A Grateful Life

Will AI take over from yoga teachers?Join Lizzie Lasater and me as we explore this new frontier of AI in yoga practice, teaching and education.I’ve been watching as Lizzie has embraced AI in her yoga teaching lately, and was delighted to dive into this somewhat controversial topic with her. I think you’re going to love it!In this conversation, you’ll hear about the reservations we’ve both had about AI and how we’re now using it very intentionally in our lives and work. We also dive into the practicalities of living a restful life, amidst the demands of mothering and working, and how we’re both using AI, not as a way to enhance productivity and achieve more, but to claim back more spaciousness for ourselves, our families and the people we serve.Lizzie Lasater teaches all about creativity, functional movement, somatic strength, and Restorative Yoga. In this season of her life, she is focused on her yoga practice, family life with her twin boys, and designing online courses. Connect with Lizzie Lasater at https://www.lizzielasater.com.Watch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation.Be the first to hear when the dates of our next programs are announced and gain instant access to our curated Spotify playlist for nervous system regulation at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join.Find out more about our incredible sponsor Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next orderThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Join Elena Brower (she/her) and I as we explore her incredible new book, Hold Nothing. This conversation is an invitation to slow down, reflect and embrace the beauty of letting go.We talk about the transformative power of gratitude, the courage it takes to navigate life’s hardest conversations, and the lessons death can teach us about living fully. Elena also shares her journey through addiction and sobriety, offering wisdom on self-discovery, healing, and the meditative rituals that bring us back to presence.This episode is deeply personal, soulful, and a reminder to hold space for yourself as you navigate life’s complexities.What You’ll Take Away:How gratitude can anchor you in life’s toughest momentsWhy letting go is essential for personal growthThe role of yoga, meditation, zen and tea in cultivating presenceHow death awareness can inspire meaningful livingI hope this episode resonates with you as much as it did with me. If it does, please share it with someone who could use a little more presence in their life. And don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review, it helps us bring more meaningful conversations like this to you.Pre-order Elena Brower’s book at https://elenabrower.com/holdnothing/ Join our incredible, thriving community of seekers, dreamers, yoga teachers, health professionals and curious humans. Be the first to hear when the dates of our next programs are announced and gain instant access to our curated Spotify playlist for nervous system regulation. Go to https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join. Download a free chapter of my book Mental Health Aware Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/book.Learn more about the Coming Home to Yourself Mentorship at https://www.laurentober.com/cominghome.Find out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.au. This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

So many people keep asking me if I have an audio version of my book, Mental Health Aware Yoga, so I’m doing something a little different today, and reading the first chapter of the book on the podcast!So, pour yourself a cuppa, snuggle into your favourite comfy chair and let me read you a story! In the first chapter, I share all about my journey with yoga and mental health, how and why I came to create this program, and why I think it’s so important that all yoga teachers understand mental health.While the book is written for yoga teachers, this chapter in particular is for anyone interested in the intersection of yoga and mental health, or for anyone, like me, who loves to learn about people’s journeys and how they came to be doing the work they’re doing.If you would prefer the written version instead, you can also download the first chapter for free at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/book.To get your hands on a copy of the book, including all the additional resources that you can access in our online Shala, head over to your favourite online independent bookstore or go down to your local bookshop and ask them to order it in. You can also find links to purchase at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/book.And to join our incredible thriving community of seekers, dreamers, yoga teachers, health professionals and curious humans, and gain instant access to our curated Spotify playlist for nervous system regulation. Go to https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join. This playlist is designed to help you feel calm, focused and grounded in minutes, and might just become your go-to tool to create balance in your day.Find out more about our wonderful sponsors:Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next orderYoga Australia at https://yogaaustralia.org.auThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

You don’t often hear the words sexy and menopause in the same sentence, so when my friend Lisa Fitzpatrick told me she was writing a book on the topic, I knew that I had to get her on the podcast to tell us all about it.Lisa (she/her) is a pelvic and sexual health educator, speaker, physiotherapist, yoga teacher and writer devoted to helping women reclaim their sensuality, self-worth and personal power, especially in midlife and beyond.While my intention for this conversation with Lisa was to dive right in and talk about sexuality and intimacy in menopause, we went a bit off script, and Lisa shared, quite vulnerably, about her recent mid-life crisis and descent into the underworld.In the episode, you’ll not only hear about sexuality and intimacy in menopause, you’ll also hear Lisa share about what triggered her dark night of the soul, how she navigated through these devastating times, what brought her back, and the gifts that this deeply challenging time brought her. I don’t think we talk enough about sexuality, menopause and traversing life's deeply challenging times, and I’m so grateful that Lisa shared her experience with us.Connect with Lisa at https://www.sexymenopause.comThe 2025 Yoga Psychology Mentorship has closed for registration. Get on the waitlist for the 2026 mentorship at https://www.yogapsychologymentorship.comWatch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation/Jump on our free email newsletter and be the first to hear when new offerings and episodes are announced at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join/Find out more about our wonderful sponsors:Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next orderYoga Australia at https://yogaaustralia.org.auThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Why are so many yoga teachers in crisis and questioning their path?Join Theo Wildcroft, co-editor of The Yoga Teacher’s Survival Guide, and I as we deep dive into some of the challenges that yoga teachers are facing right now, including cultural appropriation, how to best honor the roots of yoga, the trauma embedded in sanskrit, the lack of pedagogy in contemporary yoga teaching, the tension between yoga and capitalism, what post-lineage yoga actually means and more.But there’s hope! Theo brings such joy and generosity to this conversation and shares a way through the minefield, including leaning on the three sources of authority - inner wisdom, expert advice and community.Theo Wildcroft (she/her), PhD, is a teacher, writer and scholar working for a more sustainable relationship between our many selves, the communities that hold us, and the world that nourishes us. Her research considers the democratization of yoga post-lineage, and meaning-making in grassroots communities of practice. She’s a lover of vulnerable people, of wild things and wild places, and of the simple miracle of life itself. Theo is the author of Post-Lineage Yoga: From Guru to #MeToo, co-editor of The Yoga Teacher’s Survival Guide, co-editor of Yoga Studies in Five Minutes, and editor of the forthcoming Religion and the Sense of Self.Connect with Theo Wildcroft at https://theowildcroft.com/Join the Yoga Psychology Mentorship starting 8th August 2025 at  https://www.yogapsychologymentorship.comWatch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation/Jump on our free email newsletter and be the first to hear when new offerings and episodes are announced at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join/ Find out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.au This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Mindfulness without compassion can be pretty bleak at times. In this heartfelt and insightful conversation, I’m joined by yoga teacher, author, and mindfulness facilitator Anna Taylor (she/her) to explore the deeper layers of yoga, compassion, and the human experience.Anna shares her personal journey through yoga and mindfulness, the vulnerable process of writing her new book, and how compassion has become a foundational element in both her teaching and life. Together, we explore the intersection of neuroscience, emotional wellbeing, and spiritual practice - offering practical tools and gentle reminders for anyone navigating the highs and lows of being human.You’ll hear about:The brain’s negativity bias and how it impacts our self-perceptionWhy compassion, not just self-improvement, is at the heart of yogaWhat it really means to hold space for others and ourselvesHow to meet difficult days with grace and presenceThe difference between fixing ourselves and truly caring for ourselvesWhether you're a yoga teacher, a mental health professional, or someone seeking more ease and authenticity in your life, this conversation is a balm for the soul.Connect with Anna Taylor at https://www.mindbodybalance.co.ukJoin the free info session for the Yoga Psychology Mentorship on the 25th July 2025 at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/yoga-psychology-mentorship/#infoWatch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation/Sign up for the Embodied Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Workshop in Mullumbimby on the 26th of July 2025 at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendar/Jump on our free email newsletter and be the first to hear when new offerings and episodes are announced at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join/ Find out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.au This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Have you ever noticed how the same sequence, repeated with care, can feel brand‑new every time?In this episode, I sat down with Karen Fabian (she/her) to explore the unexpected magic of practising and teaching one carefully crafted flow again and again. Karen shares the story of integrating her work as a health professional and a yoga teacher, and discovering how gratitude, creativity and straight‑up perseverance wove those threads into a career in yoga education.Together we unpack:why predictability in class can lower anxiety and build learner confidencehow to design a signature sequence that meets your own needs, and if you’re a teacher, shares your unique voicepractical ways yoga supports emotional regulation and overall wellnessthe role of relentless curiosity—questioning cues, philosophy and the industry itself—to keep your teaching freshthe evolving dance between personal practice and professional serviceKaren is a yoga teacher, podcast host, author, and founder of Bare Bones Yoga. With a background in rehabilitative medicine and healthcare, she integrates her deep knowledge of anatomy and movement into her teaching and empowers yoga teachers to lead confident, accessible classes while understanding the why behind their cues.Connect with Karen Fabian at https://barebonesyoga.com/The Yoga Psychology Mentorship opens for registration tomorrow. Get on the waitlist at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/yoga-psychology-mentorship/Watch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation/Sign up for the Embodied Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Workshop in Mullumbimby on the 26th of July 2025 at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendar/Jump on our free email newsletter and be the first to hear when new offerings and episodes are announced at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join/ Listen to Dr Lauren’s interview on Karen’s podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/meet-dr-lauren-tober-ep-355/id1432716189?i=1000713093686Find out more about our wonderful sponsors:Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next orderYoga Australia at https://yogaaustralia.org.auThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Join us for a deeply transformative conversation about yoga as a path of self-remembrance and coming home to ourselves. In this episode, I sit down with Tracee Stanley (she/her) to explore the profound practice of yoga nidra and how it can guide us back to our true essence.In the episode, Tracee takes us on a journey into how she discovered yoga after a spontaneous experience on a balcony watching the sunrise in South Africa, and how she now weaves yoga and yoga nidra so deeply and intimately into her life and work. She shares with us about yoga nidra as a practice, as a goddess and a state of consciousness, and guides us through a beautiful protective practice to support us through difficult times. Tracee is the author of the bestselling book Radiant Rest: Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation and Awakened Clarity and The Luminous Self: Sacred Yogic Practices & Rituals to Remember Who You Are. She is also the founder of Empowered Life Circle, a sacred community and portal of practices, rituals, and Tantric teachings inspired by more than 28 years of studentship in Sri Vidya Tantra and the teachings of the Himalayan Masters. As a post-lineage teacher, Tracee is devoted to sharing the wisdom of yoga nidra, rest, meditation, self-inquiry, nature as a teacher, and ancestor reverence. This is a delightful and thoughtful episode, and I am so honoured to have delved into this conversation with Tracee and to share it with you here today.Connect with Tracee Stanley at https://www.traceestanley.com/Watch the How to Teach Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Masterclass at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/how-to-teach-yoga-for-nervous-system-regulation/Sign up for the Embodied Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Workshop in Mullumbimby on the 26th of July 2025 at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendar/Find out more and get on the waitlist for the Yoga Psychology Mentorship at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/yoga-psychology-mentorship/Find out more and get on the waitlist for the online Mental Health Aware Yoga training at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/online/Find out more about our wonderful sponsors:Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next orderYoga Australia at https://yogaaustralia.org.auThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

We often talk about adolescence but what about matresence? In today’s podcast episode, I sat down with Claire Holloway (she/her) to talk about all things pregnancy, birth and beyond. Claire is a yoga teacher, mother of two and the founder of the Centre of Bright Beginnings, where she holds space for women and parents to explore their own transformative journey, feeling supported and empowered towards autonomy in parenthood.A few episodes ago, I spoke with Jane Hardwick Collings on the topic of sagesence, and in today’s episode Claire and I talk about matrescence and the role that yoga plays in supporting us during this perinatal period of our lives. While the focus of perinatal yoga is often on asana, the physical practice of yoga, in this episode we explore how other facets of yoga can support the perinatal journey, including pranayama, mantra, yoga nidra, the yamas and niyamas and having an understanding of the koshas.This is an episode for anyone anywhere on the perinatal journey, and for those who love or work with people in this phase of their life.Connect with Claire Holloway at https://www.yourbrightbeginning.com.au/Be the first to hear when our new online Shala opens at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/joinFind out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.auThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

In today’s episode, I sat down with Leslie Kaminoff, to talk about the evolution of yoga and the power of breath in emotion regulation.Leslie is a yoga educator inspired by the tradition of T.K.V. Desikachar, and for five decades has been leading workshops and trainings in the fields of yoga, breath anatomy and bodywork. He also is the co-author of the book Yoga Anatomy which has sold over a million copies, and is a staple on the bookshelf of many yoga teachers worldwide.In the episode today, Leslie shares about his journey into yoga, learning from his father, becoming a Swami in India, then a householder in New York. We also unpack:the role of lineages and teachers in yoga,the trap of the ego and siddhis,the value of experiential learning over academic credentials,the power of the breath in self-enquiry and changing our emotional state,why he has no problem with things like goat yoga and hot naked yoga, andwhy Leslie believes it’s important to practice kriyas like kapalabhati before we practice pranayama. And stay right to the end to hear about Leslie’s personal practice these days, and how it’s evolved over the years.Connect with Leslie Kaminoff at https://yogaanatomy.orgJoin our email newsletter at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join/ Take Kajabi for a 30-day free spin at https://app.kajabi.com/r/HYb6mxhy/t/z2wqe6j9 Find out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.au This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

As a new mum, Belinda Haan (she/her) knew all about the power of self-compassion as she’d been teaching other mums all about it in her work. But she had a little secret. She wasn’t being compassionate to herself, despite having all the knowledge and tools at her fingertips.In today’s podcast episode, you’ll hear about how Belinda overcame this barrier to self-compassion, both back then as a new mum, and more recently as she’s navigated a big, scary challenge in her life.Belinda also shares some simple and powerful ways we can overcome our own barriers to self-compassion, cultivate more of it in our own lives, and she guides us through a beautiful and very accessible self-compassion practice.Belinda is a compassion ambassador, mindfulness teacher, and multidisciplinary coach and creator working as a bridge between science and spirituality to help people navigate the full joy, catastrophe and sacredness of life.She has decades of study, research and applied experience across a broad range of modalities and approaches under her belt, including coaching, psychology, neuroscience, mindfulness, sacred space holding, compassion, embodiment practices, and matrescence and motherhood.An Ambassador of Compassion with Stanford University, Belinda founded The Compassion Project to develop resources, partnerships and creative projects with the mission of bringing more compassion to the world.Connect with Belinda Haan at www.thecompassionproject.au, use the code Agratefullife10 to get 10% off the Emotional Support for Mothers toolkit.Join the Meditation, Pure + Simple online course with Dr Lauren Tober to try iRest Yoga Nidra at https://www.meditationpuresimple.com Be the first to hear when the doors of our new online Shala opens at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join/ Find out more about our wonderful sponsors:Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next orderYoga Australia at https://yogaaustralia.org.auThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Jane Hardwicke Collings (she/her) works for the goddess and I’m delighted to introduce you to her in this latest podcast episode, as we talk about women’s mysteries and rites of passage.I have been following Jane’s work for many years and last year, had the pleasure of attending one of her workshops on perimenopause. I was blown away, not only by what she was sharing, but also by the commanding way that she held the space for the biggest circle of women I have ever seen.Jane is a grandmother, a former homebirth midwife for 30 years, a teacher, writer, and menstrual childbirth and menopause educator. She founded and runs The School of Shamanic Womancraft, an international Women’s Mysteries School and has created the first holistic menstrual cycle charting app called Spinning Wheels.In today’s episode, we talk about:What it means to work for the goddess,What inspired Jane to devote her life’s work to women’s mysteries,Why it’s so important for us all to understand the seasons and cycles of a woman’s life,Sagescence and the wisdom that can come, both for women and men as we age, Whether this wisdom is a given, or something that we need to cultivate in order to achieve, andJane’s everyday practices to support her lifeConnect with Jane Hardwicke Collings at https://janehardwickecollings.com/Join our email newsletter to be the first to hear when our new online Shala is unveiled and our next program dates are announced at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/joinFind out more about our wonderful sponsors:Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next orderYoga Australia at https://yogaaustralia.org.auThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Five years ago in meditation, Rachel Allan (she/her) was given a quest to start the 40 for Tea podcast. She ignored this guidance for a couple of years, but after finding herself sobbing on the floor with a broken heart, she asked herself what she would most regret in her life if she died today. The answer was not what she expected…. the 40 for Tea podcast. So as the world went into lockdown, Rachel began this quest of having forty cups of tea and forty conversations with extraordinary humans from around the world.In the episode, you’ll hear Rachel and I talk about intuition, including how to cultivate it and gather the courage to follow it, as well as the intention and essence behind the 40 for Tea podcast and the key pieces of wisdom that came out of these forty profound conversations.Beyond the podcast, Rachel is a certified Professional Certified Coach (PCC), specializing in life and leadership innovation and executive coaching. Her work centers on deep listening, presence, and meaningful dialogue, fostering personal insight, authentic connection, and real transformation.Her passion lies in helping people return to themselves - out of the noise and into clarity, calm, and connection. Nothing is broken, we only remove the friction.Connect with Rachel Allan at https://rachallan.com/Get the last place on the Australian 2025 Mental Health Aware Yoga hybrid training on the 12-13th of April at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/hybridJoin my Embodied Yoga Nidra workshop in Brisbane on the 26th of April 2025 at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendar Find out more about our wonderful sponsors:Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next orderYoga Australia at https://yogaaustralia.org.auThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Did you know that yoga nidrā is not just an evidence-based relaxation practice, but she’s also the goddess of sleep and dreams in Indian mythology?In this podcast episode, I sat down with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli (she/her) to talk about all things yoga nidrā. For those of you who know me, you’ll know this is a practice I’m very passionate about, and it truly was an honour to chat with Uma in this episode, as she’s really a pioneer in the areas of women’s yoga and yoganidrā.Uma first fell in love with yoga in 1969 at the age of 4 and has been practicing and sharing yoga in various ways since then. She is a yoga therapist, the author of six yoga books, including Nidrā Shakti, which you’ll hear about in the episode today, as well as the Co-founder of the Yoga Nidrā Network. Recovering intuitive embodied and cyclical wisdom is at the heart of her writing and her approach to yoga therapy, and her practice and teaching respects the cyclical powers of the living earth, and honours human life cycles as spiritual initiations.In this episode, we speak about:The goddess of yoga nidrā, Yoga nidrā as a radical rest practice, If it’s really true that a short yoga nidra practice can replace hours of sleep, The psychological and spiritual aspects of yoga nidrā, How to practice yoga nidrā with an ADHD brain, What a feminine approach to yoga nidrā looks like, What it means to be post-lineage and Uma shares her own daily yoga practice with us (I love asking people this question!).Connect with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli at https://www.yoganidranetwork.orgJoin the Australian 2025 Mental Health Aware Yoga hybrid training on the 12-13th April at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/hybridJoin my yoga nidra workshop in Brisbane on the 26th of April 2025 at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendarPractice yoga nidra with me online at https://www.meditationpuresimple.comFind out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.auThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Aunty Jacqui Jarrett (she/her) is a proud Dharawal & Gumbaynggirr woman, elder & traditional owner of the Sydney Basin in Australia. As soon as Aunty Jacqui joined the Mental Health Aware Yoga training last year, I knew that I wanted to invite her on the podcast to speak about her life and work.Aunty Jacqui's yoga practice is intrinsically tied to her cultural obligations and responsibilities as a custodian of the land, and through the practice of yoga, she shows continual cultural connections, practices and knowledge of First Nations people. She is the founder of Nura Yoga and offers Yoga on Country classes which she shares all about in this fascinating podcast episode.In this episode, Aunty Jacqui shares about how it wasn’t until she found trauma-sensitive and Mental Health Aware Yoga that she finally started to see herself represented in contemporary yoga. She also shares about the ways that she brings yoga onto Country and how she has been applying the principles of Mental Health Aware Yoga in this space.We also explore the similarities and differences that Aunty Jacqui sees between yogic practices and wisdom and the wisdom and practices of Australia’s First Nations people.Truly it is an honour to have shared the teachings of Mental Health Aware Yoga with Aunty Jacqui and I’m excited to share this episode with you today.Connect with Aunty Jacqui Jarrett at https://nurayoga.com.au/Sign up for the 2025 Australian Mental Health Aware Yoga training at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/hybridStay connected by joining our email newsletter at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join/Find out the latest events at the Yoga Psychology Institute at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendar/ Find out more about our wonderful sponsors:Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next orderYoga Australia at https://yogaaustralia.org.auThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

What if yoga was built on a system of caste apartheid? If the very philosophies and practices we engaged in for our personal and collective liberation were actually deeply unjust and harmful for many?Can we still practice and teach yoga?Where do we go from here?These are questions that we’re exploring today in this thoughtful, heartfelt and somewhat controversial interview on the podcast with Roshni Lakhani and Bess Prescott.Roshni (she/her) is a scholar, educator, and facilitator, specialising in the intersections between language, caste, and power in South Asia. Raised in a caste-privileged Gujarati Hindu family in London, Roshni was immersed in South Asian spiritual traditions from a young age. She holds a BA (Hons.) in Sanskrit and South Asian Studies from SOAS, University of London. Her current work combines personal insight with academic depth, examining how systems of power shape modern yoga, south asian society and its diaspora.Bess (she/her) is a yoga practitioner and teacher interested in the intersection of yoga, human rights, history, ethics, politics and environmentalism. You might know her as the co-founder of Creature Yoga, in Byron Bay. Bess is deeply curious about how yoga can do good in the world, how it has contributed to harm, and how as teachers and practitioners, we can be aware of tradition while refusing to uphold dogma, hierarchy, patriarchy and caste apartheid.Connect with Roshni Lakhani at http://www.roshnilakhani.com/Connect with Bess Prescott at http://www.bessprescottyoga.com/Join the free Info Session for the hybrid Mental Health Aware Yoga training at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/hybrid/#info-sessionSign up to the 2025 Australian Mental Health Aware Yoga training at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/hybridJoin the Brisbane Yoga Nidra workshop and find out latest events at the Yoga Psychology Institute at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendar/Stay connected by joining our email newsletter at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join/Follow up resources provided by Bess:Interrogating Yoga training with Roshni and Bess https://bessprescottyoga.com/upcoming/interrogating-yoga-50hr-advanced-ytt/ Are you looking for me? poem by KabirThe work of Johannes Bronkhorst, particularly Buddhism in the Shadow of BrahminismThenmozhi Soundararajan, The Trauma of Caste (2022): An urgent call to action to end caste apartheid, grounded in Dalit feminist abolition and engaged BuddhismThe Trauma of Caste (w/Thenmozhi Soundararajan) from the Conspirituality Podcast https://open.spotify.com/episode/4w1pkTeGV4MsM7A3lX21S9?si=W0ofTNPQTNGCJ3R8g2QRWQ The Trauma of Caste with Thenmozhi Soundararajan from The Love of Yoga Podcast https://open.spotify.com/episode/6D34vASw3gRZCzZQXjntdE?si=9MvHnkxJRne8eSyHjut4Nw&nd=1&dlsi=9c2dfc4ef6fd4238 Annihilation of Caste by Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar (1936): A lecture that was never permitted to be given due to its incendiary nature, this book was self-published and immediately became the eye of a storm. Radically against the Brahmanical caste system and Hinduism, it argued for a society based on equal opportunities for all. You can find PDF copies of this floating around the internet.India Untouched: Stories of a People Apart documentary https://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/5752/india-untouched-stories-of-a-people-apartFind out more about our wonderful podcast sponsors:Organic India at https://www.organicindia.com.au - use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next orderYoga Australia at https://yogaaustralia.org.auThis podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

My friend Libbie Nelson (she/her) is over 80 years old and has been contemplating death.In our conversation on the podcast today, Libbie and I talk about the five stages of a person's life, from student to householder, forest-dweller, renunciate and death and how thinking about death can actually help us to wake up and really live our lives with intention.Libbie has been teaching and sharing yoga for over 50 years and has a long list of qualifications, including physiotherapy, yoga teaching, yoga therapy, naturopathy, acupuncture and ayurveda and is a graduate of our Mental Health Aware Yoga training.In the episode, we also talk about the changes Libbie has seen over the past 50 years in the yoga world, what it was like studying with BKS Iyengar, who is renowned for his sometimes aggressive and inappropriate teaching style, and Libbie’s key takeaways from the Mental Health Aware Yoga training, despite having 50 years of yoga under her belt before joining the training.Connect with Libbie Nelson at https://www.healthiemoves.comListen in to a previous episode with Zenith Virago on Death Dying and Living a Good Life at https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/zenith-virago-on-death-dying-and-living-a-good-life/id1193048930?i=1000497348664 Join the Mullumbimby hybrid Mental Health Aware Yoga training at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/hybrid Find out about our latest offerings at the Yoga Psychology Institute at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendar Join our email newsletter and be the first to hear when new episodes and trainings are announced at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join Find out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.au This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

Have you been diagnosed with Autism or ADHD recently? Or love or work with someone who has? You’re going to love today’s podcast episode!Monique Mitchelson (she/her) is an Autistic and ADHD’er Clinical Psychologist and the host of the very popular Neurodivergent Woman Podcast. We take a deep dive into her lived and professional experience of living a neurodivergent life and cover so much in today’s episode, including:What the terms neurodiverse and neurodiversity actually meanWhy many Autistic people prefer identity first languageHow Monique came out publicly as Autistic when she started the Neurodivergent Woman’s Podcast and what that was like for her and her careerInteroception and some of the challenges that Autistic folk have with noticing, interpreting and acting on internal cues, and what therapists and yoga teachers can do to support their students and clients to cultivate more interoception,Potential sensory challenges of yoga classes and therapy spaces, and how we can make these more friendly for neurodivergent folk.As well as having a lived experience of Autism and ADHD, Monique is the Co-Director of Divergent Futures training. She consulted on the Australian National Autism Strategy and co-authored the book ‘The Neurodivergence Skills Workbook for Autism and ADHD’ so she knows a thing or two about the topic!Connect with Monique Mitchelson at https://www.moniquemitchelson.com/Sign up for the free legal workshop for health professionals on the 31st of January 2025 at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/legal/ Get the early bird price for the hybrid Mullumbimby Mental Health Aware Yoga training at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/hybrid Join our email newsletter to be the first to hear when new episodes and trainings are announced at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/joinFind the latest events at the Yoga Psychology Institute at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendarFind out more about our wonderful sponsors:Organic India https://www.organicindia.com.au/ (use the promo code GRATEFUL15 to get 15% off your next order)Yoga Australia https://yogaaustralia.org.au This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training. While we are grateful for our guests and sponsors, any statements, claims or endorsements made are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Yoga Psychology Institute.

I hated anatomy when I studied it at uni (can anyone else relate?). So when Leila Stuart reached out about coming on the podcast again to chat about her work with embodied anatomy, I was a little unsure about whether it would be interesting! But this episode is anything but boring!Leila spoke about burnout on the podcast last year, and it was such a popular episode and resonated for so many people. Leila is a pioneer in the field of embodied movement education, she’s a retired clinical massage therapist, a yoga teacher and therapist and the author of the new book Experiential Anatomy: Therapeutic Applications of Embodied Movement and Awareness.In this episode, Leila shares how in writing her book on experiential anatomy and refining all the practices, she wrote herself back to health after years of burnout. What a testament to this work! In our discussion we explore the importance of interoception and embodiment on our mental health and sense of self in the world, and how having both a top-down and bottom-up approach to anatomy can help us to not only be safe and stable in our bodies, but also to understand ourselves better.Leila also shares a simple but really effective way to get back into your body and cultivate interoceptive awareness.It’s a wonderful episode, and I cannot wait to share it with you!Connect with Leila Stuart at https://www.leilastuart.com and get a 20% discount on her book here using the code LEILA20.Join the Embodied Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Workshop in Brisbane in February 2025 at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendarGet the early bird price for the hybrid Mullumbimby Mental Health Aware Yoga training at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/hybrid Get on our awesome email newsletter to stay up to date with all our offerings at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/joinFind out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.au This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training.

Om swastiastu, greetings from Bali!I first heard about Umā sitting in a women’s circle in Byron Bay, Australia, and the way my friends described her made me want to meet her immediately. You'll understand why when you listen in!Umā is the founding director of SATYA - the Synergistic Alignment of Tantra, Yoga & Ayurveda, and lives in Bali, Indonesia. Born in Kenya of Indian descent to a Hindu family of Freedom Fighters, at 20 Umā moved to Bali and entered into a 14 year apprenticeship in seclusion with her Shaivite guru in his hermitage.In our conversation today Umā shares about her extraordinary life experiences, as well as generously answering my questions about whether she believes that we all need to go into seclusion with a guru like she did to live a deeply spiritual life and how she balances living in the world and running a business with her spirituality.Connect with Umā at https://umainder.com/.Get your free ticket to the Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) Mental Health Aware yoga book launch at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendar. Find out more about the Embodied Yoga for Nervous System Regulation Workshop in Brisbane in February 2025 at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/calendar. Sign up for the hybrid Mullumbimby Mental Health Aware Yoga training at https://www.mentalhealthawareyoga.com/hybrid.Get on our email newsletter to stay up to date with all our offerings at https://www.yogapsychologyinstitute.com/join.Find out more about our wonderful sponsor, Yoga Australia, at https://yogaaustralia.org.au.This podcast is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice or training. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalised guidance or come and join one of our programs at the Yoga Psychology Institute for professional training.