Andrew Tanner, founder of the Berkshire Yoga Festival and the American Yoga Council, talks with J live from the Berkshire Yoga Festival 2025 about the launch of his new project to advance the profession of yoga teaching. They discuss the long history of standards and trade organizations, retirement funds, standards and a new system, proficiency-based education, incentive structures, career paths, and helping yoga teachers make a living.

Reika Shucart, host of the Full-Time Yoga Teacher Podcast, talks with J about what has become of studio culture and the realities of the profession in 2025. They discuss the differences between Japanese and American cultures, international development and volunteer tourism, teaching 28-30 classes/week, online training, mirrors, vegetarianism, lifestyle and identity, ashtanga active series, and getting outside the box to inspire students.

Paul Bramadat, Director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society at University of Victoria and author of Yogalands: In Search of Practice on the Mat and in the World, talks with J about letting your body settle the score and the anthropology of yoga. They discuss transformation and academic dispassion, religious studies and small p politics, skepticism from academic circles, coping better, and connection to what animates your curiosity.

Reggie Hubbard, founder of Active Peace Yoga, talks with J about recovering from a stroke and praying instead of protesting. They discuss his background in politics, the impact of 9/11, realities of a broken system, working for Bernie Sanders, navigating dark nights of the soul, political neutrality as a privilege, having a stroke, turning to sound for healing, addressing dis-regulation, and gratitude for every little miracle.

Aimee Echo, founder of Community Yoga Club/Ashtanga Yoga Long Beach, talks with J about the carrying on of tradition and the evolution of practice. They discuss parallel scenes in 90's LA and NY, sub culture of Mysore rooms, Patabhi Jois, studying with Sharath and Shruthi, authorization agreements and certification, Jois Yoga, Sharath's death, new "active" series, Desikachar, and casting a shorter net to invite more serious inquiry and practice.

Abby Hoffmann, founder of Yantra Studio, talks with J about their formative years and opening another yoga center again after they both swore they never would. They discuss Ashtanga rooms in the late 90's, being asked to teach before TT’s, bringing yoga to dance training, rock star teachers, taking a gig at hot studio chain, the boutique fitness model, learning business skills, patterns of attendance, and being rooted in your community.

Roberta McGinley, once owner of Tadasana Yoga Studio in Wappingers Falls NY, talks with J about owning centers and finding places to teach. They discuss when Roberta hosted J for a workshop in 2018, different styles and discerning hot, moving from space to space, adult spiritual summer camps, unexpected life turns, puppy yoga workshops and vin yin classes, ins and outs of hot 26, and having your heart touched by yoga.

Judith Valerie, a Raleigh NC tradition for over 30 years, talks with J about sticking to principles and building creative spiritual community. They discuss students that inspire, early childhood experiences of being a pantheist, traveling around India and Nepal, receiving Shaktiput, the role of alignment cues, Interplay philosophy, evolving teacher/student relationships, keeping things alive in spirit, and trust in letting students come to you.

Mike Huggins, author of Going OM: A CEO's Journey from a Prison Facility to Spiritual Tranquility, founder of Transformation Yoga Project, and long time friend of the show, talks with J about the state of yoga in the criminal justice system and beyond. They discuss training incarcerated people, power dynamics, life cycle of the yoga industry, instructor vs teacher, differentiation and specialty, and the human aspects that give meaning to our lives.

Danielle Kunz Dwyer, founder of Yoga For You, talks with J about organizing a business and being together in a more expansive state. They discuss connecting via email and open sourcing info on how to go online, studying Ayurveda and yoga in NYC in the early aughts, periods of unknowing, students and subscriptions, profitability of the yoga profession, foundations of trust, and what really grows someone in their practice.

Mariela Cruz talks with J about her recent post entitled, "The Death of My School in Mysore." They discuss discovering her guru Sharath Jois while being a mother of seven children and a lawyer, becoming the first authorized teacher in Central America, Patabhi Jois and harms done, Sharath assuming the leadership role and grieving his death, new certifications being announced, physical adjustments, and silver linings amidst turmoil.

Giana Gambino & Bradshaw Wish, founders of C.A.Y.A Yoga School and hosts of The Funny Thing About Yoga Podcast, talk with J about the ins and outs of having a yoga career in 2025. They discuss having a collaboration, teachers as brands, resolving conflict and developing trust, admin and websites, starting a podcast, letting go of micromanaging, desire for connection, sharing revenue, perseverance, and being innovative.

Neal Shaffer, founder of First Mile Strategies, talks with J about what it's like for new teachers in today's climate. They discuss finding Rodney Yee through Comcast On-Demand, doing hybrid teacher training coming out of the pandemic, online vs in person learning, asana and meditation, Rodney and Colleen's teaching, parting from fitness orientation, business models based on human scale, and meaningful support of caring teachers.

Jonathan Sattin, founder of triyoga and the forthcoming HOME, returns to talk with J about how we got to the current crossroads we face and the reasons for opening a new center. They discuss the elements that enabled his initial success, lockdowns and the challenges of reopening, sustainability and scale, effectiveness vs efficiency, deciding to sell and ultimately leave, delivering something special, and having an impact on peoples lives.

Nick Danu, host of the Yin Yoga Podcast, returns to talk with J about navigating the yoga profession in a post-pandemic time. They discuss the importance of email lists and independent Online platforms, courses vs drop-in classes, resumes and teaching jobs, transitioning students to registered series, enforcing cancellation policies, normalizing human experience, podcasting, and what makes the challenge feel worth while.

Julie Smerdon returns to talk with J about meeting the challenge of life's crossroads and the difference between trust and faith. They discuss recent health scares, dealing with death and grieving, working through challenges in front of students, reassessing professional direction, prayer as listening, forms of personal practice, woman over fifty feeling invisible, getting back to in person teaching, and the sensitivity to hold space for togetherness.

Sebastian Shaw, a Clinical Social Work/Therapist and old friend of J's, joins the show to talk about the blessings and burdens of a life dedicated to helping people. They discuss how Sebastian and J met, connecting with at risk youth, training as a social worker, dealing with horrible situations and watching people get better, agency vs private practice gigs, data driven medicine, credentials and scope, and the underlying significance of rapport.

Rebecca Sebastian, founder of Sunlight Yoga and host of the Working in Yoga Podcast, talks with J about recent shifts and long standing debates within the yoga profession. They discuss the history of trade organizations and teacher trainings, nonprofit spaces and fundraising, the credentialing shift at the IAYT and The Future of Yoga Facebook Group, marketing and business, pricing, and letting the weight of ones work speak for itself.

Emily Smith, founder of Yogaversity, talks with J about the former and current state of online yoga. They discuss her eight-year tenure as a producer for Yoga International and the transition from print to digital, first figuring out what a yoga class looks like online, Yogaglo and copyrights, portals and pay structures, YI being sold to Gaia, set curriculum’s and self-directed learning, developing courses, and remaining forever curious.

Steve Szakal, ultra runner and yoga teacher, talks with J about overcoming life's obstacles and being who we are meant to be. They discuss getting caught up in the war on drugs, the inhumanity of institutionalization, starting to run marathons, going to yoga, experiencing beauty and exercising demons, differences between Bikram and Gosh Yoga, being a yoga teacher, becoming inundated with love, and being the best version of yourself.