Yoga’s Messy Origins: Understanding Yoga’s Historical Context
Release Date: 06/11/2025
Is Ego Really the Enemy? The 3 Egos & Your Spiritual Growth with Guru Singh
The Uplifted Yoga Podcast
What if your ego wasn’t the enemy—but the gateway? In this episode, I sit down with Guru Singh to explore the three types of ego—exclusive, inclusive, and universal—and how they shape our spiritual path. We unpack the misconceptions around ego in spiritual circles, and how Kundalini yoga can support our evolution from self-centered survival to universal consciousness. You’ll learn: 🔹 Why ego is necessary (and not something to “kill”) 🔹 How spiritual bypassing shows up when ego is misunderstood 🔹 The role of Kundalini yoga, meditation, and breathwork in ego transformation...
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The Uplifted Yoga Podcast
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Pleasure as a Spiritual Path: Ziva Magic & Somatic Healing with Emily Fletcher
The Uplifted Yoga Podcast
What if pleasure wasn’t just allowed on your spiritual path—but essential to it? In this episode, I’m talking with Emily Fletcher, founder of Ziva Meditation and former Broadway star, about how pleasure, embodiment, and emotional alchemy can actually accelerate your healing and manifestation. We explore: 🔹 The brain science behind why pleasure and stress can’t coexist 🔹 How to turn pain into power with Emily’s 3-step Ziva Magic formula 🔹 Sacred sexuality, tantra, and the union of masculine and feminine energies 🔹 Why creating somatic safety is the first step to spiritual...
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Karma Yoga & the Detached Yogi: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Part 2
The Uplifted Yoga Podcast
What does it mean to act without attachment—and why is that the key to spiritual freedom? Chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita is so rich, I had to split it into two parts—and this second half is where the real philosophical firepower kicks in 🔥 We’re diving into: 🔹 The essence of Karma Yoga—selfless action without clinging to outcomes 🔹 How the Yogi transcends dualities like success/failure, praise/blame 🔹 The clash between societal values and spiritual truth 🔹 How this all ties into Advaita Vedanta and non-dual awareness If you’ve ever struggled with “doing your...
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Kundalini Awakening or Psychosis? Psychology of Spiritual Awakening with Steven Taylor, PhD
The Uplifted Yoga Podcast
Is it awakening… or a breakdown? When spiritual awakening hits hard, it can feel disorienting—even terrifying. In this raw and insightful conversation, I sit down with Steven Taylor, PhD, psychologist and expert on spiritual awakening, to explore what happens when consciousness expands faster than your system can handle it. We unpack the psychology behind Kundalini awakenings, and how to navigate the fine line between transformation and overwhelm. In this episode, you’ll learn: 🔹 How to tell the difference between psychosis and spiritual awakening 🔹 What a Kundalini awakening...
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Can the Sutras Make Space for Pleasure? (Sutra 1.15 Explained)
The Uplifted Yoga Podcast
What happens when ancient yogic wisdom meets modern embodiment? 🤔One of my students recently asked how Sutra 1.15’s focus on non-attachment aligns with Somatic Yoga’s emphasis on pleasure and healing. This episode unpacks that question with heart, humor, and a whole lot of nuance. We’ll explore: 🔹 Whether pleasure is a distraction—or a doorway to healing 🔹 What Patanjali really meant by non-attachment 🔹 How to reconcile classical teachings with modern self-care If you’ve ever wondered whether embracing joy is spiritual enough, this one’s for you. 🎁 Get my FREE $67...
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Stop Trying to Be Calm: Kali & the Stress Cycle
The Uplifted Yoga Podcast
What if your inner chaos is sacred? When I first pictured a yogi, I imagined someone always calm, serene… maybe even a little untouchable. But the more I’ve learned—through somatics, spirituality, and lived experience—the more I believe that true healing means feeling everything. Even rage. In this episode, we dive deep into: 🔹 Why stress isn’t an emotion (and how that changes everything) 🔹 How Kali represents sacred rage, transformation, and nervous system completion 🔹 The trap of spiritual bypassing and the myth of “staying calm” 🔹 How to embrace the full spectrum...
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Yoga’s Messy Origins: Understanding Yoga’s Historical Context
The Uplifted Yoga Podcast
Many students seek the unbroken lineage of yoga, and as someone who has extensively explored the origins and evolution of yoga I want to tell you… it’s time to let that notion go. Yoga has a rich and diverse history that has been shaped through social and historical contexts. It has evolved from a spiritual endeavor to its modern physical interpretations with large impact from the industrial revolution. It’s so important to understand the historical and cultural influences on yoga today, and how this practice has changed over time. So that’s what I’ll dive into in today’s episode....
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Nervous System Masterclass with Kristin Leal
The Uplifted Yoga Podcast
If you’re an Uplifted alumni you’ll recognize today’s guest from inside the training…Kristin Leal!! 🎉I could talk to Kristin about anatomy and the nervous system for hours, and I’m so excited that she came on the podcast to enlighten us all with her vast knowledge. Kristin is going to delve into the complexities of the nervous system, particularly focusing on the autonomic nervous system and its two branches: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. She’ll discuss the complexities of the human stress response and the importance of understanding these systems in the context...
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The 8 Limbs of Yoga for Personal Growth
The Uplifted Yoga Podcast
We’ve talked about what the eight limbs of yoga are and where they came from (if you missed that episode just scroll a few back) but what is each limb's practical, energetic, and spiritual significance in modern life? From the ethical and personal observances of Yama and Niyama, respectively, to the physical aspects of Asana, the breath control of Pranayama, and the mental focus of Dharana. And of course how it all culminates in the exploration of Dhyana and Samadhi. The Eight Limbs are here to help you cut through the noise and come back to what really matters, this episode will explain...
info_outlineMany students seek the unbroken lineage of yoga, and as someone who has extensively explored the origins and evolution of yoga I want to tell you… it’s time to let that notion go. Yoga has a rich and diverse history that has been shaped through social and historical contexts. It has evolved from a spiritual endeavor to its modern physical interpretations with large impact from the industrial revolution. It’s so important to understand the historical and cultural influences on yoga today, and how this practice has changed over time. So that’s what I’ll dive into in today’s episode.
Listen to learn:
🔹Misconceptions around unbroken lineages in yoga.
🔹How yoga has evolved significantly since the industrial revolution.
🔹The way historical and social context has always influenced yoga.
Loved this episode and want to know more about yoga’s origins? Grab my History of Yoga course on sale now => https://www.brettlarkin.com/history-of-yoga-course/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=hoy
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Relevant Blog: Where Did Yoga Originate: A Brief History of Yoga
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🎧 Also Listen to:
#279 – Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Summary – BOOK ONE Explained
#283 – Dismantling the Kleshas: The Actual Aim of Yoga
#358 – Intro to The Bhagavad Gita: How Do You Navigate Moral Dilemmas?
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