Show Notes
J. Miles joins Jivana this week to discuss what it means "to go through the fire of life" as yoga practitioners and the importance of maintaining our practice as yoga teachers. Creator of Maha Vira Yoga, J has been dancing to the rhythm of life since childhood. A yoga practitioner, martial artist, bodyworker, retired breakdancer, community activist, and the son of a Baptist minister, J has been learning and studying Eastern arts and philosophy for nearly two decades. Over the years, he has crafted a style tempered by real life experience, humor, yogic philosophy, and the importance of breath as a guide and source of strength. He opens up about what it means to teach yoga and live as a Black man and how to maintain a feeling of joy and abundance despite various challenges in his life and community.
Jivana and J describe the theme of this episode as "spiritual practice as compost" and explain why cultivating good soil helps to cultivate a good life.
Learn more about J. Follow J's journey on Instagram. Contact J about trainings, private sessions, and more.
Learn more about Yoga Revolution by Jivana Heyman.
Order your copy of Yoga Revolution at Shambala, or wherever books are sold.
Also by Jivana Heyman: Accessible Yoga: Poses & Practices for Every Body (2019, Shambala) The Teacher's Guide to Accessible Yoga: Best Practices for Sharing Yoga with Every Body (2024)
Connect with Jivana: www.jivanaheyman.com @jivanaheyman facebook.com/jivanaheyman www.accessibleyogaschool.com @accessibleyogaschool facebook.com/accessibleyogaschool
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.