The Flow Artists Podcast - Yoga, activism and more

Amy Wheeler is a Yoga Therapist, holds a PhD in Educational Psychology, a sports psychologist and the developer of Optimal State system of health and healing. Amy is also President of the Board of Directors to the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Amy is a leader in the field of yoga therapy, so this is a conversation you’ll want to hear. We speak with Amy about her journey of discovering yoga, and how she came from a background working in sports psychology to eventually become a yoga therapist. We learn about anxiety, the relationship between anxiety and sleep, and how yoga and yoga therapy may help. We get a great reminder of the scope of practice of yoga teachers and therapists, and how we can best serve students or clients who may be struggling. Also in this episode, we are announcing the launch of our Patreon page! Patreon is a way that you can help financially support the podcast. The Flow artists Podcast will always be free and we love doing it, but creating this podcast does take time and energy - from booking, researching and interviewing guests, writing great questions to editing and processing audio, writing show notes and sharing on social media - it can take around 8-10 hours to create each episode. For more information go to https://www.patreon.com/flowartistspodcast Links: Amy Wheeler's website: https://amywheeler.com Assessing and Balancing the Human System: https://www.janetlowndes.com.au/amy-wheeler-workshop

Ann Swanson is a yoga teacher, holds a Masters of Science in Yoga Therapy and is the author of the recently released book Science of Yoga. We were lucky enough to get an advance digital copy of the book and we loved it. It’s full of great information and beautiful illustrations, and it really marries together the worlds of science and yoga quite wonderfully. Rane genuinely wishes he had a copy of this book when he was doing his teacher training, and we ordered a physical copy once it was released. We can definitely recommend that you do the same. In this conversation we learn about how Ann grew up the daughter of a NASA Scientist, but had an early love of art and illustration. We learn how Ann found her path of Yoga, how she came to specialise in yoga for arthritis, and her inspirations for writing the book. Finally, we hear how Ann's loves of art, science and yoga all combined to make writing and developing this book a wonderful experience. Bio Ann is a yoga therapist, mind-body science educator, and author of Science of Yoga. She is part heart-based healer and part science nerd. Ann supports people living in living happier, healthier lives by making wellness non-intimidating and accessible to everybody. With a Master of Science in yoga therapy and roots studying yoga in India and qi gong China, Ann uniquely applies cutting-edge research to mind-body practices while maintaining the heart of the traditions. She internationally speaks and teaches on the science supporting yoga’s benefits to both the public and yoga professionals. Ann trains yoga professionals in workshops on yoga anatomy, Yoga for Arthritis, and accessible yoga. In her private practice, Ann specializes in helping busy people worldwide relieve pain, manage stress, and find ease through one-on-one online yoga therapy online . Specialties: Yoga for Arthritis + Chronic Pain Relief • Research Science Supporting Yoga • Neuroplasticity + Mindfulness • Accessible Yoga • Office Yoga Links: For more on Science of Yoga, including the book and courses: www.scienceof.yoga Science of Yoga on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2ST9gJV For free videos, including a relaxing meditation for pain relief, and more on one-on-one yoga therapy online with Ann: www.AnnSwansonWellness.com Follow Science of Yoga on Instagram: bit.ly/instagramSOY Follow Ann's Youtube Channel: bit.ly/youtubeann

Jo Tito is an artist, photographer, meditator and generally amazing person, and we're not just saying that because she is related to Rane! Jo's work has a real sense of nature, Maori spirituality and groundedness which is why Jo and Rane have some of her photography in their studio Garden of Yoga. In this episode, we learn about Jo's background growing up in rural New Zealand. We learn how she discovered meditation and how it informs her art and life. We learn how she found a global following while working on her Hand Painted Rocks project - painting a rock, photographing and writing every day for a year. Jo has much wisdom and has been lucky enough to travel the world sharing her art and collaborating with other Indigenous artists. Links: Wondering Earth: http://wonderingearth.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wonderingearth/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ARTISTinNATURE/ Hand Painted Rocks: http://www.handpaintedrocks.com/ Hand Painted Rocks on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoTito/media_set?set=a.496280546552&type=3 https://www.facebook.com/JoTito/media_set?set=a.10150258314371553&type=3 Walking in Circles Project: http://walkingincircles.org/ Dhamma Medini Vipassana Meditation: http://medini.dhamma.org/

Anthony and Dominique Salerno are the individuals behind iconic Melbourne Yoga studio Australian Yoga Academy. We were very excited to catch up with them at their beautiful new studio in Prahran because Australian Yoga Academy is where Rane did his yoga teacher training, and he has many fond memories of taking classes with both of them. Past guests of the podcast Karina Smith, Mark Pheely and Jo Buick all cite Anthony and Dominique as some of their key teachers and we estimate that AYA has trained hundreds of yoga teachers since they established their teacher training program in 2005, so they have been a huge influence on the Melbourne (and Australian) Yoga landscape. We knew some of their story before speaking with them, but they really opened up and shared some fascinating aspects of their personal and professional history. In this episode, they share some great advice about finding your voice as a Yoga teacher, the power of vulnerability and the importance of being an eternal student. Links: Australian Yoga Academy: https://australianyogaacademy.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/australianyogaacademy/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustralianYogaAcademy/ Vote for us in The Australian Podcast Awards: https://auspodcastawards.awardsplatform.com/entry/vote/VWzRQJWw/EZgPLXPM?search=e6a9c8a02f345621-18

Gina Macauley is a Yoga teacher, a qualified yoga therapist, and the owner of YogaHara, a yoga studio based in Bendigo, Victoria. In this conversation, we learn about Gina’s background, how she discovered yoga and decided it was the path for her. We see Gina's commitment and love of Yoga philosophy in the way that she runs her business and lives her life. She also has a lot of really practical suggestions and great ideas including how she has used Facebook live to create an at-home practice option for her students. We also discuss Gina's Adrenal healing workshops. As we learn in this episode, modern life can be very taxing on the adrenal system, so the kriya practised in this workshop can be really valuable. Links Yoga Hara: http://www.yogahara.com.au/ Instagram: http://instagram.com/yogahara Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/yogaharabendigo Jo and Rane's Annual Review: https://www.facebook.com/gardenofyoga/videos/529952310851907/ Suspended Sound: https://www.gardenofyoga.com.au/workshops/suspended-sound/ Beyond Asana with Kara-Leah Grant: https://www.gardenofyoga.com.au/workshops/beyond-asana-journey-awakening-tantra-yoga/

Claire Cunneen is a Sydney based Yoga and Pilates Teacher, a yoga therapist and has a Bachelors degree in Exercise Science. She also facilitates teacher trainings in LV Chair Yoga - the subject of this episode. Like us, Claire is passionate about making yoga more accessible, so we had a lot to talk about! In this episode we learn about Claire's background growing up in Sydney, and how the classic TV show Aerobics Aus-style instilled a passion for exercise and fitness. We learn what drew her to yoga, and chair yoga in particular. Claire tells us what Chair Yoga is, and why it's so important to be able to provide a style of yoga that is accessible for people of all body types and abilities. We also discuss some of the challenges and rewards that come from working with people who may be going through big changes in their bodies. Finally, Claire tells us about her new Chair Yoga DVD that is available now! We are also very excited to talk about an upcoming Chair Yoga Teacher Training hosted by Claire at our Studio Garden of Yoga! Links Claire's Website: https://www.getfitwhereyousit.com.au/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lvcyau/ Chair Yoga Teacher Training at Garden of Yoga: https://www.facebook.com/events/318214292104253/ Beyond Asana • The Journey of Awakening via Tantra Yoga with Kara-Leah Grant: https://www.facebook.com/events/319077415366688/ Claire and Jo: https://www.instagram.com/p/BroD1QRDf7Y/

Coco Nkrumah is a Meditation teacher, podcaster and the man behind Reality Based Mindfulness. In this episode, we learn about Coco's background growing up in inner city Melbourne. We hear how he discovered meditation through martial arts and Qi Gong. We learn how Coco developed his reality-based style of teaching and practising meditation, and how he facilitates his sessions, both in the community and the corporate sector. Coco also shares about his work as a volunteer live-in mentor for an at-risk youth program with Concern Australia. Coco is of West African descent and is passionate about creating accessible spaces for people of colour to explore mindfulness and meditation. Jo and Rane both truly believe that practices such as yoga and meditation should be both welcoming and accessible to everyone, so we were really excited to talk to Coco and get his perspective on this and many other issues. Links: Reality Based Mindfulness: http://www.realitybasedmindfulness.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realitybasedmindfulness/ The Meditation Collective - A Safe space for people of colour - all welcome: https://www.artswellbeingcollective.com.au/events/the-meditation-collective/ Concern Australia: https://www.concernaustralia.org.au/ Reality Based Mindfulness on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/realitybasedmindfulness

Mei Lai Swan is a yoga teacher, musician, former social worker, and the creator of Yoga for Humankind, a Yoga School and Social Enterprise dedicated to bringing the benefits of yoga, mindfulness and movement therapies to communities all over the world. Mei Lai is a wonderful teacher and an inspiration. Her work and how she lives her life provides a practical example of how the yoga philosophies taught in many yoga teacher trainings can be applied to life, so we were really excited to get the chance to speak with her while she was in Melbourne recently. In this episode we learn about Mei Lai's background, growing up in inner-city Melbourne. We learn how she discovered yoga and meditation and how she moved into social work. We learn how a love of music developed into a powerful sharing of Nada Yoga and Kirtan. Finally, we hear about Mei Lai's work with Aboriginal Communities and how this work has influenced her trauma-informed approach to Yoga. Links: Yoga for Humankind: https://yogaforhumankind.org/ On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yogaforhumankind/ Mei Lai on Instagram: http://instagram.com/meilaiswanyoga

This episode is an interview with Simone Busija and Michelle Lykokapis. These are amazing individuals who are like Rane, living (and thriving) without stomachs. Michelle is an artist, a meditation teacher, and the main admin and creator of the Support Group for Partial and Total Gastrectomy on Facebook, a group with over 2000 members that helps support individuals and the families of individuals without stomachs. Simone is a Community and Corporate Fundraising Coordinator at Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation (where Rane received his treatment), a board member for No Stomach For Cancer, and organiser of the Melbourne No Stomach For Cancer walk, which is happening on November the 18th. This is a great cause to help raise funds for stomach cancer awareness, and as we will hear, some of the money even goes to local researchers. As we will also hear, stomach cancer is the 5th most common form of cancer, yet is the 3rd leading cause of death amongst cancer - this is mainly because it is not detected until too late, so we can really help the cause by raising awareness. In this episode, we learn about Michelle's backgrounds, what they do to support others without stomachs, and why their stomachs were removed. We learn some misconceptions around cancer, and about living without a stomach. We also hear about No Stomach Cancer, the upcoming walk and what people can do to help. This episode is very special for Rane as it marks 3 years since his stomach was removed via a Total Gastrectomy, just a few months after he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. NOTE: There is some discussion on topics that some might find disturbing. Links: No Stomach for Cancer: https://www.nostomachforcancer.org/ No Stomach for Cancer Walk 2018: https://www.mycause.com.au/events/teamaustralianostomachforcancerwalk Gastrectomy Connections: https://www.gastrectomyconnections.com/ Support Group for Partial and Total Gastrectomy: https://www.facebook.com/groups/supportgrouppartialtotalgastrectomy/ Family Ties: http://familyties.org.au/ Rane and Jo's Yoga For Digestive Ease workshop: https://www.facebook.com/events/746304519039860/

Paul Majewski is a Melbourne based meditation teacher, the director of Meditation Solutions, and the vice president of Meditation Australia, Australia’s peak body for meditation teachers. Paul has a long history of both practising and teaching meditation, having taught for well over 20 years. In this episode, Jo and I speak with Paul and learn about his background growing up in Perth, Western Australia. We learn about how he was dissatisfied with the Christianity he was raised with and set on a path of learning about other religions. We hear about how Paul discovered Buddhism, and how meditation helped him with chronic health issues he was facing. We discover how Pauls meditation practice evolved into teaching meditation and his approach to teaching meditation to others. Finally, we ask Paul many questions about Meditation and Mindfulness, including the multiple definitions of the word, and the potential for the confusion this may bring about. Links: Meditation Solutions: https://www.meditationsolutions.com.au/ Mental Health Awareness for Meditation Teachers: https://www.facebook.com/events/518799945251766/ A Potential Answer to the question - "Is Enlightenment Real?" - https://www.facebook.com/BigThinkScience/videos/235803447099448/ Join the Flow Artists Podcast Community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1698795386857843/

The podcast has been going for a whole year! We thought that was worthy of an anniversary episode, so here we are! In this episode, we talk about the podcast, why we started it, and what we enjoy about making it. We also share some of the surprises and challenges that come from making it, and a few things that we have learned along the way. We share what goes into putting out the podcast and how it has changed the way we teach yoga! Rane has been teaching for a few months now, so we learn how his teaching has evolved in the last year We also hear from Jo her reasons for starting a home studio, how the podcast has influenced the direction of the studio, and Jo shares some advice on running your own Yoga space from home. We would both like to sincerely thank all of our guests and our listeners for sticking around for they year. On to another! Links: Garden of Yoga Website: https://www.gardenofyoga.com.au/ Top Tips for Running a home studio: https://podcast.flowartists.com/news/top-tips-running-home-studio/ No Stomach for Cancer Fundraiser Class: https://www.facebook.com/events/746304519039860/ No Stomach for Cancer Walk Donation Page: https://www.mycause.com.au/page/178988/garden-of-yoga

Loraine is a yoga teacher and the founder of Zenergy Yoga. She is a leading authority on yoga for children and teens. She has trained over 1,000 people on how to teach yoga to children and teens in a way that is meaningful, impactful and fun. Loraine is an active advocate of the benefits of yoga for the young. In this episode, we learn about Loraine's background growing up in Northern England, how she discovered yoga and how developing a yoga practice helped her with some chronic health issues. We learn how Loraine found her purpose in teaching yoga to kids. We learn the three main aspects of teaching yoga to kids, and how Loraine maintains control during a class. Finally, we hear how bringing yoga to young people can be such a powerful intervention in their lives. As you will hear in this episode Jo and I have both had a little bit of experience in teaching yoga to kids, so it was great to be able to ask Loraine some questions we had both been absolutely dying to ask. Loraine caught up with us while she was in Melbourne to lead a teacher training, so we jumped at the chance to speak with her. Links: Zenergy Yoga: https://zenergyyoga.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zenergykidsyoga/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zenergykidsyoga/ The Unbound Life - One-day immersion with Kara Leah Grant - https://www.facebook.com/events/540622949705765/

J Brown is a Yoga Teacher, writer and host of J Brown’s Yoga talks. He is currently based in Pennsylvania, after relocating from the studio he ran in Brooklyn, New York City for many years. J is a prolific blogger and writer - having contributed to sites such as Yoga Dork and Elephant Journal - writing many informative articles over the years on the state of Yoga. His podcast is one of our must listens, and he has featured some of the worlds most well-known yoga teachers in very in depth and informative conversations. J Brown Yoga Talks is a huge influence on the Flow Artists Podcast, and probably one of the reasons it exists! In this episode, we learn about J's Childhood, and how he was affected by the tragic death of his mother. We learn about how some of his early experiences in yoga lead him towards a path of injury. We learn how his encounters with an Indian Swami changed his approach to life and yoga. We also learn about how he navigates using online technology to share his knowledge while still maintaining personal connections within his classes. Finally, J shares how he structures and teaches a typical class in a way that allows him to personalise for each student, and how he now teaches a more gentle, accepting, non-dualist approach to yoga. Links: J Brown's website: https://www.jbrownyoga.com/ J on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jbrownyoga/ J's Upcoming visit to Australia: http://www.qiyoga.net/events/gentle-is-the-new-advanced-with-international-yoga-teacher-j-brown/ Tickets for Asher Packman's Event 'Blood Bath for BCAM': https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/blood-bath-for-bcam-tickets-49802277954 Asher's Podcast Episode: https://podcast.flowartists.com/episodes/david-packman/

In this episode, we speak with Jamie Marloo Thomas and Sara Jones, creators and facilitators of Wayapa Wuurrk. Wayapa Wuurrk is a modality that incorporates movement, meditation and a connection to the 14 elements of nature and the land. The word Wayapa means connection, and it draws from indigenous philosophy but is designed to be a practice for everyone regardless of religion or background. In this episode, we learn how Jamie's childhood experiences lead him on the path to creating Wayapa Wuurrk. We learn about the 14 elements, and how a Wayapa Wuurrk session is structured. We learn how Wayapa goes beyond self-care and encourages an attitude that goes beyond the self towards caring for the environment and looking after the planet for future generations. Finally, we learn how Jamie and Sara worked together to nurture an idea to being approved as an official modality by the International Institute of Complementary Therapies as a way to raise funds to teach Indigenous children their culture. Links: Wayapa Wuurk - http://wayapa.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wayapawuurrk/

Jase Te Patu is a Yoga teacher based in Wellington, New Zealand. Jase has a lot going on! He heads up his yoga studio, Power Living Wellington, he facilitates men’s groups and is leading the charge in creating discussions around men’s mental health. He also recently created M3Mindfulness, an initiative being introduced to schools in New Zealand that incorporates Mindfulness, Yoga and Maori mythology. In this episode we learn about Jase's life growing up, being raised by his grandparents and speaking Maori until he reached school age. We learn about how he struggled with being forced into a specific version of masculinity at boarding school, and how that informs the work he does today. We learn how Jase went from competitive sport in his youth to dance and then how he discovered yoga, Jase goes on to tell us about his important work in mental health and men's health, and we have a discussion about how his new school program, M3mindfulness came to be. This episode really means a lot to me - as a Maori and a man myself, I really resonated with a lot of what he has to say, and I feel the work he is doing is incredibly important. Jase is not afraid to show his authentic self or his vulnerability. He shares wisdom that we really need in the world in this day and age, and we are truly honored to be able to play a small part in that.