Show Notes
“Yoga is a destruction process. It's taking away all that stuff that we've picked up, and we thought is us and that we've just hung on to, and it's dismantling that.” – Shanna Small
Society teaches us to seek external validation to feel complete. Yoga teaches us that we are already whole, full and complete. Through yoga, we can dismantle false beliefs and recognize the connection between suffering and the stories we create in our minds.
Join Jivana and podcast guest, Shanna Small, as they reflect on overcoming societal conditioning and trusting one's innate wholeness through yoga philosophy, beyond the eight limbs of yoga.
Topics include:
The concept of wholeness
The distinction between pain and suffering.
Destruction of ignorance and mental modifications
Being our own guru
How yoga can help us address systemic problems
Spiritual bypassing and service
The teachings of Karma Yoga
The transformative power of understanding the Gita
Check out Jivana’s new book, The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about the book on his website.
Connect with Jivana:
www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman
Shanna Small (she/her) is a writer and yoga teacher who speaks to the intersectionality of yoga and social justice. She has practiced Ashtanga yoga and studied the Yoga Sutras since 2001. Shanna finds joy in making yoga accessible for all. She is a contributor for Yoga International, OmStars, OmPractice and Embodied Philosophy. You can also find her online at Shanna Small Yoga. Shanna teaches trainings and workshops on diversity and inclusivity, the Yoga Sutras, and accessibility. She is a founding member of Yoga For Recovery Foundation, a non-profit that helps those recovering from addiction, trauma, and systemic oppression.
Connect with Shanna:
shannasmallyoga.com | @shannasmallofficial
More from The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga
In this final wrap up episode, Jivana offers an overview of his book, The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and highlights a few topics that are of particular importance to him. Whether you’ve read the book or not, this episode addresses many key elements in making yoga accessible for yoga teachers and yoga therapists.
How does being a student of yoga translate into teaching yoga? Loving the practice and wanting to share it with others is at the heart of becoming a teacher. As a teacher, you also continue learning and evolving, deepening your own understanding and practice. This journey of teaching and learning is a continuous cycle that enriches both teacher and students.
“All we're doing is preparing for that moment, where grace just drops in." - Tracee Stanley
According to the yoga teachings, pranayama is among the most powerful practice we have. Yet, many of the common breathing practices are taught in ways that are not accessible or trauma-informed. How can teachers make pranayama more accessible to their students?
Initially, Shavasana may seem like a simple posture. But, when we approach the practice with a little more depth, we can discover a powerful restorative practice with profound and multifaceted benefits.