Yogaland Podcast

We've gotten many questions recently about teacher training that we decided to do an episode that answers common questions. Doing a yoga teacher training is a huge investment -- both financially and in terms of your time. It can be a wonderfully transformative experience, but it's worth doing your research and thinking about what is going to best meet your needs. Jason and I talk about:* Whether you should stick with a local teacher or travel to do a training with a well-known teacher (his answer might surprise you).* Considerations in terms of format -- monthlong intensive? two week modules? six months of weekends?* How vital it is to continue your education even after completing a foundational 200-hour training* Are there different things to consider if you just want to deepen your practice vs. wanting to teach?* Plus, we talk about what types of information and skills an advanced 300-hour training can provide.Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode18/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week my guest is Ayurvedic practitioner Niika Quistgard. Niika is an internationally-recognized consultant, trainer and practitioner in Ayurveda and is the founder of AyurMama.com.For this episode, Niika offers specific self-care ideas for staying calm and grounded when we go out of balance. Whether you've never heard the words vata dosha uttered or you already know your prakruti, this episode offers enough background about Ayurveda paired with creative self care ideas and reminders that it will be helpful to everyone. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode17/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest this week is Katherine Priore Ghannam. Katherine is the founder of Headstand, a nonprofit organization that teaches yoga and mindfulness to kids attending low income schools. Headstand is a program that is integrated into the school's curriculum and a large part of its focus is to help children combat "toxic stress." Here's a summary of what we talk about on the episode:* The definition of toxic stress and how it can inhibit a child's ability to learn.* Learning to see a child's behavior as their way of communicating their needs, difficulties, and emotions. * The importance of adult self-regulation when teaching children.* The changes she sees in students from the beginning of the year to the end.* How yoga and mindfulness have helped create cultures of compassion in the schools that Headstand serves.* How the job has fueled Katherine's optimism* Katherine's desire to see social/emotional learning and mindfulness integrated into schools everywhere. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode16/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode I interview chef and nutritionist Rebecca Katz. Weeding through information about food can be overwhelming and even disheartening. This episode distills Rebecca's four-pillar approach to a cancer-fighting diet. And, if you take this approach, you have a shot at preventing other diseases, too (think diabetes and heart disease). On the episode we talk about:* Rebecca's background as a chef and nutritionist and how she came to write The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen* Her new online course, which brings the book to life* Anti-inflammatory foods, especially the ones we overlook like ghee! olive oil! ah-voh-cah-dohs!!* Foods that regulate blood sugar and why they work the way they do* Her recommended subs for refined sugar and why it's important to have sweet treats sometimes* Coffee. It ain't so bad. (Yahoo!)* How to reduce oxidative stress* The little tiny foods we often overlook that can powerfully regulate NfKappaBShownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode15/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Jason Crandell talks all about home practice. We get straight to the point and talk about:* Where to start if you don't know how to practice on your own* Why it's vital for yoga teachers to have a consistent home practice* How your relationship to yoga practice changes when you become a yoga teacher* His thoughts on pushing yourself to practice your least favorite poses* The ways that your home practice can transform over time to support you in different phases of life and teaching.Jason offers more than 20 comprehensive, illustrated sequences on our blog to inspire your home practice. Go to the shownotes page at jasonyoga.com/episode14 for the whole list. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest on this episode is London-based teacher, Claire Missingham. Claire has over 16 years teaching experience and and runs a successful yoga teacher training program having trained over 125 teachers in the UK in the past few years. She is a Senior Teacher at triyoga, Europe's leading yoga studio and teaches worldwide. Claire is also a triathlete, competing regularly in Sprint Distance Triathlons after learning how to swim and cycle only in the past couple of years since turning 40!Claire is thoughtful, funny, and a devoted mom and she has a fascinating life story that led her to yoga — from her family’s practice of Sufism to her years leading a professional dance company, we piece it all together and talk about:* Her spiritual childhood and the effect it had on her* The importance of modeling self care and practice time for your children and family* Her creating magic workshop (which I wish I could take!) and some of her ideas for carving out creative time* Creating monthly themes for classes... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chrissy Carter is an alignment-based flow teacher who teaches in New York City. She's been teaching for YogaWorks for 10 years and has 25 teacher trainings under her belt! Yes, 25. You read that correctly. Given that, and given the attentive, caring way Chrissy has about her, we talked about:* Her former job as a Wall Street trader * Why she loves a great Iyengar Yoga class and how it helps her see things with fresh eyes* Why it's important for teachers to study Iyengar (even if you're not an Iyengar teacher)* What it feels like to be an experienced yoga teacher vs. being a newbie* How cooking is her yoga put into practice* Her feelings about whether or not students and teachers should be friendsShownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode12/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Often when we hit a plateau in our life, we feel like we're failing -- we're not progressing or growing. On this episode, I'm share the reasons I think that hitting a plateau in yoga is positive and can lead to inner growth. A plateau is not a reason to give up or walk away. This episode offers ideas for making a plateau an opportunity to do some deep work, to practice compassion and gratitude -- which will have a positive ripple effect on your life.Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode11/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the cusp of opening her own brand new studio, LoveStory, in San Francisco, Stephanie Snyder and I chat about the happiness that comes from serving your local community, how she incorporates yoga philosophy into her daily classes and the beautiful, essential combo that is yoga + motherhood. Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode10/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you have a body and you do yoga, chances are you will sustain an injury at some point. On this episode I ask Jason all about injuries. We talk about:* How to discern between stretching sensations and pain that's injurious* The benefit of pushing to your edge on the yoga mat* Whether or not hands-on adjustments are really necessary in the yoga room* How Jason addresses students' injuries before class.* Why Jason doesn't say that he teaches "therapeutic yoga"Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode9/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.