yoga & politics: bad leaders, spiritual bypassing, & good activism as a yogi

Jordan B is a yoga educator and content creator, known for her “big sister advice” and her gift for translating yoga philosophy into practical wisdom you can actually use. In this episode, we talk about creativity in yoga, discipline vs. devotion, what makes yoga an art form, why Jordan calls yoga “body poetry”, and how to integrate yoga philosophy into your life and practice. This conversation feels as warm and personal as Jordan’s advice, full of gems for yoga students and yoga teachers. This episode is for you if you love yoga and are looking for ways to carry it beyond the mat and into your life.

I fell in love with yoga because of a teacher at a dirty studio down the street, because of the ones who taught me to float and fly, and because of the teachers who called me by name before I was sure I belonged. After interviewing over 100 yoga teachers—from living legends like Sri Dharma Mittra and David Swenson to daily studio instructors—I realized the real magic isn't in theory or instant gratification. It’s in the stories, the trust, and the willingness to keep figuring it out when there is no clear path. In Part 1 of this mini-series, we’re cutting through the noise and diving deep into three core lessons on Abundance & Trust: It’s in the living, not the theory

Jada, known online as @flowgogirl, is a yoga and movement teacher as well as a content creator. Her love of movement is a contagious energy, and her passion for yoga and dance is clear in everything she shares. She inspires her students and audience to honor the gift of life through movement and to remember how lucky we are to be able to move our bodies. In this conversation, she talks about where her creativity comes from, how she trusts her body to guide her, her morning routine, and her experience of moving through grief.

Poetic lessons from yoga on not rushing. If you’ve been living on fast-forward, constantly optimization-obsessed, and terrified that slowing down means you’ll run out of energy or fall behind, this episode is your permission to stop sprinting. We’re diving into the real reason we trap ourselves in chronic busyness, why we’re deeply tired rather than lazy, and how to transition from operating on stress hormones and caffeine to tapping into true creative presence. I share stories from the mat, savasana, alongside reflections on yoga philosophy, the 8 limbs, and why yoga doesn’t take time, it gives us time. Plus, we explore poetic reflections on time scarcity, breaking the addiction to hustle, and five simple ways you can practice "un-hurrying" your everyday life this week. Patreon: Leadership and Yoga CLUB. To support my work on this podcast, join monthly workshops, meet fellow listeners, and more… Join below. https://www.patreon.com/cw/shawnakru Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠ ⁠Shawna’s website⁠ OfferingTree is an all-in-one business platform for yoga teachers and studios. It handles your website, scheduling, payments, and marketing in one place. Try it free and get a discount with my link here⁠⁠! (My sponsor) Sign up for Yoga Trade’s passport: https://join.yogatrade.com/membership (My sponsor) STAmina apnea breath hold app mentioned: https://getstamina.app/ Krishnamacharya poetry: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cWwnn_nOU5FHPkqBbPRJnoicHmC6Zbzg57axeYp9M50/edit?usp=sharing

Arundhati Baitmangalkar is a Seattle-based yoga teacher originally from South India. She is the host of the Let's Talk Yoga podcast and owner of the Aham Yoga Studio. Arundhati has a beautiful, tangible way of explaining how to teach yoga philosophy that is both practical and grounded in yoga's roots. She shares her method for measuring "success" in your yoga practice (the "three C's") and advice for teaching yoga with heart. This episode is for you if you're looking for guidance as a yoga teacher or to feel re-energized by your own yoga practice.