The Uplifted Yoga Podcast

I’m back with Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita! This is so dense I had to split it into two parts. Today we’ll discuss verses 1-38. This chapter serves as a foundation for understanding the eternal nature of the soul (Atman) and the importance of non-attachment in the face of life's challenges. Let’s look at Arjuna's emotional turmoil and Krishna's tough love approach, emphasizing the need for inner stability and the acceptance of life's transient nature. The emphasis on the immortality of the soul, the significance of understanding one's Dharma, and the win-win perspective in life. This chapter literally has all of Krishna’s essential teachings. Making it a gold mine. Get ready to learn from the original life coach (Krishna): 🔹The journey often begins at our lowest points. We must learn to enjoy fleeting things. 🔹Life presents a win-win situation regardless of outcomes. 🔹Empathy must be balanced with duty in our actions. Loved this episode and want to know more about yoga’s origins? Grab my History of Yoga course => https://www.brettlarkin.com/history-of-yoga-course/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=hoy   📖 Different translations mentioned: Barbara Stoler Miller: https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-Krishnas-Counsel-Bantam-Classics/dp/0553213652  Godsong by Amit Majmudar: https://www.amazon.com/Godsong-Verse-Translation-Bhagavad-Gita-Commentary/dp/1524733474  Eknath Easwaran: https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-2nd-Eknath-Easwaran/dp/1586380192  Bhagavad-Gita As It Is by Swami Prabhupada: https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-As-Bhaktivedanta-Swami-Prabhupada/dp/0892131233  FREE Practice: Energetic Mastery | KUNDALINI YOGA FOR THE AQUARIAN AGE Relevant Blog: 5 Righteous Principles of Sikh Dharma You’ve Never Heard Of   Relevant to Today’s Episode: 🔮 History of Yoga ✅ 200-hour Online Yoga Teacher Training 💖 Uplifted Membership 🎧 Also Listen to: #297 – What is Samkhya Philosophy and How is it Different from Yoga? #358 – Intro to The Bhagavad Gita: How Do You Navigate Moral Dilemmas? #361 – Bhagavad Gita Chapter 1: Dharma, Emotions & Intellect   © 2025 Uplifted Yoga | BrettLarkin.com  

Dr. Brianne Grogan, a compassionate Physical Therapist and Pelvic Care Expert, discusses the powerful connection between trauma, stress, and pelvic health. She highlights how pelvic floor muscles react to stress and emphasizes that emotions can be stored in various body parts, including the hips. The conversation covers techniques for pelvic floor release, the importance of breathwork, and the risks of overdoing practices like kegels. Dr. Grogan offers practical advice for yoga instructors to enhance pelvic awareness, merging emotional well-being with physical health.

We’re almost halfway through 2025, have you done a business check-in? The midpoint of the year is a great time to reflect on your business and your teaching. To self reflect and see if you are misdirecting your energy in your business or in your life. Today I’m going to give you my top five business tips to help you on your yoga teaching journey.  From embracing your unique content creation style to analyzing your numbers, and trusting there is enough for everyone - I hope this episode inspires you to do something helpful in your life or business today. Let’s talk about: 🔹The lean start-up methodology and why you should use it 🔹Why you WANT your first launch to be ugly  🔹How getting as weird as possible can actually bring forth some of your best work 🔹Grace and integrity in a competitive world  📞 Book a FREE call to get clarity on your next steps in business => https://www.calendly.com/uplifted-clarity/discovery-call/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=discoverycall    My “Weird” Trending Yoga Practices I Mentioned:  🔹 Somatic Yoga Workout for Weight Loss & Emotional Release | Beginner Friendly - Ease Anxiety & Stress 🔹 SOMATIC MORNING WORKOUT FOR BEGINNERS ☀️ | Yoga to Find Your Confidence 🕶️ 18 Days of Abundance Relevant Blog: 20 Awesome Ways To Make Money As A Yoga Instructor   Relevant to Today’s Episode: ✅ 200-hour Online Yoga Teacher Training 🔮 300-hour Online Yoga Teacher Training 🌀 Somatic Yoga Life Coaching  🎧 Also Listen to: #306 – Fear of Judgment: How to Deal with Being Judged as a Yoga Teacher #323 – Creating a Niche Brand as a Yoga Teacher with Yogi Bryan #327 – How to Earn Your First $$$ Teaching Yoga with Matilde Wergeland © 2025 Uplifted Yoga | BrettLarkin.com

We’ve all heard of the 8 Limbs of Yoga, but do you really know what they are? Today I’m going to explore the eight limbs of yoga, their origins, and their significance in spiritual practice. I’ll look at each limb’s purpose, giving a detailed examination, as well as the historical context of the Yoga Sutras. Get ready to finally gain a true understanding of: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi.  I’ll discuss: 🔹How the Yoga Sutras codify the eight limbs, drawing from earlier texts. 🔹The ultimate aim of yoga: which is to quiet the mind and remove ignorance. 🔹Etymology of the Sanskrit word for each of the 8 Limbs. 💖 Curious about the Uplifted membership and want to know more? Check it out here => https://www.brettlarkin.com/uplifted/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=uplifted FREE Practice: Yoga to Connect with Your Body | Soothing Movements & Music 🎶 | Yoga Connecting the Mind and Body  Relevant Blog: The 8 Limbs of Yoga Study Guide [Explained For Modern Life]   Relevant to Today’s Episode: 🐍 History of Yoga 📖 Yoga Life Book  💖 Uplifted Membership 💫 Somatic Certification 🎧 Also Listen to: #276 – What are Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras - What Every Yogi Should Know #279 – Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Summary – BOOK ONE Explained #282 – Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Summary – BOOK TWO Explained #283 – Dismantling the Kleshas: The Actual Aim of Yoga © 2025 Uplifted Yoga | BrettLarkin.com

Are you a newly certified yoga teacher struggling with the confidence to put yourself out there and teach? We’ve all been there, myself included. Whether you struggle with body-image like today’s guest, imposter syndrome or money mindset, today’s episode for you. Taylor Lorenz, my friend, colleague, and lead trainer of my Somatic Yoga Life Coaching program, shares her transformative journey from a full-time travel blogger to a confident yoga teacher and somatic coach. Let’s discuss the insecurities many new yoga teachers face. Listen and learn: 🔹Practical skills like mirror work to build confidence  🔹Why being in the “messy middle” is actually ideal for your sales  🔹How to ditch doubt and find your confidence by sharing your insecurities 🎁 Ready to start teaching somatic yoga? Download my somatic sequences for FREE => https://www.brettlarkin.com/somatic-sequences/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=somatic-sequence    GUEST EXPERT: Taylor Lorenz | @taylorstracks | https://www.taylorstracks.com/  Taylor is the creator of the yoga & travel site, Taylor’s Tracks, and a highly trained yoga teacher, mentor, and trainer. She is a former full-time travel writer who fell out of love with her dream of traveling the world and in love with teaching yoga when her first YTT sparked her self-acceptance journey. Taylor has been an entrepreneur since 2015 with expertise in multiple fields including SEO, freelance writing, affiliate marketing, and teaching at top studios from Bali to Canada. Her writing has been sought-out for publications such as Yoga Journal, World Nomads, and The Huffington Post. Today she blends her background in vinyasa, yin, and somatic yoga to help students & teachers uncover their confidence and turn their insecurities into their purpose. Coach with Taylor! Email info@upliftedyoga.com to find out how.   FREE Practice: SOMATIC MORNING WORKOUT FOR BEGINNERS ☀️ | Yoga to Find Your Confidence 🕶️ Relevant Blog: The Top 5 Biggest Fears of New Yoga Teachers   Relevant to Today’s Episode: ✅ 200-hour Online Yoga Teacher Training 🔮 300-hour Online Yoga Teacher Training 🐍 Yoga for Self Mastery 🌀 Somatic Yoga Life Coaching  🎧 Also Listen to: #299 – Strategies to Slay Imposter Syndrome and Share Your Gifts #331 – Overcoming Self-Sabotage and Limiting Beliefs with Monika Tschuggnall #354 – Redefining “Niche” with Carla Cline Thomas   © 2025 Uplifted Yoga | BrettLarkin.com  

When did we get disconnected from the body? Today I want to explore the historical context of body-based spirituality. We’ll contrast traditional yoga's focus on enlightenment with somatic yoga's emphasis on healing and grounding. We’ll analyze how Catholicism and Tantra might be viewed as more embodied spiritual practices, compared to Protestantism and The 8 Limbs of yoga. Let’s nerd out on the significance of engaging the five senses in the healing process, the need for safe spaces in somatic practices, and the future potential of somatic work in personal healing and coaching. Listen and learn: 🔹The cultural disconnection from the body and its historical roots. 🔹What Catholic Sacramental Theology and Tantric Philosophy have in common. 🔹How to leverage these ideas in your own healing process.   🎁 Get my FREE $67 Somatic Self Healing Workshop => https://www.brettlarkin.com/ffy?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=ffy    💫 My NEW Somatic Yoga Certification is now available => https://www.brettlarkin.com/somatic-yoga-certification/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=somaticcertification    FREE Practice: Easy Kundalini Yoga for Women | Kriya to be DIVINE LOVE EMBODIED Relevant Blog: Understanding What is Divine Love: Key Insights and Perspectives   Relevant to Today’s Episode: 🔮 History of Yoga ✅ 200-hour Online Yoga Teacher Training 🌀 Somatic Yoga Life Coaching  💫 Somatic Certification 🎧 Also Listen to: #285 – Is Yoga Enough…? with Dr. Jen Fraboni #318 – What Is Somatic Yoga? #330 – Somatic Yoga vs. Traditional Yoga: Breaking Down How 5 Poses Differ in your Yoga Practice   © 2025 Uplifted Yoga | BrettLarkin.com  

A lot of translators actually skip chapter one of the Bhagavad Gita, but I’ve found it to be one of my favorite chapters. This chapter sets the stage for the conflict and highlights the struggle between emotions and intellect. Something we all struggle with throughout our lives. Make sure to go back a couple of episodes and listen to my overview of the Bhagavad Gita, and get excited because chapter one is only the beginning of this amazing series! Let’s explore: 🔹Righteous duty and how it can often conflict with personal emotions. 🔹How the characters represent relatable human experiences. 🔹The subtle differences between multiple translations. Loved this episode and want to know more about yoga’s origins? Grab my History of Yoga course => https://www.brettlarkin.com/history-of-yoga-course/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=hoy   Different translations mentioned: Barbara Stoler Miller: https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-Krishnas-Counsel-Bantam-Classics/dp/0553213652  Godsong by Amit Majmudar: https://www.amazon.com/Godsong-Verse-Translation-Bhagavad-Gita-Commentary/dp/1524733474  Eknath Easwaran: https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-2nd-Eknath-Easwaran/dp/1586380192  Bhagavad-Gita As It Is by Swami Prabhupada: https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-As-Bhaktivedanta-Swami-Prabhupada/dp/0892131233    FREE Practice: Gentle Yoga | Beginner Yoga for Stress Relief | Less than 10 Minutes Relevant Blog: 15 Life-Changing Yoga Books To Deepen Your Yoga Practice   Relevant to Today’s Episode: 🔮 History of Yoga ✅ 200-hour Online Yoga Teacher Training 🐍 Yoga for Self Mastery 💖 Uplifted Membership 🎧 Also Listen to: #358 – Intro to The Bhagavad Gita: How Do You Navigate Moral Dilemmas? #279 – Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Summary – BOOK ONE Explained #282 – Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Summary – BOOK TWO Explained © 2025 Uplifted Yoga | BrettLarkin.com

Does YouTube intimidate or confuse you? Yeah, it confuses most of us. Recently one of my 300-hour graduates emailed in asking about all things YouTube. Rather than just respond to her email and answer her questions, I thought everyone could benefit from this conversation. Let’s discuss the intricacies of building a successful YouTube channel and the importance of consistent content creation. Not only will I give you the inside scoop of how I use YouTube in my business, but I’ll analyze my students channel and how she can optimize as well. If you have a YouTube channel you are not going to want to miss this one! Pull back the curtain on YouTube and discover: 🔹Ad revenue on YouTube is minimal; focus on lead generation instead. 🔹Use tools like TubeBuddy for keyword research and optimization. 🔹Niching down your content is key to attract a specific audience. 📈 Don’t lose momentum on your business. Join my FREE Marketing Challenge => https://www.brettlarkin.com/marketing/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=marketing    FREE Practice: Somatic Yoga Workout for Women with Music | Release Anger, Anxiety, Stress, Hip Tension & Trauma Relevant Blog: How To Use Social Media To Grow Your Yoga Business   Relevant to Today’s Episode: 📚 Uplifted Business Launchpad ✅ 200-hour Online Yoga Teacher Training 🔮 300-hour Online Yoga Teacher Training 🎧 Also Listen to: #313 – Social Media as a Vehicle for Your Awakening with Amanda Bucci #323 – Creating a Niche Brand as a Yoga Teacher with Yogi Bryan #354 – Redefining “Niche” with Carla Cline Thomas © 2025 Uplifted Yoga | BrettLarkin.com

Joining the conversation is Emma Dunwoody, a Human Design expert and Master Coach with a transformative journey from mental health struggles to empowerment. She discusses how Human Design and Gene Keys facilitate self-discovery and personal growth. Emma unveils the scientific underpinnings of Human Design, elaborates on its connection to ancient wisdom, and shares practical tips for yogis to align their practices with their unique energy types. Tune in for insights on using these tools to live authentically and experiment with one's design.

I have been wanting to do a deep dive on the Bhagavad Gita for years. This rich text is often called the “jewel” of the Mahabharata and can be kind of intimidating to talk about. There is so much to cover. That’s why this podcast will be the first in a series about the Bhagavad Gita. We’ll start with exploring the profound themes of this amazing text and contrasting it with the Yoga Sutras. We’ll talk about how the dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna serves as a guide for navigating our own moral dilemmas. Listen and learn: 🔹How the Bhavagad Gita’s key themes differ from the Yoga Sutras 🔹Why Arjuna's internal conflict represents our own struggles 🔹The complexities of Dharma – it’s not as simple as you think! Loved this episode and want to know more about yoga’s origins? Grab my History of Yoga course => https://www.brettlarkin.com/history-of-yoga-course/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=hoy  ✨ Make your yoga practice 2x more potent in 1/2 the time with my Free Yoga Transformational Portal FREE Practice: 20 Minute Guided Meditation For Higher Self (For Beginners) Relevant Blog: Where Did Yoga Originate: A Brief History of Yoga   Relevant to Today’s Episode: 🔮 History of Yoga ✅ 200-hour Online Yoga Teacher Training 🐍 Yoga for Self Mastery 💖 Uplifted Membership 🎧 Also Listen to: #279 – Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Summary – BOOK ONE Explained #282 – Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Summary – BOOK TWO Explained #283 – Dismantling the Kleshas: The Actual Aim of Yoga   © 2025 Uplifted Yoga | BrettLarkin.com