Melissa Hagedorn - "Affordable Immersion" - Yoga Aficionado, Outdoor Guide, founder of the Northwest Yoga Conference

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Melissa Hagedorn, founder of the Northwest Yoga Conference, joins the podcast for a lively and redemptive conversation after J accidentally used a photo of hers on one of his blog posts and got a polite but firm request to cease and desist. All is made well as they discuss Michelle’s mobile lifestyle and her call to create a yoga conference against all odds. They also discuss the accessibility of conference offerings, the pay or lack there of for teachers, and the ways in which balance can be struck between yoga and commerce.

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J. Brown

J. Brown is a yoga teacher, writer, and founder of Abhyasa Yoga Center in Brooklyn, New York. A teacher for 15 years, he is known for his pragmatic approach to teaching personal, breath-centered therapeutic yoga that adapt to individual needs. His writing has been featured in Yoga Therapy Today, the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, Elephant Journal and Yogadork.

Noah Mazé - "Outdoor Adventure, Anusara, and Embodied Spirituality" - Yoga Teacher, founder of YOGAMAZÉ

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Noah Mazé - "Outdoor Adventure, Anusara, and Embodied Spirituality" - Yoga Teacher, founder of YOGAMAZÉ

Noah Mazé, founder of YOGAMAZÉ, talks with J about his early exposure to yoga, how he came to meet John Friend during the formative time of Anusara, the effects that the Anusara downfall had on him, and the ways in which the thread of his yoga has carried through and expanded. They also discuss online videos of Noah doing crazy stuff without context, a recent scandal, and the discussions that exemplify and shape our times.

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Cora Wen - "The Fame Game" - Acclaimed Yoga Practitioner and Teacher, underground icon of the old school

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Cora Wen - "The Fame Game" - Acclaimed Yoga Practitioner and Teacher, underground icon of the old school

Cora Wen is a name that J knew from his early remembrances of the yoga world, yet it wasn’t until this talk that he knew anything about her. They discuss Cora’s origins in yoga, the many amazing teachers that she has worked closely with over the years, and some reasons why she has maintained a slightly underground status. The conversation also tracks some yoga-going-into-the-mainstream history and pitfalls,

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Leslie Kaminoff - "Endings and Beginnings" - Live from the last oral history event at The Breathing Project

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Leslie Kaminoff - "Endings and Beginnings" - Live from the last oral history event at The Breathing Project

Leslie Kaminoff invites J to join him for the last of his live oral history events at The Breathing Project. They are accompanied by a small group of staff and friends for an intimate conversation about what has gone past and what lies ahead. The discussion tracks some history behind the Breathing Project, the publication of Yoga Anatomy and rumors of a potential third edition, and all the emotions around saying goodbye.

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Nischala Devi- "The Full Yoga" - Teacher, Author, spent 25 years as monastic disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda

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Nischala Devi- "The Full Yoga" - Teacher, Author, spent 25 years as monastic disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda

Nischala Devi, author of The Secret Power of Yoga: A Woman's Guide to the Heart and Spirit of the Yoga Sutras, joins the podcast and brings J some inspiration and joy. They talk about her many years in ascetic life, the process of leaving it, new paths forged since, and what its like to translate Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras from a woman’s perspective. They also discuss the heart and soul of the practice.

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David Lipsius - "Yoga Alliance Reboot" - President and CEO of the Yoga Alliance, Registered Yoga Teacher

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David Lipsius - "Yoga Alliance Reboot" - President and CEO of the Yoga Alliance, Registered Yoga Teacher

David Lipsius, president and CEO of Yoga Alliance, sits down with J to talk about the issues facing the organization and his new leadership role. They discuss David’s history and credentials, his study and training in yoga, and what he hopes to do at the YA. The conversation tackles many of the misconceptions regarding YA, what is going to change going forward, and how we might start an honest dialogue to raise the yoga profession.

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Michelle Ryan - "Collectively Running a Center" - Yoga Teacher, founder of Ashtanga Yoga Northampton

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Michelle Ryan - "Collectively Running a Center" - Yoga Teacher, founder of Ashtanga Yoga Northampton

Michelle Ryan, founder of Ashtanga Yoga Northampton, has been listening to the podcast and, after hearing J and his guests talking about new models for yoga centers, felt compelled to reach out via email. She is running her center in a different way that brings some new ideas to the table, so J brought her on to discuss what she is doing. They track Michele’s background and methods for more sustainable means of operation.

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Amy Ippoliti - "Evolving Leadership" - Yoga Teacher, Author, veteran of the yoga wave and Anusara kula

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Amy Ippoliti - "Evolving Leadership" - Yoga Teacher, Author, veteran of the yoga wave and Anusara kula

Amy Ippoliti talks with J about being in the right place at the right time, at the cusp of yoga’s entrance into the mainstream, through the rise and fall of the Anusara popularity, and the path to healing and learning in the aftermath of the scandal. They swap some tales of the early NY scene, get into the real story behind why Anusara fell apart, compare the time that they came into to teaching with today, and find shared purpose in their love of yoga.

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Temple Fiergola - "Underpaid and Undervalued" - Experienced Yoga Teacher, Writer, podcast listener

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Temple Fiergola - "Underpaid and Undervalued" - Experienced Yoga Teacher, Writer, podcast listener

Temple Fiergola is a yoga teacher and podcast listener who sent J a blog post she wrote about negotiating her pay rates with yoga center owners that warranted a longer conversation, so J brings her on to talk it out. In the course of the discussion, Temple shares some intimate details of her life and they inquiries into balancing family life and maintaining a teaching practice, diminishing pay scales and the need for more open dialogue.

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Justine Wiltshire Cohen - "Down Under School of Yoga" - Yoga Teacher, owner of Down Under School of Yoga

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Justine Wiltshire Cohen - "Down Under School of Yoga" - Yoga Teacher, owner of Down Under School of Yoga

After a snarky post from J referencing an article in Yoga Journal about Down Under School of Yoga in Boston making yoga teachers employees vs independent contractors, the owner, Justine Wiltshire Cohen, joins in this conversation to clarify and make her positions clear on the issues. They discuss the origins of the center, the reasons for non-compete clauses, pay scales, and presenting black and white solutions to nuanced challenges.

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Adriene Mishler - "Yoga with Adriene" - Actor, Yoga Teacher, co-founder of famed Youtube channel

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Adriene Mishler - "Yoga with Adriene" - Actor, Yoga Teacher, co-founder of famed Youtube channel

Adriene Mishler, from the Yoga with Adriene Youtube Channel, talks with J about what its like to have over two million people subscribing to your Youtube videos, how such a thing comes about, and the work that goes into making something like that fly. In this unexpected and engaged conversation, J discovers that Adriene is way more than just a “Youtube star” as they discuss the yoga hustle and what it means to make real connection.

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Amy Matthews - “Ordinary Magic” - Embodied Asana Teacher, co-founder Babies Project, purveyor of possibility

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Amy Matthews - “Ordinary Magic” - Embodied Asana Teacher, co-founder Babies Project, purveyor of possibility

Amy Matthews, co-founder of Babies Project, sits down with J to talk about the ideas we hold around the human body and our ability to change. After studying with Amy for almost a year, J takes this opportunity to delve deeper into questions of injuries, bio-mechanics, somatic experience, embryology, the proportionality of growth, and the disconnect between what our physiology is actually saying and what we think is the case.

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Alexandria Crow - "Evolution of a Teacher" - Yoga Teacher, Teacher Trainer, founder of Yoga Physics

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Alexandria Crow - "Evolution of a Teacher" - Yoga Teacher, Teacher Trainer, founder of Yoga Physics

Alexandria Crow, founder of Yoga Physics, joins J for a conversation about her evolution as a yoga teacher, from early high profile appearances to whistleblower and rabble-rouser.  They hook up after one of J’s podcast blew up on her FB timeline. In this candid conversation, they discuss some of Alex’s history, reconciling the documentation of your past online, and problems with the industry “standards” for yoga teachers.

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Accessible Yoga NYC 2017 - "Ageism and Ableism" - Steffany Moonez, Prakash Capen, Mirabai Hubbel, and Char Grossman

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Accessible Yoga NYC 2017 - "Ageism and Ableism" - Steffany Moonez, Prakash Capen, Mirabai Hubbel, and Char Grossman

J moderates this panel discussion at the Accessible Yoga Conference NYC with Steffany Moonez, founder of Yoga for Arthritis, Prakash Capen, Integral Yoga Teacher and Minister, Mirabai Hubbell, chair of the Older Adults Department at City College, and Char Grossman, founder of YogaReach. The topic was “Ageism and Ableism: Creating Welcoming Yoga Spaces” and they share their views and take questions from the audience.

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Amber Karnes - "The New Grind" - Ruckus Maker, Yoga Teacher, creator of Body Positive Yoga

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Amber Karnes - "The New Grind" - Ruckus Maker, Yoga Teacher, creator of Body Positive Yoga

Amber Karnes, creator of Body Positive Yoga, joins J for a talk about making the ends meet as teachers in the new landscape. They are both in the midst of moving and navigating the ways they can make a living and, after canceling a number of times, they jump into a conversation despite not feeling all that up to it. Fortunately, coming together on the challenges they are facing is a welcome release and serves to reaffirm their resolve.

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Sadia Bruce - "Yoga Industrial Complex" - Yoga Teacher, Alchemist, grassroots voice for diversity and inclusivity

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Sadia Bruce - "Yoga Industrial Complex" - Yoga Teacher, Alchemist, grassroots voice for diversity and inclusivity

Sadia Bruce, a friend and fellow teacher, posted something about one of J’s podcasts that ruffled his feathers some so he decided to bring her on the show to talk about it. But the conversation ended up going in unexpected directions as J learns that Sadia has come to a crossroads in her career and is considering leaving the profession. They talk about racism, prejudice, and the difficult grind of making a livelihood as a yoga teacher.

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Joe Sandor - "Numbers Side of the Yoga Biz" - grants officer at the State Department, newby Yoga Instructor

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Joe Sandor - "Numbers Side of the Yoga Biz" - grants officer at the State Department, newby Yoga Instructor

Joe Sandor, a budding yoga instructor who recently discovered the podcast, sent J an intriguing email and he thought it would be fun to bring him on to talk about it. They discuss Joe’s 9-5 job at the State Department, the role that showers played in his entrance into yoga, the inner workings of Core Power, and his experience of teacher training. They go on to consider some of the current economic models for teachers and what else might be possible.

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India Supera - "Feathered Pipe" - Holistic Life Foundation, founder of the Feathered Pipe Ranch

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India Supera - "Feathered Pipe" - Holistic Life Foundation, founder of the Feathered Pipe Ranch

India Supera, founder of the Feathered Pipe Foundation and Ranch, graces J with a conversation on a most auspicious day. They discuss the turns of history and politics that shaped her journey to the east, the happenstance that brought her back and birthed the Feathered Pipe, and the many incredible people who make pilgrimage there. They also celebrate the magic that brings them together and the joy of J’s inaugural visit to the ranch.

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Andrew Tanner @ YJ Live 2017 - "Future of Yoga" - Spokesperson for Yoga Alliance, news at YA and industry trends

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Andrew Tanner @ YJ Live 2017 - "Future of Yoga" - Spokesperson for Yoga Alliance, news at YA and industry trends

Andrew Tanner, official spokesperson for the Yoga Alliance, invites J to the Yoga Journal Conference NYC 2017 to discuss recent developments at YA and the future of the yoga industry. Recorded in front of a live audience, Andrew fills J in on the hiring of YA's new CEO, the election of a new head to the board, and the idea for change that the organization is embarking upon. They also field questions from the audience and discuss trends.

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Jivana Heyman - "Accessible Yoga" - owner of Santa Barbara Yoga Center, founder of Accessible Yoga

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Jivana Heyman - "Accessible Yoga" - owner of Santa Barbara Yoga Center, founder of Accessible Yoga

After Jivana Heyman, founder of Accessible Yoga, invited J to moderate a panel discussion at the Accessible Yoga Conference NYC, they have a chance to speak about the origins of Jivana’s work and the mission of the conference. Jivana shares how he transformed the horror of the AIDS crisis in 1990’s San Francisco into the gift of making Yoga accessible to everyone. The discussion also touches on the power of love and community. to heal.

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