Kathryn Bruni-Young is a mover, educator and creator. She grew up studying yoga with her mother (Diane Bruni) which organically shifted into teaching yoga classes and workshops together.
Kathryn Bruni-Young has been a yoga and movement teacher for the last 10 years. She suffered from repetitive strain injuries and turned to physiotherapists, personal trainers and other experts from other movement disciplines to create her own teaching style.
Inspired by all she gained from her strength training education. Kathryn founded the Mindful Strength Center, (formerly known as the Cornwall Yoga Studio). Mindful Strength blends strength, mobility and mindfulness. Kathryn leads teacher training, online courses, and workshops throughout Canada and Europe.
Kathryn is being drawn to the world of Trauma Training and has been influenced by those doing research in this field. She is truly a woman with many facets who is excited to share all she has learned to enrich the lives of others.
7:45 Kathryn's Yoga Journey
10:00 Benefits of strength training
12:05 Balance of flexibility and strength training
15:15 Do we need to go to the gym? “Sensory sensitivity”
17:55 Examples of strength training at home
19:00 How to modify push-ups
20:15 Does Kathryn still call herself a yoga teacher?
22:05 Rotator cuff injury
25:30 Kathryn's library of IG posts
26:50 Strength training for repetitive strain-totally different movement
28:25 Muscles and fascia and their response to load
28:55 Variety of strength training options
29:45 How should a yoga teacher start incorporating strength training into their lives?
31:20 How to find a strengthening mentor, even as a kickstart to your training
31:50 Working on your own using YouTube videos, books starting with simple movements
32:45 Working with various professionals (physios, trainers, etc.) even a couple of times to get the ball rolling, get some basic information
33:25 Importance of having variety in strength training so it is well-rounded and balanced so you’re not doing repetitive movement in this area
33:55 Practice movement on your own before incorporating it into your classes
35:00 How to work with Kathryn- new online courses available
37:40 Kathryn's mindful strength class layout
41:55 How to add strengthening to a more traditional yoga class
44:45 What she calls her classes and how her students reacted to the introduction of strength training into her yoga classes- key slowly building strength into the class
50:10 Your unique yoga offering cannot be replicated
51:05 Her first certified training with Ito Portal -not beginner friendly but lots of great insight
52:00 Trauma training (somatic experiencing) in the strength building field-
53:20 Kathryn's Yoga Teacher Training offerings and an Online Mindful Teacher Training is in the works!
Links
Yoga Journal Article: The Future of Yoga: 15 Millennial Yoga Teachers to Watch
Trauma Healing Training founded by Peter Levine
Trauma Center at Justice Resort Institute founded by Bessel Van Der Kolt
Life coach - Barb Elias
Personal trainer - Miranda Smit
Gratitude to our sponsor Schedulicity
Amanda Bond, “Bond” as she is known, is an expert when it comes to Facebook ads. With a fiery, authentic spirit she guides her clients so they can get the most of this marketing tool. Always an entrepreneur at heart, she started her career as a social media manager and has taken on such positions as the VP of marketing for The Toronto Yoga Conference and Show.
Bond chose to take the wealth of knowledge she gained in her over 12 years of experience in corporate sales and marketing to focus on ad marketing creating her business The Ad Strategist.
Bond’s down-to-earth manner simplifies the sometimes overwhelming task of marketing yourself on Facebook. In this episode she breaks down the elements of creating an ad and shares such wisdom as: money doesn’t necessarily mean more results, the difference between your personal and business Facebook page (it’s an important distinction), and the recommended percentage of sales based posts to non-sales based posts that focus on your message.
5:20 Amanda's journey
7:10 Connection to Toronto Yoga Show
8:40 What to do before spending anything on Facebook ads
11:45 Sharing yourself vs. selling yourself- sharing what you do, what journey you’re on, who you are
12:50 What percentage of posts should have a call to action (sales) and what percentage should be about sharing your message? How telling stories about your clients and directing your services to a specific client can bring more sales
17:20 Difference between personal Facebook profile and yoga business page? What you can include on each page without signalling to Facebook you are selling yourself on your personal page.
19:20 How do you get people to like your Facebook page? Consistency and refinement of your message as you go will attract loyal followers.
21:05 Bond’s first Facebook ad expenditure
21:40 Keep in mind we are not our businesses, that we don’t become that product or service.
23:15 First step when we are ready to advertise on Facebook and why boosting is not THE answer and referring to the Facebook marketing platform “Facebook Blueprint”
25:00 3 Cs Framework that Amanda and her team use
27:35 Overcoming the objections that our customers have when they buy from you
28:20 What are the benefits your audience will miss out on if you are not selling your product or service?
32:20 Meet your audience at the beginner level
33:35 What stories are powerful to share the benefits of yoga e.g. transformation stories, encourage them to be a curious beginner, don’t have to be perfect
34:35 Being vulnerable and relatable - show up as yourself, encourages them to be human because you present yourself that way, put yourself out there consistently not constantly, “a messy journey of consistent action”
36:05 Facebook live is scary! Remember that you have a piece of knowledge, a nugget of wisdom to share with others, being fearful prevents you from sharing knowledge with those who would benefit
37:50 What Amanda would do with Facebook if she was a full-time yoga teacher:
39:30 How to work with Amanda- changing gears to work with those getting started in their businesses that don’t necessarily have a big ad budget
Bond’s Website: The Ad Strategist
The Toronto Yoga Conference and Show
Puja Madan was living in India on a 12+ year ritual journey with yoga and meditation when in 2009, she felt intense abdominal pain while attending a yoga class. Following up with a doctor, she discovered that she had a large fibroid tumour. Puja says this was her “aha moment”. Her medical issue was a catalyst for change as Puja determined her work life was less than fulfilling. Feeling drawn to another path, she moved from India to the US. She went from using her MBA to work for tech startups to creating her own coaching business.
With warmth and humour, Puja shares her vision to teach women in leadership positions. She wants women to know that they hold value beyond what they accomplish in a tangible form. Puja wants women to stop measuring themselves against the expectations of society in order to nurture and appreciate their complex selves. Puja believes that beginning and end of day rituals can be a powerful means of honouring your many facets.
As Puja says on her Puja's Wild Radiant Woman Website: "I spark the unseen potential and feminine power of visionary women to be the change agents the world so desperately needs.” She believes strongly in a balance of yin and yang energy in leadership positions and is pleased to see the old values and systems designed for men are evolving to incorporate feminine values such as mindfulness and collaboration.
Puja is currently living in Orlando, Florida, holding in-person retreats and playshops. She also coaches women from around the world via Skype and does talks, inspiring many. Additionally, she is the bestselling co-author of Unleash Your Inner Magnificence and 365 Ways to Connect with Your Soul and the author of articles in several publications such as MindBodyGreen, The Huffington Post, and ElephantJournal.
8:10 Puja's yoga story
11:10 Embracing a new value system as entrepreneurs based on mindfulness, collaboration, and self-care
15:30 Rituals and mindfulness while you grow your business- personal energy and boundaries are deeply rooted in
17:00 Start of day self-care ritual
Every being is made of 4 rooms: step into your 4 Rooms each day to at least air them
Setting intentions for the day: a word or phrase that guides you that you can return to
19:15 Daily word / intention / mantra, Puja likes to do it right after meditation, awareness to it and
Today's top priorities- top 3 things and do these first
22:30 If you feel like you don't have time to fit in self-care- where are you leaking energy non-revenue generating activities, 23 minutes to come back in zone, it is possible to re-organize your business and personal priorities to create more time
25:10 How a personal practice can impact our relationships - at home and at work
26:55 End of day rituals:
Reducing forms of clutter- emails, computer desktop, etc.
34:05 How to connect with Puja
34:55 Middle of workday - regular check-ins: Are you feeling grounded? Holding onto any stress?
35:25 Running a yoga business with the entrepreneur mindset, seperate mindset from teaching yoga.
“Be the change you want to see in the world” -Ghandi
Gratitude to Our Sponsor Schedulicity
Puja's Wild Radiant Woman Website
To purchase Puja’s books: Unleash Your Inner Magnificence and 365 Ways to Connect with Your Soul
Today’s episode is a consultation call with Trevor Parks, who is a yoga teacher from Covington, Georgia. He teaches classes that are inspired by his Ashtanga teacher training and weaves philosophical themes, pranayama, meditation, chanting and music through his classes.
Trevor’s introduction to yoga did little to inspire his now deep connection to the practice. He was deterred by the very aspects that he now embodies such as abstract spiritual thought and poetic language. In time, Trevor returned to yoga when looking for answers about himself and the world around him.
Trevor shares that yoga is everything to him. He is either studying yoga philosophy, sequences, or doing his own practice.
After over 7 years practicing and over 3 years teaching, Trevor is at the point where he’d like put himself out into cyberspace in order to attract students compatible with his teachings and has asked Shannon to help him with his ‘About Me’ page for his website.
Trevor has so much he wants to say and needs some help putting all his thoughts into words that will connect with his potential students.
Episode 21 of TCYT: Refine Your Core Message with Carol Cox
Book that inspired Trevor to pursue yoga: Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
Set up a consultation call with Shannon
Would you like to create or update your ABOUT ME page?
Click here to receive Shannon's worksheets.
Gratitude to our sponsor Schedulicity
Dr. Ariele Foster, based in Washington DC, has been teaching yoga for 16 years. She was inspired by her grandmother Lilo Foster, who taught yoga until the age of 87. Lilo was one of the few Jewish survivors in Germany from World War II and became re-acquainted with the healing power of yoga after her immigration to the US.
Ariele, finding herself enamored with anatomy, became interested in physical therapy after a profound experience as a physical therapy patient. She studied hard to become a doctor of Physical Therapy, becoming a licensed physical therapist in 2011.
Ariele has had many yoga teachers approach her about making the same transition- from yoga teacher to physical therapist which led her to create Yoga Anatomy Academy. As Ariele says “... [it] has been popular beyond my dreams. It’s really organically attracted so many students.” Yoga Anatomy Academy also provides anatomy courses for yoga teachers.
Ariele kindly shares with us her incredibly rich and informative 10 Principles of an Anatomy-Informed Yoga Practice (available as a PDF download,) which covers a range of considerations for yoga teachers such as; when to refer students to other professionals, re-thinking asanas and the importance of functional movement, and the balance between flexibility and movement.
This multi-tasking, multi-talented woman has founded a forum for discussion- Yoga for the Planet, inspired by her interest in environmental concerns,continues to teach yoga classes and also offers private sessions, workshops and courses, yoga retreats all while practicing as a physical therapist.
Note: Physiotherapists, Physical Therapists, ‘physios’- all the same profession. Different areas use different titles.
9:10 What sparked Ariele’s interest in anatomy
11:50 From teaching yoga to becoming a physical therapist
12:30 Advice to yoga teachers interested in becoming a physical therapist
16:30 The importance of referring your yoga students to a physical therapist when experiencing pain
21:00 Cost can be a hurdle when one is considering physical therapy- how to put that in perspective
23:30 Ariele’s position teaching anatomy to yoga teachers, belief that there needs to be a baseline of understanding
24:20 Principle 1 - Any Pose Can Harm. Any Pose Can Heal.
25:05 Principle 2 - Every Body is Unique.
25:45 Principle 3 - Think Critically “Don’t emphasize the alignment of the pose higher than the individual”
27:35 Cueing Warrior 1 using critical thinking
28:45 What is functional movement?
28:05 Principle 4 - Most Yoga Asana is Specialized, Not Functional Movement
30:55 Principle 5 - Flexibility is No Good Without Strength
33:25 Principle 6 - Variety is the Spice of Life
34:30 Principle 7 - Safe Strength Building Comes from Progressive Loading
37:25 Principle 8 - Listen to Your Body Works 50% of the Time
41:20 Principle 9 - Readily Refer Out
44:20 Principle 10 - Honor Both the Science and “Mystery”
45:35 How to study with Dr. Ariele Foster
Email: ariele@sacredsourceyoga.com
Yoga Anatomy Academy on Facebook
Yoga Anatomy Academy on Instagram
Ariele’s Personal Teaching Website: Sacred Source Teaching
Sacred Source Teaching on Facebook
PDF: 10 Principles of an Anatomy Informed Yoga Practice by Dr. Ariele Foster
Podcast: Heal Your Shoulder with Dr. Ariele Foster on the YogaBody Talk Show
Article: 7 Things to Ponder Before Going to Physical Therapy School: for yoga teachers, massage therapists and other holistic practitioners by Dr. Ariele Foster
Gratitude to our sponsor Schedulicity