J. Brown Yoga Talks

J. Brown Yoga

Yoga teacher and writer J. Brown is leading the way in the Slow Yoga Revolution, advocating for more intimate, breath-centered, therapeutic yoga practices. J interviews guests from old-school yoga teachers to other yoga revolutionists about philosophy, spirituality, and the business of yoga.

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20 episodes
Updated Monday

Episodes20

Newest first

Monday · 1 hr 43 min
Mary Wagstaff - "Addiction, Peace, and Surrender"
Mary Wagstaff, host of Wild Sobriety, talks with J about overcoming addiction and devotion as a center for change. They discuss experimenting with substances, holistic seeds of breath awareness, seva program at Kripalu, self-observation without judgement, choosing sobriety, when behaviors cross the line, curiosity, sacred time-outs, intrinsic moral codes, embodiment tools, simplicity in truth, ecstatic dance, glorifying God, being confronted by life, grace, and moving towards a version of ourselves that honors our most cherished values. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
July 20 · 1 hr 38 min
Brett Parris - "Metaethics of Yoga"
Brett Parris, author of Yogic Metaethics: Comparing Patañjali's Yoga, Nondual Śaivism, and Vedānta, talks with J about the links between spirituality and morality. They discuss inappropriate behavior from gurus, practical vs normative ethical theories, definition of metaethics, moral prescriptions before Patanjai, gunas, satva orientation, theism in Samkhya history, substance and action, Abhinava Gupta, theistic Vedanta, hell, free will and power, divine will, codes of conduct, and viewing the phenomenal world though a lens of grace. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
July 13 · 1 hr 34 min
Maile Wicklander - "A Vision that Aligns with Your Values"
Maile Wicklander, founder of Tula Yoga in Chicago, talks with J about staying committed to a deeper model of yoga when the market often rewards otherwise. They discuss her unusual path from industrial organizational psychology to yoga center ownership, craving community, combining somatics, lease agreements and registration software, transitioning to new focus being called to teach something different, price increases, class titles and formats, networking, and finding sources of hope by putting energy into what excites us. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
July 6 · 1 hr 30 min
Jordan Ashley - "NGO's, Nonprofits, and Travel with Purpose"
Jordan Ashley, PhD, founder of Souljourn Yoga, talks with J about the ethics of running retreats and teacher trainings in the Global South. They discuss seeing through the eyes of different cultures, the darker side of voluntourism and orphanage tourism, the NY Yoga scene circa 2016, becoming disenchanted with the yoga industrial complex, teen girls, working with locals, savior-ship mentality, hands on adjustments, retreat guest dynamics, operating as a nonprofit, using AI, and raising awareness and funds for causes we can believe in. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
June 29 · 1 hr 30 min
Sage Rountree - "At the Edges of Comfort and Consciousness"
Sage Rountree, coauthor of Yoga Off the Mat: A Practical Guide to the Wisdom of Yoga, talks with J about exploring the deeper aspects of yoga in ways that are accessible and useful. They discuss knowing when to walk away from long held classes, pre/post pandemic numbers and membership models, representations of asana, reverse classrooms and co-creative learning, retirement, parenting, filtering philosophy with primers for complexity, encompassing more than physicality, and learning to find the comfort in comfort. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
June 22 · 1 hr 44 min
Rebecca Sebastian - "Is There Still Hope in the Yoga Industry?"
Rebecca Sebastian, host of the Working in Yoga Podcast and founder of Inside Yoga Magazine, returns to talk with J about challenges and possibilities for yoga professionals. They discuss data that confirms an industry contraction, getting lumped in with pilates, pivoting away from owning centers, transferrable skills, trade organizations, ethics around credentialing, value of spreadsheets, decentralizing power structures, retirement plans, trend chasing, gig economy problems, and a small window for hope that is not likely to last long. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
June 15 · 1 hr 30 min
Chad Herst - "The Ache No Success Will Ever Fix"
Chad Herst, author of The Performance Trap: The Ache No Success Will Ever Fix, talks with J about departing from deeply ingrained patterns and the nature of embodiment. They discuss coming to yoga through grief, going to Mysore in the early 90's, witnessing abuse, injuries, pressure to be successful, aftermath of fallen gurus, boom and bust of the industry, radical transparency, prana and apana, healing through connection, honest improvisatory spaces, end of the charismatic model, and letting yourself be humbled by life. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
June 8 · 1 hr 45 min
Leslie Kaminoff - "The #1 Yoga Book on Amazon is an AI Fraud"
Leslie Kaminoff, co-author of Yoga Anatomy, returns to talk with J about his recent blog post on the impact of AI on creators and beyond. They discuss intellectual property theft, industrialized systems of deception, targeting of vulnerable populations, chair yoga, copyright violations, appropriate use of technology, individual sense of integrity, relating to language models, agential medical care, faking expertise, avoiding slop, policy positions for organizations, and where to draw the necessary lines that will keep human beings in the equation. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
June 1 · 1 hr 51 min
Joe Simek - "Debating Divine Goddess and Heavenly Father"
Joe Simek, co-owner of Dragonfly Yoga, returns to talk with J about his inquiries into religion and the nature of non-duality. They discuss aspects of Quakerism and community-led worship, questions of good and evil, value systems, understanding the divine, the point of nonduality, personal relationship with God, everything as a blessing, drawing lines, devotion to the goddess, suffering and orienting to love, desire for life, darkness, what "thy will" means, keeping yoga spiritual, and friendships that challenge us to learn and grow. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
May 25 · 1 hr 36 min
Paul JJ Alix - "You Are Not a Business"
Paul JJ Alix, founder of Yoga for All, returns to talk with J about the future of his yoga business and the nature of karma. They discuss pricing for home studios, revenue streams and projected profits, people with money and those without, giving stuff away and valuing your work, karma, Ayn Rand, a mature vision of God, relationship to the divine, Desikachar and yoga sutras, teachings of Jesus, ignorance and salvation, auspiciousness of snakes, discerning right and wrong, and the unburdening our ideas so that truth can be revealed. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
May 18 · 1 hr 23 min
Will Revak - "Healing the Psychic Disconnect with our Mouths"
Will Revak, co-founder of Orawellness, talks with J about the oral microbiome and dental self-empowerment. They discuss common dental issues, periodontal disease myths, hidden lies in toothpaste labels, crystal nature of teeth, decay and enamel loss, choosing a dentist, statistics and outcomes, fluoride vs hydroxyapatite, mindful brushing, naturally sourced xylitol, the importance of saliva, navigating scams, Bass method, Chinese hygiene arts, tongue scrappers, and becoming an effective steward of your oral microbiome. Use promo code: jbrown and get 15% off all Orawellness products. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
May 11 · 1 hr 27 min
Troy Hadeed - "Yoga is a Christian Practice"
Troy Hadeed, founder of Beyond Yoga and author of My Name Is Love: We're Not All That Different, talks with J about coming to know the love of God. They discuss Bob Marley and Jesus, interpretations and denominations, moving away from the church, connecting to Christ, yoga in Trinidad, Sean Corn, breath practice as prayer, divine agency, collective consciousness, questioning orthodoxy, slippery Gnostic slopes, grounding through faith, name and form, the one thing that makes us all the same, and the moment when truth is no longer in question. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
May 4 · 1 hr 58 min
Grace Gessel - "Whoever Hears His Testimony"
Grace Gessel, once founder of the Trauma-Conscious Yoga Method now offering faith-centered counseling at Through Faith Therapy, talks with J about leaving yoga and becoming a follower of Christ. They discuss religious trauma, being a public voice, questioning narratives around social justice and anti-racism, identity politics, church hypocrisy and exploitation, getting to the end of yourself, breath and prayer, somatics, waking up to Jesus, the Holy Trinity, spiritual warfare, and moving from a self-led to a Holy Spirit-led life. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
April 27 · 1 hr 48 min
John Friend - "Rise and Fall of Mainstreaming"
John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga and Bowspring, talks with J about the history of Anusara Yoga, its collapse, and the aftermath. They discuss the reason for having John on now, 60's generation of free love, consciousness expansion, business backgrounds in the 80's, studying with Iyengar and Gurumayi, founding Anusara in 97, standardization, the scandal and collapse, wicca and tantra, ethical codes, power differentials, universal principles of alignment, Bowspring, optimizing spirit, changing the world, making a living, and market trajectories. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
April 20 · 1 hr 28 min
David Singleton - "Slower and Longer Inward Looking"
David Singleton is a long-time listener and friend of the show and he joins J to talk about relationship to our environment and ourselves. They discuss finding yoga during his wife's illness and passing, discovering the podcast and following along with J's journey, deep love of the outdoors, motorcycles, becoming a fire ranger, operating vineyards, big agriculture, healthy soil, regenerative farming, organic labeling, permaculture, living in harmony with ants, defining success, personal spirituality of going outside, and truly caring for land and people. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
April 13 · 1 hr 31 min
Elisa Malinverni - "Messages We No Longer Believe In"
Elisa Malinverni returns to touch base with J about making pragmatic choices in the face of a collapsing industry. They discuss the contraction of 2025, part-time work in communications, transitioning and schedules, backlashes from physical practice, warrior 2 and triangle, yin repertoire, longer holds and repetition, unfounded claims, business coaching for teachers, feeling bitter about advertising, whether the heyday is over, false promises and hard times, technology, empathy, and remaining curious about our unfolding future. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
April 6 · 52 min
Check in with J - "I Closed the Yoga Center, Now What?"
J takes a moment to check in with listeners and reflect on the closing of his yoga center, the state of his professional career, and his plans for the future. He discusses the factors that led to letting go of his commercial space and moving his weekly classes into his living room, sober assessments and hard truths regarding personal brands and business marketing, contradictions between career pursuits and paternal responsibilities, expanding ones perspective to be open to new possibilities, faith in God, and remaining rooted in the wonder of being. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
March 30 · 1 hr 29 min
Todd Norian - "The Disease of Worldliness, Radical Nirvana"
Todd Norian, author of Tantra Yoga: Journey to Unbreakable Wholeness, returns to talk with J about the impact of different philosophical viewpoints on living in the word and what it means to be liberated. They discuss renunciation, misdeeds of the gurus, kundalini awakening and psychotic breaks, the collapse of Kripalu ashram and Anusara, authentic tantra, ethical codes and power, non-local consciousness, intimacy, wisdom and divinity, discernment and evil, boundaries and freedom, and the vulnerability required to heal our wounds. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
March 23 · 1 hr 35 min
Christopher Wallis - "Rooted in But Not Bound by Tradition"
Christopher Wallis, author of Tantra Illuminated and creator of Tantra Illuminated Online and the Tantra 112 app, returns to talk with J about the defining characteristics and sources for authentic tantra, They discuss origin narratives, lineage and initiation, institutionalized gatekeeping, divine revelation, practice joined to a coherent view, renunciation and integration, Vedanta, Hatha Yoga, Kundalini, supreme being or consciousness, devotion, morality, psychology and spirit, grace, surrender. and the embodiment of one's true nature. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.
March 16 · 1 hr 37 min
Amy Landry - "Teachings, Traditions, and Practice"
Amy Landry, author of The Ocean of Yoga, talks with J about honoring the history, philosophies, and purpose behind yogic inquiry. They discuss the impulse towards deeper study, grasping historical context and ancient origins, discerning the vedas, asceticism and tantra, classical Hatha Yoga, energy bodies and subtle anatomy, pranayama and mind control, inaccurate claims and systematization, alignment of values, devotion and God, nature and deities, knowing what we are doing and why, and confidently trusting in a chosen direction. To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.

J. Brown Yoga Talks

Mary Wagstaff - "Addiction, Peace, and Surrender"

Brett Parris - "Metaethics of Yoga"

Maile Wicklander - "A Vision that Aligns with Your Values"

Jordan Ashley - "NGO's, Nonprofits, and Travel with Purpose"

Sage Rountree - "At the Edges of Comfort and Consciousness"

Rebecca Sebastian - "Is There Still Hope in the Yoga Industry?"

Chad Herst - "The Ache No Success Will Ever Fix"

Leslie Kaminoff - "The #1 Yoga Book on Amazon is an AI Fraud"

Joe Simek - "Debating Divine Goddess and Heavenly Father"

Paul JJ Alix - "You Are Not a Business"

Will Revak - "Healing the Psychic Disconnect with our Mouths"

Troy Hadeed - "Yoga is a Christian Practice"

Grace Gessel - "Whoever Hears His Testimony"

John Friend - "Rise and Fall of Mainstreaming"

David Singleton - "Slower and Longer Inward Looking"

Elisa Malinverni - "Messages We No Longer Believe In"

Check in with J - "I Closed the Yoga Center, Now What?"

Todd Norian - "The Disease of Worldliness, Radical Nirvana"

Christopher Wallis - "Rooted in But Not Bound by Tradition"

Amy Landry - "Teachings, Traditions, and Practice"