David Dodd and J have corresponded for years but a recent email exchange about the Yoga Alliance prompted this discussion on the inherent problem of creating organizations around yoga. They discuss David’s background in coaching and working with large bureaucracies, the tension between an unbounded context for yoga and attempts at regulating it, and the practical wisdom of knowing when to do something and when to leave it alone.

Rama Jyoti Vernon, one of the first yoga teachers in the United States, talks with J about her pivotal role in bringing yoga to the west. They discuss the LA yoga scene in the 1940’s and 1950’s, meeting BKS Iyengar and hosting him in America, founding both Unity in Yoga and the California Yoga Teachers Association which led to the creation of the Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal Magazine, and her laments and hopes for the direction of yoga.

Norman Blair wrote an article about yoga teacher pay that caught J’s attention and led to this wide-ranging conversation about the monetary policies of yoga centers and the underlying economics that are fueling them. They discuss the emergence of a yoga teaching profession, hard numbers on yoga teachers rates of income, actionable steps to counter unhealthy trends, and the revolutionary power of yoga to help shape society.

Scott Johnson, Greg Nardi, Emma Rowse and Jock Orton talk with J about the creation of Amayu Yoga and a reimagining of the ashtanga tradition. They take time out of a retreat together to discuss the state of the global Ashtanga community, reasons for creating an organization, the principles of ashtanga yoga, and their efforts to bring more accountability and safety by establishing clearer standards and a more horizontal collective.

Frank Jude Bocci, author of Mindfulness Yoga, talks with J about his integrated approach to yoga and buddhist mindfulness. An early adopter, Frank was ahead of his time and had an impact on J without ever having met him. In this conversation, they discuss the yoga scene before it was a scene, studying with Thich Nhat Hanh, the freedom to challenge dogma, the marketing of yoga, and cultivating a truly self-empowered practice.

Bernie Clark, author of Your Spine, Your Yoga, returns to the show to talk with J about his new book and the important perspective it provides. They discuss the notion of “neutral spine,” the myth of flexibility, understanding stability and strength, the concepts of stress and load, variation in our structures, the “anti-fragility curve,” functional movement, and how important it is for each person to develop their own sense of awareness.

Seth Powell, founder of Yogic Studies, extended J an invitation to take his course and it led to this wide-ranging conversation about cutting edge research and his scholarship in yoga history and philosophy. They discuss Seth’s background and motivations for pursuing academic study, issues regarding the translation of ancient texts, commonly held misconceptions about the origins of yoga, and the benefits of expanding our perspectives.

Rachel Brathen, creator of @yoga_girl, talks with J about how a bohemian lifestyle on the beaches of Costa Rica converged with the invent of Instagram and led to two million followers and a yoga career. They discuss the process of going from obscurity to recognized social media influencer, the evolution of her choices, misinformation in the social media sphere, and operating by principles that serve the people behind the hashtags.

Annie Carpenter, veteran yoga teacher trainer from Yogaworks and creator of SmartFLOW Yoga, talks with J about the history of YTT’s, current industry trends, and transitioning from growth models to in-depth inquiry. They discuss Annie’s background in yoga, her opinions on conducting trainings and mentoring teachers, how things have changed over the years, and indications of a grassroots upswell for a return to core principles.

Kerry Maiorca, founder of Bloom Yoga Studio and Chair of the Board of Directors for Yoga Alliance, talks with J about the inner workings of the Yoga Alliance and the Standards Review Project. Kerry and J are old friends and participated in the same yoga teacher training over twenty years ago, after some reminiscing they talk about how she became involved at the YA, the evolution of the organization, and the status of the review process.

Tao Porchon-Lynch, named Oldest Yoga Teacher by Guinness World Record and author of Dancing Light, sits down with J a few months after her 100th birthday to talk about her life and the spirit of yoga. They discuss the morning class that J took with her, some of her childhood experiences, how she greets each day with the expectation that it will be the best yet and believes anything is possible, and the inspiration that Tao and her life instills.

Neil Boyd, Board Vice-President of the Feathered Pipe Foundation, talks with J about his life as a farmer, his yoga, and how the two have informed each other. They discuss the connection between his work and the turn of the seasons, how he got into yoga, teachers that helped him, farm practices and yoga, Krishnamurti, the magic of the Feathered Pipe Ranch, and the simple wisdom of embodying kindness in your attitude and actions.

J moderates a panel discussion at the Hauora Yoga Conference with Katie Lane, Donna Farhi, Jac Wilson, Leanne Davis, and Felicity Molloy on the accreditation of yoga and yoga therapy in New Zealand. They discuss the current standards for Yoga Australia and Yoga New Zealand, the difference between yoga and yoga therapy, standardization and pedagogy, and the possibility of creating something uniquely Aotearoa

Michael de Manincor, founder and Director of The Yoga Institute, is a student of TKV Desikachar that J met earlier this year and reconnected with for this conversation about the study and transmission of yoga, and the kind of science that supports it. They discuss Michaels trajectory, the PhD research he is doing, Patanjali, competencies for yoga teaching and yoga therapy, and the possibility of moving our understanding of yoga forward.

Anne Jablonski, president of the Feathered Pipe Foundation, shares with J her love of Freedom Style Yoga and the magic that is the Feathered Pipe Ranch. They discuss Anne’s relationship to the teachings of Erich Schiffmann, what makes the ranch so special, teaching people to develop their own intuitive knowing, mindfully unplugging as an essential form of self-care, and the importance of connection in fostering the spirit of healing.

Karen Rain talks with J about the lack of consent culture in yoga, and ways that people can change what they are doing in their own spheres to create a safer and more just society. They discuss the abuse and deception that Pattabhi Jois committed on her and others, deflection and denial from the community, and educating ourselves about power imbalances. Karen also turns the tables on J and holds him to account for his own culpability.

Genny Wilkinson Priest joins J for this probing conversation about the impact of Pattabhi Jois’ sexual assaults on the ashtanga community and yoga world at large. They discuss Genny’s previous life as a journalist, her love of the ashtanga system, her process of evolving in light of the revelations about Pattabhi Jois, efforts being made to shift the culture going forward, hard adjustments and injuries, and the possibility of reformation.

Gregor Maehle, founder of 8 Limbs Ashtanga Yoga, discusses the history of Patabhi Jois’ sexual assaults and the need for the Ashtanga tradition to evolve. He talks about the studies and motivations that led to his adoption of Ashtanga Yoga, direct experience of observing the abuse, injuries that led to his separation, deeper philosophical and evolutionary factors in the creation of stratified power structures, and how to sublimate and grow.

Pedro Luna, creator of the Instagram account @Yogimemes, started taking J’s live stream classes and it led to this conversation about Pedro’s infamy on Instagram and their shared experiences trying to make a life as yoga teachers. They discuss the challenges of being a dad, generational divides when it comes to social media, how Pedro got to 100,000 followers, and discerning the line between promoting your work and maintaining integrity.

Karin Carlson, founder of Return Yoga, has been bringing yoga out of the studio model into underserved communities for years and, after reading a recent post she wrote about the Yoga Alliance, J reached out to work through some ideas together. They discuss the early blogosphere days, shifts in the industry, questions of regulation and Yoga Alliance’s role, and filling the gaps between ancient wisdom and modern day relevance.