Leadership and Yoga

Part two of an episode on how things mysteriously fall into place. From insane to mundane synchronicities… This is for anyone who wants to feel connected to the heartbeat of life. Inspired from a moment in an interview I did with Sri Dharma Mittra, I sat down to contemplate my life over coffee as I do most mornings. But on this particular morning, everything I’ve learned from Richard Rudd of the Gene Keys, Frederick Dodson of Levels of Energy and Parallel Universes of self, and even some Dr. Joe Dispenza organized itself in my head in a new way. The result is the “thought experience” I prepared for you in part one of this episode, and today’s spontaneous explanation of “how” to live connected to the magic of it all. Try OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year with my link here. (My sponsor) Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND - https://www.tend.eco/collections/consultations Follow me on instagram:@shawnkruOwn a copy of the guided journal I created, code POD for $33.Ritual of Writing Journal 

Today on the Leadership and Yoga podcast, Jonah Kest!! Let's talk leadership, creativity, and modern yoga with one of the most well-known and influential yoga teachers of our time. We talk building community in yoga, what it’s really like to meditate, and how life feels when we surrender. I also ask him to give his thoughts on the evolution of yoga, and how real transformation happens in our lives. Jonah shares wisdom on teaching yoga, and behind the scenes stories from his creative process and morning rituals.Join my retreat! 1 spot opened up. Jan 25-29.Try OfferingTree for free with my link here. (My sponsor)Find me on instagram: @shawnkruMy monthly newsletter:  leadership and yoga fam, for yoga teacher meet-ups & joining roundtable episodesJonah’s instagram:  @kestyogaJonah’s website & trainings:  https://www.jonahkestyoga.com/Time stamps: 00:00 intro1:23 leadership and yoga6:10 yoga from childhood to now7:30 what Jonah wanted to be when he grew up9:40 manifestation?11:60 pressure and legacy 14:40 qualities Jonah looks for in teachers16:40 devotion18:55 pain: we are part of nature22:30 Jonah’s favorite type of yoga class25:25 weaving stories into class & experiencing transcendence26:55 what to do with ideas28:55 how Jonah energetically prepares to lead33:40 Jonah’s ideal morning routine35:20 prana37:20 creativity is tuned into39:20 dropping fear and creating from love43:35 how do we change? actually?45:50 music & rhythm49:25 evolution in yoga51:40 rejection & feedback54:40 continue to grow as teachers56:40 Nike signing story1:00:00 it’s not mind-body connection1:03:40 doors1:07:21 yoga impacting the world1:09:30 fate or free will1:11:30 losing control1:17:20 the real yoga is coming back to the fire1:21:17 meditation is like fasting for the mind.1:23:25 community & being surrounded by high-energy people1:29:10 rapid fire1:31:10 billboard message

In this episode, I guide yoga teachers and creators through a grounded reset for 2026, exploring when to simplify, when to let go, and how to create from integrity rather than urgency. We talk about disappointment and forgiveness, goals that are too big, quitting at the right time, and what becomes possible when you stop forcing the future and start listening more deeply.Join my retreat! 2 spots opened up. https://www.shawnakru.com/sweet-simplicity-retreat Try OfferingTree for free with my link here. (My sponsor)TEND ayurvedic consultations (My sponsor)https://www.tend.eco/collections/consultations Follow me on instagram:@shawnkruMy monthly newsletter: https://www.shawnakru.com/mailinglist Time stamps:00:00 intro visualization03:45 dear entrepreneurial yogi 08:00 4 step reset09:21 sweet simplicity retreat12:00 step out of the past into something new13:15 if it’s half-right, it’s wrong15:07 grateful for opportunities that you don’t take17:45 disappointment & forgiveness are skills 23:40 goals that are too big 25:44 learn to be impeccable with your word26:50 when to quit29:40 destruction & creation in 202633:00 what can i create when i feel like destroying something?34:00 your fall starts EVERYTHING  35:30 digestion & TEND for 202637:18 real purpose38:45 iOs vs dream board42:00 selfish wellness43:30 pillars activity 45:30 organization & OfferingTree48:00 Jonah Kest quote on transformation50:30 homework: writing 

In this episode of Leadership and Yoga, I sit down with Kino MacGregor, one of the most thoughtful voices in the yoga world, for a wide-ranging, honest conversation about practice, leadership, creativity, and impact through yoga. We talk about high standards and self-compassion, ritual and discipline, discernment in creativity, and how to work with failure without letting it turn into self-denigration. We explore lineage and tradition in Ashtanga yoga, the power of storytelling, and what makes an impactful yoga teacher.This conversation moves from a behind the scenes look at Kino’s daily rituals and decision-making to the deeply spiritual and big questions of, why are we here? If you’re a yoga teacher, leader, or lifelong student navigating devotion, creativity, and real human life, this one is for you.If you enjoyed this episode with Kino, please subscribe. Thank you! :) Try OfferingTree all-in-one business software for yoga teachers for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year with my link here. (My sponsor)Kino’s website:https://kinoyoga.com/ Practice with Kino on Omstars:https://omstars.com/ Find Kino on instagram: @kinoyoga Find me on instagram: @shawnakru Opportunities to join my podcast LIVE for yoga teacher roundtable episodes:https://www.shawnakru.com/mailinglist  My website & contact:https://www.shawnakru.com/ Time Stamps:00:00 intro02:16 inspired by Kino’s story03:32 how did you realize you wanted to dedicate your life to yoga?07:25 when you were little, what did you dream of being when you grew up?12:30 do you remember your first ashtanga class?19:34 from a dream about Pattabhi Jois to traveling to India23:08 what is the essence of ashtanga yoga for you?24:12 the guru’s grace28:01 what characteristics of your teachers helped you the most?31:00 the ashtanga authorization process36:39 future of the teacher-student relationship in yoga38:29 staying rooted in service as a yoga teacher41:41 how can yoga be a tool for good in the world?44:07 different paths of change49:27 how do you prepare yourself to show up in the world to teach?51:47 what is your relationship with creativity?55:47 book recommendations? 01:00:00 tradition vs innovation 01:03:00 experiencing the transcendent 01:05:00 why do you think we’re here? 01:07:00 “let everything you do be an act of love” 01:12:00 the billboard question

This episode is for you if you haven’t started and don’t know how to spend your time to find the success you long for. In this intimate solo episode, I share the truth about finding my first “thread” of success in my mission, business, life, my podcast, and social media. It’s about finding that small, almost fragile feeling of something finally working, and how I learned to turn that single thread into real momentum.I talk about the lessons I wish I knew three years ago: why trying something 20 times matters more than chasing trends, how I learned to notice patterns without obsessing over perfection, and why my goals have to be close enough to touch. I break down the difference between meaningful creation and shiny-object noise, the power of setting specific focus time, and the art of resting deeply so the next idea can rise to the surface.Try OfferingTree for free, plus take advantage of the winter sale with my link here. (My sponsor)TEND ayurvedic self-care - 1st giveaway will be announced 12/14 on instagram! (My sponsor)https://www.tend.eco/Follow me on instagram:@shawnkruOwn a copy of the guided journal I created. Buy one, get one free, or get a copy for the whole family, 5 for $75. https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/ Monthly newsletter: https://www.shawnakru.com/mailinglist Time stamps:00:00 Intro 03:15 Finding Your Thread of Success10:16 Major Growth Takeaways20:28 Overcoming Victim Mindset24:26 Creating Meaningful Work27:48 Trying 20 Times Pattern Recognition33:31 Setting Realistic Goals37:20 The Power of Presence and Meditation48:10 Starting Over: Lessons Learned

In this episode, Dedica joins us for an inspiring conversation about presence, adaptation, and what it means to stop betraying yourself by learning to listen to and trust your inner voice. She shares her journey from injury to returning to a physical yoga practice, rebuilding self-trust, and discovering the power of keeping the promises you make to yourself. We also explore finding balance between momentum and rest, the connection between yoga and creativity, and how lived experience becomes our greatest teacher.Dedica’s Website: https://www.dedica.live/Follow Dedica on Instagram @dedicaThe January ChallengeTry OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year with my link here. (My sponsor)Download your free SEO Checklist for yoga instructors & entrepreneursEnter the TEND yourself & a friend self-care giveaway. (My sponsor) https://artoftending.kit.com/shawnaFollow me on instagram:@shawnkruTime Stamps:00:00 intro01:16 offering tree 02:17 TEND giveaway05:05 what is something people don’t usually know about you?07:14 adaptation: getting injured & the healing process16:27 balancing momentum with intentional rest19:01 returning to the physical practice of yoga after injury24:10 yoga brings me back to myself 27:09 learning through experience vs over-intellectualizing 28:33 why motivates you to create?30:27 the relationship between yoga and creativity 36:49 how do you know which risks are worth taking?41:51 anxiety and enjoying the present 43:38 how can we step into our own dreams?46:00 persistence and the discipline of showing up as a new yoga teacher 50:50 the practice of discernment52:32 stop betraying yourself58:10 when you fall, be willing to begin again01:00:39 keep your promises to yourself: building trust with yourself01:02:41 what’s your greatest joy right now? biggest challenge? 01:03:50 what is your hope for the future of yoga?

This is what actually makes dreams come true. Join me for a magical, spontaneous, story-filled episode after traveling to Miami to interview legendary yoga teachers, Kino MacGregor and Jonah Kest. Embedded in this episode are teachings I’ve put into practice from Richard Rudd of the Gene Keys, Blu from the Deja Blu Podcast, Frederick Dodson of Levels of Energy and Dr. Joe Dispenza from Rewired. Try OfferingTree for free, plus take advantage of the winter sale with my link here. (My sponsor)Enter the TEND yourself & a friend self-care giveaway. (My sponsor)https://artoftending.kit.com/shawnaFollow me on instagram:@shawnkruOwn a copy of the guided journal I created. Buy one, get one free, or get a copy for the whole family, 5 for $75. https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/ Practice Rocket with my friend Ani in Miami:@anahatabyani Monthly newsletter: https://www.shawnakru.com/mailinglist Time stamps:00:00 intro04:00 walking from miracle to miracle06:30 dragonfly story10:00 writing my book16:00 giveaway & my sponsors update20:00 miami interview biz trip23:55 stare into my eyes26:00 stop expectations 29:36 it’s not manifestation, it’s synchronization33:30 it’s more fun to be someone else’s manifestation 

David Swenson, a veteran Ashtanga yoga teacher and author of influential works, shares captivating stories that blend humor and inspiration. He discusses the power of storytelling in teaching yoga, emphasizing the importance of following one's heart and embracing mistakes. David reflects on how yoga fosters confidence and calmness in the face of uncertainty. He offers insights on the journey of teaching, from early struggles and perseverance to finding purpose through connection and compassion in practice, culminating in a heartfelt message to be kinder to one another.

Poetic, deep inspiration for yoga teachers & those new to yoga. I read a collection of poems about why I fell in love with yoga, how practice becomes a ritual, and why teachers have the power to change the world. I share pieces about presence, impact, acceptance & growth, and finish with three poems that inspired me this month — including “Start Close In,” by David Whyte, and “The Invitation,” by Oriah Mountain Dreamer. Whether you teach or simply show up to your mat, this episode is an invitation to stay, with it all.Enter the signed copy of David Swenson’s book giveaway:https://www.shawnakru.com/giveaway Try OfferingTree for free, plus take advantage of the winter sale with my link here. (My sponsor)Enter the TEND yourself & a friend self-care giveaway. (My sponsor)https://artoftending.kit.com/shawnaFollow me on instagram:@shawnkruOwn a copy of the guided journal I created. Buy one, get one free, or get a copy for the whole family, 5 for $75. https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/ time stamps:00:00 intro - yoga can change the world07:30 giveaways! signed book & ayurveda self-care set11:40 part 1: love poems for yoga20:40 part 2: poems about yoga as a ritual27:00 part 3: poems about yoga changing the world36:00 part 4: acceptance & growth poems about yoga46:00 part 5: poems that inspire me

Inspired from a moment in an interview I did with Sri Dharma Mittra, I sat down to contemplate my life over coffee as I do most mornings. But on this particular morning, everything I’ve learned from Richard Rudd of the Gene Keys, Frederick Dodson of Levels of Energy and Parallel Universes of Self, and even some Dr. Joe Dispenza organized itself in my head in a new way. The result is the “thought experience” I have prepared for you today.Here’s a divine fractal theory I enjoy thinking about when I wonder why consciousness split itself to experience being human, and why life feels limiting—and what it really means about your power and purpose.Try OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year with my link here. (My sponsor)Enter the TEND yourself & a friend self-care giveaway. (My sponsor)artoftending.kit.com/shawnaFollow me on instagram:@shawnkruOwn a copy of the guided journal I created, code BOGO for 2 journals (receive 2 for price of 1) code BOGOFAMILY for 5 journals for $75.Ritual of Writing Journal Time stamps:00:00 Intro01:00 Sri Dharma Mittra on mysteries03:50 my story of mystery07:30 mysterious money arriving just in time10:50 how to solve problems13:10 giveaway! TEND yourself & a friend15:00 sit back, relax, but also lean in17:00 staying in the energy19:20 THOUGHT EXPERIENCE START33:00 my downfall & recovery & surprise