intelligent edge yoga

Leslie Kaminoff is one of the most recognized and respected names in American yoga, but he owes it all to Canada... We talk about his beginnings as a teacher, the Yoga Alliance standards creation and review, as well as some breathwork techniques and when holding the breath makes sense.

Elise Joan is a bright, bold presence - she puts herself out there - and has done yoga DVDs, television, and has a thriving online yoga business. We talk about putting yoga online, and her initial start in acting and musical theatre and how she could translate making it in one tough industry to another when her voice gave out and she had to make a change.

Michael Lee of Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy had a good thing going, but still decided to change course and pursue yoga, and ultimately yoga therapy. We talk about his 30+ year career and his takeaways as a long-term practitioner and teacher.

Do you practice meditation to benefit your sports, or do you practice yoga and meditation because some sports aren’t so great for your head? Sid McNairy teaches both, and he shares his takeaways from a lifetime in sports, an early introduction to meditation, and why yoga and meditation benefits athletes - especially those who have suffered concussions.

t can be an uncomfortable topic, unless you’re speaking with someone as ebullient as Ava Taylor. The founder and chief catalyst of YAMA Talent, Ava is optimistic and pragmatic about the business of yoga, and she shares her story, what it’s like working with yogis, and the qualities that make a successful yogi.

The sharp, warm Alex Crow has an impressive gallery of fancy yoga postures, but she travels teaching programs entitled "Deconstruct to Reconstruct", encouraging teachers to offer a more holistic approach to yoga. She talks about her evolution, including how "having it all" wasn't all it was cracked up to be and how it didn't represent a holistic picture of her as a person and teacher.

Looking to change some habits? Pretty much anyone who practices yoga is invested in improving their discernment, discipline, and cultivating healthy ways of living. Following up from last episode on willpower, we talk about the psychology of habits, the yoga philosophy of them, and even touch on a summary of Gretchen Rubin's habits read "Better Than Before".

Yoga philosophy does not characterize the universe as a glorious place designed to fulfill all your wishes if you ask it nicely. That doesn't mean goal setting is bad - quite the contrary - but this is a cheeky exploration into the difference between new age spirituality pop religion and yoga philosophy. We go into some psychology on willpower and self-control, too!

Disagreeing with people can be uncomfortable, but it's a part of life and one that often helps further understandings of other people's experiences and opinions. Culturally, we're getting worse at disagreeing with each other, and the popular perception of yogis often makes disagreeing more difficult. Let's talk about disagreeing in conversation, and then a little bit about disagreements in the yoga world right now.

Mona Warner is a yoga teacher and an Ayurvedic practitioner, and she's one of my favourite people on the planet. We talk about different designations in Ayurveda, how you can work with practitioners, approaches to diet and wellness, and Ayurveda's ability to support people going through intensive treatments.

Fear and difficult emotions are often part of the pregnancy experience, and many women turn to yoga - or continue their yoga - through their pregnancy to help with the anxiety of navigating pregnancy and labour. Nicky Poole is an experienced mum, prenatal yoga teacher, and teacher trainer, and we chat about moving from rules-making to contextual reasoning to think our way through what's appropriate for parents-to-be.

Maybe one of the most experienced yogis to ever grace this podcast in past or future, Yoganand Michael Carroll is a treasure trove of amazing stories and yoga philosophy. A must listen for anyone interested in the history of yoga and its philosophy!

Why are you talking like that? An exploration into what makes a voice, what is "yoga voice", and why we may do it.

Susi Hately is a yoga therapist and teacher trainer in Calgary, Alberta, who is a pioneer in offering trainings online in yoga and yoga therapy through her program, Functional Synergy. We talk early online yoga work, the evolution and content of yoga therapy, and creating a meaningful, sustainable yoga career.

A conversation about yoga conversations with Carol Horton, PhD, including the early days of the yoga blogging community, how the change in tone in the yoga community has prompted some changes in her work, and staying focused on being of service to others.