Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast

Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Advanced Asana Part 1: What's the Point? with Lily Dwyer Begg

Most people view "advanced asana" as a flashy, performance-based practice driven by natural talent and aesthetics. This common misconception can lead people to dismiss asana as just preparation for real yoga or treat it as a casual activity that everyone can do equally. In this episode, we explore what it means to advance as an asana practitioner and the benefits of a consistent and systematic approach.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 02:15 Defining Advanced Asana 08:33 Challenge vs. Intensity in Practice 16:22 The Role of Asana in a Sedentary Culture 19:50 Why Basic Postures can be Harder than Advanced Postures 26:27 Do Mirrors and Cameras Have a Place in Asana Practice? 32:11 The Role of Home Practice and Opportunities Online

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Lily Dwyer Begg Yoga Follow Lily on Instagram @lilydwyerbegg Follow Lily Dwyer Begg Yoga on Facebook

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource

Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Teaching and Demonstrating with Physical Limitations with Holly Williams [On Air Coaching Call]

Holly is a yoga teacher with physical limitations who has concerns about balancing her physical abilities with the needs of her students. Many of her students rely heavily on visual cues and she wonders whether she’s doing them a disservice by not being able to demonstrate everything she teaches. In this candid conversation, we explore the role of demonstration in yoga, the value of teaching with limitations, and the unspoken power dynamics between teachers and students.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 01:01 Holly's story of finding yoga and becoming a teacher 03:49 Specific physical limitations and how they impact students. 05:20 The balance of giving student students what they want vs what they need 08:44 Student agency - who chooses whom? 12:22 Vulnerability as a superpower 16:11 Students who refuse to modify or use props 21:08 Navigating studio expectations 30:03 Final thoughts and the need for representation in yoga classes

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES: Holly Williams

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource

Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Peek behind the scenes of my yearly planning ritual

This bonus mini-episode is for anyone who feels like they're always failing at planning & goal-setting.

00:00 Why I recorded this episode 00:54 Key principles of healthy goal setting 02:42 Benefits and Drawbacks of Goal Setting - and what most people get wrong 05:51 Daily Breakdown of Map Your Year 10:10 Conclusion and Invitation to map your year imperfectly

Build a Resilient Business with Big Picture Thinking

Yoga teachers tend to find their way to teaching through passion - and that’s a beautiful thing. But passion can only take you so far: without strategy, the work you love can quickly become a hamster wheel that spins faster every year. In this episode, learn how to harness rituals and routines to bring more strategy to your business. We'll explore simple planning rituals to help you align your day-to-day actions with your values and goals.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 00:38 Why Big Picture Thinking is Not Intuitive 06:24 Daily Big Picture Thinking Rituals 07:57 Weekly Big Picture Thinking Rituals 14:44 Quarterly Big Picture Thinking Rituals 17:48 Yearly Big Picture Thinking Rituals 20:55 How The Rituals Overlap & Inform Each Other

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource

Follow My Functional Yoga on Facebook

Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Boundaries, Perfectionism, and Burnout with Shar'ron Boren [On Air Coaching Call]

Teaching yoga is a high-stress career that most people think is a cakewalk. Shar’ron is an experienced yoga teacher who moved from Santa Cruz, California to Waco, Texas during the pandemic. Since then, she’s been managing professional isolation, perfectionism, and people pleasing—and it’s led to major burnout. Our conversation delves into themes around boundaries, over-identification with your healing journey, and making your own support network as we explore what it takes to find balance and sustainability on this path.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 01:59 Starting Over as a Seasoned Teacher 03:55 Burnout and Perimenopause 04:42 Challenges of Running a Micro Studio 07:43 Dealing with Difficult People 09:01 People Pleasing and Boundaries 22:24 Feeling Alone in Leadership 23:35 The Importance of Collaboration 24:49 Creating a Supportive Community 30:56 Addressing Burnout and Boundaries 31:36 Can you over-identify with your Healing Journey? 39:03 Control, surrender, and teaching yoga as a path of growth

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:

Follow Shar'ron on Instagram @myfunctionalyoga

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource

Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Why We No Longer Call Ourselves Yoga Therapists with Libby Hinsley

Libby and I had a shared identity crisis at the IAYT conference in 2023. In this episode, we explore the difference between yoga therapy and yoga teaching, our journey through the 'grandfathering' certification process, and why we decided to step away from calling ourselves yoga therapists.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 01:05 Yoga Therapy: Definitions and Misunderstandings 03:45 Yoga therapy trainings and certification 05:47 The Promise of Yoga Therapy 09:29 Are Yoga Therapy Programs worth the Investment? 15:01 Magical thinking and victim blaming 22:19 Community and inclusion 25:30 Misinformation and quality control 29:24 Recommended Yoga Therapy Programs 36:16 Concluding Thoughts on Yoga and Credentials

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:

Libby Hinsely

Follow Libby on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt

Follow Libby on Facebook

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource

Follow Suzanne on Facebook

Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Build a Community by Word of Mouth with Suzanne Carver [On-Air Coaching Call]

Despite the buzz around AI and social media, word of mouth is still the most powerful tool for building a community. In this episode, Suzanne Carver, a massage therapist, yoga teacher, and pelvic health educator, shares her journey of establishing a successful practice through grassroots and word-of-mouth methods. Suzanne discusses her experiences transitioning her practice from Fort Collins, Colorado, to Nashville, Tennessee, and the changing dynamics of client attention spans. Our conversation explores effective offline strategies, the importance of personal connections, and integrating technology like text messaging to stay top of mind with clients. Suzanne also shares insights on maintaining authenticity in client communications and the challenges of building a practice in a new city.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 04:47 Moving to a New Location as An Established Teacher 07:01 Why Social Media Isn’t Always the Answer 14:41 Personal Touch as SuperPower 16:08 Email vs. Text Messaging 24:07 Boundaries and Booking Strategies 28:03 The Power of Genuine Passion and Authentic Care 33:09 Visibility and Professional Photos 37:24 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:

Suzanne Carver

Follow Suzanne on Instagram @suzannecarver

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource

Episode 271: The Power of Place: How to Choose The Right Location for Your Yoga Retreat

Ask a question for the podcast on the Yoga Teacher Resource website or on SpeakPipe

Trending and Bucket List Retreat Locations with Lily Dwyer Begg

Certain retreat destinations seem to simply sell themselves. Why does this happen and how can you use this information to sell your retreats more quickly and easily? In this conversation with Lily Dwyer Begg, we explain our theory of trending and bucket list retreat locations - and how she has used it to carefully curate her portfolio of retreat destinations. You’ll also hear about how to build retreats around personal values, and why a local home-cooked meal can be more meaningful than a luxury resort. If you're looking for your retreat location to offer more than just a beautiful backdrop, this episode will help you think more intentionally about where and how to host your next retreat.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: 00:00 Why location matters 00:54 Definitions: Trending vs. Bucket List Locations 01:33 How Social Media Influences Travel 02:18 Pros and Cons of Trending Locations for Retreats 05:22 Pros and Cons of Bucket List Locations for Retreats 09:51 Choosing the Right Location for Your Audience 11:18 Aligning Retreat Locations with Personal Values 17:04 Trending Locations in Asia 22:28 Trending Locations in Europe 27:49 Trending Locations in Africa 32:16 Trending Retreat Locations in the Caribbean 43:27 Future Retreat Destinations 49:18 Sources for to Keep Up with Travel Trends 53:09 Final Thoughts and Resources

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:

Lily Dwyer Begg Yoga

Follow Lily on Instagram @lilydwyerbegg

Follow Lily on Facebook

Recommended Retreat Centers PDF

Retreat Roadmap

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Follow YTR on Instagram @yoga.teacher.resource