Leadership and Yoga

Join me, Shawna Krueger, for an interview with Rey Cardenas—a yoga teacher, former professional poker player, co-owner of Practice Yoga Austin, and deep thinker—for a wide-ranging conversation that flows from the intensity of professional poker to the mysteries of human consciousness. We talk about how life can feel like a game, how what we focus on shapes us, and how yoga shifted from the background of Rey’s life into a central practice. He shares why he sees yoga as a karmic amplifier, his reflections on alcohol and actual freedom, and how his beliefs have evolved over time. We dive into Anthroposophy, Rudolf Steiner, and big questions about time, consciousness, and spirituality. We talk harmonizing opposites, developing true concentration, and the role dreams play in accessing deeper truths. We also touch on ancient Greece, 7-year life cycles, relationships, his philosophy on teaching yoga, and what makes a truly exceptional leader. It’s a deep, thoughtful, and inspiring conversation—hope you enjoy it as much as I did.Find Rey on instagram:@reys_awarenessVisit and Train at Practice Yoga in Austin:https://practiceyogaaustin.com/ Find Shawna on instagram:@shawnakru Time stamps:00:00 Intro01:00 The real deal03:30 Professional poker, is life a game? 7:50 You get shaped by what you pay attention to: becoming cold11:50 When yoga comes out of the background and into focus14:00 The “game” of yoga15:00 Yoga is a karmic amplifier 17:15 Alcohol and different concepts of freedom.20:20 What Rey believes now 21:50 Anthroposophy and Steiner: the mysteries of time and the evolving human consciousness and religion, spirituality26:20 Harmonizing opposites30:40 Concentration 35:00 Exact clairvoyance and revelations in dreams36:50 Personalities emerging in ancient Greece39:15 How can we follow our dreams and create our reality?41:20 7 year cycles47:00 Relationship50:00 Rey’s yoga teaching philosophy 57:30 What makes an exceptional leader?58:50 Billboard message 

This is not about giving tips for the sake of giving tips or drills, this is a cutting back and simplifying. This is also how to teach handstands to others in the yoga room.In this episode, I strip back the noise and focus on what really matters in handstand training—both mentally and physically. I share how handstanding helped me rebuild trust in myself, and key lessons like overcoming obstacles, avoiding aesthetic traps, and understanding true balance. We break down technique—fingers, wrists, flexibility, and core engagement—while also exploring mindset shifts, injury prevention, and goal setting. Plus, I include writing prompts, a handstand mastermind idea, and a surprising fact about goals. Let’s get upside down and into the work!My teacher Troy Lucero that I mention: https://acmeyogaproject.com/ Handstanding tutorial:https://www.instagram.com/reel/DICTPG0v5-G/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Find me on instagram:@shawnakru Time stamps:00:00 Intro01:00 Trim back the advice & have a pen and paper.03:00 Get in there and try & out of your head. 4:20 Write: What does handstanding represent to you? Many layers down. 8:00 How handstanding restored my trust in myself.10:50 Why take my advice? My handstand story.14:00 Episode dedicated to my teacher Troy Lucero who helped me transform my handstand and hundreds of others16:00 Learn to work with your speed bumps17:05 Don’t get stuck on aesthetic 18:10 Rock stacking example for handstanding23:15 Fingers, hands, wrists28:40 Hamstrings and back side flexibility31:00 What does engage your core even mean?34:20 Write: What changes about your life in order to hold a handstand in the middle of the room?37:40 Handstand mastermind?40:50 Injuries from handstanding: they start as a whisper45:30 Handstand drills tutorial discussion51:00 No shiny object syndrome. 52:30 Pan comido - things are easier than we think they are54:00 Don’t get stuck in “I’m struggling” when you’re actually not55:30 A roof is a man made thing - Mathew McConoughey 1:00:00 Goal setting workshop1:02:30 A crazy fact about goals

Yoga teachers, this one's for you. In this episode, I sit down with Miles Mortensen to dive deep into the heart of yoga—not just the physical practice, but the mindset, philosophy, and energy behind it. We kick things off by exploring what yoga really is at its core and how it connects to the idea of reality creation. Miles shares his journey into teaching, the lessons he’s learned, and even some special moments practicing with his mom. We get into the struggles that come with self-doubt, the pursuit of success, and the ever-elusive question: What is purpose? From there, we touch on family, fate vs. free will, and the balance of masculine and feminine energies. Miles also shares his personal teaching philosophy, the role of music in a yoga class, and the power of words and cues in guiding students.Miles on instagram:@milesmortensenyogaMiles’ website:https://milesmortensenyoga.com/ Shawna on instagram:@shawnakruTime stamps:00:00 Intro04:30 The essence of yoga6:30 Reality creation8:00 Teaching a yoga class11:00 Miles’ story13:00 Yoga with his mom17:00 On self-doubt and success23:30 What is purpose?25:15 Family32:00 Fate or freewill36:00 Feminine and Masculine41:00 Miles’ yoga teaching philosophy46:00 Music experience in a yoga class50:00 Cues and words for teaching yoga57:30 Billboard

This is a special episode brought to life with sounds and music as an immersive experience. Thanks for being here. :)This one’s to help you weather your doubts, to trust a bit more in your own potential. This isn’t anything “to do.”  it's a first step in the direction of where you want to go. This is a dose of energy. Find me on instagram:@shawnakru Time stamps:00:00 Intro & dedication to J Balvin’s Colores Experience02:45 My white hat (song & story)04:45 Purple poem (song)6:20 Hide and seek (story)7:23 Feeling left behind09:25 Trust poem (song)11:16 It’s a musical thing poem (song)12:30 No jumping with blind certainty (story)15:00 Wrestling with my own beliefs 17:00 The purple lizard (story)18:24 The mountain peak and fog20:45 You are a force of nature (song)22:15 Getting to work: pulling energy23:30 Digging a hole (story)25:45 Brown poem (song)28:30 Mystery of the salty eggs (story)30:00 You’re a beginner but (poem)34:45 Crashing on the shores of our limitations. Gene Keys36:58 Acknowledgements 

Join Shawna Krueger and Ben Kalra to discuss teaching yoga and what yoga teaches us about a joyful life. If you’ve ever wondered about radically transforming your life, why we experience polarities of highs and lows, how to find your yoga teacher, what it’s like to travel to India and go on a silent retreat, or how to refine your yoga teaching craft… let’s talk. Plus, Ben takes us through a grounding exercise at the end of the episode. Find Ben on instagram:@benkalraBen’s website, mentorship program & retreats:https://ben-kalra.com Find me on instagram:@shawnakruTime stamps:00:00 Welcome02:00 Rock bottom and lack of connection7:00 Polarities10:00 Why come back to yoga?12:00 Is there a question you’re trying to answer with yoga?18:20 Devotion to the path, starting to teach yoga.25:30 How to find your teachers and “your people.”31:00 Finding a 200 hour yoga teacher program, do your research. 32:30 How to grow as a yoga teacher.34:20 Katonah Yoga, what is it?37:44 Silent meditation retreat in Rishikesh.40:20 Traveling to India.50:00 The “grind” as a yoga teacher, existing in a grey area. 57:00 Ben’s mentorship program.1:00:00 What makes an exceptional yoga teacher? 1:04:00 Billboard message.1:07:00 Group grounding led by Ben. 

Stories of wild synchronicities to inspire you to believe in magic. Join me, Shawna Krueger, for an interesting episode that will bring magic moments down to the ordinary. This is about manifestation, reality creation, and joy. Why does the desire behind what it is we are wishing for is often something that is already a part of us when we start the journey? Often it’s only at the end that we see the full circle moment, that we close the circle and we can put on the pearl necklace. But what if it was available to us sooner than we ever thought? The concept of the pearl necklace from your higher self comes from Frederick Dodson, author of Levels of Energy and Parallel Universes of Self. Time stamps:00:00 Intro02:00 The winds of change are here. 4:00 The pearl necklace from your higher self. 9:00 Why listen to this episode?11:40 At what cost? Not forcing things to work.14:00 Nothing on the horizon to work with me. 17:00 The pre-vacation wake up feeling can be every day.18:30 Only what you fear can harm you. 20:00 Essential question 1: what do you want to focus on?24:30 Essential question 2: get clear on the questions you have for someone. 25:31 Burden of possibility.31:40 Security and stability, and learning to trust yourself. 33:50 The miracle cheese.39:30 Stories of wild synchronicities. 45:50 Language as an example of how reality is what we perceive.

It’s here!! The 2 hour special with Victoria Hutchins, aka the daily victorian, to ask her everything about life, creating, writing, poetry, fears, breakthroughs and her new book. Victoria is a handstanding poet. She is the woman behind the iconic poetry and yoga flow that feels like a dose of big sister reassurance mixed with a level of depth that reminds us what it means to be human. She brings us a sincere reminder to have hope. Her words are raw, moving, ironic at times, and hard to feel the same after hearing. Victoria is the author of Make Believe, host of the Soul Gum podcast, a yoga instructor, and a corporate lawyer turned content creator.If you enjoyed this episode with Victoria, please drop me a rating and subscribe. THANK YOU. :) Get a copy of MAKE BELIEVEhttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/755776/make-believe-by-victoria-hutchins/ Join Victoria, Shawna & others on ⁠our leadership and yoga retreat⁠ in May?? Find Victoria on instagram:@thedailyvictorian Find Shawna on instagram:@shawnakruVictoria’s podcast, Soul GumTime stamps00:00 Intro06:00 Victoria’s process of believing any of this was possible.14:00 Roots of childhood creation.15:30 Writing poetry.20:15 Understanding her own personality.23:49 Pressure to know who we are and how things turn out is exhausting.25:20 Coming out, and speaking about sexuality.28:50 Thinking about your audience first as a creator. Rick Rubin?32:10 Starting route to Taco Bell!!37:30 Being able to process before creating.41:00 Victoria’s routine vs. being fully consumed by one thing.43:00 Feeling like you’re on an island can be a good thing.47:50 Where does confidence come from?53:00 How Victoria finds her words. A courtship.56:30 (Creative) Fire just needs room to breathe.1:00:00 How to follow a massive success.1:06:00 Abundance mindset.1:10:00 Jealousy: the people you are most jealous of show you it’s possible for you. 1:12:00 God, spirituality, death, heaven, Trust.1:19:00 Questions to ponder with friends that you can’t answer. 1:21:00 Make Believe and after life.1:24:00 Being taught that parts of us are “bad”1:29:30 After you take the purity ring off. 1:36:00 Vulnerable, holy shit moments.1:40:39 Let me let you go.1:42:12 The process of writing a book. 1:43:30 Publishing a book1:49:20 Victoria’s hope for all who read. 1:55:00 Weekday morning routine and structure.1:57:45 An exceptional leader. 2:00:00 Victoria’s Billboard Message

This is unlike any episode I have ever created, I hope you enjoy the evolution of my writing and podcasting with this special bonus episode. I tell my story of finding true inspiration and share my poetry to express what we’ll be doing in Río Chirripó in May. All of this is my original writing from the past few weeks. If you like this style of episode and think I should do another one, let me know! Find me on instagram:@shawnakruLeadership and Yoga Retreat info May 8-12:https://www.shawnakru.com/leadership-and-yoga-irl Time stamps:00:00 Intro.02:30 Your dreams are for people like you.5:10 I tell my story like I never have before.07:40 What to do when you feel stuck.09:30 What are levels of energy?11:30 It takes paying attention.14:00 Green.15:50 Red.17:20 Pink.18:24 Yellow.19:30 Grey.21:00 Blue.23:05 Taking a shot.24:10 You meet your true friends on the mountain.27:07 Río Chirripó

In this episode of the Leadership in Yoga podcast, host Shawna Krueger interviews Andrijana Darkov, an online yoga teacher from North Macedonia currently living in Austria. They discuss Andrijana's journey into entrepreneurship through yoga, her identity shifts, educational background, and the challenges of moving to a new country. Adriana shares her experiences with yoga, its impact on her mental health, and her mission to inspire others through her teachings. She discusses the importance of social media as a tool for connection and influence, emphasizing the need for intentionality in how we present ourselves online. The conversation also delves into leadership, with Andrijana defining a great leader as someone who leads by example and helps others discover their true selves. The episode concludes with her billboard message: 'You're not lost, you're evolving.'Find Andrijana on instagram:@andriyannasflowAndrijana’s website:https://www.andriyannasflow.com/ Find Shawna on instagram:@shawnakruTime stamps:00:00 Intro02:30 Agenda3:30 Yoga and entrepreneurship6:30 What Andriyana wanted to be when she was little10:30 Following the set path, getting the A’s and then not knowing what she wanted to do. 15:45 Andrijana’s move from North Macedonia to Austria17:00 Feeling constrained at home, not being able to communicate, and food.23:15 She did not like her first yoga class, first impressions. 26:00 Being prescribed antidepressants, limiting her medication and choosing another method.29:30 Wanted to bring to others what she found for herself. 31:30 Life changed by online yoga and choosing to provide it for others. 34:30 Needing to quiet her mind and control the spiraling and bring positive thoughts. 39:00 Social media and yoga.42:00 We are all influencers, it’s not a bad word. 50:00 Social media growth and mindfulness.54:30 What makes a good leader?55:30 Answering the questions as she listened. If word wasn’t fearless, she would have declined. 59:30 Billboard message: You’re not lost, you’re evolving.

Social media part 2 of 2. Let’s talk about social media tips and my real experience growing my platform... the good, the bad and the ugly, holding nothing back. I share my road to 10k, and lift the veil on everything I can, including what I was paid for my first sponsored reel on instagram. Social media, Instagram tips for small creators and for yoga instructors. Find me on instagram:@shawnakruLeadership and Yoga IRL info MAY 8-12:https://www.shawnakru.com/leadership-and-yoga-irl Time stamps:00:00 Intro02:00 IRL I want to meet you!!04:00 Start of my 10k diaries, the early days06:20 3 sheets of paper to file for 7.25 hours9:00 Intense fear of posting, my first story speaking10:10 Not believing that I alone was enough without a trend.12:12 Lack of consistency. No clear concept or direction.15:00 The artform realization changed everything.17:10 Reprogramming guilt and skepticism of wanting a large social media platform18:15 Have I been wasting my time? Can I admit that I want it?21:30 The viral example is not the reality for 99% of people. 23:00 Getting paid for my first reel.25:00 Recap of part 1 and 2