications of CBD, J’s and Aimée’s experience with regular use, challenging outdated ideas and embracing holistic models, and the importance of remaining open to anything that works. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

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.

Mike Huggins, founder of Transformation Yoga Project and co-author of Yoga for Recovery - A Practical Guide for Healing, returns to check in with J on the challenges and rewards of doing yoga service. A lot has happened in the two years since they last spoke, they discuss the expansion of Mike’s organization, the resources required to maintain quality programs, operating with purpose, and the practicalities of truly meeting people where they are. This episode is sponsored by Ana Luisa Jewelry, Karmasoft, Dawn Soprin, and RopaNa CBD.

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.

Mary Jennings is opening Fresh Coast Yoga in Houghton, Michigan with an alternative studio model she heard discussed on the show so J brought her on to talk about what she is doing. They discuss what it’s like to be a millennial MBA mother with a one-year old who wants to bring yoga to her community in rural America, the crowdfunding campaign that is helping fund it, advantages to sub-leasing instead of profit-sharing, and the heart required for a venture truly based in yoga. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

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.

Gina Price, partner in the Sociocracy Consulting Group, talks with J about creating order out of chaos through the principles of Sociocracy. They discuss governance based on a decentralization of authority where all elements in the system are made equal, finding common purpose through collaborative decision making, creating domains of autonomous responsibility and a hierarchy of function instead of power, and if yoga professionals are up to the task. This episode is sponsored by Dawn Sopron, Karmasoft, and RopaNa CBD.

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 Dodd and J have corresponded for years but a recent email exchange about the Yoga Alliance prompted this discussion on the inherent problem of creating organizations around yoga. They discuss David’s background in coaching and working with large bureaucratic entities, the difference between coaching and teaching yoga, the tension between an unbounded context for yoga and attempts at regulating it, and the practical wisdom of knowing when to do something and when to leave it alone. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies.

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.

Rama Jyoti Vernon, one of the first yoga teachers in the United States, talks with J about her pivotal role in bringing yoga to the west. They discuss the LA yoga scene in the 1940’s and 1950’s, meeting BKS Iyengar and hosting him in America, founding both Unity in Yoga and the California Yoga Teachers Association which led to the creation of the Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal Magazine, her reasons for avoiding the commercial aspects, and her laments and hopes for the direction of yoga. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft and RopaNa CBD.

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.

Norman Blair wrote an article about yoga teacher pay that caught J’s attention and led to this wide-ranging conversation about the monetary policies of yoga centers and the underlying economics that are fueling them. They discuss the emergence of a yoga teaching profession, hard numbers on the stagnant or declining rates of income yoga teachers are receiving, actionable steps to potentially counter unhealthy trends, and the revolutionary power of yoga to help shape society. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies and Karmasoft.

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.

Scott Johnson, Greg Nardi, Emma Rowse and Jock Orton talk with J about the creation of Amayu Yoga and a reimagining of the ashtanga tradition. They take time out of a retreat together to discuss the state of the global Ashtanga community, reasons for creating an organization, their orientation and purpose in doing so, the principles of ashtanga yoga, and their efforts to bring more accountability and safety to yoga by establishing clearer standards and a more horizontal collective. This episode is sponsored by YogaAnatomy.net and RopaNa CBD.

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.

Frank Jude Boccio, author of Mindfulness Yoga, talks with J about his integrated approach to yoga and buddhist mindfulness. An early adopter, Frank was ahead of his time and had an impact on J without ever having met him. In this conversation, they discuss the yoga scene before it was a scene, studying with Thich Nhat Hanh, pitfalls in spiritual communities and the freedom to challenge dogma, dilemmas in the marketing of yoga, and cultivating a truly self-empowered practice. This episode is sponsored by Yogic Studies and Karmasoft.

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.

Bernie Clark, author of Your Spine, Your Yoga, returns to the show to talk with J about his new book and the important perspective it provides. They discuss the notion of “neutral spine,” the myth of flexibility in yoga, understanding stability and strength, the concepts of stress and load, variation and adaptation in our systems and structures, the “anti-fragility curve,” functional movement, what “optimal” means, and how important it is for each person to develop their own sense of awareness. This episode is sponsored by YogaAnatomy.net.

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.

Seth Powell, founder of Yogic Studies, extended J an invitation to take his course and it led to this wide-ranging conversation about cutting edge research and his scholarship in yoga history and philosophy. They discuss Seth’s background and motivations for pursuing more rigorous academic study, issues and discoveries regarding the translation of ancient texts, commonly held misconceptions about the origins of yogic practices, and the benefits of expanding our perspectives and understandings. This episode is sponsored by Karmasoft.

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.

Rachel Brathen, creator of @yoga_girl, talks with J about how a bohemian lifestyle on the beaches of Costa Rica converged with the invent of Instagram and led to two million followers and a yoga career. They discuss the process of going from obscurity to recognized social media influencer, the evolution of her choices and professional pursuits, pitfalls and misinformation in the social media sphere, DIY business models, and operating by principles that will better serve the people behind the hashtags. This episode is sponsored by YogaAnatomy.net.