The Sivana Podcast

What if animals, plants and trees could talk? What if we could listen? In a time where the rise of technology and our modern lifestyles may threaten our connection to the natural world, it's important that we find ways to stay connected to nature.  Join us with Amelia Kinkade, animal "whisperer", author and one of the leading psychics in America, as we discuss how to get more in touch with nature and the animals around us.

Yoga has meant a lot of things to a lot of people throughout Indian history. What it means to people has changed even more since yoga has spread across the world. How do we define yoga today? Do we need to define yoga? What is happening to yoga in the West?  Join us with author, teacher, ayurvedic consultant and cultural critic, Matthew Remski, as we dive into this important topic.

The practice of yoga postures (asana) within Hatha Yoga is by far the most widely practiced type of yoga in the Western World today. What is its purpose? Does all yoga need to be therapeutic? Why do people get injured? Is there a difference in how different styles of yoga (Iyengar and Ashtanga as an example) view the practice of postures?

Presence, mindfulness, these are words we hear a lot, but what does it really mean to be present and mindful? Are there ways to cultivate a more active engaged presence in life? Join us with Thomas. M. Sterner, author, musician and athlete, as we explore what it means to be fully engaged in every aspect of your life. Thomas M. Sterner is the author of multiple books, including The Practicing Mind and Fully Engaged., and speaks around the world on developing focus and discipline.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda have both been around since antiquity. While the two grew in their own separate ways, their nearby cultural connections meant that they likely influenced each another. What similarities are there between these two holistic sciences? What are their big differences? Join us with Dr. Prana Gogia, Acupuncturist and Ayurvedic Practitioner, as we discuss these two fascinating forms of medicine and learn more about how they can benefit us in our daily lives.

Join us with Katie Brauer, as we dive into how yoga can empower people in their lives and explore what it's like being a yoga teacher today. Most yoga classes are being taught by newer teachers with limited education. When do we start to expect a higher standard in how yoga teachers are trained? What might that look like for teachers and students? How is the scenery of how yoga is taught in the West already changing? We'll explore these topics and more!

Join us with our guest, Russill Paul, spiritual teacher, musician, and author of The Yoga of Sound, as we discuss the power of sound, vibration and mantra to affect every aspect of our lives. If you are interested in incorporating mantra into your life, you'll enjoy Russill's insights and understandings of this incredible and ancient practice. In this episode, we'll also explore the four streams of sonic mysticism, explain what a sonic community is, and much more!

Join us with Jeffrey Armstrong, author, mystical poet, motivational speaker and spiritual teacher, as we discuss how yoga can inspire a new generation of thought leaders living and participating in the every day world. How can we work to effect positive change in the world around us and within us? We ask how to integrate yoga into our daily lives, and explore important questions about life, divine intelligence and the challenges of living a conscious life in the modern world.

While we can agree that yoga is about a lot more than stretching, that doesn't change the fact that the majority of people coming to yoga in the west, come because of a perceived benefit of stretching. So what is actually happening to the body when we stretch and move in a postural yoga practice? Has what we know about the body changed in recent years because of developments in western medical science? 

Are we taking yoga somewhere, or is it taking us? And where are we headed? Join us as we talk with J. Brown, yoga teacher, writer and host the Yoga Talks Podcast. His writing has been featured in Yoga Therapy Today, the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, Elephant Journal, and Yogadork. In this episode, J. shares his personal story of how yoga helped him process his mother's death and how his practice has changed over the years.

In Part II of our conversation with yogi and sanskrit scholar, Christopher Tompkins, he expands on his amazing findings that include an important missing link between the modern popular postures and ancient tantric traditions! Were early yogi masters who brought yoga to the west teaching everything they knew or was something intentionally left out? Where does this leave the modern practice, so popular today? Where do we go next?

The true origins of the modern practice of Hatha Yoga, practiced by so many in the world today, is hotly disputed by many scholars. Some people believe most of the postures practiced today were invented by a great yogi and sage, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, in the early 20th century. Others say the postures are much older,  but how much older? If the postures did exist hundreds or thousands of years ago, were they practiced the same way? Are we missing anything in our modern practice? 

In this episode, we dive into a story of Hanuman that warns us not to get too comfortable on the spiritual journey. Even after Hanuman realizes his divine nature, there is still work to be done and obstacles to overcome. With strength, wit, and a commitment to explore the depths of the subconscious, Hanuman shows us how to overcome the challenges of the spiritual path. The story serves as a reminder to stay vigilant in your quest, no matter how far you've come.

What do yoga and martial arts have in common? How about yoga and sport? In this episode, we talk with Dr. Jerry Lynch, who has been using mindfulness techniques with world class coaches and athletes for decades. He shares with us how mindfulness techniques can be applied to any life experience and can fundamentally change the way we engage the world. What is mindfulness? How does one practice it? We'll explore these questions and more!

Join us for a thrilling three part conversation with author, scholar and yogi, Douglas Brooks, who is currently Professor of Religion at the University of Rochester, NY. His work with yoga communities has impacted countless numbers of yogis and yoginis all over the world, and particularly here in the United States.