The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

348: Yoga for Eating Disorder Recovery with Abbey Morris 0

Oct 30, 2023

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

348: Yoga for Eating Disorder Recovery with Abbey Morris

Description:

Eating disorders are a group of serious health conditions that affect about 70 million people worldwide. Yoga can be a helpful tool for people dealing with eating disorders or in recovery from them. Abbey Morris shares her personal journey and how yoga can support people in eating disorder recovery.

Abbey is a Mindfulness & Meditation Instructor, Sound Healer, and Ayurvedic Yoga specialist. At her studio, she hosts unique public yoga and meditation classes, educational workshops and retreats and works 1:1 with clients on their healing journey through these various modalities. Abbey’s speciality is in working with folks on the journey to recovery from eating disorders/disordered eating and working on a more loving relationship with oneself.

In this episode, Abbey shares the details of her own journey with disordered eating, as well as how yoga and Ayurveda have been a supportive, healing, and nurturing space for her through her recovery. She also highlights how she now works with others in recovery from eating disorders, including offering a series of yoga classes without any movement practice! Abbey explains the ways yoga teachers can support their students through recovery or dealing with an eating disorder through their cues, language, and more.

Key Takeaways:

[1:58] Shannon shares what sparked inspiration for this episode.

[4:50] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Abbey Morris.

[7:36] What does Abbey do and who does she do it for?

[12:40] How did yoga help Abbey in recovering from her eating disorder?

[23:01] Abbey talks about her journey of being reintroduced to Ayurveda.

[33:05] Shannon pops in with a message about a 5-day website boot camp hosted by OfferingTree.

[34:14] Did Abbey's yoga teachers or yoga teacher trainers know that she was dealing with an eating disorder?

[37:37] Having an awareness that our students may be dealing with an eating disorder or in recovery from it is important! What are some things yoga teachers may be doing that are not helpful to this population?

[46:29] Abbey has a yoga offering that does not involve any movement. She shares more about that.

[56:04] Where can yoga teachers learn more about supporting students who are dealing with eating disorders or in recovery.

[62:05] Shannon reflects on her key takeaways from this conversation.

Links:

Gratitude to our Sponsors, OfferingTree and Pelvic Health Professionals.

Quotes from this episode:

"I finally let go of the pressure and the perfectionist attitude and the pushing and the going deeper or going harder or, you know, staying just a little bit longer. All of that was replaced with gratitude for just being in a body that could move."

"I was reminded that I am no different than all of these other moving parts around me in nature."

"Rather than it being so complicated as navigating digestion and nutrition can feel, it all became quite simple. And I realized that we are the ones that make it so complicated. Diet culture is the one that makes it so complicated."

"Ayurveda gave me a lot of agency and it transformed the way that I view nourishment and my body altogether."

"Nourishment is so much more than calories and what a disgrace it is to think that that's all it is."

"This goes to the idea of yoga being a practice and not a performance."

"If we only show up on our mats, when we're feeling like a million percent, then how is yoga supposed to help us through life?"

"Everyone's recovery is very different and yoga in your recovery can also look very different as well depending on what you're ready for and what resonates with you."

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347: Yoga in the Cancer Community with Tyla Arnason 0

Oct 23, 2023

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

347: Yoga in the Cancer Community with Tyla Arnason

Description:

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally, responsible for nearly 1 in 6 (almost 10 million) deaths in 2020. Millions more are diagnosed and survive cancer annually. As yoga teachers, we may have someone in our class who is from the cancer community or we may be interested in learning more about how we can better support someone dealing with cancer. Tyla Arnason is an expert in this area and has some insights about teaching yoga in the cancer community.

Tyla is an accomplished yoga therapist who has been named a Top Ten Yoga Instructor in Calgary. She has spent the last 15 years working in partnership with the University of Calgary's Health & Wellness Lab in developing protocols used in programming for the cancer community and the research they supported. Tyla supports those with cancer, care teams, and yoga instructors through her specialized yoga therapy protocols, classes, and trainings. She describes herself as a movement optimist, and her philosophy is that with classes tailored to the individual, yoga can be made accessible to everyone and all students can become more confident movers.

Tyla answers some questions yoga teachers often have, including: "How do I keep a student with cancer safe in a yoga class?" and “How can I gain the confidence to work with people from the cancer community?”. She also addresses specific questions about supporting students with different types of cancers, students who use compression garments, the impacts of post treatment meds, and much more.

Key Takeaways:

[3:11] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Tyla Arnason.

[7:24] What does Tyla do and who does she do it for?

[9:59] What got Tyla into doing her work in the cancer community?

[11:13] What are some things Tyla wishes she would have known about working with someone who has a cancer diagnosis?

[14:31] What are some things a yoga teacher could say if a student shares that they have/had cancer?

[17:47] What are some things yoga teachers need to know about keeping students with a cancer diagnosis safe in their class?

[21:04] What does the training for yoga teachers who want to get a basic knowledge about working with the cancer community look like?

[22:42] What are some key things Tyla covers with yoga teachers in a training specific to cancer?

[26:03] Tyla shares some examples of how she might modify some yoga poses to cater to students with different needs.

[30:17] Shannon pops in to share a little about a recent Q&A session with Eddie of OfferingTree.

[31:47] What is neuropathy and what kind of modifications are available for people dealing with that?

[36:41] How does Tyla respond when people tell her they can't do yoga or are not allowed to do yoga?

[44:10] Communicating and working with the healthcare team can be extremely helpful in supporting someone with a cancer diagnosis.

[48:18] What does Tyla recommend if a yoga teacher gets a cancer diagnosis?

[52:27] Where can you connect with Tyla and learn more from her?

[56:55] Shannon shares some of her biggest takeaways from this conversation with Tyla.

Links:

Gratitude to our Sponsors, OfferingTree and Pelvic Health Professionals.

Quotes from this episode:

"I was never too overly confident and so that allowed me to stay humble and to stay curious and to really recognize that I was not a cancer expert."

"Specifically to cancer, I think that what teachers really want to understand is that every single diagnosis is different."

"Sometimes yoga teachers, we could do ourselves a service by sitting for a moment and really considering what information do I need to gather in this moment? Because we don't need every single answer."

"You have to really be able to change things quickly on the fly."

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346: Nāda Yoga with Rishima Bahadoorsingh 0

Oct 16, 2023

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

346: Nāda Yoga with Rishima Bahadoorsingh

Description:

Yoga is not just about asana - sound is also an important part of yoga, and this is called Nāda Yoga. Rishima Bahadoorsingh is a yoga teacher who focuses on teaching this element of yoga and she shares her insights about Nāda Yoga in this episode.

Rishima has been immersed in the tradition of yoga since birth, practicing it as a way of life in her family. She began singing spiritual Indian songs in the temple traditions of bhajans, kirtan and other devotional styles at a young age and also studied classical Raga. In 2016, she found a deep with Nāda Yoga—the Yoga of Sound. Rishima teaches locally and internationally online in Spanish and English, and her goal as a teacher is to make the intricacies and beauty of classical Raga and traditional bhajans accessible to all, and to spark love within ourselves through sound.

Rishima explains the three Nāda Yoga that she practices and teaches - Mantra, Raga and Kirtan/Bhajan. She talks about the differences between mantras and affirmations, how Sanskrit ties into to Nāda Yoga, what Raga is and how it is useful in meditation. Rishima also addresses some common questions like if you need to know Sanskrit to practice Nāda Yoga, how to deal with people who are uncomfortable with chanting or singing in Sanskrit (or other languages), and where to start learning about Nāda Yoga.

Key Takeaways:

[2:56] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Rishima Bahadoorsingh

[6:01] What does Rishima do and who does she do it for?

[6:45] Why does Rishima say that she is not a yoga teacher?

[8:10] There are many ways to practice yoga that do not involve physical movement.

[9:17] What are the three parts that make up Nāda Yoga?

[12:14] What's the difference between a mantra and an affirmation?

[15:18] Rishima clarifies that mantras within the Yogic tradition would most likely be in Sanskrit.

[16:35] The second element of Nāda Yoga is Raga. Rishima shares some examples of what it is and how it is used.

[19:57] Raga is an excellent tool for meditation.

[22:19] Rishima explains a little more about the silence needed for meditation.

[23:51] Shannon pops in with a message about OfferingTree.

[25:26] Listening to the sounds can be just as powerful as singing or sounding them.

[27:20] The third part of Nāda Yoga is Bhajan or Kirtan.

[28:32] Some people may feel uncomfortable with Sanskrit or a different language.

[31:46] Where can yoga teachers start learning about Nāda Yoga if they have never experienced it or learned about it before?

[34:49] Where can yoga teachers learn more from Rishima?

[35:53] Rishima shares some closing thoughts on Nāda Yoga.

[37:27] Rishima does Nāda Yoga in Spanish and English!

[39:06] Shannon shares her biggest takeaways from this conversation.

Links:

Gratitude to our Sponsors, OfferingTree and Pelvic Health Professionals.

Quotes from this episode:

"I feel like I do yoga as my life. It's not something separate from my life."

"When you sing [Raga], you become a nada yogi, one who practices the yoga of sound."

"With mantra and yogic practice in general, it's about repetition - the more you do it, the more benefits you will experience."

"Singing in another language doesn't mean you're converting to a different religion."

Summary:

Nāda Yoga is the Yoga of Sound. Rishima Bahdoorsingh (she/her) shares the three aspects of Nāda Yoga she teaches and practices, how to incorporate Mantra and Raga into your yoga practice, why affirmations aren’t Mantras, teaching Bhajan/Kirtan and more.

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345: Try a Month of This Niche with Shannon Crow 0

Oct 9, 2023

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

345: Try a Month of This Niche with Shannon Crow

Description:

Niching down and picking a niche to focus on as a yoga teacher is one of Shannon’s favorite things to talk about. However, it can feel overwhelming and seem like there is a lot of planning and work to do before niching down. In this episode, Shannon Crow shares her tips for you to pick a niche and niche down.

Shannon shares a few anecdotes around niching down that can help you see that it really doesn’t have to be a big deal or a complicated process. Many yoga teachers are often hesitant or feel nervous about picking a niche because they feel like they have to do it forever or they have to be an expert in that area - but this is not true!

Shannon also gives some ideas about what might be a niche you could pick and clear steps you can take today to start sharing that niche with your audience.This episode is perfect if you’ve been wanting to niche down but don’t know where to start.

Key Takeaways:

[2:56] Shannon loves to talk about niching down but it can feel like an overwhelming amount of planning and work goes into it.

[3:30] Shannon shares an anecdote about how a couple of people have reached out to her about gardening.

[5:35] It can make you nervous to pick a niche or specialty!

[6:32] Shannon shares a first baby step you can take to niche down - choose a niche for a month.

[11:34] Shannon pops in with a quick message about an upcoming live call with OfferingTree.

[13:24] You can do a lot of niche work, and you can do more! Shannon shares a personal reflection about how niche work is showing up for her now.

[16:10] What niche will you take on for a month?

[17:34] Shannon shares some ways for you to connect with her in real time.

Links:

Gratitude to our Sponsors, OfferingTree and Pelvic Health Professionals.

Quotes from this episode:

"I love to talk about niching down and specializing as a yoga teacher, but I also know that when I talk about this, it can feel like an overwhelming amount of planning and work goes into Niching down."

"People get to know you for whatever you're talking about, and then at some point, they often will ask questions."

"If you do want to stand out, you work on your niche or your specialty."

"You do not have to choose something that you are the expert in and this isn't something that's going to be forever."

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344: Grief, Breaks and a Birthday with Shannon Crow 0

Oct 2, 2023

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

344: Grief, Breaks and a Birthday with Shannon Crow

Description:

Shannon has been navigating grief and some heavy personal issues recently. She has received a lot of support, kind words, and messages from listeners. In this episode, she reads an email she received from a listener.

Shannon first talks about the grief she has been experiencing and the things that are helping and holding her through this time. She shares the email from a podcast listener and how it made her feel. Shannon reveals that she thought about quitting and even considered selling the podcast and Pelvic Health Professionals recently and the decision she made in the end.

P.S. It is Shannon’s birthday and the best virtual gift you could give her is a podcast review!

Key Takeaways:

[3:34] Shannon is sharing an email from a listener on this episode.

[4:11] Shannon shares a little about the grief she is experiencing and how she is finding comfort at this time.

[8:53] Shannon gives an update about OfferingTree.

[10:49] Shannon reads an email she received from a listener about the thing she shared in Episodes 339 and 340.

[13:38] Shannon reflects on how reading this email made her feel.

[15:42] It's Shannon's 47th birthday today!

[17:20] Shannon shares a big update about how she was considering quitting and even thought about selling the podcast or Pelvic Health Professionals.

[19:42] There are some ways you can hang out with Shannon in real time!

Links:

Gratitude to our Sponsors, OfferingTree and Pelvic Health Professionals.

Quotes from this episode:

“I like them to see how it's not that hard to take a piece of lawn and turn it into a place where you can grow food."

"I really think that when more and more people have time outside. It can impact us emotionally, physically in a good way and also it can impact the earth we're standing on in a really positive way, the more that people are outside."

"What is the minimum that I need to do today to kind of keep things going and how can I ask for help with the rest that still is on my list?"

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