The Uplifted Yoga Podcast
Uplift your personal life and accelerate your yoga career leveraging yoga’s ancient wisdom. Explore yoga philosophy from the Yoga Sutras, the Vedas, psychology, kundalini and self-help. Brett Larkin helps you get closer to making consistent daily yoga a reality, while empowering you to acknowledge your role as a leader and healer of others. Whether you’re experiencing a kundalini awakening, resolving unprocessed trauma, suffering as a “hidden healer,” in a cycle of self-sabotage, feeling “imposter syndrome,” or stuck trying to grow your wellness business, the Uplifted Yoga podcast is where you come to slay your mindset blocks and indulge in yoga’s rich philosophy in a way that’s practical and fun. ✨Pre-Order Brett’s Book on Amazon ✨Make your yoga practice 2x more potent in 1/2 the time ✨Download your free yoga business plan Become a member at brettlarkin.com/uplifted
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How the Yoga Sutras & Bhagavad Gita Were Originally Taught (And Why It Feels So Different Today)
04/29/2026
How the Yoga Sutras & Bhagavad Gita Were Originally Taught (And Why It Feels So Different Today)
Have you ever wondered what the original learning environment of yoga philosophy actually looked like? In this episode, I share why texts like the Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, and Upanishads were never meant to be read alone—and how studying in community can completely transform your understanding. As I’ve been leading my Yoga Sutras Book Club, I’ve seen how powerful it is to learn this way—and why it might be the missing piece in your own practice. We explore: 🔹 Why reading alone is actually a modern anomaly 🔹 How sutras were designed to be unpacked together 🔹 Why commentary and conversation deepen insight 🔹 How community supports nervous system regulation If something feels like it’s missing in your spiritual study, this episode will show you why. 💖 Want to experience this in practice? Join me inside the Yoga Sutras Book Club where we study these teachings the way they were originally meant to be explored—together, in community, and in conversation → 📘 Want the physical, glossy keepsake journal? Order it here → FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 🐍 📚 💖 🎧 Also Listen to: #297 – #358 – #364 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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Guided Meditation for Busy Women to De-Stress (16 Minutes)
04/24/2026
Guided Meditation for Busy Women to De-Stress (16 Minutes)
If you’ve been working all day, running around, or living a little too much in your head, this short guided meditation is designed to help you shift out of “doing” mode and back into being. In this visualization, I guide you into a peaceful nighttime beach setting where you encounter a radiant goddess figure who bathes you in what I call the nectar of compassion — a symbol of the feminine qualities many of us forget to give ourselves: softness, warmth, receptivity, and care. You can practice this meditation lying down and return to it anytime you need to release stress, reconnect with your body, and transition into a calmer, more intuitive state. In this meditation, we explore: 🔹 A simple three-part breath to slow the nervous system and release the day 🔹 A soothing moonlit beach visualization to shift from mental activity into embodied presence 🔹 Meeting a compassionate goddess archetype representing nurturing feminine energy 🔹 A symbolic “nectar of compassion” ritual to soften tension and restore emotional balance 🔹 Reconnecting with the quiet strength, warmth, and intuition already within you This practice is especially beautiful when you're transitioning from work into the evening, preparing for rest, or simply needing a few minutes to reconnect with yourself. ✨ Want more practices like this? Inside the Uplifted Membership, you’ll find a full library of guided meditations, somatic yoga practices, and deeper trainings to help you regulate your nervous system, reconnect with your body, and build a sustainable spiritual practice. Join here → © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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Are the Chakras Just New Age Woo? Yoga, Anatomy & the Truth Behind the Energy Centers
04/22/2026
Are the Chakras Just New Age Woo? Yoga, Anatomy & the Truth Behind the Energy Centers
Are chakras just a New Age myth—or is there real wisdom behind the energy centers? In this episode, I unpack the skepticism around chakras—and why it’s totally valid. We explore how chakras are not physical organs, but symbolic energy centers that correlate with real anatomical structures like nerve plexuses and endocrine glands. I also share how the chakra system evolved in ancient yogic texts, and how yoga teachers can present chakras in a way that feels grounded, inclusive, and relevant. You’ll learn: 🔹 The historical roots of chakras in ancient yogic texts 🔹 How chakras align with anatomical and physiological structures 🔹 Why skepticism is welcome—and how to teach through it 🔹 Ways to talk about energy without alienating your students 🔹 How to present the chakras through the lens of body awareness If you’ve ever felt torn between spiritual depth and scientific credibility—this episode bridges the gap. 🌈 Sign Up for the Live Chakra Challenge => FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 💖 ✅ 🔮 🐍 🎧 Also Listen to: #303 – #341 – #370 – © 2025 Uplifted Yoga |
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Hip Replacement & Yoga What Teachers Need to Know w Cyndi Stewart
04/15/2026
Hip Replacement & Yoga What Teachers Need to Know w Cyndi Stewart
What happens when your hips can no longer do what your yoga practice asks of them? In this deeply honest conversation, Uplifted alum Cyndi Stewart shares her journey toward hip replacement surgery — and the identity crisis that followed. As a longtime yoga teacher, intuitive healer, and movement lover, she opens up about navigating chronic hip pain, reduced mobility, and the emotional spiral that can come when your body no longer “performs.” We talk candidly about: 🔹 Early signs of hip degeneration and what yoga teachers often miss 🔹 Why strengthening matters more than stretching for long-term hip health 🔹 How overstretching can accelerate instability 🔹 What hip replacement surgery and recovery are actually like (timeline, pain, mobility, surprises) 🔹 Supporting students with hip replacements in class 🔹 The grief, ego, and surrender that accompany physical limitation 🔹 Somatic tools and meditations that helped regulate pain and fear This episode is for yoga teachers worried about their own hips… for students navigating osteoarthritis or labral tears… and for anyone facing surgery and wondering what it means spiritually when your body says “enough.” Your body’s breakdown is not your failure. Sometimes it’s an initiation. 🌈 Sign Up For The Live Chakra Challenge GUEST EXPERT: Cyndi P Stewart, PhD. | Root Cause Health Solutions' founder, Cyndi Stewart, PhD, uses a unique "Mystics approach" to get to the heart of chronic health issues. Through her own healing journey, Cyndi discovered that physical symptoms are often the body's way of calling for attention. Her process integrates intuitive eating, bioenergetics, kinesiology, and the Akashic Records to uncover the root causes of dis-ease. A Kundalini and Uplifted Yoga teacher, she also uses yoga and meditation to ground her energy. To learn more about her work, including classes on Emotions & Metaphysical Kinesiology, you can visit Connect with Cyndi: Read about surgery and recovery on Cyndi’s website here: FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 📚 ✅ 🔮 🌀 💫 🎧 Also Listen to: #285 – #300 – #369 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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From Self-Improvement to Reverence (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7)
04/08/2026
From Self-Improvement to Reverence (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 7)
Are you collecting yogic wisdom… or in a relationship with Divine mystery? Today we’re opening into Chapter 7 of the Bhagavad Gita, and it’s a true turning point. The first six chapters have been so much about discipline, self-mastery, and effort… but here, we pivot into the bhakti arc: relationship with the divine. Before we drop into the verses, I frame the big shift this chapter is asking of us — and I weave it through a distinction that changes everything: jnana (intellectual knowing) vs vijnana (realized, embodied knowing). Here are the 5 biggest takeaways from this episode: 🔹 The pivot from self-effort to reverence + relationship (and why this is such good news if you’re tired of over-efforting) 🔹 Jnana vs vijnana: reading about truth vs living it in your nervous system, your body, your actual life 🔹 Krishna’s reveal: not “worship me as a personality,” but recognize the animating intelligence of reality (taste in water, light in sun + moon, Om…) 🔹 The gunas as weather patterns — and bhakti as remembering the “sky” behind them 🔹 The radical reframe: awakening isn’t a solo achievement… it’s participatory — you’re being met If you’re loving this deeper dive into yogic texts, come join me inside the Uplifted Membership for the Yoga Sutras Book Club — it’s where we keep studying together (with prompts, practices, and community) so the teachings move from your head into your life. 💖 Join the membership today and get all the details on our next call → FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: ✅ 📚 🔮 🐍 🌀 💫 🎧 Also Listen to: #297 – #364 – #404 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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How I Get TV Segments & Talk on Camera (Without Stressing Out)
04/01/2026
How I Get TV Segments & Talk on Camera (Without Stressing Out)
I recently went on live television — and it reminded me how much intentionality goes into both getting these opportunities and preparing for them. In this episode, I share how media invitations actually happened for me (spoiler: it wasn’t cold pitching networks)… and how I prep so live TV doesn’t fry my nervous system. If you have a book, retreat, teacher training, or offering you want to grow, this is the real behind-the-scenes. In this conversation, I cover: 🔹 The two-part strategy that builds visibility over time 🔹 Why doing “three uncomfortable things a day” changed my business 🔹 How local relationships led to magazine covers and TV invites 🔹 Why credibility and backlinks matter in the age of AI 🔹 My exact rehearsal process for live segments (so I don’t freeze) This episode is about outreach, alignment, nervous system awareness — and building momentum without overriding yourself. Because visibility should feel expansive, not depleting. 📘 Want to explore the work I referenced in this episode? Grab Healing with Somatic Yoga here → FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 📖 📚 🔮 🐍 ✨ 🎧 Also Listen to: #291 – #326 – #386 – #396 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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Yoga Doesn’t Have a Devil. So What’s the Enemy? (Part 1)
03/25/2026
Yoga Doesn’t Have a Devil. So What’s the Enemy? (Part 1)
Let’s talk about something a little controversial today… the forces of evil. 👀 How do different wisdom traditions frame temptation, demons, and the dark forces that often appear right before a spiritual breakthrough? I’ll explore the story of Eve in the garden, Jesus in the desert, and Buddha under the Bodhi tree, comparing how each figure faces illusion, doubt, and distraction—and what we can learn from them in our own practice. I’ll also break down how yogic philosophy (and Hinduism more broadly) defines the “enemy” very differently—from the ego as adversary to karmic patterns of desire and delusion. We’ll explore: 🔹 Why the darkest moments often come before awakening 🔹 Jesus vs. Mara: how two traditions handle temptation 🔹 The serpent’s tactic: twist truth, create doubt 🔹 Why contentment (Santosha) is spiritual protection 🔹 Vedanta’s view: ego, craving, and identification as the true ‘enemy’ 🔹 How to tell if you’re in a “spiritual setup” moment This is part one of a two-part conversation exploring temptation, truth, and the psychological and spiritual forces we encounter on the path. Whether you’re deep into the Gita or just navigating your own spiritual uplevel, this one’s for you. 💖 Ready to deepen your practice and live from your true nature? Explore the Uplifted Membership here => Book mentioned: FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: ✅ 📖 🐍 💖 🎧 Also Listen to: #362 – #395 – #408 - Aparigraha vs. Hustle Culture: I Quit Maximizing. Here's What Happened © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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How the Chakras Relate to Polyvagal Theory + Your FAQ
03/20/2026
How the Chakras Relate to Polyvagal Theory + Your FAQ
What if your chakra “block” isn’t a block — but your nervous system doing its job? In this bonus episode, I go deeper into your most advanced chakra questions: from how the polyvagal ladder maps onto the energy body, to why certain life patterns keep repeating. We’ll explore how trauma, somatics, and subtle anatomy intersect — and why your healing path isn’t linear (and was never meant to be). We’ll explore: 🔹 Are chakras sequential or cyclical? 🔹 Why trauma theory transforms how we understand energy centers 🔹 How the koshas and gunas make chakra work more precise 🔹 Why you keep facing the same life lessons — and what to do about it 🔹 How each chakra reflects your nervous system’s state (fight/flight/freeze) This is a practical, somatic deep-dive into energy anatomy, grounded in compassion, science, and lived experience. If you've ever said "I feel stuck," this one’s for you. 🌈 Discover your dominant chakra with my FREE dominant chakra test => 🎁 Grab my new book: Healing with Somatic Yoga: A 6-Week Journey to Release Emotions, Rewire Your Nervous System, and Reclaim Your Body → FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 📚 🔮 🐍 💖 🎧 Also Listen to: #303 – #324 – #390 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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How to Get Inspired and Be Inspired (Even When You Feel Burned Out)
03/18/2026
How to Get Inspired and Be Inspired (Even When You Feel Burned Out)
If you’ve been feeling stuck or uninspired—whether in your personal practice or your teaching—this episode is for you. I’m sharing how I’ve reignited my own creativity over the years, not by pushing harder, but by allowing myself to breathe in new experiences. From Da Vinci to Mirabai, from Einstein’s violin to the poetry of Lalla, I’ll take you on a journey that reveals the true source of inspiration—and how you can access it again (and again). Here’s what I’ll explore: 🔹 What “inspiration” really means (and why you can’t force it) 🔹 How to feed your creativity through multi-disciplinary learning 🔹 Why your students crave emotion more than information 🔹 The power of music, beauty, and sensory detail to awaken your teaching 🔹 How you showing up in your element is the greatest gift you can give 🔹 Why “how” something is offered matters as much as what’s offered If you’ve been wondering how to get inspired again—or how to truly inspire others—this episode will give you a whole new lens. And maybe, a little fire in your belly. 🎉 And if you need just a little extra teaching inspiration download my sequences and get my free yoga playlist => 💖 Join our book club! We’re starting with the Yoga Sutras inside the Uplifted Membership here => FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: ✅ 🔮 🐍 🌀 💫 🎧 Also Listen to: #299 – #363 – #401 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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The Adi Shakti Mantra for Overwhelmed Women with Polly Standeven
03/11/2026
The Adi Shakti Mantra for Overwhelmed Women with Polly Standeven
If you’ve been feeling braced, overextended, or stuck in your head — this episode is for you. In this conversation with one of my Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training graduates, Polly of North & Soul, we explore the Adi Shakti mantra not as theory… but as medicine. This isn’t just a breakdown of Sanskrit. It’s a conversation about what happens when you stop micromanaging your life force — and allow energy to move again. In this episode, we explore: 🔹 Living at “two out of ten” versus fully expressed in your energy 🔹 Kundalini as your magnetism — your truest creative essence 🔹 How conditioning and trauma constrict your life force 🔹 Shiva and Shakti as awareness and energy inside the body 🔹 Why surrender feels unsafe when your nervous system learned to brace 🔹 The nurturing frequency of Mata Shakti (Divine Mother) 🔹 How to use the Adi Shakti mantra as an anchor when overwhelmed 🔹 The exact mudra and meditation setup We also talk about what it means to soften without collapsing. To allow energy to move instead of clamping down. To trust that you don’t have to control everything in order to feel safe. If you’ve been trying to hold it all together — this episode invites you into a different way. And, if this conversation awakens something in you, my upcoming Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training goes deeper into: • Mantra & energetic anatomy • Shiva–Shakti integration • Nervous system regulation • Embodied leadership GUEST EXPERT: Polly Standeven | Polly Standeven is the founder of North & Soul, a Kundalini teacher, and community leader devoted to feminine alchemy, energy work, and heart-led living. She is a graduate of Brett’s 200-hour YTT and Kundalini University and has taught inside Brett’s programs. Connect with Polly: Instagram: YouTube: Community: Website: FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 📚 🐍 🔮 🎧 Also Listen to: #43 – #138 – #297 – #265 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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Trauma-Conscious Kundalini: A New Era of Teaching with Katrina Marie
03/04/2026
Trauma-Conscious Kundalini: A New Era of Teaching with Katrina Marie
Does Kundalini yoga have to be intense and activating? What if it could be trauma-conscious, deeply supportive, and even soothing? In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Katrina Marie—trauma survivor, author, and lead trainer in Uplifted’s 200, 300, and Kundalini tracks—to explore how Kundalini yoga can be safely adapted for students with trauma and nervous system sensitivity. We talk about how to teach from a place of safety, how to create choice instead of pressure, and why your unique experience as a teacher is your gift. In this episode, we explore: 🔹 The difference between trauma-informed and trauma-conscious teaching 🔹 How to safely adapt kriyas and breathwork for trauma-sensitive students 🔹 Which meditations actually help regulate the nervous system (and which don’t) 🔹 Why choice and agency matter more than “pushing through” 🔹 The healing power of intuitive movement in Kundalini Whether you're a teacher or a student, if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed in Kundalini—or unsure how to adapt it—this episode offers tools, compassion, and inspiration. 💖 If you’re ready to dive deeper — Join me in the upcoming Uplifted 200-Hour Somatic Trauma-Informed Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training: GUEST EXPERT: Katrina Marie | Katrina is an E-RYT 500 with Trauma Informed and Kids Yoga specialities. Katrina’s mission is to help yoga instructors find their Trauma Informed voice through the Uplifted training, and to empower kids and adults with her yoga. Katrina has survived an abusive marriage, a school shooting, and strives to turn her own trauma into her dharma as she facilitates healing experiences for others. Mentioned Practices: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 🐍 💖 ✅ 🔮 🎧 Also Listen to: #308 – #373 – #394 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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Aparigraha vs. Hustle Culture: I Quit Maximizing. Here's What Happened
02/25/2026
Aparigraha vs. Hustle Culture: I Quit Maximizing. Here's What Happened
Are you addicted to efficiency? This episode explores the fifth Yama, Aparigraha — non-grasping, through the lens of modern life. We talk hoarding… not of stuff, but of tasks, to-dos, and productivity itself. If you’ve ever found yourself trying to “earn” your rest or multitasking even in your downtime, this one’s for you. Let’s talk about: 🔹 What it really means to stop grasping (hint: it’s not just about material things) 🔹 The dark side of the “maximizer” mindset 🔹 Why we hoard productivity (and how it erodes presence) 🔹 How contentment (Santosha) offers an antidote to overwhelm 🔹 What Mary & Martha can teach us about being vs. doing Yoga begins with your relationship to time, tasks, and how you be with yourself. Let this episode be your reminder: You don’t need to do more to be more. 💖 Give yourself permission to slow down, check in, and come home to yourself with my Yoga For Self Mastery course => FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 📖 📚 🐍 💖 🌀 🎧 Also Listen to: #384 – #403 – #404 – What If I Fail? Krishna’s Answer to Your Inner Critic (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6) © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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Root Chakra Meditation
02/20/2026
Root Chakra Meditation
Ready to reconnect with your roots? This short guided meditation focuses on the first chakra — Muladhara, the root chakra — helping you ground into your body and feel deeply supported by the earth beneath you. Whether you're feeling anxious, scattered, or just want to center yourself before your day, this practice is here to help you return to solid ground. In this meditation I’ll guide you to: 🔹 Visualize the root chakra and the fire at the earth’s core 🔹 Feel your body anchoring into the present moment 🔹 Explore the void — the energetic origin point of grounding and support 🔹 A simple but profound breath practice for nervous system regulation This is a powerful reset anytime you're overwhelmed or unmoored. Drop in and return to yourself. 💖 Ready to deepen your practice and live from your true nature? Explore the Uplifted Membership here => Relevant to Today’s Episode: 🔮 🐍 💖 © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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Vedanta vs. Christianity: Bliss, Grace & the Divine in Two Spiritual Paths
02/18/2026
Vedanta vs. Christianity: Bliss, Grace & the Divine in Two Spiritual Paths
We recently completed Chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Gita — a raw and honest moment where Arjuna admits, “My mind is more restless than the wind.” But before we dive into Chapter 7 (where everything shifts), I want to pause and explore an important question that naturally arises right here: How do the yogic teachings on Ananda (bliss) compare to the Christian understanding of grace — and why do these two paths feel so different in the body? This episode is a bridge — between effort and surrender, empowerment and comfort, self-regulation and devotion — as we explore this question from a comparative, academic, and curious lens. This is not to prescribe belief, but to deepen understanding and set the stage for what’s coming next in the Gita. 🔹 Why yoga teaches bliss is uncovered through discipline 🔹 Why Christianity emphasizes grace and relationship 🔹 Effort vs. surrender — and how both live in the nervous system 🔹 How this sets the stage for Bhakti Yoga in Chapter 7 📚 Get your copy of my new book: Healing with Somatic Yoga: A 6-Week Journey to Release Emotions, Rewire Your Nervous System, and Reclaim Your Body → FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 🐍 📚 ✅ 🔮 💫 🎧 Also Listen to: #297 – #358 – #387 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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Half-Dead & Fully Alive: Dissolving the Ego at Midlife with Elena Brower
02/11/2026
Half-Dead & Fully Alive: Dissolving the Ego at Midlife with Elena Brower
What if thinking about death wasn't morbid—but liberating? In this conversation, Elena Brower (author of "Hold Nothing") and I get real about turning 40, 50, and beyond. We talk about why ego dissolution might be the greatest gift of aging, how meditation is actually an act of service to others, and why certainty is killing your relationships. Elena shares why she's ready to let all her accomplishments dissolve, the difference between prayer and meditation (spoiler: maybe there isn't one), and a simple exhale practice that serves humanity. This isn't your typical "graceful aging" conversation. It's about ruthlessly re-prioritizing, slowing down radically, and preparing for death in the most relaxed way possible. In this episode: Why "I'm half-dead" is the most freeing thought you can have The invisible gift your meditation practice gives everyone around you How sitting still helps your kids solve their own problems Why knowing everything makes you terrible company A breathing practice you can do right now to serve humanity 💖 Ready to ‘DO LESS’ in your practice? Explore the Uplifted Membership here => 🐍 Download your FREE Feminine Kundalini Starter Pack: GUEST EXPERT: Elena Brower | Mother, mentor, poet, artist, volunteer, bestselling author, and podcast host, Elena Brower is a celebrated international yoga and meditation teacher on Glo, guiding transformative practices since 1999. Her new book, , was published by Shambhala Publications in November 2025. Her column on Substack by the same name, , supports girls and women, through On The Inside, Girls on Fire Leaders, Women for Women, and Free Food Kitchen. FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 🐍 💖 🌀 💫 🎧 Also Listen to: #320 – #397 – #401 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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What If I Fail? Krishna’s Answer to Your Inner Critic (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6)
02/04/2026
What If I Fail? Krishna’s Answer to Your Inner Critic (Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6)
It’s Chapter Six of the Bhagavad Gita, where everything starts to get real. After five chapters of philosophy and frameworks, Krishna now turns to practice—specifically the challenges of meditation, discipline, and staying steady on your spiritual path. If your mind feels too restless to meditate... if you wonder whether your practice actually counts... or if you've ever feared you’re "doing it wrong"—this chapter will soothe your soul. 🔹 Krishna reveals why inner discipline > outer rituals 🔹 Arjuna expresses the doubts we all have on the path 🔹 Meditation becomes the core of yogic living—not just something we "do" 🔹 We explore witness consciousness, compassion, and true non-attachment 🔹 Spiritual effort is never wasted—even across lifetimes 📘 This also marks the completion of the first arc of the Gita. Many scholars divide the Gita into three sections of six chapters each—and Chapter 6 concludes the first movement, focused on Karma Yoga (yoga of action). We’ve been building the foundation. The next six chapters will take us into Bhakti Yoga—the yoga of devotion and loving recollection of God, so stay tuned for the next segment. 🐍 Download the FREE Feminine Kundalini Starter Pack: 📖 Different translations explored: Barbara Stoler Miller: Godsong by Amit Majmudar: Eknath Easwaran: Bhagavad-Gita As It Is by Swami Prabhupada: FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: ✨ 🔮 🐍 💖 🎧 Also Listen to: #374 – #395 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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Why You Keep Failing at Self-Care — and What to Do Differently
01/28/2026
Why You Keep Failing at Self-Care — and What to Do Differently
Self-care isn’t a luxury — it’s your foundation. Today, we explore why self-care can feel so uncomfortable (especially for those of us used to being the strong one), and how to start building your tolerance for pleasure, rest, and receiving. These are the same micro-practices that have transformed my relationship with myself and my energy over time. Here are the truths I keep learning again and again: 🔹 You can’t give from an empty cup 🔹 Self-care isn’t something you check off once — it’s ongoing 🔹 Honoring your tiniest desires builds self-trust 🔹 Slowing down unlocks your creativity 🔹 Five-minute “pleasure containers” can change your life 💖 Slow down, check in, and come home to yourself. Join Yoga For Self Mastery before live calls begin. => FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 📖 🐍 💖 🎧 Also Listen to: #260 – #372 – #384 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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How Chakras Relate to the Nervous System + Your FAQ
01/23/2026
How Chakras Relate to the Nervous System + Your FAQ
SURPRISE!! I’ve got a bonus episode for you this week. I’m going to explore three of the most commonly asked questions I hear from students about the chakras — especially how they relate to the nervous system, your fascia, and lived experience. 🔹 Are the chakras literal locations, archetypes, developmental stages — or all three? 🔹 Do chakras actually open and close? 🔹 What’s the relationship between chakra patterns and nervous system regulation? If you’ve ever wondered how these energy centers show up in your posture, behavior, and emotions — this quick breakdown will connect the dots between yogic wisdom and modern science in a way that’s practical and embodied. I’ll also share my favorite metaphor for understanding the chakras, and why we need to stop treating them like a spiritual report card. 🌈 Discover your dominant chakra with my FREE dominant chakra test => 📱Book a Free Clarity Call => FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 📚 🔮 💖 💫 🎧 Also Listen to: #351 – #355 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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Stop Asking “What Should I Do?” — The Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 Has a Better Question
01/21/2026
Stop Asking “What Should I Do?” — The Bhagavad Gita Chapter 5 Has a Better Question
Today, I take you into Chapter 5 of the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna shifts the spotlight from what you do to how you are being when you do it. This is the heart of Karma Yoga — acting in the world without clinging to the outcome. We unpack the powerful metaphor of the lotus leaf (living in the world, untouched), explore the nature of witness consciousness, and look at what it really means to "renounce" in a modern world. 🔹 What it means to act without attachment 🔹 Why the question is no longer “What should I do?” 🔹 How inner renunciation leads to clarity and peace 🔹 The lotus leaf: your new spiritual metaphor 🔹 How Krishna reframes spiritual maturity and hierarchy Whether you're making a big decision or trying to navigate daily life with more presence, this chapter has wisdom for you. Loved this episode? 👉 Dive deeper into yoga’s origins with my 🐍 Or explore my 📖 Different translations mentioned: Barbara Stoler Miller: Godsong by Amit Majmudar: Eknath Easwaran: Bhagavad-Gita As It Is by Swami Prabhupada: FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 📖 🔮 🐍 💖 🎧 Also Listen to: #297 – #358 – #392 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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Who Has Your Attention? Attention Economy vs the Ancient Path
01/14/2026
Who Has Your Attention? Attention Economy vs the Ancient Path
Let’s be real — our attention is under attack. Between scroll culture, constant notifications, and never-ending to-do lists, it’s hard to focus on what actually matters. In this episode, I’m inviting you to pause and reflect on where your precious energy is going. We’ll explore how ancient yogic and Vedantic texts can help us reclaim our attention — not just as a productivity tool, but as a sacred spiritual practice. If you’ve been feeling scattered, stuck, or overstimulated, this one’s for you. We’ll look at how: 🔹 Attention is energy — what you focus on creates your reality 🔹 Ancient wisdom can help anchor you in a noisy world 🔹 Modern distraction fragments our energy and dilutes our power 🔹 Silence and depth are medicine for the nervous system 🔹 We don’t need more input — we need more inner connection This is a gentle but powerful reset for your inner compass. Let’s remember what’s truly worthy of our focus. 🎁 Grab my new book: Healing with Somatic Yoga: A 6-Week Journey to Release Emotions, Rewire Your Nervous System, and Reclaim Your Body → Leave a book review and claim your free gift: 🌀 Explore more of these principles in Embodied Yoga Life Coaching: FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: ✅ 🐍 💖 🌀 🎧 Also Listen to: #279 – #283 – #358 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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Build Your Yoga Retreat Center with Kayla Nielsen
01/07/2026
Build Your Yoga Retreat Center with Kayla Nielsen
What does it really take to build your dream yoga retreat center—from scratch? In this episode, I sit down with Kayla Nielsen, who shares the raw, inspiring truth behind building a yoga retreat space from the ground up. From buying land abroad to pricing retreats and navigating local logistics, Kayla opens up about the entrepreneurial journey few yoga teachers talk about. We cover: 🔹 How to navigate land ownership and logistics in a foreign country 🔹 Smart strategies for planning, pricing, and co-teaching retreats 🔹 Why patience and community are the foundation of a sustainable retreat center 🔹 The beauty of letting your retreat space tell a story that reflects your values Whether you’re a yoga teacher dreaming of retreats or an entrepreneur craving land-based living, this conversation is your roadmap to turning inspiration into action. GUEST EXPERT: Kayla Nielsen | | Kayla Nielsen is a yoga teacher with over 1000 hours of training. Founder of international retreat business and yoga alliance registered yoga school, glow yoga retreats. CEO and co-founder of still salty escape, a hotel and retreat center in northern nicaragua. She’s been teaching and leading retreats around the world for 10 years, and established a successful online yoga app 3 years ago with thousands of subscribers. Check out Kayla’s retreat center: FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: ✅ 🔮 🐍 🎧 Also Listen to: #299 – #354 – #365 – © 2026 Uplifted Yoga |
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[Meditation] Vagus Nerve & Nervous System Reset
12/31/2025
[Meditation] Vagus Nerve & Nervous System Reset
No talk. No theory. No to-do list. Just you and 20 minutes of deep nervous system reset. This New Year’s Eve episode is a guided Somatic Release Meditation—designed to help you let go of trapped emotions, soothe your system, and make space for what’s next. It’s also a beautiful primer for what’s coming in the Evolve Somatic Challenge, which starts January 1st. (If you haven’t signed up yet—go do that!) ✨ A few important notes: 🛋️ Lie down, get comfy, and please don’t do this while driving. 🧠 This practice also helps soothe the vagus nerve, release tension, and bring your body into a state of safety. 🎉Sign Up for the 2026 Evolve Somatic Challenge => Take this moment to clear the slate. Your body will thank you. 📚 Want to go deeper? My new Somatic Yoga book is the perfect companion to this challenge—and your practice in 2026. Get it here → Relevant to Today’s Episode: 💖 💫 © 2025 Uplifted Yoga |
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[Meditation] Taking in the Good
12/24/2025
[Meditation] Taking in the Good
Okay, this isn’t our usual episode. There’s no philosophy, no Gita breakdown, no talk of funnels or energy anatomy today. Instead, I have a gift for you—a guided meditation designed to help you do something surprisingly hard: feel good and stay in it. If you’ve been through trauma or long-term stress, your nervous system might default to worry, numbness, or waiting for the other shoe to drop—even when things are actually going well. This practice gently helps you expand your capacity to receive joy, compliments, connection, and peace without flinching. ✨ A few important notes: 🧘♀️ Don’t do this while driving. 🛋️ Find a cozy spot where you can sit or lie down undisturbed. 🎁 Come as you are. This is your Christmas Eve permission slip to slow down and let good feelings land. Practice it as often as needed—and let me know what shifts for you. 🎉Sign Up for the 2026 Evolve Somatic Challenge => 💖 Ready to deepen your practice and live from your true nature? Explore the Uplifted Membership here => Relevant to Today’s Episode: 🐍 💖 © 2025 Uplifted Yoga |
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How to Live Smartphone Free (From a 20 Year Old) with Yunus M.
12/17/2025
How to Live Smartphone Free (From a 20 Year Old) with Yunus M.
What happens when a 20-year-old decides to completely unplug—from smartphones, social media, and the digital world? In this episode, I talk with Yunus Maximus, a bold, creative soul who's chosen a countercultural path in today’s tech-saturated world. We explore how living without a phone has deepened his art, saved his mental health, and strengthened his human connections. His story will make you rethink your relationship with technology—and your own creativity. We talk about: 🔹 Why Yunus ditched his phone and never looked back 🔹 The link between digital detox and artistic expression 🔹 Finding community and purpose offline 🔹 What it means to trust your own path in a hyper-connected world If you’ve been craving more presence, art, or authenticity—this one’s a must-listen. 🎁 Don’t forget to grab my new book: Healing with Somatic Yoga: A 6-Week Journey to Release Emotions, Rewire Your Nervous System, and Reclaim Your Body → GUEST EXPERT: Yunus Maximus Yunus is an artist and musician helping pave the way in technology and internet counterculture. Through experimentation and therapeutic integration he discovered that stepping away from technology has enabled him to not only connect with his unique gifts but his local community in powerful ways. Yunus encourages everyone to step away from the noise the internet brings, do the art that you love, and trust that opportunities will come your way. Contact Yunus: FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 🐍 💖 💫 ✨ 🎧 Also Listen to: #378 – “ #380 – © 2025 Uplifted Yoga |
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Rewire Your Nervous System + My New Somatic Healing Book is HERE!
12/10/2025
Rewire Your Nervous System + My New Somatic Healing Book is HERE!
Today’s episode is a little different and really special. I’m finally sharing the story behind my new book, Healing with Somatic Yoga. This book is the heart of everything I’ve been teaching, practicing, and living — and I can’t wait for you to hold it in your hands. If you’ve ever felt like traditional wellness advice just doesn’t reach the deeper layers — like something’s missing — you’re not alone. We’re entering what I’m calling the Decade of the Nervous System. It’s time to stop muscling through healing and start listening to the body that’s been protecting you all along. You’ll hear: 🔹 Why your body is not a problem to fix — it’s an animal trying to keep you safe 🔹 How unprocessed stress lives in the body (and what to do about it) 🔹 The 3 distinct models of somatic healing I teach inside the book 🔹 How storytelling rewires your brain (and why it’s a key healing tool) 🔹 Why healing can (and should) feel pleasurable and fun 🔹 What makes this book different from anything else on somatics or yoga This isn’t just a book — it’s a nervous system manual for our times. I’m so excited to finally share it with you. 🎉📘 Grab my new book: Healing with Somatic Yoga: A 6-Week Journey to Release Emotions, Rewire Your Nervous System, and Reclaim Your Body → and claim the bonus videos and gifts exclusively for early book purchasers! FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 💖 🌀 💫 🎧 Also Listen to: #318 – #330 – #384 – © 2025 Uplifted Yoga |
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The Role of “God” in Yoga + Tantric Shadow Work w/ Katie Silcox
12/03/2025
The Role of “God” in Yoga + Tantric Shadow Work w/ Katie Silcox
What does it mean to surrender—not just in theory, but in your body? Katie Silcox is back for an intimate and expansive conversation where we explore the intersections of shadow work, yoga, energy practices, and the divine. We talk about the emotional courage it takes to let go, the healing potential of the word God, and how to distinguish between meditation and prayer in a way that supports your spiritual evolution. You’ll learn: 🔹 Why shadow work is more about integration than excavation 🔹 The difference between vertical and horizontal energy flow 🔹 How to ground yourself for deeper emotional intelligence and energy work 🔹 What it means to surrender to a benevolent universe 🔹 The distinct but complementary roles of meditation and prayer If you’re longing for connection—to self, to Source, and to the real sensations of spirit moving through your life—this episode is for you. 🌹 Download my somatic sequences & playlists for teachers: 💗Get Brett’s Free Somatic Yoga Workshop: GUEST EXPERT: Katie Silcox | Katie Silcox, M.A. is the New York Times Best-Selling author of the book Healthy, Happy, Sexy - Ayurveda Wisdom for Modern Women and the new book - Glow-Worthy. She is the founder of The Shakti School, a premier online certification school for women-centered holistic wellness that bridges functional medicine and eastern traditions. She holds a Masters degree in Ayurvedic Medicine and is a member of the National Ayurvedic Medicine Association. In her former life, she has been a researcher in Artificial Intelligence, a cover model for Yoga Journal magazine in Russia and the owner of a beach bar in Spain. Uplifted Yoga Exclusive $200 discount codes for The Shakti School's : If you would like to pay in full for the course, please use the discount code uplifted200 - this will take $200 off the tuition. If you would like a payment plan option, please enter code uplifted200plan at registration checkout. This will take $100 off the first two payments on any of the payment plan options. FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 💖 🌀 💫 🎧 Also Listen to: #284 – #352 – © 2025 Uplifted Yoga |
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What is Feminine Form Kundalini Yoga?
11/26/2025
What is Feminine Form Kundalini Yoga?
In this episode, I introduce the core principles of Feminine Form Kundalini, a radically different approach to energy and transformation. We explore how the body responds not to pressure, but to rhythm, wave-like movement, and the right conditions for deep inner uncoiling. This practice isn’t about transcendence—it’s about coming home to your body as the sacred gateway to power. You’ll learn: 🔹 Why biological safety is the foundation of true spiritual awakening 🔹 How spiral and wave-like movement unlocks stuck energy 🔹 The vital role of pleasure in feminine energy practices 🔹 How this method differs from traditional Kundalini approaches This is your invitation to experience energy, embodiment, and transformation—on your terms. 🐍 Download the FREE Feminine Kundalini Starter Pack: FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: 🎧 Also Listen to: #265 – #277 – © 2025 Uplifted Yoga |
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Your Ultimate Wellness Gift Guide (Just in Time for Black Friday!) w/ Corrine Maples
11/19/2025
Your Ultimate Wellness Gift Guide (Just in Time for Black Friday!) w/ Corrine Maples
Looking for the perfect gift for the yogi or wellness lover in your life? Or maybe you’re building your own holiday wish list? In this fun and cozy episode, Corinne and I share our favorite yoga gear, wellness hacks, and self-care staples—just in time for Black Friday and the holiday season. We dive into everything from yoga clothing and props to supplements and skincare tools, giving you a yogi-approved guide to all things supportive, stylish, and soul-nourishing. You’ll hear: 🔹 Our go-to yoga clothing brands (from luxe to budget-friendly!) 🔹 Wellness staples we swear by—AG1, protein bars, electrolytes + more 🔹 Weird-but-awesome upgrades like face tape + at-home laser hair removal 🔹 Thoughtful gift ideas for yogis, wellness lovers + self-care enthusiasts ✨ Whether you’re shopping for others or treating yourself, this episode is packed with ideas to inspire your holiday shopping and elevate your practice. Many of the items mentioned in this episode can be found at Brett’s Amazon storefront (please also support local retailers, this was just the easiest place to assemble): Additional Vendors Mentioned: - please note this is a referral link - small bust bras - also sold at dick’s sporting goods - bite size strength workouts GUEST EXPERT: Corinne Maples (RYT 500) | Corinne has been doing yoga since 2011 and has practiced every style of yoga under the sun, loving them all for different reasons; leading her to go through Uplifted 200 and 300 hr YTT as well as additional training in kundalini, chair, and prenatal yoga. In 2024, Corinne also became a certified Embodied Yoga Life Coach, working one on one with people to help move energy, release stuck patterns and become more embodied. She loves to help people maximize their yoga practice by giving them access to potent practices that can be done in as little as 15-30 min. Corinne teaches one on one Embodied Yoga Life Coaching privates, workshops, corporate classes, and retreats. Book an Intro Session with Corrine: For more information on her offerings please reach out to FREE Practice: Relevant to Today’s Episode: ✅ 🔮 🐍 💖 🌀 💫 🎧 Also Listen to: #343 – #350 – © 2025 Uplifted Yoga |
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How to Act from Wisdom & Make Every Moment Sacred: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4
11/12/2025
How to Act from Wisdom & Make Every Moment Sacred: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4
What does it mean to act with wisdom—and make every moment sacred? In Chapter 4 of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna reveals how true wisdom isn’t passive—it’s a call to action. He teaches Arjuna how knowledge, action, and sacrifice are deeply intertwined, offering a timeless guide for navigating moral crises with clarity and courage. Today, we explore how these teachings apply to your modern life, showing you how to transform every choice, breath, and moment into an offering aligned with your highest purpose. Here’s what you’ll learn: 🔹 What it means to put wisdom into motion in your daily life 🔹 How to meet crisis with clarity, courage, and spiritual alignment 🔹 The deeper meaning behind Krishna’s words: “When righteousness fails, I create myself” 🔹 Practical ways to bring a sense of devotion and meaning into everyday action If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What should I do next?”—this chapter offers a profound answer: Act with awareness. Move from wisdom. Make it sacred. Loved this episode? 👉 Dive deeper into yoga’s origins with my 🐍 Or explore my 📖 Different translations mentioned: Barbara Stoler Miller: Godsong by Amit Majmudar: Eknath Easwaran: Bhagavad-Gita As It Is by Swami Prabhupada: FREE Practice: Relevant Blog: Relevant to Today’s Episode: ✅ 🔮 💖 🎧 Also Listen to: #358 – #361 – #367 – #374 – #379 – © 2025 Uplifted Yoga |
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Vyana + Udana Vayu: Energetic Expression, Circulation + Embodiment
11/05/2025
Vyana + Udana Vayu: Energetic Expression, Circulation + Embodiment
It’s time to dive deeper into the subtle energy system that powers your yoga practice—and your life. In Part 2 of our exploration of the Vayus, I explore Udana Vayu (upward-moving energy) and Vyana Vayu (the expansive force that integrates everything), and how they influence expression, circulation, and embodiment. We connect the Vayus to chakras, Ayurveda, mudras, and practical tools you can use to balance these energies in your body and teaching. You’ll learn: 🔹 The roles of Udana Vayu (expression, growth, communication) and Vyana Vayu (circulation, integration, wholeness) 🔹 How to use mudras to enhance your energetic balance 🔹 The link between prana, apana, agni, and ojas 🔹 How understanding the Vayus can refine your personal practice and your teaching 🔹 Why self-assessment of your energetic patterns can change everything This episode brings the Vayus to life—and shows you how to harness them to support your body, emotions, and path as a practitioner or teacher. 💖 Ready to deepen your practice and live from your true nature? Explore the Uplifted Membership here => FREE Practice: Relevant Blogs: Relevant to Today’s Episode: ✅ 🔮 🐍 💖 🎧 Also Listen to: #385 – © 2025 Uplifted Yoga |
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