The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
217: The Yoga of Trans* Affirmation with Avery Kalapa & Maygen Nicholson
Description:
The trans and gender non-binary community is one that has often been marginalized and made to feel unwelcome in many places, including yoga spaces and communities. Back in March 2021, a prominent podcaster and yoga teacher, J Brown, released an episode that contained some harmful, inaccurate and hurtful content around gender and trans people (trigger warning: transphobia). However, an important part of yoga is ahimsa (not harming others and non-violence). In line with that, and with the aim of sharing the correct information about this group of people who are often misunderstood and misrepresented, this podcast episode focuses on sharing insights from people from this community.
Avery Kalapa (they/them) is a yoga teacher, community weaver, organizer, and educator with 20 years experience. They hold special certification in Yoga for the Pelvic Floor, which they completed in 2014. Avery's approach is rooted in anti-oppression, and they focus on yoga for inner healing and collective liberation. They love creating healing spaces that cherish and center queer & trans folks, that don't require assimilation. In addition to that, Avery is involved in various yoga equity projects, such as ABQ Queer Trans Community Yoga.
Maygen Nicholson (she/they) is both a former yoga teacher and dancer. Maygen has seen the Queer and Trans exclusion and discrimination in both yoga and dance spaces. This is what led them to educate within these industries to create access, equity, and inclusion for their LGBTQIA+ siblings. Maygen believes that the systems that harm all marginalized people actually harm us all, and they specialize in LGBTQIA+ inclusion and validation education with the aim of helping liberate hearts and minds free of biases and beliefs that inevitably hold us back from our true, authentic selves.
In this open, and honest conversation Avery and Maygen share more about what it means for yoga teachers to create anti-oppression, inclusive yoga spaces, and how to create such spaces. They also explore the resistance cis people have toward trans and gender non-conforming people that shows up in their interactions, the impact of these interactions, and how we as yoga teachers can learn together and do better moving forward.
Key Takeaways:
[4:19] Shannon shares about the open letter she wrote to J Brown.
[6:49] Shannon introduces her guests for this episode - Avery Kalapa and Maygen Nicholson.
[9:28] Shannon reads the open letter she sent to J Brown.
[13:23] Avery leads an opening for the podcast.
[19:00] Maygen and Avery introduce themselves and the work that they do.
[23:37] How can yoga teachers create anti-oppression, inclusive yoga spaces?
[27:59] Avery highlights that anti-oppression work isn't separate from yoga.
[31:53] There is some sort of awkwardness that happens when cis people are around gender non-conforming people. Avery explains the need for people to shift and change how they are showing up.
[35:22] Why does this awkwardness exist in interactions between cis and gender non-conforming or trans people?
[38:41] Avery speaks to why cis people may have resistance to letting go of the false idea that gender is strictly binary.
[47:49] What are Maygen's thoughts on the J Brown podcast episode?
[55:41] We need to move beyond acceptance into something much more than that. Avery touches on the idea of the false sense of scarcity that we hold.
[1:02:28] Where can we learn more about the difference between biological sex and gender?
[1:07:03] Avery opens up the conversation about how we can approach people's bodies in yoga.
[1:11:34] Find out more Maygen and Avery's offerings in the links below.
[1:19:38] Shannon shares her key takeaways from this episode.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity and Sketching Yoga Sequences with Eva-Lotta Lamm Workshop.
Quotes from this episode:
"It's really important that we are acknowledging where we have privilege and where we are marginalized, so it just really informs how we show up in this work, and also how we show up for ourselves in this work." - Maygen
"Biases are inherent in all of us. Transphobia lives in all of us. These are conditionings we have been taught that have been passed down to us. It is deep internal work to release all of these things that hold us back from being able to love others fully, but also to be able to fully love ourselves." - Maygen
"Anti-oppression work isn't separate from yoga." - Avery
"We don't always realize the ways that we uphold those norms that say some people belong and some people don't." - Avery
"On some form, you're going to have to check your biases for the rest of your life." - Maygen
"What do cis people really have to lose if trans people are cherished?" - Avery
"There's room for everyone in the gender justice extravaganza. You might not get to be the big star of the show if you're cis, but there's room for all of us in this process." - Avery
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
216: Corporate Yoga [Part 2] with Samantha Harrison
Description:
Is corporate yoga still relevant now that many businesses have moved online because of the pandemic? Absolutely! What’s more - there are even more opportunities available for yoga teachers in this space. In Part 2 of this series on teaching corporate yoga, Samantha Harrison shares how being virtual has changed the corporate yoga space.
Samantha Harrison is the founder of Samantha Harrison Yoga and the creator of the Online Corporate Yoga Teacher Training. Samantha found yoga as a burned out, stressed out pre-med student, and realized that her true calling was to help her fellow over-achievers and time-crunched professionals experience the benefits of yoga on and off the mat. Today, Samantha is a full-time corporate and private yoga teacher in Greenville, NC and also leads an annual 200-HR YTT. To help other yoga teachers offer corporate yoga as well, Samantha has consolidated all her knowledge into a practical, action-oriented training - the Online Corporate Yoga Teacher Training.
What is it like to bring yoga to the various business spaces in your community, not just in-person but also to the broader corporate community online? Samantha shares her experiences in adapting her business to the COVID-19 pandemic measures, and how moving online has opened up new opportunities for her. She also shares the different types of offerings for coroporate yoga, including one she didn't think would exist until the pandemic hit. Samantha also talks about her corporate yoga teacher training which includes email templates, how to create contracts, how to teach, and marketing to businesses.
This episode is perfect for yoga teachers looking for ideas to expand their offerings into their community or businesses around the world.
Key Takeaways:
[10:50] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Samantha Harrison.
[12:27] What does Samantha do and who does she do it for?
[13:13] How has COVID-19 changed the corporate yoga landscape?
[14:59] Is Samantha still working with corporate clients in person?
[16:06] What are some things that Samantha is doing differently in her in-person yoga classes from before the pandemic?
[18:15] Samantha shares a little about the opportunities that have opened up as a result of the pandemic.
[19:05] What is Samantha's setup for her virtual classes?
[20:03] How does Samantha balance classes where she has students in-person and online at the same time?
[20:48] What is Samantha's policy for students who miss classes?
[21:21] Samantha shares how she discovered a new offering for corporate clients during the pandemic.
[23:35] Why are companies drawn to hiring yoga teachers to teach their employees?
[24:45] What is the training that Samantha has put together for yoga teachers who want to get into the space of teaching corporate yoga?
[27:17] How does Samantha help yoga teachers in her training reach out to businesses and get started with teaching corporate yoga?
[28:18] Samantha also covers pricing as a part of the course.
[29:00] Does corporate yoga refer specifically to a certain number of employees or does it include any business?
[29:49] Samantha shares a bit about her mini-training and the coupon code to get a discount on her training.
[:31:27] Shannon and Samantha discuss the budget that companies have for wellness programs.
[32:06] What is it like to live in an area where there isn't a lot of yoga around, and how does this impact teaching corporate yoga?
[33:02] Samantha's yoga teacher training includes a section on marketing. How and why did she decide to include this section?
[36:50] Shannon shares her biggest takeaway from this episode.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity and Sketching Yoga Sequences with Eva-Lotta Lamm Workshop.
Quotes from this episode:
"We've actually seen an increase in participation in some situations because people don't have to drive, people don't have to worry about location." - Samantha
"Everyone's used to being virtual and doing so much on Zoom anyway that what used to be a barrier, is now an opportunity." - Samantha
"Now, the options are endless in a way." - Samantha
"You can't wait to feel confident to do something. Taking action is how you get confident." - Samantha
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
215: Corporate Yoga [Part 1] with Samantha Harrison
Description:
If you have been teaching yoga for a while and are wondering how you can start teaching corporate yoga, and how you can get in front of different businesses, especially now that a lot of businesses have moved online - Samantha Harrison has the answers for you.
Samantha Harrison is the founder of Samantha Harrison Yoga and the creator of the Online Corporate Yoga Teacher Training. Samantha found yoga as a burned out, stressed out pre-med student, and realized that her true calling was to help her fellow over-achievers and time-crunched professionals experience the benefits of yoga on and off the mat. Today, Samantha is a full-time corporate and private yoga teacher in Greenville, NC and also leads an annual 200-HR YTT. To help other yoga teachers offer corporate yoga as well, Samantha has consolidated all her knowledge into a practical, action-oriented training - the Online Corporate Yoga Teacher Training.
Teaching corporate yoga is not like teaching at a yoga studio or a gym. Samantha highlights some of the biggest differences to keep in mind when teaching corporate yoga, as well as how yoga teachers can get into this space. Shannon and Samantha also dig into what to charge, what to do when things don’t go according to plan and the rest of the nitty-gritty details of offering corporate yoga.
This episode is perfect for anyone wanting to get into the corporate space teaching yoga, and Samantha has just the tips you need to get started.
Key Takeaways:
[11:05] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Samantha Harrison.
[12:42] How did Samantha choose corporate yoga as her specialty?
[14:14] A lot of Samantha's initial clients were through relationships she had developed over time.
[14:38] Samantha shares a bit more about how her classes are organized.
[15:34] A big part of our marketing really boils down to communication and having interactions with people.
[17:00] How many classes does Samantha teach per week? She shares more about how she runs her business.
[18:28] What are some of the biggest differences between teaching yoga in a corporate setting vs. in a studio?
[21:20] What is the biggest pain point that people in offices have that yoga helps them with?
[23:28] How does Samantha recommend yoga teachers set up relationships with people leading organizations?
[26:01] What is the payment structure for corporate yoga?
[27:45] How does Samantha price her offerings?
[33:13] Samantha has a few tips on how to make teaching corporate yoga work.
[35:12] Samantha explains what she offers in the Online Corporate Yoga Teacher Training.
[40:26] Shannon shares some of her biggest takeaways from this interview with Samantha.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity and Sukhasana Chair (Promo Code: TCYT10).
Quotes from this episode:
"When the head of the organization, the President, or someone in the executive office sees the value in it, that makes a huge difference." ~ Samantha Harris
"It's helpful for yoga teachers to just always have in mind 'How can I be helpful to someone?'." - Samantha
"You just always have to be ready to improvise." - Samantha
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
214: Yoga Class Bloopers with Shannon & Sinead
Description:
As yoga teachers, we’ve all had those moments while teaching a class. When we get our left and right mixed up, or our brain thinks of something to say but our mouth gets it all wrong, or you get completely confused with your sequence, or any other number of awkward, embarrassing, and often absolutely hilarious “bloopers” - it’s all a part of the teaching experience!
On this episode, Shannon and Sinead O’Connor read out some of the funny stories and anecdotes Connected Yoga Teachers from The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook group shared. They also share a few of their own personal stories of embarrassing and strange things that have happened in their yoga classes.
If you’re in need of a good laugh, this episode is for you.
Special thanks to Mary Donovan for posting the original thread that sparked all these comments, and to all the Connected Yoga Teachers who shared their stories!
Key Takeaways:
[:17] Happy (belated) April Fool's day!
[1:44] Shannon is hosting a workshop about Pelvic Girdle Pain.
[3:19] Shout out to Mary Donovan who inspired this episode, and Sinead O'Connor, member of The Connected Yoga Teacher podcast team for joining Shannon on the episode!
[4:45] We've all had funny moments in our yoga classes. Shannon and Sinead read out some of the "bloopers" yoga teachers have shared in The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook group.
[17:35] Sinead shares an embarrassing moment she had from teaching online.
[18:59] Shannon shares a few of the weirdest moments she's experienced in a yoga class.
[21:58] Send in your stories! We'd love to hear them!
[23:04] Connect with Sinead via Instagram to find out more about her yoga offerings.
[23:38] Want to learn how to draw yoga sequences? Sign up for the training by Eva-Lotta Lamm!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity.
Quotes from this episode:
"We hope that you get to laugh along with us!" - Shannon
"We're laughing together on this!" - Shannon