Yoga for a Better World with Mark Whitwell and Jonathan Cassell

What if true activism doesn’t begin with protest signs or policy change, but with the way we breathe?

In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Cassell in the lush Fijian islands to explore the profound intersections between Yoga, ecology, and the urgent need for human change. We speak about our shared grief for a world in ecological crisis and ask: how can we act from love, not just outrage?

Yoga for a Better World isn’t a lofty ideal, it’s a daily, grounded intimacy with life. We explore the emotional cost of caring deeply, why burnout is so common among changemakers, and how a consistent practice can nourish resilience, compassion, and courage. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the state of the world, this conversation is for you.

Subjects Explored

• The emotional weight of ecological collapse and climate activism

• Why true activism begins with caring for your own body

• Eco-grief, burnout, and the need for deep rest

• How Yoga creates the energy for meaningful action

• Moving from overwhelm to embodied intimacy with life

• The illusion of separation and the urgency of reconnection

Key Phrases or Quotes

• "If you're not grieving, you're not paying attention."

• "Yoga is intimacy with what life actually is."

• "Depressed means deep rest—we need to honor what our biology is telling us."

• "You can't repair the ecosystem without repairing the wild of Mother Nature here—your own body."

• "The purpose of Yoga isn't to escape fear or grief—it’s to act from them with clarity and care."

Key Takeaways

Rooted Activism – Real change begins with embodiment, not burnout.

The Wisdom of Grief – Pain is not a flaw, but a biological function that signals connection.

Eco-Grief is Real – Honoring our emotions is part of collective healing.

Yoga is the Ground – A daily practice nourishes the clarity and energy needed for action.

You Are the Ecosystem – Caring for the planet begins by caring for the body.

From Despair to Movement – Yoga helps transmute grief into grounded, life-sustaining action.

Resources Mentioned

The Heart of Yoga course: https://www.heartofyoga.com

Support the Heart of Yoga Foundation: https://www.heartofyoga.com/foundation

Timestamps

[00:00:00] Opening in Fiji and naming the ecological crisis

[00:01:00] Why the course name changed from "Yoga for Activists" to "Yoga for a Better World"

[00:02:00] Activism as intimacy with life and caring for the body

[00:03:00] The risk of burnout among changemakers

[00:05:00] Honoring legitimate emotional responses: anger, grief, pain

[00:07:00] The necessity of inner repair for ecosystem repair

[00:09:00] Depression as deep rest and a call to stillness

[00:11:00] The myth of "overcoming" grief; honoring emotions as biology

[00:22:00] Reframing civilization and reconnecting to the body as sacred

[00:30:00] The power of receptivity and nurturing in embodied activism

[00:33:00] Course insights: daily Yoga as a way to care for life

[00:36:00] The chaos of culture and the need for a new attractor

[00:37:00] Yoga as the movement of life: a shift from thought to participation

[00:40:00] A non-dramatic, non-obsessive Yoga that supports sustainable action

You are the beauty. You are the intelligence. You are already in perfect harmony with life. You don’t need to seek it. You need only participate in it.

Learn more and access the course at https://www.heartofyoga.com. Support the Heart of Yoga Foundation. This podcast is sustained by your donations.