Accessible Yoga Podcast

Jivana Heyman

Accessible Yoga Podcast with Jivana Heyman

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20 episodes
Updated July 28

Episodes20

Newest first

July 28 · 1 hr 21 min
The Eight Limbs of Aerial Yoga
Content Warning: The second part of the episode talks about death and grief In this episode, Jivana sits down with Jo Stewart, author of the new book Eight Limbs of Aerial Yoga: Adapting Practice for Accessibility, Neurodiversity, and Physical Support. Jo shares how she connects aerial yoga to yoga philosophy, using Patanjali's eight limbs as a framework, and reframes the aerial hammock as an accessibility prop. She and Jivana dig into how the hammock supports pratyahara (sense withdrawal), helps regulate the nervous system for trauma survivors and neurodivergent practitioners, and opens up movement possibilities for older adults and people with chronic pain or mobility differences. In the second half, Jivana and co-host Deanna Michalopoulos reflect on the conversation with Jo and how a yoga practice creates a foundation of support through life challenges. Then, they turn to a listener voicemail from Nicole, who asks Jivana how the AIDS epidemic shaped his relationship to grief and death, and the role yoga has played in his healing. Jivana shares candidly about his years in ACT UP, his own grief, and finding support through yoga and community. Topics Include: Aerial yoga as an accessible practice Jivana’s foreword to Jo’s book The history of suspended and prop-based yoga practices The challenges of getting a book out into the world AI's growing (and troubling) footprint in yoga publishing The role of relationships in self-care Consensus-based activism Yoga as preparation for death Check out: Get your copy of Eight Limbs of Aerial Yoga: Adapting Practice for Accessibility, Neurodiversity, and Physical Support Jo's studio in Melbourne, Australia - Garden of Yoga The Flow Artists Podcast with Jo Stewart and Rane Bowen The Katha Upanishad Accessible Yoga for Older Adults course **Learn more about the Accessible Yoga Mentorship Program and join today! We look forward to seeing you there.** We Want to Hear from You! How do you balance self-care and service in your yoga practice and teaching? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Jo: Jo Stewart has been teaching yoga since 2005 and aerial yoga since 2011. She has an adv. diploma of Yoga and Health (CAE AIYT 2005), and is a level 3 Senior Teacher with Yoga Australia. Jo's creative approach adapts to each practitioner’s individual needs, with a focus on body positivity, self-compassion and accessibity. She founded the Garden of Yoga studio in Northcote in 2013 where she is the principal teacher as well as sharing her classes online and co hosting The Flow Artists Podcast. Jo is the author Eight Limbs of Aerial Yoga: Adapting Practice for Neurodiversity, Accessibility and Physical Support which was published by Singing Dragon in 2026. gardenofyoga.com.au | @gardenofyoga (IG) | @gardenofyoga (FB) Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer
July 14 · 1 hr 2 min
Queer Yoga
Join host Jivana Heyman as he talks with Mookaite Jasper (Kite), a queer, trans, non-binary, and autistic yoga teacher from Middlesbrough, England, about their book Queer Yoga: A Guide to Well-Being Through Inclusive and Accessible Yoga. Kite shares their journey from discovering yoga in Thailand, coming out, getting sober, and how the queer community yoga nonprofit they founded eventually inspired their book. Together, Jivana and Kite discuss the concept of masking and the importance of creating safe spaces for marginalized groups and the role of yoga in mental health. In the second part of the episode, Jivana and co-host Deanna Michalopoulos reflect on the parallels between Kite's story and Jivana's own early work teaching yoga to gay men with AIDS. They respond to a listener question from Verna about making ancient yoga texts more accessible, covering Sanskrit translation, the difference between scholarly and interpretive versions, and Jivana's key insight that Patanjali is not asking us to become something new, but to remember who we already are. Topics include: How nonprofit work and service can lead to burnout How Queer Yoga was impacted by Kite’s participation in Accessible Yoga programs Jessamyn Stanley's foreword and her opening line: "Yoga has always been queer" Honoring queer elders Different forms of meditation Rest as resistance: teachings from Tricia Hersey and Evie Muir on burnout and recovery Navigating the Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita: how to find translations that actually land Check out: Get your copy of Queer Yoga: A Guide to Well-Being Through Inclusive and Accessible Yoga Julie Shipway's writing course: The Yoga Writer's Handbook Jessamyn Stanley's substack and online studio The Underbelly **Learn more about the Accessible Yoga Mentorship Program and join today! We look forward to seeing you there.** We Want to Hear from You! How do you balance self-care and service in your yoga practice and teaching? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Mookaite: Mookaite Jasper, known as Kite (they / them), is a trans non-binary autistic yoga teacher, based in Middlesbrough, UK. They are the author of Queer Yoga. Kite is a member of the Accessible Yoga School mentorship program and trained in yin yoga and yoga for older adults. Their passion is yoga for the LGBTQIA+ community. They work as a freelancer for Proud Allies, delivering inclusion training. mookaitejasper.com | @mookaitejasper (IG) | @mookaitejasper (Bluesky) Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer
June 30 · 1 hr 17 min
Safer Practices for Older Adults
Join host Jivana Heyman as he talks with yoga therapist and author, Carol Krucoff. Carol shares her journey from her early career as a journalist for the Washington Post to her current role as yoga therapist at the Duke Integrative Medicine Center. Carol shares how she stumbled into teaching older adults through a volunteer gig and what a near-death experience at a marathon finish-line revealed about the true purpose of yoga practice. Together they reflect on the importance of teaching older adults with both care and respect, the difference between what you do and how you do it, and why yoga is so much more than asana. In the second part of the episode, Jivana chats with co-host Deanna Michalopoulos about what it means to find your voice as a yoga teacher and how the language we use shapes a student’s experience. They also respond to a listener question from Reika Shucart about dualistic and non-dualistic yoga philosophy, breaking down the difference between Patanjali's classical approach and the Vedanta tradition of non-duality, and why both paths ultimately point toward the same truth. Topics include: Bridging yoga and Western medicine together and the importance of publishing in medical journals How intensity, not the poses themselves, is the key variable when teaching older adults Why yoga injury rates rise sharply in older adults and what that tells us about how they're being taught Clearing up the confusion around the risks of certain movements and teaching with awareness rather than fear Carol’s personal shift from a physically intense yoga practice to a more gentle practice Communicating while teaching in way that avoids condescension and creating hierarchies of practice Check out: Accessible Yoga’s upcoming online course, Accessible Yoga for Older Adults: Building a Safe & Effective Practice Carol’s Relax Into Yoga Seniors Training co-created with Kimberly Carson Carol’s books: Yoga Sparks, Relax into Yoga for Seniors, Relax into Yoga for Chronic Pain, Healing Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain Jivana’s episode with Reika on her podcast Full Time Yoga Teacher (Ep. 105) Accessible Yoga's on-demand course, The Essence of Yoga: Making Yoga Philosophy Accessible with Jivana Heyman & Anjali Rao **Learn more about the Accessible Yoga Mentorship Program and join today! We look forward to seeing you there.** We Want to Hear from You! How do you balance self-care and service in your yoga practice and teaching? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Carol: Carol Krucoff, C-IAYT, E-RYT, is a yoga therapist at Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, NC, and co-director of the Yoga for Seniors professional trainings, which are designed to help yoga instructors safely adapt the practice to older bodies, minds and hearts. Carol has practiced yoga for more than 50 years and studied with master teachers from around the world. She has consulted on several yoga research studies and co-authored numerous articles in medical journals. An award-winning journalist, Carol was founding editor of The Washington Post’s Health Section and has authored several books including “Relax into Yoga for Seniors.” www.yoga4seniors.com | www.healingmoves.com Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer
June 16 · 1 hr 3 min
Navigating Yoga, Mortality & Grief
Content Warning: This episode talks about death and grief Join host Jivana as he talks with Dr. Yasmin Bedi, a UK-based gerontologist and yoga therapist, about her unique integration of Western medicine and yoga. Dr. Bedi describes how yoga has made her more mindful and holistic in patient care, especially in caring for older adults. Together, they reflect on balancing service and self-care, the role of grief in aging, and the importance of sharing yoga’s tools with others. In the second part of the episode, Jivana chats with co-host Deanna Michalopoulos about his recent birthday and planting two new trees in his garden expansion project. Together they reflect on the conversation with Dr. Bedi and how yoga can support emotional and physical well-being, especially for caretakers or those dealing with grief. We also hear a listener voicemail sharing their journey into meditation through Zen Buddhism. Jivana answers a question about meditation practices in yoga ashrams and shares about his personal practice. Topics include: Dr. Bedi’s experiences working in hospital emergency departments, supporting both patients and families through aging, illness, and end-of-life conversations. Dr. Bedi’s initiatives to bring yoga to hospital patients and healthcare workers The need for a balanced approach to yoga for older adults, combining active practices with relaxation and mindfulness The value of community Yoga as preparation for death How a personal self-care practice benefits those around you We Want to Hear from You! How do you balance self-care and service in your yoga practice and teaching? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! **Learn more about the Accessible Yoga Mentorship Program and join today! We look forward to seeing you there.** Connect with Dr. Yasmin Bedi: Yasmin Bedi is an NHS Consultant Physician and Geriatrician working in an acute NHS University Hospital. Her specialist interest is in "front door frailty" reducing length of stay and unnecessary hospital admissions amongst the frailest patients. Yasmin commenced a formal Hatha Yoga practice in 2011 and undertook yoga teacher training in 2018. In 2020, Yasmin started to explore alternative approaches to health, ultimately leading her to train as a C-IAYT Yoga Therapist with The Yoga Therapy Institute, graduating in 2024. Yasmin brings yoga to older persons in her acute NHS Trust as part of a wider project in collaboration with therapy staff to reduce de-conditioning and support emotional and mental health. www.yasminbedi.com | @yasmin.bedi (IG) Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer
June 2 · 1 hr 5 min
Yoga in Action in Minneapolis
Content warning: This episode and show notes include discussion of gun violence, death, and ICE agent brutality In this episode, Jivana Heyman sits down with Lucia Yess, owner of Yess Yoga studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota to hear how her community responded to the violent ICE surge that swept through their city. Lucia shares the moment Alex Pretti was murdered one block away from the studio and how her studio became a place of refuge for neighbors seeking safety and mutual aid. She emphasizes the need for community support and how her studio's actions were aligned with their mission of liberation, compassion, and connection. Together, Jivana and Lucia reflect on the connection between yoga philosophy and social justice and what it looks like to truly live yoga off the mat. In the second part of the episode, Jivana is joined by co-host Deanna Michalopoulos to explore what the yoga teachings say about service and action. They look at karma yoga and passages from the Bhagavad Gita, and discuss how genuine service isn't a duty we force ourselves into but something that flows naturally when we feel connected to others. They close with a reminder that service can be small and quiet, and that taking care of yourself counts too. Topics Discussed: Lucia's background in social work and social justice, and how it shaped Yess Yoga Jivana’s activism work in the 90’s during the AIDS epidemic Financial accessibility and sustainability with sliding scale models Yoga practice as escape vs. practice as transformation Responding to "keep yoga out of politics" The yoga teacher as community leader The power of collective action and compassion We Want to Hear from You! How do you balance self-care and service in your yoga practice and teaching? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Lucia: Lucia Yess is a Minneapolis-based yoga teacher and parent who focuses on community-building, social justice, and inclusive space making. She has lived and traveled around this beautiful earth, learning all she can about the art of yoga. Lucia studied ancient approaches to the practice and is an enthusiast of yoga's way of life. Her classes focus on integrating a healthy mind, body and soul, both on and off the mat. By applying yoga principles to everyday life, Lucia has found a deeper sense of contentment, peace and connection. Her goal is to help others discover an authentic life full of embodiment and joy. www.yessyogastudio.com | @yessyoga (IG) | Yess Yoga (FB) Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer
May 19 · 1 hr 18 min
Imagining Self-Care For All
In this episode, Jivana Heyman sits down with his longtime friend and Accessible Yoga collaborator, Rodrigo Souza, to explore the season's central theme of balancing self-care with service. Rodrigo, who lives with a complete spinal cord injury, shares candidly about managing limited energy, letting go of guilt around rest, and learning to stop measuring his worth by how much he produces. Together, they reflect on what it really means to show up for others and why setting boundaries isn't selfish but essential. In the second part of the episode, Jivana is joined by Deanna Michalopoulos to unpack the philosophical heart of the discussion: karma yoga, seva, and what the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras teach about selfless service. They explore why genuine service has to come from a place of fullness rather than lack and why self-love might be one of the most radical practices of all. Topics include: Brahmacharya as conscious management of time, energy, and boundaries Representation and visibility of disabled practitioners and teachers Yoga tools for anxiety management Imposter syndrome and challenges of teaching in a capitalist society Teaching what you need to learn Rodrigo’s involvement in Accessible Yoga Mentorship Program and current online series Yoga on Neurological Conditions We Want to Hear from You! How do you balance self-care and service in your yoga practice and teaching? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Rodrigo: Rodrigo Souza (he/him) is an Adaptive and Accessible Yoga teacher with experience in instructing folks who have endured trauma and disability. After suffering a traumatic injury which left him paralysed from the chest down, Rodrigo recognised the significance of taking care of his own recovery to enhance his long-term well-being. This journey inspired him to become a yoga teacher, where he aims to share his personal insights into discovering joy in movement and rest. www.allihopayoga.com | @allihopayoga (IG) Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer
May 5 · 37 min
Season Five Launch: Welcome Back!
Welcome to season five of the Accessible Yoga Podcast! In this launch episode, Jivana Heyman and Deanna Michalopoulos reunite to catch up, share what's been inspiring them lately, and reveal their personal journeys to finding balance in their lives. They offer a preview of this season's overarching theme of self-care and balancing self-care with service, especially for yoga teachers. Jivana shares an early look at his upcoming book, Yoga Meditation, which explores meditation in the yoga tradition and its accessibility. Deanna, who is editing the book, shares what she loves about it, especially how Jivana weaves in personal stories and practical applications. Together, they discuss the potential impact of the book on both yoga teachers and practitioners, aiming to deepen their understanding of the many paths into meditation that yoga already offers. Topics include: Nature, movement, and daily practice as Jivana's self-care foundation Deanna's experience learning German and living in Berlin Using the ocean as a metaphor for capacity, resilience, and riding life's waves Finding time for self-care and outlets such as creative hobbies Jivana’s upcoming audiobooks and book, Yoga Meditation, set to release Fall 2026 Gratitude for the Accessible Yoga community, team, and podcast sponsors We Want to Hear from You! How do you balance self-care and service in your yoga practice and teaching? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer
February 3 · 32 min
The Teaching on Impermanence: Season Wrap-up with Jivana
Join Jivana Heyman and Deanna Michalopoulos for the final episode of the Accessible Yoga Podcast’s fourth season, celebrating Jivana's 30 years of teaching. In this reflective conversation, Deanna turns the tables and interviews Jivana about his journey, asking him to answer the paramount question posed to every guest throughout the season, “What is one teaching that's made an impact on your life and continues to today?” The episode offers an intimate look at what this yearlong series has meant, with heartfelt gratitude to the guests, team, sponsors, and listeners who made it possible. The conversation ends with appreciation for everyone who has been part of this journey and the promise of returning after a short break with a new season. Topics Include: Non-attachment and selfless service Yoga as preparation for death The transformative impact of yoga practice and teaching How service benefits both the giver and the receiver Yoga as a living tradition passed down through generations The future of yoga and the yoga community Hope for moving beyond capitalism toward collective kindness Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer
January 20 · 1 hr 2 min
The Teaching on Living Yoga with Itzel Hayward
Join Jivana Heyman in conversation with his friend, Itzel Hayward, a former lawyer turned yoga teacher who brings together yoga, Buddhism, nonviolent communication, and social justice work. Itzel shares her journey of integrating these seemingly separate parts of her life into a unified practice centered on service, empathy, and compassion. The conversation delves into the philosophy of restorative and transformative justice as alternatives to punitive systems, and how these approaches align with yogic principles. Itzel explains nonviolent communication as both a technique and a lens for seeing everyone's actions as attempts to meet universal human needs. Together, Jivana and Itzel discuss Sutra 1.33 from the Yoga Sutras, known as the "locks and keys" teaching, and how it can be applied to relationships and social justice. At the end of the episode, Jivana and co-host, Deanna Michalopoulos, continue to explore Sutra 1.33 (friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and equanimity toward the non-virtuous). They discuss how these practices help us overcome obstacles to enlightenment while serving others in the world. The conversation concludes with reflections on non-attachement and how it is a central theme in the yoga teachings. Topics include: Integration of yoga and social justice Itzel’s contribution to Jivana’s book, Yoga Revolution Dual vs. nondual yoga teachings and their implications for social justice How becoming a parent taught Itzel about non-attachment and empathy Addressing guru abuse and creating safer spiritual spaces Balance between internal and external practices in yoga Check out: Itzel’s upcoming event, Engaged Nonduality: Awake Awareness, Wise Action — A Nondual Approach to Anti-Racism on Sunday, February 1, 2026, https://www.attunedliving.com/events/engaged-nonduality Tracee Stanlee’s book, The Luminous Self Join a free Accessible Yoga webinar! Join the first session of The Art of Teaching Chair Yoga as a FREE course preview: Friday January 23rd, 2026 10:30am PT | 1:30pm ET (75 mins) -- Register Here Find Your Center Practice: Explore Balance in a Chair & On a Mat Monday February 2nd, 2026 9am PT | 12pm ET | 5pm GMT -- Register Here Building Balance in Accessible Yoga Workshop Thursday February 19th, 2026 10am PT | 1pm ET | 6pm GMT -- Register Here We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Itzel: Itzel Hayward is a yoga teacher, facilitator, and former attorney whose work sits at the intersection of contemplative practice, justice, and collective care. After more than a decade practicing law in the areas of consumer protection and economic justice, she felt called to explore ways of restoring communities to wholeness after harm. She turned to restorative and transformative justice, compassionate communication, mindfulness, and yoga as practices of repair and healing—both outwardly and inwardly. Through her organization, Attuned Living, and in her role as an Adjunct Professor at UC Law San Francisco, Itzel supports inclusive, collaborative processes rooted in presence, agency, and right relationship with ancestors, community, and the living world. attunedliving.com | bsky.app/profile/attunedliving.bsky.social | linkedin.com/in/itzelhayward | instagram.com/attunedliving Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer
January 6 · 1 hr 14 min
The Teaching on When to Walk Away with Oneika Mays
Join host, Jivana Heyman, as he welcomes Oneika Mays, for an inspiring conversation about her forthcoming book, "Sit with Me : A No BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation," which details her transformative work at Rikers Island prison in New York City. Oneika shares her journey, the challenges of teaching mindfulness in a prison setting, and her practice and understanding of metta (loving-kindness). Together, Jivana and Oneika discuss the importance of embodied wisdom, the role of storytelling in teaching, and the need for self-compassion and boundaries in service work. Oneika opens up about the vicarious trauma she experienced and how to recognize when to walk away from situations that no longer serve us. The episode also features an exploration of how ancient teachings like Patanjali's Sutras relate to contemporary practice. Jivana and co-host, Deanna Michalopoulos, discuss the paradox of embracing the body fully before learning to release attachment to it, offering practical insights for teachers navigating yoga’s complex philosophies. Topics Include: Processing trauma through writing The importance of supervision and support for service-oriented teachers Balancing service work with concerns about upholding oppressive systems Embodied wisdom and listening to your body's signals Cultivating a relationship with yourself through yoga and meditation Jivana’s upcoming free webinars and The Art of Teaching Chair Yoga Training, January 23 - February 24, 2026 Pre-Order Sit with Me : A No BS Journey to Mindfulness and Meditation by visiting Oneika's website https://www.oneikamays.com Join a free Accessible Yoga webinar! Join the first session of The Art of Teaching Chair Yoga as a FREE course preview: Friday January 23rd, 2026 10:30am PT | 1:30pm ET (75 mins) -- Register Here Find Your Center Practice: Explore Balance in a Chair & On a Mat Monday February 2nd, 2026 9am PT | 12pm ET | 5pm GMT -- Register Here Building Balance in Accessible Yoga Workshop Thursday February 19th, 2026 10am PT | 1pm ET | 6pm GMT -- Register Here We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Oneika: Oneika Mays is a writer and facilitator who leads with joy, passion, and wisdom. As a Black, queer feminist, meditation teacher, and yoga instructor with nearly 15 years of teaching experience, she brings a poignant lens to building a more compassionate world. Oneika’s gift is taking big ideas and teachings and weaving them with stories. She’s rooted in what she’s studied but teaches from her own experience. Oneika’s your teacher, your auntie, your friend - here for the work of personal and collective liberation. Her memoir Sit With Me (HarperOne, March 2026) delivers a no-BS journey to mindfulness that embraces the mess. Grounded in Buddhist and yogic teachings, Oneika has taught at Rikers Island, Yoga International, and Embodied Philosophy. She believes joy is a revolution and getting closer to your heart is how we change the world. IG @oneikamays | Substack @oneikamays Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer
Dec 23, 2025 · 1 hr 7 min
The Teaching on Working with Your Mind with Swami Ramananda
Join Jivana Heyman in conversation with his longtime teacher and mentor, Swami Ramananda, a monk (sannyasi) in the Integral Yoga tradition. Swami Ramananda, who has dedicated nearly 50 years to the practice and teaching of yoga, shares profound insights, offering practical wisdom on working with the mind and cultivating inner peace. He discusses the challenges and rewards of monastic life, and how living in service has shaped his understanding of yoga practice. Together they explore the importance of spiritual community, the transformative power of meditation, and essential yogic concepts including non-attachment, surrender, and compassion. In the second part of the episode, Jivana reflects on his 30-year yoga journey and how his practice has transformed his relationship with his mind. He shares that the concept of non-attachment has been a life-changing teaching, helping him understand that happiness comes from within, rather than external circumstances. Jivana emphasizes that yoga isn't about fixing ourselves but rather shifting our identification from ego to spirit, and he expresses gratitude for his teacher Swami Ramananda's influence on his practice and life. Topics include: Jivana’s history with and departure from Integral Yoga The role of meditation in everyday life Non-attachment as a path to freedom while still engaging with the world Sangha (spiritual community) and how it supports yoga practitioners The relationship between inner practice and outer service Bhakti Yoga, prayer, and surrender Developing a compassionate relationship with ourselves We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Swami Ramananda: Swami Ramananda, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, is the Executive Director of the Integral Yoga Institute in San Francisco and a highly respected senior teacher in the Integral Yoga tradition, with over 45 years of dedicated practice. A certified Yoga therapist and founding board member of Yoga Alliance, Ramananda is known for his compassionate presence, deep wisdom, and ability to translate the timeless teachings of Yoga into accessible tools for everyday life. He offers practical methods for transforming life’s challenges into pathways toward inner freedom and realizing one’s full potential. A co-founder of the Spiritual Action Initiative (SAI), Ramananda brings together individuals committed to social justice, environmental healing, and spiritual activism. His warmth, insight, and gentle humor have inspired and uplifted countless students on the path of Yoga. @swami_ramananda_108 | facebook.com/Swami Ramananda 108 Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer
Dec 9, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
The Teaching on Yoga for Mental Health with ML Maitreyi
Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of mental health challenges and suicidal ideation. Please practice self-care when deciding whether to listen. In this episode, Jivana Heyman sits down with longtime friend and colleague ML Maitreyi to discuss her journey as a yoga teacher living openly with bipolar disorder. Maitreyi shares candidly about how yoga became a lifeline in managing her mental health and the importance of community and discusses the particular challenges of being open about mental health in a yoga world. Maitreyi also celebrates the release of her new chair yoga book, explaining why she wrote it as an "encourager and friend" rather than an instruction manual. Together, Jivana and Maitreyi discuss the significance of the teacher-student relationship and the importance of mutual respect and collaboration. In the second part of the episode, Jivana and co-host, Deanna Michalopoulos reflect on the importance of addressing mental health in the yoga community and why chair yoga represents the distilled essence of yoga. Jivana also introduces his new course, "The Art of Teaching Chair Yoga," designed for yoga teachers. He explains the course's focus on teaching skills and the importance of creating a holistic and engaging class experience Topics include: Breaking the silence around mental health in the yoga community Challenging the pervasive myth that yoga should "fix" or cure mental health conditions Alternate nostril breathing (nadi shodhana) as a nervous system regulation tool Teaching as invitation rather than instruction The art of distilling complex yoga teachings into simple, accessible practices Check out ML Maitreyi's book, Chair Yoga for Strength and Balance: Accessible Exercises to Improve Mobility and Relieve Pain on sale now! We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with ML Maitreyi: ML Maitreyi is the Founder, Director and Teacher Mentor for Accessible Yoga Sacramento/Tahoe which has offered a free weekly class for the past decade. ML brings with her 30 years as a practitioner and 20 years of experience sharing yoga in diverse community spaces. In December 2025, her first book, Chair Yoga for Strength & Balance: Accessible Exercises to Improve Mobility & Relieve Pain, was released in partnership with Harper Collins Focus and Cider Mill Press. Her Sanskrit name, Maitreyi, means "friendly". She has relocated from California and now permanently resides in San Felipe, Baja Mexico. IG: @accessibleyogaml, @accessibleyogasacramento Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Take advantage of the Winter 2025 sale between now and December 15th, click here to save 20% on select annual plans. Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer
Nov 25, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
The Teaching on Service with Heather Sanders
Join Jivana Heyman for an inspiring conversation with Heather Sheree Sanders, founder of the Sedona Yoga Festival, about karma yoga, community organizing, and the often overlooked work that happens behind the scenes in the yoga world. Their conversation explores what it means to be a humble leader in yoga, the transformative power of yoga, and why Western yoga may finally be reaching a pivotal moment where practitioners are ready to go deeper than asana-focused practice. Heather shares how merging her natural gifts with her yoga practice helped her find a sustainable balance between passion and service. She shares her vision for the Sedona Yoga Festival, emphasizing its role in providing a comprehensive yoga education and fostering community. Together, they reflect on the transformational power of in-person events and the need for human engagement in the yoga community. The episode also features a listener question from Eric Johnson about finding courage as a yoga teacher, sparking a profound discussion about how yoga builds prana (energy), why ethical practice is essential for directing that power, and how our authentic selves – including our struggles and vulnerabilities – are actually our greatest gifts to share with the world. Topics Include: Deconstructing narrow definitions of what yoga "looks like" Heart-led leadership through karma yoga Recognizing the teacher-student relationship as sacred Community organizing as activism Approaching yoga holistically The power of yoga nidra Heather’s work with Sedona Yoga Festival, Yoga Unify, The Ramble Burlington Jivana’s book, Yoga Revolution: Building a Practice of Courage and Compassion Check out the next Sedona Yoga Festival, April 23-26, 2026 We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Heather: Heather Sheree Sanders, Producer and Director of the annual Sedona Yoga Festival in Sedona, AZ, has been a practitioner of yoga since 1996. She believes passionately in yoga's ability to heal and to create peace, and focuses her efforts on bringing authentic yoga to people everywhere through a variety of platforms. Heather's commitment to building community and offering service in the field of yoga, arts, and consciousness is reflected in decades of event and conference creation and direction, as well as program development dedicated to mentorship, civic engagement, creativity, and collaboration. sedonayogafestival.com linkedin.com/in/heathersheree instagram.com/heathershereesanders instagram.com/sedonayogafestival linkedin.com/company/sedona-yoga-festivalfacebook.com/sedonayogafestival facebook.com/heathershereesanders Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsor! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer
Nov 11, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
The Teaching on Boundaries with Francesca Cervero
Join Jivana Heyman for a heartfelt conversation with fellow yoga teacher, Francesca Cervero, host of The Mentor Sessions Podcast. Together, they explore teaching during difficult times, yoga and parenting, the art of one-on-one teaching, and the power of co-creating a yoga practice with students. Drawing on her training in Tibetan Buddhism, Francesca discusses how loving-kindness meditation helps her teach her D.C.-area students who are experiencing heightened stress amid federal job cuts and political turmoil. She shares invaluable wisdom from her 20 years of teaching, reflecting on a transformative moment with her first private client. In the second half, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, unpack the concept of vairagya (non-attachment) and why it's essential for both yoga teachers and activists right now. Jivana clarifies how non-attachment differs from apathy, explaining how freedom from selfish craving actually enables more skillful, compassionate action in the world. They also preview Jivana's upcoming eight-week course on building a personal pranayama and meditation practice through the eight limbs of yoga. Topics include: How political turmoil and social stress are showing up in yoga classes Finding balance between acknowledging reality and creating sanctuary Maintaining boundaries as a yoga teacher The importance of peer-support and mentorship for yoga teachers Why emotional neutrality enhances creativity and skill Jivana’s upcoming online training, Accessible Pranayama & Meditation: Exploring the Eight Limbs of Yoga* Check out Francesca's online course, The Science of the Private Lesson™ Online Training and her podcast, The Mentor Sessions Podcast. We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Francesca: Francesca Cervero (she/her) has been a full time yoga and meditation teacher since 2005 and offers private and group yoga classes as well as yoga teacher mentoring and education. Francesca combines deep spiritual teachings with the latest in movement science and rehab research, all in a fun, breath-based movement practice. Francesca’s teaching also makes a direct link between yoga, meditation and political action. The practices of yoga strengthen our ability to sustain hard work, and the teachings of yoga ask that we take political action to make a better world. Her passion lies in the craft of teaching yoga as its own practice. In her work with both students and teachers, Francesca’s focus is teaching yoga and meditation in skillful, nurturing, and accessible ways that makes the practice both supportive and meaningful. www.francescacervero.com | IG: @FrancescaCervero Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsor! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer
Oct 28, 2025 · 1 hr 7 min
The Teaching on Community Care with Finlay Wilson
In this episode, host Jivana Heyman sits down with Finlay Wilson, known on social media as the Kilted Yogi. Together they explore what it means to make yoga truly accessible, the power of community-based service, and the importance of authentic representation in the yoga world. Finlay shares about his new book, Adapting Chair Yoga for Every Body, and the work of his nonprofit organization in Scotland, which runs extensive free programming including prenatal and postnatal classes, wheelchair yoga, chair yoga for amputees and veterans, and community outreach in schools, hospitals, care homes, and prisons. Finlay also opens up about his personal journey from being a young person using mobility aids and experiencing an unwelcoming first yoga class, to finding transformation through Ana Forrest's pivotal question: "Why are you trying so hard?" Later in the episode, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, reflect on Finlay's inspiring work and explore the relationship between self-discipline and self-compassion and how service through karma yoga actually fills us up rather than depletes us. They also discuss Jivana's upcoming course on Accessible Pranayama and Meditation, which uses the eight limbs as a framework for deeper practice. Topics include: Chair yoga as a joyful, social practice Moving from dissociation to embodiment in practice The importance of LGBTQ+ representation in yoga Creating spaces of belonging and acceptance The danger of weaponizing yoga teachings against ourselves Using asana to prepare for subtler practices The relationship between karma yoga (service) and bhakti yoga (devotion) Check out: Finlay's book, Adapting Chair Yoga for Every Body, on sale now! The upcoming Accessible Pranayama & Meditation: Exploring the Eight Limbs of Yoga online course with Jivana Heyman We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Finlay: Finlay Wilson is the CEO of Heart Space and an internationally recognized yoga teacher committed to making the practice accessible to everyone. His leadership is rooted in a deep belief in the social-economy model, where all profits from paid classes fund Heart Space’s wide-ranging free community and outreach programs. As a highly experienced instructor, Finlay's expertise lies in creating truly inclusive and adaptive practices for all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. He is the author of the new book, Adapting Chair Yoga for Every Body, demonstrating his specialized knowledge in modifying yoga to meet people wherever they are on their well-being journey. Through Heart Space, Finlay guides a mission-driven team dedicated to delivering trauma-informed and affirming services, with a strong focus on building resilience and community for vulnerable populations, including young people and the LGBTQ+ community. www.finlay-wilson.com | IG: @finlay0901 | FB: finlaytwilson | Tiktok: @scottishyogaboy Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. **Join their upcoming free webinar! October 28th at 10:00am Pacific Time, Your Homepage 101: Craft a Website That Grows Your Business with Mado Hesselink Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer
Oct 14, 2025 · 1 hr 17 min
The Teaching on Supporting Each Other with Rebecca Sebastian
Join host, Jivana Heyman, as he talks with Rebecca Sebastian, host of the Working In Yoga Podcast and cherished friend. Together they explore the evolving landscape of yoga teaching, the importance of creativity in practice, and the irreplaceable value of human interaction. Rebecca shares her journey from accidental yoga teacher to studio owner and yoga therapist, and how she found a sense of belonging in the yoga community. She also discusses her upcoming project —a digital magazine for yoga professionals, aiming to foster a supportive community and share industry insights. In the Question and Answer segment, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, respond to a listener's question about incorporating anandamaya kosha (bliss body) in a yoga class. They describe exploring the koshas, from the subtle bliss body to the physical body, as an inward journey that leads to a broader sense of connection. Topics include: Bringing back discussion and conversation as part of a yoga class Building connection instead of competition with peer support AI and its impact on the yoga industry Yoga teaching vs. yoga therapy How to stay creative when teaching Practical advice for new teachers The role of Accessible Yoga in serving diverse populations Check out: Rebecca's podcast: Working in Yoga Podcast Rebecca's Facebook group: The Future of Yoga Therapy Nischala Joy Devi - Pioneer in yoga therapy and the Dean Ornish Program Jnani Chapman - Creator of YCat (Yoga for Cancer) program Accessible Yoga Ambassador & Mentorship Program with Rodrigo Souza We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Rebecca: Rebecca is a 20+ year yoga teacher, 14 year yoga therapist, former studio owner, yoga non-profit co-founder, host of the podcast Working In Yoga and the editor and founder of Inside Yoga Magazine, a trade magazine for yoga professionals. www.workinginyoga.com | @rebeccasebastianyoga @workinginyoga Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. **Join their upcoming free webinar! October 28th at 10:00am Pacific Time, Your Homepage 101: Craft a Website That Grows Your Business with Mado Hesselink Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer
Sep 30, 2025 · 1 hr 7 min
The Teaching on Yoga as Embodied Resistance with Anjali Rao
In this special episode, host, Jivana Heyman, sits down with longtime friend and colleague, Anjali Rao, to discuss her groundbreaking new book, Yoga as Embodied Resistance: A Feminist Lens on Caste, Gender, and Sacred Resilience in Yoga History. Together, they discuss yoga's complex history and the need to bridge scholarship and practice. Drawing from both her Indian heritage and 30 years of living in the United States, Anjali shares her unique perspective on yoga history and how it has inspired her work. She discusses the structure of her book, which includes foundational knowledge about yoga, caste, and Hinduism, as well as historical case studies. Additionally, she reflects on her transformative first yoga class as a breast cancer survivor and her passion for teaching yoga philosophy. In the Question and Answer segment, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopoulos, respond to a listener question about teaching yoga in conservative religious communities and discuss navigating fundamentalist concerns while maintaining the integrity of the yoga teachings. Another listener asked about balancing perfectionism with the practical application of yogic ethics in daily life, inspiring a conversation about ahimsa (non-violence). Topics include: The complexity of yoga history and viewing yoga as a collective creation from multiple traditions and perspectives How patriarchal structures have shaped traditional yoga teachings The impact of resistance movements on yoga The concept of essentialism The challenge of practicing ahimsa in everyday life The Trauma of Caste: A Dalit Feminist Meditation on Survivorship, Healing, and Abolition by Thenmozhi Soundararajan The Yoga Tradition: Its History, Literature, Philosophy and Practice- Georg Feuerstein Pre Order Yoga as Embodied Resistance: A Feminist Lens on Caste, Gender, and Sacred Resilience in Yoga History by Anjali Rao today! Register to attend the Special Book Launch Event, live online, on Friday, October 17th, 1-2pm Pacific / 4-5pm Eastern - hosted by Accessible Yoga! Join the Yoga As Embodied Resistance: Reading Circle! A four-session series to study and discuss the book in community. Live with Anjali on Zoom. October 24 and 31, November 7 and 11, 1-3pm Pacific / 4-6pm Eastern. We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Anjali: Anjali Rao brings an intersectional and decolonial feminist lens to the study of philosophy and yoga history integrating storytelling, art and poetry. Emphasizing an embodied approach, her work deconstructs the dynamics of power in yoga spaces. She is on the faculty of multiple yoga teacher training programs. She is the host of The Love of Yoga podcast bridging scholarship, activism and yoga. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Philosophy and Religion in California Institute of Integral Studies. Her first book, Yoga As Embodied Resistance: A Feminist Lens in Caste, Gender And Sacred Resilience in Yoga History, North Atlantic Books is available for order. https://www.yoganjali.me/ | @yoganjali Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. **Join their upcoming free webinar! October 9th at 11:00am Pacific Time, Holiday Sales That Actually Convert: A Studio Owner's Guide to Seasonal Promotions with Niki Riga beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer
Sep 16, 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
The Teaching on Yoga Organizations with David Lipsius
Join host, Jivana Heyman, as he welcomes his guest and longtime friend, David Lipsius, for a powerful conversation on ethics and the evolution of yoga institutions in the West. Together, they explore how personal spiritual practice sustains authentic leadership and share wisdom for yoga teachers about discovering their true calling and serving their communities with integrity. David shares his journey from being a yoga student to turnaround CEO at Kripalu, where he helped shift the organization from a harmful past into a thriving retreat center. He also reflects on his time as CEO of Yoga Alliance, where he led initiatives to revise the Yoga Alliance Standards (including adding content about accessibility for the first time), as well as create systems of accountability, a Code of Conduct, and a scope of practice for yoga teachers — all of which continue to shape the yoga world today. In the second part of the episode, Jivana and co-host, Deanna Michalopoulos, echo David’s advice to yoga teachers. They emphasize that instead of measuring success against industry standards, teachers can focus on serving their communities, creating their own opportunities, and trusting that their offerings are powerful and enough. They also respond to a listener’s comment on the previous episode, diving into the ongoing challenge of comparing integrative practices with Western medicine. Topics include: How repair can happen after harm in yoga communities Accessible Yoga’s part in restructuring the Yoga Alliance Standards and Code of Conduct Why a code of ethics is essential for safe and inclusive yoga spaces Lessons from activist and grassroots organizing that inform leadership Teachings from the Bhagavad Gita and The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Check out: Yoga Alliance's Code of Conduct We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with David: David Lipsius is a Yoga Teacher, Spiritual Wellness Coach, End-of-Life Doula, and student of Yoga, Ayurveda and Jyotish. He is the former President & CEO of Yoga Alliance and Yoga Alliance Foundation and former CEO of Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. David is also an Emmy-nominated director from his years at NBCUniversal and served as an Executive Producer on the documentary film Agniyogana, a meditative inquiry into the lost art of classical Hatha Yoga. Today, David advises Yoga and other wellness professionals seeking to improve their strategic and operational excellence to enhance social impact. IG: @dlipsius | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/david-lipsius-8920a267 Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. **Join their upcoming free webinar! Access the replay: Teaching Without Burnout: How to Stay Inspired as a Yoga Teacher with Brea Johnson beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer
Sep 2, 2025 · 1 hr 13 min
The Teaching on Yoga Research with Steffany Moonaz
In this episode, host, Jivana Heyman, spends time with his good friend, Steffany Moonaz, research scientist, author, yoga teacher, yoga therapist, and founder of Yoga for Arthritis. Together they reflect on their parallel journeys and explore the intersection of yoga tradition, modern science, and accessibility. Steffany, who describes herself as “evidence-based and heart-centered,” brings her unique expertise in both Western research and yoga to discuss how these two worlds can inform and enrich one another. In addition to sharing her insight into yoga research, Steffany shares the personal reflections and teaching experiences that have impacted her work and spiritual journey. Later in the episode, Jivana and cohost, Deanna Michalopolous reflect on Steffany’s work and accomplishments and the importance of people, like Steffany, who create a bridge between conventional medical science and yoga. They also discuss the benefit of having autonomy within a framework of practices, sensitivity and awareness with experience, and the benefits of having good yoga teachers/therapists. Topics include: The importance of flexibility in research protocols The concept of “yoga snacks” – short, simple practices can create meaningful change Integrating yoga philosophy into yoga teaching and practice Ethical principles in yoga and how they guide safer, more accessible teaching practices The importance of humility and curiosity when teaching diverse populations Check out: Steffany's Intro into Meditation Course: 8 Week Series Class To Learn How To Confidently Meditate with Dr. Steffany Moonaz. Accessible Yoga’s Yoga for Older Adults Course: Building a Safe & Effective Practice We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Steffany: Dr. Steffany Moonaz is a yoga therapist and research scientist in San Diego. She serves as the Research Director and Professor at Southern California University of Health Sciences. She completed undergraduate work in biology and dance at Oberlin College, earned an MFA from University of Maryland and completed her PhD in public health at Johns Hopkins University, helping to develop and evaluate a yoga program for individuals with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. She then spent a decade at the Maryland University of Integrative Health co-creating a Master of Science in Yoga Therapy and a university-wide culture of evidence-based practice. Dr. Moonaz is focused on bringing yoga to people with arthritis in communities around the world and educating yoga professionals about this population through Yoga for Arthritis courses, The Yoga Rheum podcast, and related advocacy work. Her first book, “Yoga Therapy for Arthritis: A Whole-Person Approach to Movement and Lifestyle” was published by Singing Dragon in 2018. A subsequent memoir entitled, “Driving Home: Cancer, Concussion, Mom and Me” was released by FriesenPress in 2024. Her third book on yoga research is anticipated in 2026. https://arthritis.yoga | IG: @yoga4arthritis, @drmoonaz Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. **Join their upcoming free webinar! September 9th at 11:00am Pacific Time, Teaching Without Burnout: How to Stay Inspired as a Yoga Teacher with Brea Johnson beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer
Aug 19, 2025 · 57 min
The Teaching on Protecting Your Energy with Zabie Yamasaki
“Am I observing or absorbing? Am I caring or carrying?” Join host, Jivana Heyman, as he talks with Zabie Yamasaki, accomplished author and founder of Transcending Sexual Trauma Through Yoga. Zabie shares about her mission to empower survivors of sexual violence, highlighting her work on college campuses and how trauma-informed yoga supports survivors in their healing journey. Together, Jivana and Zabie examine how body-based practices are complementary to talk therapy, as healing trauma requires integrating the body and mind. Zabie talks about her new book, "Protect Your Energy: A Gentle Guide to Nurture Your Nervous System, Cultivate Rest, and Honor Your Needs," which offers practices to nurture the nervous system. They also discuss the importance of boundaries and protecting your energy as a yoga teacher. Later in the episode, Jivana and co-host Deanna Michalopoulos further reflect on boundaries, the yogic principle of brahmacharya (wise use of energy), and what it means to support students without taking on their burdens. Topics include: Creating a safe and supportive environment for survivors The eight-week curriculum Zabie developed for college campuses and trauma agencies Yoga research projects Creating inclusive spaces for survivors of all gender identities The benefits of predictability, ritual, and repetition Avoiding burnout in teaching and service work The opportunity for connection and healing in community Teaching as karma yoga Pre-Order Zabie's book, Protect Your Energy: A Gentle Guide to Nurture Your Nervous System, Cultivate Rest, and Honor Your Needs Check out the podcast episode with Jivana discussing yoga as a compliment to talk therapy here. Learn more and join the Trauma & Yoga Series: Exploring Power, Privilege & Healing, featuring Zabie Yamasaki and other guests, now available On-Demand: https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/trauma-and-yoga We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga Selected responses may be featured in future episodes! Connect with Zabie: Zabie Yamasaki, M.Ed., RYT (she/her) is the Founder of Transcending Trauma through Yoga which is an organization that offers trauma-informed yoga to survivors, consultation for universities and trauma agencies, and training for healing professionals. Zabie has trained thousands of yoga instructors and mental health professionals and her trauma-informed yoga program and curriculum is now being implemented at over 30 college campuses and trauma agencies including the University of California (UC) system, Stanford, Yale, USC, University of Notre Dame, and Johns Hopkins University. She has received countless awards in victim services and leadership, including the Visionary in Victim Services award from one of the largest rape crisis centers in California and the Voice of Courage Award from Exhale to Inhale. She is the author of the book, flipchart, and affirmation deck, Trauma-Informed Yoga for Survivors of Sexual Assault: Practices for Healing and Teaching with Compassion zabieyamasaki.com | IG: @transcending_trauma_with_yoga Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. **Join their upcoming free webinar! September 9th at 11:00am Pacific Time, Teaching Without Burnout: How to Stay Inspired as a Yoga Teacher with Brea Johnson beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana. Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer