Stillpoints: A Podcast with Scott Johnson

The Stillpoints Podcast with Scott Johnson brings insightful, inspiring and moving conversation into how contemplative practice has evolved in our modern culture. Scott talks to the many people, yoga/dharma teachers, practitioners, authors and creatives who have inspired him, as director of Stillpoint Yoga London, to see how their practices have landed in the world.

#045: Mark Williams on How We Created Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy 09/30/2023

#045: Mark Williams on How We Created Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy In this wide ranging conversation Scott Johnson talks to Dr Mark Williams, professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Oxford and director of the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, about mindfulness meditation and its ability to treat and prevent depression. Mark was raised in a devout Christian household, and at a young age believed his calling was with the ministry. His path changed while studying clinical psychology at university, where he was drawn to the field of treating adult mental health. _____ We’d like to invite you to join our growing monthly Stillpoint Online Yoga community. For just £20 per month you can support the podcast and every Monday evening join The Still Space, our live stream yoga philosophy, mindfulness, pranayama and discussion sessions hosted by Scott Johnson. You can also gain access to our growing Stillpoint Online library of helpful yoga and mindfulness content. _____ Mark Williams - How We Created Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy In this conversation, Mark explains how cognitive therapy and mindfulness can be used to reduce the risk of relapse in people who have experienced depression. Mindfulness, unlike antidepressants and cognitive therapy, is uniquely effective as a preventative measure against poor mental health. By engaging in mindfulness even when we are not depressed, we can lower the risk of it affecting us in the first place. Among many rich and inspiring stories Mark shares how he developed MBCT after working with Jon Kabat Zinn, the founder of modern day mindfulness practices. Mark shares: How he developed MBCT with his colleagues and working directly with Jon Kabat Zinn How he experienced the transformational power of mindfulness meditation only after having abandoned it. How mindfulness and his Christian faith work in tandem, with surprising similarities between Buddhist awareness meditation and the Gospel of St John. How, within the Christian contemplative tradition, God can be understood as the ‘loving heart’ at the centre of the universe. How effective the combination of cognitive therapy and mindfulness is at reducing the risk of relapse. The limitations and contraindications of mindfulness. How liberation is to be found in the present moment, and that each moment is a possible moment of freedom. _____ About Mark Williams Mark Williams is Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Oxford, having held posts at the Medical Research Council’s Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at Cambridge and the University of Wales, Bangor. He co-developed Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy and founded the University of Oxford’s Mindfulness Centre that works to prevent depression and enhance human potential through the therapeutic use of mindfulness across the lifespan. His books include The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness (with John Teasdale, Zindel Segal and Jon Kabat-Zinn) and Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World (with Danny Penman). His most recent work focuses on how to sustain and deepen mindfulness through a programme that explores feeling tone (vedanā) 'frame by frame', as explained in Deeper Mindfulness (2023). You can find more about Mark here: "This conversation with Dr Mark Williams gives a beautiful insight into one of the foremost leaders in the field of mindfulness over the past 40 years. Mark shares not only his involvement in the growth of mindfulness based interventions but also about his own journey with mindfulness. It is one of my favourite conversations yet...." Scott Johnson - September 2023 _____ If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and . /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/28187882

044: Gregor Maehle on Yoga as a Mystical Experience 04/23/2023

044: Gregor Maehle on Yoga as a Mystical Experience In this deep and rewarding conversation Scott Johnson talks to author, yoga teacher and mystic Gregor Maehle on his life as a seeker in the contemplative and spiritual traditions. Gregor shares how his childhood created the bedrock for a life of spiritual discovery, the outcome being a life embedded within the mystical limbs of yoga and contemplative practice. ___ We’d like to invite you to join our growing . For just £20 per month you can support the podcast and every Monday evening join The Still Space, our live stream yoga philosophy, mindfulness, pranayama and discussion sessions hosted by Scott Johnson. You can also gain access to our growing Stillpoint Online library of helpful yoga and mindfulness content. ___ Gregor Maehle on Yoga As A Mystical Experience Scott and Gregor talk openly about Gregor’s life as a yoga practitioner and mystic. Gregor shares: How he grew up in a catholic upbringing. How he had a mystical experience aged 6. How his parents saw something deep in him from an early age. How he read mystical books from a very young age. How he took psychedelics in his late teens but the integration as a spiritual experience didn’t work. How in his twenties he did the guru trail in India. How he decided to spend his life doing personal sadhana. Why mystical experiences are not spontaneous. Why you should work with hypotheses rather than belief. Why the mystical state is your birth right. How in his forties he developed a relationship with Jesus. How the ego gets in the way of the mystical experience and is known in many traditions with different names. How we need to be in the service of all beings. Why yoga is the most powerful tool for transformation. What the inspiration is that he uses to write his books. How we can all find our life’s purpose. How we can stay connected to nature. What the most important thing is that he has discovered through his practice. ___ About Gregor Maehle Gregor Maehle began his yogic practices 45 years ago. In the mid-1980s he commenced annual travels to India, where he studied with various yogic and tantric masters, traditional Indian sadhus and ascetics. He spent fourteen months in Mysore, and in 1997 was authorised to teach Ashtanga Yoga by K. Pattabhi Jois. Since then he has branched out into researching the anatomical alignment of postures and the higher limbs of yoga. In India Gregor also received eight months of mostly one-on-one instruction in scripture and the higher limbs of Yoga through B.N.S. Iyengar, a student of T. Krishnamacharya, and he studied Sanskrit under Professor Narayanachar and Dr Chandrasekhar. Gregor’s internationally acclaimed textbook series consisting of Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy, Ashtanga Yoga: The Intermediate Series, Pranayama: The Breath of Yoga, Yoga Meditation: Through Mantra, Chakras and Kundalini to Spiritual Freedom, Samadhi The Great Freedom, How to Find Your Life’s Divine Purpose, Chakras, Drugs & Evolution and Mudras: Seals of Yoga – have sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide and have been translated into eight foreign languages. Additional volumes currently prepared are Tantric Meditation and Bhakti: Yoga of Love. Gregor has been invited to many countries to teach and has contributed to and been interviewed by numerous yoga magazines. On Gregor’s blog page chintamaniyoga.com/blog/ you will find over 300 articles, videos and podcasts on all aspects of yoga, which Gregor has authored together with his wife Monica. Today Gregor teaches an anatomically sophisticated interpretation of traditional vinyasa yoga, integrated into the practice of the higher limbs in the spirit of Patanjali and T. Krishnamacharya. His zany sense of humour, his manifold personal experiences, and his vast and deep knowledge of scripture, Indian philosophies and yogic techniques combine to make his teachings applicable, relevant and easily accessible to all his students. You can find more about Gregor here: In this deep and rewarding conversation Scott Johnson talks to author, yoga teacher and mystic Gregor Maehle on his life as a seeker in the contemplative and spiritual traditions. Gregor shares how his childhood created the bedrock for a life of spiritual discovery, the outcome being a life embedded within the mystical limbs of yoga and contemplative practice. We’d like to invite you to join our growing . For just £20 per month you can support the podcast and every Monday evening join The Still Space, our live stream yoga philosophy, mindfulness, pranayama and discussion sessions hosted by Scott Johnson. You can also gain access to our growing Stillpoint Online library of helpful yoga and mindfulness content. Gregor Maehle on Yoga As A Mystical Experience Scott and Gregor talk openly about Gregor’s life as a yoga practitioner and mystic. Gregor shares: How he grew up in a catholic upbringing. How he had a mystical experience aged 6. How his parents saw something deep in him from an early age. How he read mystical books from a very young age. How he took psychedelics in his late teens but the integration as a spiritual experience didn’t work. How in his twenties he did the guru trail in India. How he decided to spend his life doing personal sadhana. Why mystical experiences are not spontaneous. Why you should work with hypotheses rather than belief. Why the mystical state is your birth right. How in his forties he developed a relationship with Jesus. How the ego gets in the way of the mystical experience and is known in many traditions with different names. How we need to be in the service of all beings. Why yoga is the most powerful tool for transformation. What the inspiration is that he uses to write his books. How we can all find our life’s purpose. How we can stay connected to nature. What the most important thing is that he has discovered through his practice. About Gregor Maehle Gregor Maehle began his yogic practices 45 years ago. In the mid-1980s he commenced annual travels to India, where he studied with various yogic and tantric masters, traditional Indian sadhus and ascetics. He spent fourteen months in Mysore, and in 1997 was authorised to teach Ashtanga Yoga by K. Pattabhi Jois. Since then he has branched out into researching the anatomical alignment of postures and the higher limbs of yoga. In India Gregor also received eight months of mostly one-on-one instruction in scripture and the higher limbs of Yoga through B.N.S. Iyengar, a student of T. Krishnamacharya, and he studied Sanskrit under Professor Narayanachar and Dr Chandrasekhar. Gregor’s internationally acclaimed textbook series consisting of Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy, Ashtanga Yoga: The Intermediate Series, Pranayama: The Breath of Yoga, Yoga Meditation: Through Mantra, Chakras and Kundalini to Spiritual Freedom, Samadhi The Great Freedom, How to Find Your Life’s Divine Purpose, Chakras, Drugs & Evolution and Mudras: Seals of Yoga – have sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide and have been translated into eight foreign languages. Additional volumes currently prepared are Tantric Meditation and Bhakti: Yoga of Love. Gregor has been invited to many countries to teach and has contributed to and been interviewed by numerous yoga magazines. On Gregor’s blog page chintamaniyoga.com/blog/ you will find over 300 articles, videos and podcasts on all aspects of yoga, which Gregor has authored together with his wife Monica. Today Gregor teaches an anatomically sophisticated interpretation of traditional vinyasa yoga, integrated into the practice of the higher limbs in the spirit of Patanjali and T. Krishnamacharya. His zany sense of humour, his manifold personal experiences, and his vast and deep knowledge of scripture, Indian philosophies and yogic techniques combine to make his teachings applicable, relevant and easily accessible to all his students. You can find more about Gregor here: “This conversation with Gregor is grounded in deep insight. Gregor has lives such a rich life of study and practice that his teachings are a visceral outcome of personal committed study. Gregor shares life experiences that are at the same time teachings. We all can find a deeper way to interact with ourselves and the world. Gregor is a testament to that… “ Scott Johnson – April 2023 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and . In this deep and rewarding conversation Scott Johnson talks to author, yoga teacher and mystic Gregor Maehle on his life as a seeker in the contemplative and spiritual traditions. Gregor shares how his childhood created the bedrock for a life of spiritual discovery, the outcome being a life embedded within the mystical limbs of yoga and contemplative practice. We’d like to invite you to join our growing . For just £20 per month you can support the podcast and every Monday evening join The Still Space, our live stream yoga philosophy, mindfulness, pranayama and discussion sessions hosted by Scott Johnson. You can also gain access to our growing Stillpoint Online library of helpful yoga and mindfulness content. Gregor Maehle on Yoga As A Mystical Experience Scott and Gregor talk openly about Gregor’s life as a yoga practitioner and mystic. Gregor shares: How he grew up in a catholic upbringing. How he had a mystical experience aged 6. How his parents saw something deep in him from an early age. How he read mystical books from a very young age. How he took psychedelics in his late teens but the integration as a spiritual experience didn’t work. How in his twenties he did the guru trail in India. How he decided to spend his life doing personal sadhana. Why mystical experiences are not spontaneous. Why you should work with hypotheses rather than belief. Why the mystical state is your birth right. How in his forties he developed a relationship with Jesus. How the ego gets in the way of the mystical experience and is known in many traditions with different names. How we need to be in the service of all beings. Why yoga is the most powerful tool for transformation. What the inspiration is that he uses to write his books. How we can all find our life’s purpose. How we can stay connected to nature. What the most important thing is that he has discovered through his practice. About Gregor Maehle Gregor Maehle began his yogic practices 45 years ago. In the mid-1980s he commenced annual travels to India, where he studied with various yogic and tantric masters, traditional Indian sadhus and ascetics. He spent fourteen months in Mysore, and in 1997 was authorised to teach Ashtanga Yoga by K. Pattabhi Jois. Since then he has branched out into researching the anatomical alignment of postures and the higher limbs of yoga. In India Gregor also received eight months of mostly one-on-one instruction in scripture and the higher limbs of Yoga through B.N.S. Iyengar, a student of T. Krishnamacharya, and he studied Sanskrit under Professor Narayanachar and Dr Chandrasekhar. Gregor’s internationally acclaimed textbook series consisting of Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy, Ashtanga Yoga: The Intermediate Series, Pranayama: The Breath of Yoga, Yoga Meditation: Through Mantra, Chakras and Kundalini to Spiritual Freedom, Samadhi The Great Freedom, How to Find Your Life’s Divine Purpose, Chakras, Drugs & Evolution and Mudras: Seals of Yoga – have sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide and have been translated into eight foreign languages. Additional volumes currently prepared are Tantric Meditation and Bhakti: Yoga of Love. Gregor has been invited to many countries to teach and has contributed to and been interviewed by numerous yoga magazines. On Gregor’s blog page chintamaniyoga.com/blog/ you will find over 300 articles, videos and podcasts on all aspects of yoga, which Gregor has authored together with his wife Monica. Today Gregor teaches an anatomically sophisticated interpretation of traditional vinyasa yoga, integrated into the practice of the higher limbs in the spirit of Patanjali and T. Krishnamacharya. His zany sense of humour, his manifold personal experiences, and his vast and deep knowledge of scripture, Indian philosophies and yogic techniques combine to make his teachings applicable, relevant and easily accessible to all his students. You can find more about Gregor here: ___ “This conversation with Gregor is grounded in deep insight. Gregor has lives such a rich life of study and practice that his teachings are a visceral outcome of personal committed study. Gregor shares life experiences that are at the same time teachings. We all can find a deeper way to interact with ourselves and the world. Gregor is a testament to that… “ Scott Johnson – April 2023 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and . “This conversation with Gregor is grounded in deep insight. Gregor has lives such a rich life of study and practice that his teachings are a visceral outcome of personal committed study. Gregor shares life experiences that are at the same time teachings. We all can find a deeper way to interact with ourselves and the world. Gregor is a testament to that… “ Scott Johnson – April 2023 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and . /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/26623593

#043: Peter Levitt on How Mindfulness Is Creativity 04/08/2023

#043: Peter Levitt on How Mindfulness Is Creativity In this beautiful and enlightening conversation Scott Johnson talks to Zen teacher, poet and author Peter Levitt about his book Fingerpainting On The Moon, his life as a Soto Zen practitioner and poet and how we can all use contemplative practices to find our own unique creative process. --- We’d like to invite you to join our growing monthly Stillpoint Online Yoga community. For just £20 per month you can support the podcast and every Monday evening, between 7.30pm - 8.30pm UK time, join our live stream yoga philosophy, mindfulness, pranayama and discussion sessions hosted by Scott Johnson. You can also gain access to our growing Stillpoint Online library of helpful yoga and mindfulness content and connect with others on a private messaging group. We look forward to welcoming you to our community --- Peter Levitt on How Mindfulness Is Creativity Scott and Peter talk openly about his life as a writer and a Zen practitioner. Peter shares: About his early years of growing up with chronic illness How his early life spending time on his own was the catalyst to his learning his craft How he discovered Zen at the end of the sixties. How he begun to understand how his creative process comes from him How the art of practice is intimacy How all relationship is intimacy Who the great Soto Zen master Dogen was. How non-separation is the key to creativity How creativity is expressed without language. How poetry lands in someone. How we finds words that move through us. How the language of poetry carries ineffable words. On how we are all creators About his book Fingerpainting On The Moon Seeing that we have choice with what we do with this moment --- About Peter Levitt Peter Levitt is authorized as a Zen teacher within the Suzuki-roshi lineage, and as a preceptor within the White Plum Asanga. He is is the founder and guiding teacher of Salt Spring Zen Circle on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia where he lives with his wife and fellow poet Shirley Graham, Peter is the author of seventeen books of poetry and prose including Within Within, One Hundred Butterflies and Bright Root, Dark Root. In 2003 Peter wrote Fingerpainting on the Moon: Writing and Creativity as a Path to Freedom a beautiful meditation on finding our own unique creative process. A longtime student of Zen, he edited Thich Nhat Hanh’s classic,The Heart of Understanding, and recently he served as Associate Editor of The Treasury of the True Dharma Eye – Zen Master Dogen’s Shobo Genzo, edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi (pictures above with Peter) and he co-edited, with Tanahashi, The Essential Dogen: Writings of the Great Zen Master. In addition, Peter has published many fiction and literary translations from Chinese, Japanese and Spanish. In late 2022 Peter released his latest book of translations, Yin Mountain: The Immortal Poetry of Three Daoist Women, co-translated with Rebecca Nie. You can find links to these books in the show notes. Governor General Award recipient, Robert Hilles said of Peter books One Hundred Butterflies and Within Within, “these are master works that reveal the interconnected fabric of it all in ways that will leave you stunned.” And Legendary poet, Robert Creeley, wrote that Peter Levitt’s poetry “sounds the honor of our common dance,” and, in 1989 Peter received the prestigious Lannan Foundation Award in Poetry. Find our more about Peter Levitt here: --- "Peter's book Fingerpainting On The Moon is a roadmap to getting underneath our own creative process. This conversation with Peter Leviit is beautiful and helps us to consider how we can make our way through this precious life with openness. It is one of my favourite conversations and has changed the way I see my own creativity." Scott Johnson - April 2023 --- If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and . /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/26484450

#042: Waylon Lewis on The Story of Elephant Journal 04/01/2023

#042: Waylon Lewis on The Story of Elephant Journal In this deeply inspiring and wide ranging conversation Scott talks to Waylon Lewis on his life as a buddhist and the growth of the world renowned yoga and wellness magazine, Elephant Journal. --- We’d like to invite you to join our growing monthly Stillpoint Online Yoga community. For just £20 per month you can support the podcast and every Monday evening, between 7.30pm - 8.30pm UK time, join our live stream yoga philosophy, mindfulness, pranayama and discussion sessions hosted by Scott Johnson. You can also gain access to our growing Stillpoint Online library of helpful yoga and mindfulness content and connect with others on a private messaging group. We look forward to welcoming you to our community --- About Waylon Lewis Waylon Lewis, founder of & host of , is a 1st generation American Buddhist “Dharma Brat.” Voted two years running, by Treehugger, by Discovery’s Planet Green, at Westword’s Web Awards, Prominent Buddhist by , & 100 Most Influential People in Health & Fitness 2011 by “Greatist”, Waylon is a mediocre climber, lazy yogi, 365-day bicycle commuter & misses his best friend Redford (his rescue hound of 14 years). His aim: to bring the good news re: “the mindful life” beyond the choir & to all those who didn’t know they gave a care. His dream of 12 years, the Elephant “Ecosystem” will find a way to pay 1,000s of writers a month, helping reverse the tide of low-quality, unpaid writing & reading for free online. His first book, , touches on modern relationships from a Buddhist point of view. His second book, It’s Never too Late to Fall in Love with Your Life, is available Find our more about Waylon Lewis here: --- Waylon Lewis on The Story of Elephant Journal Scott and Waylon take a deep dive into his life and how Elephant Journal became a major figure in the wellness industry. Waylon shares: About growing up in a Buddhist school. How loneliness taught him about contemplative practise How he began Elephant Journal How Elephant was originally a yoga magazine. Why he called it Elephant Journal How he began practicing yoga How Elephant compared with Yoga Journal and other publications. How Elephant gave anyone the opportunity to write on the platform. How Elephant used pop culture to bring people to understand spiritual traditions. What actually clickbait is. How Instagram and Facebook changed the way we relate to each other. How EJ is now becoming a Community platform where anyone can write. The most important reading from his new book: ‘It’s Never Too Late To Fall In Love With Your Life’ --- "I really wanted to speak to Waylon about Elephant and how he grew a small local magazine to a worldwide publication that we all recognise. His story of growing up in a spiritual school and being a Buddhist is fascinating. And his sharing of the power of the big social media companies is food for us all. This is a fascinating insight into someone who has shaped part of our modern yoga and wellness culture" Scott Johnson - March 2023 --- If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and . /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/26412951

#041: David Swenson on Practicing Yoga Because You Love It 02/04/2023

#041: David Swenson on Practicing Yoga Because You Love It In this deeply inspiring and wide ranging conversation Scott talks to David Swenson, one of the worlds foremost and well loved teachers and practitioners of Ashtanga yoga. --- We’d like to invite you to join our growing . For just £20 per month you can support the podcast and every Monday evening, between 7.30pm - 8.30pm UK time, join our live stream yoga philosophy, mindfulness, pranayama and discussion sessions hosted by Scott Johnson. You can also gain access to our growing Stillpoint Online library of helpful yoga and mindfulness content and connect with others on a private messaging group. We look forward to welcoming you to our community. --- About David Swenson David Swenson began his journey of Yoga in 1969 when he and his brother Doug practiced in a small park at the end of their street in Houston, Texas. There were few sources for yoga at that time so they practiced from whatever books they could find. In 1973 David discovered Ashtanga after he met David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff in Encinitas, CA. In 1975 David and Nancy brought K. Pattabhi Jois to the U.S. for the first time and Swenson was fortunate enough to be there. He then initiated studies directly with the master. He made his first trip to Mysore in 1977. David is one of only a handful of Westerners to have learned the full Ashtanga system including all of the asana sequences and pranayama as originally taught by K. Pattabhi Jois. Today David is recognised as one of the world's foremost practitioners and instructors of Ashtanga Yoga. He tirelessly travels year round to teach and offer workshops. His courses are presented in a supportive and compassionate fashion making it accessible to all levels of practitioner to participate. Find our more about David Swenson here: --- David Swenson on Practicing Yoga Because You Love It Scott and David take a deep dive into David's life as a practitioner and teacher. They cover: what compelled David to start yoga. how his years of Bhakti yoga practice changed him. his views on how we move on from the sexual abuse of K Pattabhi Jois. how we can develop as practitioners by asking more questions. --- "I loved this conversation with David. He is one of the most generous teachers you'll find, with the information he shares and the way he shares it. David Swenson is one of the most loved and respected teachers for a reason. This conversation captures that..." Scott Johnson - January 2023 --- If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and . /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/25829814

Reflections 2022 - What does it mean to live a contemplative life? 12/31/2022

#040: Jon Yuen | Freedom To Move 12/04/2022

#040: Jon Yuen | Freedom To Move In this light hearted, fun and inspiring conversation Scott talks to online trainer, author and entrepreneur Jon Yuen on his life as a movement educator. Jon shares how he sees movement education, how the body can be controlled through time and how we can all find our own unique freedom to move in our bodies. --- We’d like to invite you to join our growing monthly Stillpoint Yoga community. We teach in-person in London Bridge and live stream online Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes, with weekly yoga clinics and philosophy sessions guided by Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. It’s a beautiful way to navigate these times… --- About Jon Yuen Jon currently lives in Norway. He studied and practiced many martial arts in China while living there. He was also a professional dancer for many years and was incapable of settling on one style. Rather, he wanted to delve as deep as he could into each and every genre and culture, in an effort to understand what worked, how it worked and how could it be applied in other practices. Jon is passionate about expanding his own skill set and movement repertoire, and think it’s vital that he personally try out and refine as many approaches as he can in an effort of making it easier for his students. The goal of his work is to offer science-based information that simplifies the way we all can progress towards better movement (without the dogma) and better health (without unwarranted restrictions). --- Find our more about Jon Yuen here: Read Jon's and his article, . Find out more about Jon, his work and courses on his website . Follow Jon on Instagram . --- Freedom to Move - Jon Yuen Scott and Jon have an open conversation on movement and how ease can be found in the body. Jon talks about how movement has been the foundation of his life, through martial arts and dance, and now how he educates others on principles and patterns that create health, vitality and strength. Jon and Scott also look at the integration of movement culture and yoga, and how we are all just finding what works for us. --- "This conversation with Jon Yuen was so rich. I have followed Jon's works for about 5 years and he teaches and shares movement education in a deeply moving and poetic way. I encourage everyone who has a body to take look at what Jon is offering." Scott Johnson - December 2022 --- If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and . [wpv-post-body view_template="cta-membership"] /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/25213677

#039 | Shyam Ranganathan (with Greg Nardi) - Understanding Yoga Philosophy 11/20/2022

#039 | Shyam Ranganathan (with Greg Nardi) - Understanding Yoga Philosophy In this deep conversation Scott Johnson is joined by his good friend Greg Nardi. They talk to Shyam Ranganathan, a field-changing researcher, scholar, author and teacher of philosophy, and an expert in the neglected traditions of Indian moral philosophy. Shyam talks about his life as a philosophy researcher, his work on decolonisation and his translation of the yoga sutra named, Patanjali Yoga Sutra ----- About Shyam Ranganathan Shyam Ranganathan is an author, editor, and translator of more than 50 peer-reviewed scholarly works (including Ethics and the History of Indian Philosophy MLBD 2008 and 2017; the Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Indian Ethics 2017; and Hinduism: A Contemporary Philosophical Investigation, Routledge 2018). He is a specialist in translation, having written his PhD dissertation on how we can understand texts without projecting our beliefs onto them. With this specialised knowledge, Dr. Ranganathan translated Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra (Penguin 2008). Having taught more than 20,000 hours and 3,000 students,Dr. Ranganathan founded Yoga Philosophy in 2019. Yoga Philosophy is a scholar practitioner initiative bringing research-based knowledge about yoga and philosophy to practitioners. Dr. Ranganathan is an E-RYT-500 and CYA-RYT Gold. He is a member of the Department of Philosophy at York University in Toronto, Canada, as well as the York Center for Asian Research. Find out more about Shyam ---- Understanding Yoga Philosophy - Shyam Ranganathan In this open and honest conversation Scott and Greg unpack Shyam's translation of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra. Shyam shares how translation works, how his movement into philosophical research and south asian studies compelled him to write a translation of Patanjai's Yoga Sutra. He also shares on the decolonisation of yoga and how he is focusing now on trauma response. ------ "This conversation with Shyam Ranganathan has been 2 years in the making. Both Greg Nardi and I had such a great time talking to Shyam about the way he translated the yoga sutra. It's important to understand his perspective on research and translation so you can possibly find your own." Scott Johnson - November 2022 ---- If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and . [wpv-post-body view_template="cta-membership"] /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/25074555

#038: Pamela Weiss | A Fierce Feminine Buddhism 11/06/2022

#038: Pamela Weiss | A Fierce Feminine Buddhism In this heart felt conversation Scott Johnson talks to Pamela Weiss, the first layperson to receive dharma transmission in the Soto Zen tradition. They talk openly about her life of Buddha dharma practice and her book, A Bigger Sky: Awakening A Fierce Feminine Buddhism. --- We’d like to invite you to join our growing . We teach in-person in London Bridge and live stream online Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes, with weekly yoga clinics and philosophy sessions guided by Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. It’s a beautiful way to navigate these times… --- About Pamela Weiss Pamela Weiss is the first layperson in the Suzuki Roshi Soto Zen lineage to receive full Dharma Transmission, and is among the few Buddhist teachers authorised to teach in two traditions—Zen and Theravada. After living as a monastic at Tassajara Zen Mountain Monastery for five years, she completed comprehensive training through Spirit Rock Meditation Centre to become an Insight meditation teacher. She is currently a member of the Spirit Rock Teacher Council and a guiding teacher at San Francisco Insight. In addition, Pamela is an executive coach, entrepreneur, and pioneer in bringing Buddhist principles and practices into the workplace. She created the award-winning Personal Excellence Program, which, since 2008, has rolled out to thousands of people at companies like Genentech and Salesforce. Pamela lives in San Francisco with her husband and little dog, Grover. Find out more about Pamela . A Fierce Feminine Buddhism – Pamela’s Conversation. In this open and honest conversation Scott talks to Pamela Weiss about her years of Buddha dharma practice and teaching, Pamela shares how her practice helped her come to terms with a diabetes diagnosis from a young age. She also shares how she became the first layperson to receive dharma transmission in the Soto Zen lineage. Pamela talks about her new book, A Bigger Sky. Part memoir, part historical it’s a deep look at how Buddhism can be reoriented through a more inclusive feminine lens. --- “As I begin to have more conversations with Buddha Dharma teachers authentic voices are so important. Pamela Weiss is one of them and this conversation was so rich. She has led a powerful life of practice and teaching and has been deeply moved by the world. This in turn has guided her direction which has culminated in her beautiful book A Bigger Sky: Awakening a Fierce Feminine Buddhism. It’s a must read for anyone who is looking to see spiritual practice can move beyond our own minds to serve others…” Scott Johnson – November 2022 --- If you enjoyed this podcast you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and . /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/24918360

#037: Nadia Gilani | The Yoga Manifesto 10/09/2022

#037: Nadia Gilani | The Yoga Manifesto In this raw and wide-ranging conversation Scott Johnson talks to Nadia Gilani, yoga teacher and author of The Yoga Manifesto. They both go deep on yoga, practice, life, creativity and the shadows and light of yoga that Nadia discusses in her her new book, The Yoga Manifesto. ----- . We teach in-person in London Bridge and live stream online Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes, with weekly yoga clinics and philosophy sessions guided by Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. We also have a growing library of on-demand content. It’s a beautiful way to navigate these times… ----- About Nadia Gilani Nadia Gilani is a yoga teacher and author of The Yoga Manifesto published earlier this year (May 2022). She first discovered yoga after her mum took her to a class in the 1990s and has been practicing ever since. Nadia has extensive experience of working with people with different bodies and from all walks of life and is deeply committed to making yoga inclusive. Her approach to teaching is contemporary and explorative while maintaining a deep respect for the ancient practice. Find out more about Nadia and connect to her instagram account . The Yoga Manifesto - Nadia's Conversation. Nadia shares how her yoga practice became a way to make sense of her body and forge new relationships with it. She shares intimate details of how this new intimacy formed her love of yoga practice and why she then felt compelled to write about how the practice she loves needs to find its soul again. Nadia also shares about the creative process, about birthing a book into the world and how even now, with the book getting rave reviews, she still questions why people would read what she has to say. We are left with the understanding that a voice like Nadia's could never stay quiet. And we are all the better for it... And as a beautiful ending to the podcast Nadia reads an excerpt from her book "Nadia has written a brave and inspiring book that points to the way yoga has changed over the years. She shares in a beautifully raw way how yoga moved her, where she finds it now and Nadia also challenges us to look at the practice we hold dear with tender eyes. The Yoga Manifest is a powerful new book that is essential reading for all avid yoga practitioners." Scott Johnson - October 2022 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/24631914

#036 | Ty Powers - Finding Equanimity 04/19/2022

#036 | Ty Powers - Finding Equanimity In this deeply honest conversation Scott Johnson talks to Ty Powers, co-founder of the Insight Yoga Institute. They have a moving conversation on Ty's life of contemplative practice and his teaching of mindfulness meditation for over 25 years. ___ . We teach in-person in London Bridge and live stream online Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes, with weekly yoga clinics and philosophy sessions guided by Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. We also have a growing library of on-demand content. It’s a beautiful way to navigate these times… Also, consider joining our . We share these podcasts every 2 weeks and would love your feedback, input and support. You can even join a monthly live call to share your thoughts. ___ About Ty Powers Ty Powers co-founded the with his wife Sarah Powers. He has been leading Yoga and Buddha Dharma/mindfulness meditation retreats throughout the world for over 25 years. Ty completed the training program in 2003 and has led daylong retreats on cultural diversity. He offers one on one sessions in , and as a and . Ty also sits on the board of and serves as it’s Senior Ethics Advisor. Ty's Conversation. Ty shares how contemplative practice was not only a way to find oneness and a deeper connection to life, but also a way to navigate being African American in a world that sees you differently. He subsequently talks about the impact this has had on his life. As a response, Ty shares how we can all learn to see differently using the tools of mediation. You can find out more about Ty’s work . "For me this conversation with Ty Powers is deeply profound and important. Ty is a highly skilled and experienced Buddha Dharma and mindfulness teacher who has to deal with everyday racism. His openess in this conversation is stunning, giving a deep insight into what it means to be African American in a world that sees you differently. This conversation is an important listen for those of us who have privilege" Scott Johnson - April 2022 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , , and /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/22840910

#035: Sarah Powers | Lit From Within 01/23/2022

#035: Sarah Powers | Lit From Within Scott Johnson talks to Sarah Powers, a long term teacher of yoga and Buddha Dharma, about her life of contemplative practice and its culmination in her new book 'Lit From Within'. We’d like to invite you to join our growing monthly Stillpoint Yoga community. We teach in-person in London Bridge and live stream online Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes, with weekly yoga clinics and philosophy sessions guided by Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. We also have a growing library of on-demand content. It’s a beautiful way to navigate these times… Also, consider joining our Patreon community. We share these podcasts every 2 weeks and would love your feedback, input and support. You can even join a monthly live call to share your thoughts. Sarah Powers is an author, therapist and co-founder of Insight Yoga Institute. Her work is led by a desire for healing, and over the past 35 years Sarah has explored a number of healing modalities. Her yoga practise began with Ashtanga in the company of Chuck Miller, Maty Ezraty, Tim Miller, and Richard Freeman. There she found a daily ritual, an invitation to explore what changes on the inside, when on the surface things might look the same. In this rich and generous conversation, Sarah shares how a profound experience she had while on retreat with Jack Kornfield deeply impacted her life. She’d been a yoga practitioner for over a decade at that point, but this was the time that it first truly made sense to her. Her previous practise served as a preparation for the Buddhist teachings she encountered. She studied both Theravada and Dzogchen, and saw comparisons with her previous studies in Advaita Vedanta. Sarah believes that underlying the multiplicity of teachers and traditions, they would all agree on the fundamental nature of freedom. Over time, Sarah moved away from teaching Ashtanga yoga and towards a more Yin based approach, but the essence of inquiry that she first found in Ashtanga remains. Now, she combines yoga with mindfulness meditation in her classes, integrating yoga and Buddha Dharma with the intention of introducing beginners to meditation. She is the author of and her most recent book takes a holistic approach to healing our five experiential centres: the physical, energetic, mental, emotional, and interpersonal realms. You can find out more about Sarah’s work . "This conversation with Sarah is so, so rich. I had wanted to speak to Sarah for a while, for her to expand on her beautiful view and experience on how the Buddha Dharma and yoga traditions blend together. I got so much and more. Sarah's wonderful and insightful way of seeing these practices and then sharing them is visceral and compelling. This conversation will leave you feeling like you've stepped right into the middle of Sarah's world. Full, inviting and so, so rich..." Scott Johnson - January 2022 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with and /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/21861254

#034: Ty Landrum | Living Yoga Philosophy 01/02/2022

#034: Ty Landrum | Living Yoga Philosophy Scott talks to Ashtanga yoga teacher Ty Landrum about yoga and how it ‘ruined his life’ in the best possible way. ________ We’d like to invite you to join our growing monthly We teach in-person in London Bridge and live stream online Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes, with weekly yoga clinics and philosophy sessions guided by Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. We also have a growing library of on-demand content. It’s a beautiful way to navigate these times… Also, consider joining our . We share these podcasts every 2 weeks and would love your feedback, input and support. You can even join a monthly live call to share your thoughts. _________ Ty is renowned for his understanding of philosophy and academic knowledge. He never liked school, but after being awarded a wrestling scholarship Ty decided he’d go to college. While there, he found himself wrestling with the problem of the general disorientation he experienced within his day-to-day life. Philosophy seemed to offer clues to the answers he was searching for, and so he continued to study, and now holds a PhD in the subject. He attended his first yoga class while he was at college. He was experiencing depression, and his friend encouraged him to go to a class with Jennifer Eliot. Ty experienced something immediate and visceral in that yoga class, something he’d been grasping for in his studies but newer fully realised. It changed his way of relating to philosophy, and it equipped him with the tools he needed to process the deep grief he had been carrying following the loss of two important people in his life. In this sensitive and intelligent conversation, Ty shares about the clumsiness of academics, the wisdom of the body, and the primacy of human touch. He talks about the revelation of meeting Richard Freeman with his syncretic approach to philosophy. He discusses different wisdom traditions that, despite superficial differences, are united in their overall goal of spreading compassion. For Ty, yoga has been a path to intimacy, communion and relationship with all aspects of his life. You can find out more about Ty’s work . ‘Ty is one of the most intelligent and wise Ashtanga teachers in the field of yoga at the moment. The way he weaves yoga asana and philosophy together through stories, wisdom and language is beautiful and I wanted to capture how he got there. This conversation actually weaves like its own story, capturing the real spirit of how yoga has evolved in Ty's life. Bring a note book. There is so much to notice...' Scott Johnson - January 2022 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/21650852

#033: J.Brown | How Yoga Talks 12/12/2021

#033: J.Brown | How Yoga Talks Scott talks to yoga teacher, writer and renowned podcast host J.Brown ________ We’d like to invite you to join our growing . We teach in-person in London Bridge and live stream online Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes, with weekly yoga clinics and philosophy sessions guided by Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. We also have a growing library of on-demand content. It’s a beautiful way to navigate these times… Also, consider joining our . We share these podcasts every 2 weeks and would love your feedback, input and support. You can even join a monthly live call to share your thoughts. _________ J.Brown has been practising yoga for nearly thirty years, and teaching for almost twenty. In that time he taught at studios in New York, managed his own studio, and has been an early adopter of teaching yoga online. His ‘’ is one of the most widely listened to yoga podcasts - you can listen to his episode with Scott Johnson J came to yoga after his mum died at a young age. Yoga made him feel better, even in moments when he thought feeling better wasn’t possible. Yoga helped J. to process his grief, and over time his practise evolved from a physically intense asana practise to something more gentle. J. went on to develop his own personal teaching style of ‘gentle is the new advanced’. In this wide-ranging conversation, J. shares about the challenges of establishing himself as a ‘gentle’ yoga teacher when power yoga was at its peak. J. talks about how his podcast developed, as well as the push-back he has received as a result of his decision to publish certain podcast episodes. Throughout the conversation, J. keeps coming back to how yoga is a practise of praise. Where once he might have distanced himself from it, now he embraces his spirituality and the mystical wonder of life. You can find out more about J.’s work . ‘J hosts one of the leading yoga podcasts of the past five years and has spoken to hundreds of people. He was also a great help in setting the Stillpoints Podcast up. In speaking to J I wanted to get underneath what is meaningful for him. This conversation is at one point informative and another so tender. I so appreciated J allowing me to go on a journey with him...' Scott Johnson - December 2021 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , , and /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/21453917

#032: Tim Feldmann | Ashtanga Yoga: Past, Present & Future 11/28/2021

#032: Tim Feldmann | Ashtanga Yoga: Past, Present & Future Scott talks to Ashtanga yoga teacher and co-founder of the Miami Life Centre Tim Feldmann about the past, present and future of teaching Ashtanga yoga. In this nuanced and meaningful conversation, Tim and Scott discuss dancing as a spiritual practise, movement as a healing modality, and the teacher’s role as a vessel for knowledge. ________ We’d like to invite you to join our growing . We teach in-person in London Bridge and live stream online Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes, with weekly yoga clinics and philosophy sessions guided by Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. We also have a growing library of on-demand content. It’s a beautiful way to navigate these times… Also, consider joining our . We share these podcasts every 2 weeks and would love your feedback, input and support. You can even join a monthly live call to share your thoughts. _________ Tim found his way to yoga after a catastrophic accident in Venezuela in 1992 interrupted his professional dancing career. He encountered Lino Miele in the late 1990’s, who set Tim on the path to practising with Pattabhi Jois in Mysore. There he met his wife, Kino MacGregor, and in 2006 they founded the Miami Life Centre, where they continue to teach together to this day. Tim shares openly about the fear he felt before practising with Jois, who even then had a reputation for fearsome physical adjustments. When Tim finally felt ready to practise with him (after completing Advanced A), he recalls feeling gratitude for the assists he received. Since Karen Rain’s revelations of sexual assault at the hands of Jois, Tim has had to come to terms with how his experience was at odds with that of the women Jois abused. He asks himself how he failed to notice, talking to Scott about how ‘crazy and amazing’ those days in Mysore were, concluding that sometimes people ‘surrendered’ at the expense of the safety of themselves and those around them. Since opening the Miami Life Centre in 2006, Tim has moved his own teaching away from a hierarchical model and towards one that prioritises safety and inclusiveness. Having been confronted with the somewhat blasé attitude towards anatomy in the early days, he’s relieved to see a more detailed and logical approach developing in recent years. He talks about the value and limitations of lineage and hierarchy - that structure can create clarity, but space to explore is essential. He talks about the ‘lineage holders’ of Ashtanga yoga, and the nature of how knowledge is passed down. And finally, reflecting on the past couple of years, Tim concludes with how nothing is more important in life than being there for other people. Tim is the co-founder and captain of the world-wide recognized Miami Life Center and of the newly opened Miami Yoga Garage - a new ambitious Shala and cultural house in Miami's fun Wynwood district. He has practiced yoga since 1994 and Ashtanga Since 1999. Authorized to teach by Pattabhi Jois and Sharath Jois he explores core concepts and modern boundaries of Patanjali’s yoga teachings alike. A practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga’s Advanced A Series Tim finds Ashtanga’s traditional method an exceptional path towards healing, wisdom and self-realisation. Drawing upon his past as an internationally successful dancer and acclaimed choreographer, anatomy, alignment and technique is his second nature. Tim has been pursuing in-depth studies of Patanjali, Sankhya and Vedanta over the past 7 years with Vidwan Nagaraja Rao, Jayashree & Narasimha and other exceptional scholars in South India. Cherished worldwide for his fun, disciplined and detailed pursuit of authentic yoga and his compassionately effective touch, Tim travels to yoga shalas around the globe with the inclusive message of how study, steadiness and devotion is the means to powerful transformation both inside and outside of us. You can find out more about Tim’s work . ‘This conversation with Tim Feldmann was so good. For quite a while I’ve wanted to talk to someone like Tim, who is one of the most recognisable of the current generation of Ashtanga teachers, about where the sharing of Ashtanga Yoga finds itself. Tim was so open and honest about his own process, where we are currently and what’s possible in the future. I was left feeling like I had found a new friend to ge deep with. This conversation is essential if you care about sharing the practice of Ashtanga yoga to others…’ Scott Johnson – November 2021 /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/21299585

#31: Ellen Johannesen | Ashtanga and Buddhism 11/13/2021

#30: Frank Jude Boccio | Yoga and Mindfulness 10/31/2021

#029: Lucille Meyer | Yoga As Service 08/11/2021

#028: Martin Aylward | Reality is Playful 07/27/2021

#028: Martin Aylward | Reality is Playful Scott and Dharma teacher Martin Aylward ‘chew the dharma fat’ over topics including contemplative practices, the inherent ‘juiciness’ of life, and the ultimate inevitability of liberation. ___ We'd like to invite you to join our growing Stillpoint Online Ashtanga Yoga and Mindfulness community. You can sign up for a free yoga and meditation course and a free week on our online platform . We live stream beginner classes, Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes with evening mindfulness sessions, yoga philosophy and restorative yoga over 6 days with Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. It's a beautiful way to navigate these times... ___ Martin has been practicing meditation for 30 years. Over that time he studied in monasteries and Ashrams in India and Thailand. He explored many different teachings, from Indian asceticism to Buddhist tantric traditions. Martin began teaching the Dharma in 1999 after being encouraged by his teacher. In 2005, he co-founded Moulin de Chaves, a residential retreat centre in Southwest France. He has held pilgrimages, led wilderness retreats in France and the USA, and has taken small groups of Dharma students to practice in India and Bhutan. He now runs a number of online courses which are designed to help people integrate these transformational meditative practices into their daily lives. You can find out more about Martin’s teaching schedule His Mindfulness Teacher Training . His new book Awake Where You Are: The Art Of Embodied Awareness ___ Marting Aylward is such a rich, joyful voice. He brings the teachings of Buddhism and mindfulness and gently lands them in the centre of our lives. For me he is one of the leading voices of contemplative practice teaching at the moment. This conversation will leave you inspired... Scott Johnson - July 2021 ___ Hokusai Says by Roger Keyes Hokusai says look carefully. He says pay attention, notice. He says keep looking, stay curious. Hokusai says says there is no end to seeing He says look forward to getting old. He says keep changing, you just get more who you really are. He says get stuck, accept it, repeat yourself as long as it is interesting. He says keep doing what you love. He says keep praying. He says every one of us is a child, every one of us is ancient every one of us has a body. He says every one of us is frightened. He says every one of us has to find a way to live with fear. He says everything is alive -- shells, buildings, people, fish, mountains, trees, wood is alive. Water is alive. Everything has its own life. Everything lives inside us. He says live with the world inside you. He says it doesn't matter if you draw, or write books. It doesn't matter if you saw wood, or catch fish. It doesn't matter if you sit at home and stare at the ants on your veranda or the shadows of the trees and grasses in your garden. It matters that you care. It matters that you feel. It matters that you notice. It matters that life lives through you. Contentment is life living through you. Joy is life living through you. Satisfaction and strength is life living through you. He says don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. Love, feel, let life take you by the hand. Let life live through you. /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/19947830

#027: Kino Macgregor | Yoga and Covid 05/20/2021

#027: Kino Macgregor | Yoga and Covid Scott has an open, honest and heartfelt conversation with colleague and international yoga teacher Kino Macgregor about Covid-19 and the year of the pandemic. _______________ We'd like to invite you to join our growing Stillpoint Online Ashtanga Yoga and Mindfulness community. We live stream beginner classes, Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes with evening mindfulness sessions, yoga philosophy and restorative yoga over 6 days with Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. It's a beautiful way to navigate these times... _______________ Scott and Kino talk about their own personal experiences around the global pandemic. They talk about the divisions that have become apparent within the yoga community as a result of the pandemic, the danger inherent in confining ourselves to our own online echo chambers, and the potential for healing by learning to listen to each other in these fraught and fragile times. Links to topics covered in the conversation: With over 1 million followers on Instagram and over 500,000 subscribers on YouTube and Facebook, Kino MacGregor is one of the world’s most recognisable yoga teachers. She is a Miami native and mango enthusiast. A sought-after yoga teacher, she has written four books and has produced six DVDs on Ashtanga yoga. She is the founder of , and co-founder of the . A dedicated Ashtanga student, she was Certified to teach the method by Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India. She continues to study in Mysore with her teacher Sharath, and is dedicated to sharing Ashtanga yoga with practitioners all over the world. Kino’s international schedule includes classes, privates, workshops and retreats. You can find out more about Kino’s teaching schedule I reached out to Kino after seeing her address the negative comments she received after being vaccinated. I've personally wanted to have this particular conversation all year. To be able to have it with Kino, one of the most recognisable yoga teachers in the world and someone who is as passionate about this incredibly important issue as I am, felt really valuable. I hope this conversation helps to create more dialogue in the yoga world as we move forward from the pandemic... Scott Johnson - May 2021 /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/19178954

#026: Petri Räisänen | Learning From The Past 02/20/2021

#026: Petri Räisänen | Learning From The Past Scott talks to colleague and yoga teacher Petri Räisänen about his life as a yoga teacher and as one of the most respected names in Ashtanga yoga. Petri is deeply open and honest about his relationship to Mysore over the years and Petri and Scott talk about how we can move on from the abuses of Pattabhi Jois. _______________ We'd like to invite you to join our growing . We live stream beginner classes, Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes with evening mindfulness sessions over 6 days with Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. It's a beautiful way to navigate these times... _______________ In this podcast we talk about the sexual abuse commited by Pattabhi Jois on a number of his students over the years. While this conversation centres Petri's experience, it is not meant to detract from the victim’s experience. We acknowledge the sexual abuses and other abuses of power that have happened in the Ashtanga community and the ways in which community members can be trained not to see the abuses that happen in plain sight. This denial serves to hide the abuse and creates a culture that is unsafe for victims. It is our hope that this conversation will help those who are also in a process of reckoning with their relationship to yoga practice and community. Below are links to the victims testimony and others of relevant interest: _______________ Petri Räisänen is an internationally renowned and highly respected Ashtanga yoga teacher. He began practising in 1989, and has studied with teachers such as Derek Ireland, Radha Warrel, and Eddie Stern. In 2001, he was authorised to teach Ashtanga yoga by Pattabhi and Sharath Jois. Petri has been teaching since 1991. In 1997 he founded Ashtanga Yoga Helsinki with his friend and colleague, Juva Javanainen. He teaches in Finland and internationally alongside his wife, Wambui Njuguna-Räisänen. Petri’s teaching integrates healing therapy with yoga. He draws on his work as a traditional Finnish folk healer and naturopath, which he combines with his own experience of practising and teaching. He is known for his gentle, effective, and therapeutic - almost ‘magical’ - adjustments. He is the author of “Ashtanga Yoga – The Yoga Tradition of K. Pattabhi Jois” (2005), written in collaboration with Pattabhi and Sharath Jois; and “Nadi Sodhana” (2008), which includes interviews with Pattabhi and Sharath Jois. You can find out more about Petri’s teaching schedule . _______________ Petri and Scott talk about his early experiences with yoga and spirituality, working with prana while practising Finnish folk healing, practising with Derek Ireland and Radha Warrel in Finland and Crete, how he consciously changed his teaching style to a gentle approach, the injuries and sexual abuse inflicted by Pattabhi Jois and the conditions that allowed them to continue, the intergenerational abuse going back to Krishnamacarya and how Ashtanga might be able to heal moving forward, learning from and working with his wife Wambui, learning from the past to create a safer future. _______________ Petri Räisänen is one of the most respected names in Ashtanga yoga. His honesty in this conversation really moved me and helped me to start to see the intensity that surrounded the 90's era of Ashtanga yoga and how the abuses of Pattabhi Jois were missed by those who were there. I came away from this conversation deeply respectful of how Petri is trying to change himself by looking at the mistakes of the past and the way we can move the sharing Ashtanga Yoga forward... Scott Johnson - January 2021 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with… , , /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/18020300

#025: Eddie Stern | The Yoga Dialogue 01/31/2021

#025: Eddie Stern | The Yoga Dialogue Scott talks to yoga teacher and educator Eddie Stern about his early life as a seeker of yoga and how the deeply spiritual aspects of his life evolved through his impact with India and hindu temples. Scott has known Eddie since 2014 and has co-hosted him in the UK twice. Both times Eddie performed Puja’s at the workshops and these were deeply moving rituals. Scott talks to Eddie about the evolution of this side of his teaching and practice. Also in the conversation Eddie and Scott talk about: teaching online; non-physical aspects of yoga; samskaras and how they shape our actions; the relationship between science and ritual; how understanding the tools of yoga can let us use them more effectively; his decision to change how he teaches; and, the pain caused by the sexual abuse comitted by Pattabhi Jois. We’d like to invite you to join our growing . We live stream beginner classes, Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes with evening mindfulness sessions over 6 days with Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. It’s a beautiful way to navigate these times… Eddie Stern has been practising yoga since 1987. He ran his school in New York, from 1993-2019. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s it became a focal point for Ashtanga Yoga in New York for an eclectic group of spiritual seekers that included downtown artists and well known celebrities. He studied Ashtanga yoga under K. Pattabhi Jois and R. Sharath Jois, and he continues to study philosophy, Sanskrit, ritual, science, and religion, while maintaining a daily yoga practice. Together with his wife, Jocelyne, Eddie founded Manhattan’s first Vedically consecrated Ganesh Temple: The Broome Street Temple (2001-2015). Projects that Eddie has either founded, been involved in, or contributed to include: , Conferences; and ; ; magazine; Set/Reset; and the I. He is the author of ‘: A New Look at the Science of Yoga and How It Can Transform Your Life’. His most recent offering, created in collaboration with Jocelyne and Sergey Varichev, is a free app with breathing exercises aimed at reducing stress and anxiety. Eddie has just released a brand new app called yoga365, 365 short daily practices that you can do every day. You can find out more about Eddie’s work and courses . "Eddie Stern has been one of the foremost teachers of Ashtanga yoga over the past twenty five years and was teacher at Ashtanga Yoga New York for over twenty. He is a deeply devoted practitioner and teacher of yoga and shares it with such deep respect to the Indian tradition. I loved talking to Eddie about this side of his practice. There is so much to take from this inspiring conversation." Scott Johnson - January 2021 /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/17754734

#024: Daniel Simpson | The Truth of Yoga 01/17/2021

#024: Daniel Simpson | The Truth of Yoga #024: Daniel Simpson Scott talks to Daniel Simpson, on his life as a yoga philosophy teacher and practitioner. Daniel presents ancient texts for modern times. He is the author of The Truth of Yoga, a comprehensive guide to the historic tradition and texts of yoga for contemporary practitioners. We'd like to invite you to join our growing . We live stream beginner classes, Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes with evening mindfulness sessions over 6 days with Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. It's a beautiful way to navigate these times... Daniel Simpson's work is informed by his master's degree in Traditions of Yoga and Meditation (SOAS, University of London), and draws on his earlier experience as a foreign correspondent. He combines scholarly knowledge with humour and insight, making yoga philosophy accessible and relevant to practitioners today. Daniel teaches courses online, at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, at Triyoga in London, around the UK and internationally. With two decades of experience, he aims to help students explore their own path. You can find out more about Daniel’s work and courses . You can also purchase Daniel's book - The Truth of Yoga - . The Truth of Yoga - Daniel Simpson Scott and Daniel have known each other since 2015 and in that time Daniel has become a highly regarded yoga philosophy teacher and academic. In this wide ranging conversation they share insights and stories on the last 15 years of change in the yoga world surrounding how yoga philosophy and history is taught. Daniel also shares personal stories and insights from his own life that compelled him to write his new book - The Truth Of Yoga. In this wide ranging conversation Daniel shares: About his euphoric experience during a silent meditation retreat, which completely transformed his relationship with the world and himself. How this transcendent experience transformed his asana practise into a practise of embodied consciousness, a physical practise for training the mind. His thoughts on the relationship between hedonism and spirituality. The connection between Vedic soma rituals and yoga, and the relationship between soma and ayahuasca. How yoga can become an addiction in itself, and about learning to identify and deal with these patterns. That the project of yoga was never about experiencing bliss, but an extreme solution for escaping samsara. About his book - The Truth of Yoga, which distills complex ideas into an accessible format His response to the question: ‘What is yoga?’ His previous work as a journalist and his move into academia, and how both have influenced his approach to writing. Why accuracy is important when presenting historic texts about yoga. The enduring effect of Yoga Body by Mark Singleton and how it influenced the academic study of physical yoga That he hopes his book ‘The Truth of Yoga’ will be used as a bridge between academic researchers and yoga practitioners. About the different and contradictory threads of yoga: dual and non-dual, householder and renunciate. How we can maintain traditional aspects in contemporary physical yoga. About his first trip to India, and his experience of attending the Kumbh Mela in 2001. How yoga ultimately helped him recognise, understand and deal with his issues with substance abuse. How yoga scholarship is a form of practise, a discipline in itself. How living a contemplative life is all about relationship: how we relate to the moment, relate to ourselves, and relate to others. A moment-by-moment engagement with reality. Daniel is a breath of fresh air. His knowledge on the philosophy and history of yoga is so deep yet he is able to share it in a beautifully open, simple and understandable way. I loved having this conversation with Daniel and got so much from it. This is a must for people interested in how the teaching of yoga philosophy and history has changed over the past 10 - 15 years.. Scott Johnson - January 2020 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and . /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/17576705

#023: Kia Naddermier | The Practice of Pausing 12/12/2020

#023: Kia Naddermier | The Practice of Pausing #023: Kia Naddermier Scott talks to his dear friend and colleague Kia Naddermier on their friendship and her life as a renowned yoga and pranayama teacher. They talk about the ability to pause being a key component in the evolution of yoga in your life. We'd like to invite you to join our growing . We live stream beginner classes, Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes with evening mindfulness sessions over 6 days with Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. It's a beautiful way to navigate these times... Kia Naddermier is the main teacher & director of Mysore Yoga Paris and an internationally renowned teacher of yoga and pranayama. She is a dedicated advanced practitioner with over 25 years experience of and teaches Ashtanga Yoga, Pranayama, Kriyas and adjustment techniques. Kia has studied extensively within the traditional lineage of Ashtanga Yoga, and continues to practice, research and explore this vast tradition. She is a devoted, long-term student of Shri O.P. Tiwariji and his son Sudhir Tiwariji in the lineage of Kaivalyadham. Kia is one of the first few in the world to receive Kaivalyadham´s highest teaching certification in advanced Pranayamas and Kriyas. Kia teaches with careful adherence to the authentic teachings of Ashtanga Yoga and Pranayama whilst encouraging each individual to explore the beauty of the practice for themselves. She is dedicated to the growth and development of her students, and her way of teaching integrates her profound knowledge of the breath and Pranic energy, subtle and physical anatomy, with yogic principles. Her deep love and years of dedication to all aspects of this practice shines through in her attentive, insightful and inspirational teaching. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Paris where she upholds the daily Mysore-program at the Shala.She mentors teachers, runs long-term apprentice programs and gives workshops, trainings and retreats internationally. You can find out more about Kia’s teaching schedule The Practice of Pausing - Kia Naddermier Scott and Kia have been friends since 2015, sharing similar yoga shala's in London and Paris. They are dear forms and colleague, teaching together annually at the SYL Spring Gathering since 2015 and at Purple Valley in Goa since 2018. In this warm and intimate conversation Scott talks to kia about her life and evolution as a highly regarded teacher of yoga and pranayama. Kia is deeply honest and shares personal stories about where she finds herself today. In this personal and intimate conversation Kia shares: About her first Ashtanga yoga class in the early 90’s, where she encountered John Scott while working as a photographer in London. The immediate sense of homecoming, of landing in her body, that she felt after that first class. Her experience of working as a model as a teenager, and how yoga helped her to realise for the first time that her body could be felt and appreciated, rather than being judged externally for its appearance. The evolution of her practise from that first class; how she struggled to find any Ashtanga classes in Stockholm, so began with Iyengar yoga before going to see Radha and Derek Ireland in The Practise Place. How, after initially coming to the practise through asana, deeper layers of practise have opened up to her. Her interest in spirituality, which started from a young age, and how yoga presented a non-dogmatic way to explore the bigger questions in life. About meeting her Pranayama teacher Shri O.P. Tiwariji, and his humble way of sharing profound teachings. How Pranayama transformed her Ashtanga yoga practise. About the loss of her sister, and how practise helped her to cope with that loss, while giving her the resources to stay strong for her family. That sharing the practise with others during that time became a sort of self-healing, which is why she began teaching. About how she knew that she wasn’t ready to teach when she was invited to in her twenties, and how going through different phases of life while practising has given her the life experience necessary to share in a meaningful way. How practise always happens in a wider context of a messy and unpredictable world, and that the fruit of the practise is learning to sit down and pause in the middle of it. About slowing down to remember the truth of who we are amid the business of our lives. How raising a family has helped her to soften and bring a sense of humour and lightness to her practise. That Mysore Yoga Paris was formed through community, and how the sangha isn’t connected to one particular place, but to each other. How she has adapted the way teaches has in response to the covid pandemic, and how teaching online has allowed the international Mysore Yoga Paris sangha to come together in a ‘borderless shala’. That for her, living a contemplative life is when formal practise manifests as a pause in everyday life, giving space, a sense of choice in how we react, allowing us to drop in to a deeper sense of who we are. I've often said, 'There are yoga teachers and then there's Kia Naddermier...'It still rings true...I love Kia's teaching so much. She has this beautiful and magnetic way of landing the teachings of yoga so deeply in people. I never get tired of seeing how she can create magic in a yoga room and have been honoured to teach with her since 2015. I've wanted to talk to Kia since I started the podcast and am so happy this particular conversation is now out in the world. A must listen... Scott Johnson - December 2020 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/17167352

#022: Josefin Wikström | Bringing Yoga Home 11/29/2020

#022: Josefin Wikström | Bringing Yoga Home Scott talks to dear friend and colleague Josefin Wikström about how yoga changed her life and how she now shares yoga and Bollywood dancing to people in prisons and to those who suffer from complex trauma. We'd like to invite you to join our growing . We live stream beginner classes, Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes with evening mindfulness sessions over 6 days with Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. It's a beautiful way to navigate these times... Josefin Wikström trained as a Yoga Therapist with The Minded Institute in London with a particular focus on complex trauma and mental health. She has also trained with Bessel van der Kolk, and is a certified TCTSY-F (Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Facilitator), having trained with David Emerson. She has been sharing trauma-informed yoga since 2003, and since 2008 she has brought yoga and dance into Swedish prisons. She has developed programmes for teaching yoga in prisons, and has taught internationally, including in San Quentin state prison in the US. In 2015, she began working with the Prison Yoga Project in Europe, and has led Prison Yoga Project trainings in Mumbai, India, and Mexico. As part of her work for the Swedish Probation services, she co-developed the Swedish Krimyoga program, an evidence-based program drawing on research on the benefits of yoga in correctional settings. She is expanding her trauma-informed yoga programs to include settings such as psychiatry units, the Juvenile justice system, and in schools. Through the Trauma Center at the Justice Resource Institute in Boston, MA, she has completed the Traumatic Stress Studies Certification with She has also studied trauma-informed dance/movement therapy with Katia Verrault and Tripura Kashyap in India. Josefin is a professional member of ICPA-International Corrections and Prison Association. You can find out more about Josefin’s work and all the . You will be able to buy Josefin's new book, co-authored with upcoming guest James Fox, called Freedom from the Inside: A Woman's Guide to Yoga soon through . Bringing Yoga Home - Josefin Wikström In this touching conversation Scott and Josefin talk about Josefin's life as a yoga practitioner and yoga therapist teaching in prisons and to people with complex trauma, a journey that moves from teaching in the slums of Mumbai in 2005 to tabling a discussion at the centre of the UK government in the House of Lords in 2015. She has developed into an incredibly wise and prolific yoga teacher, sharing her love and passion for yoga to the most vulnerable people there are. In this inspiring conversation Josefin shares: How yoga helped heal from childhood abuse and complex trauma. Had she been self medicating with alcohol and drugs then went to Goa at 18. She met an old man in New Delhi who said ‘you have to do yoga’! These words landed in her - he’d seen the unease in her body. How she went to Rishikesh and connected with breathing and moving in first or second class. She hadn't taken a deep breath before then. Started to feel grounded, less scattered. Felt like she’d found herself at home in herself a sense of safety she had'nt had before. Her drive in her work - can reach this place of safety. An accessible, simple way, for so many people How yoga isn’t just about bliss - embracing causes of suffering too. ‘Cleaning our inner space’ put experiences in boxes rather than throwing them out. How she found a healthy sense of connection with people practising yoga, not to do with drugs. She kept the dancing and let go of drugs Yoga fine tunes the senses. Her work in Mumbai - Kaivalya project. She met a lady in a cafe in Mumbai who worked with dance yoga mental health. Josefin was asked to join an NGO working with children who’d survived sexual abuse. Therapeutic programs for women & children, dealing with trauma in community. Helped her own rehabilitation - mind body practises worked where CBT and other therapy didn't. That movement practises transcend the need for common language. The essence of yoga is connection belonging to ourselves and human level. Her decision to return to Sweden and the need to bring the practises there. How she started working at a women’s prison in Sweden in 2008. How her experience of mental health issues and trauma help her to connect with the people she works with in prisons. The importance of keeping it real in order to help as a teacher. How sharing Bollywood dancing helped to break down the social hierarchies in prisons. How complex trauma can be a root cause for criminality, and that yoga & dance is a complementary therapy. Training guards to become yoga teachers - breaking down ‘us’ and ‘them’ mentality. Results of research study - yoga vs root cause of criminality. Improved compulsivity (reaction times) reduction anxiety, improved self control, higher sense of belonging, just moving & breathing, no philosophy. Reduction of ocd symptoms James Fox & prison yoga project (training in 2014). How she came to address HOL about yoga in UK prisons. The book ‘ Freedom from the Inside’ written with women in yoga program, in sweden & international, written with James Fox. Yoga is finding a safe & non judging connection. Yoga as a tool for self regulation help us manage everyday life. Yoga given her a sense of belonging & wholeness that she didn’t have before. Living a contemplative life gives life different colours, different dimensions of how we relate to others. ‘'Everyone needs to know who Josefin Wikström is. In my opinion she is one of the most inspiring and compassionate yoga teachers and therapists I know. Her work and drive to help people with trauma become more connected to themselves is deeply moving. She has taken her own trauma and mobilised to truly help those in need. It was a privilege to hold this conversation and I feel it's a great tool for yoga teachers to begin to see how they can connect to working with those who have trauma" Scott Johnson - November 2020 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with and /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/16986260

#021: Taylor Hunt | Recovery Through Yoga 11/15/2020

#021: Taylor Hunt | Recovery Through Yoga Scott talks to Ashtanga yoga teacher Taylor Hunt about how Ashtanga yoga has helped him through his recovery from addiction and how he now helps others using the same inspiring outlook. We’d like to invite you to join our growing . We live stream beginner classes, Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes with evening mindfulness sessions over 6 days with Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. It’s a beautiful way to navigate these times… Taylor Hunt is a devoted practitioner of Ashtanga yoga and a passionate teacher of the traditional method. He was granted Level 2 authorisation in 2013 by his teacher Sharath Jois who he studies with in Mysore every year. His is a story of personal transformation. His book ‘A Way From Darkness’ is an inspiring account of his journey from addiction to health. He is director of the Trini Foundation, which shares the practice of Ashtanga with those suffering from addiction. Ashtanga yoga has been deeply healing in his life and he is dedicated to sharing the benefits with others. He teaches daily Mysore classes Ashtanga Yoga Columbus, where he supports the community of practitioners in their practice and their daily lives. He also offers workshops around the world. You can find out more about Taylor’s teaching schedule . You can also contact the if you are interested in learning more about their inspiring work. If you’ve been affected by any of the issues brought up in this conversation and need help you contact and (please note these links are UK based organisations). Recovery Through Yoga – Taylor Hunt In this honest and powerful conversation Scott and Taylor share intimate details about how their lives have been affected by addiction. Taylor has come such a long way in his sobriety and Scott from growing up in an alcoholic family. Their unique perspectives, particularly Taylor on how he has navigated his own recovery, is powerful and honest. In this moving conversation Taylor shares: What it means to be running a Mysore shala during the covid pandemic, and his decision to immediately hold classes online so he could carry on supporting his community About his book – Away from the Darkness, in which he writes about his journey from addiction to health. How he was convinced by his sponsor into taking his second yoga class after finding his first deeply uncomfortable because of everything it brought up. How he heard God speaking to him in savasana after that second class, telling, saying ‘you’re perfect, just the way you are’. He’d been sober for six months, and it was the first time he’d felt compassion and love for himself. He’s practised six days a week ever since. How sobriety rekindled his relationship with God. The relationship between being a Twelve Step sponsor and an Ashtanga teacher – the elements of coaching, accountability, and support. The daily work involved in staying sober, how he has to show up consistently in the program and on the mat. His reason for practising – that has to show up for sake of sobriety – means it’s life or death for him, as well as for a lot of people that he teaches, which is why he’s so passionate about showing up. The impact of his addiction on his family. The clarity after suffering he felt when his ex-wife took him for the treatment he needed. His deep gratitude for the second chance he’s been given That his first Ashtanga teacher was Laruga Glaser, who he practised with every day How he’s seen the practise help people, how it offers hope for escaping our samskaras. His belief in a higher power, whether it’s Jesus, Buddha, Vishnu, Shiva, Moses… they represent the same universal truths and inspire him in the same way, that his practice is like a prayer, a surrender to this higher power. The importance of being open with his children about his addiction. His work with the , and how Ashtanga can help people in recovery The blessings in his life; his wife and his children That for him, living a contemplative life means showing up, and living a simple, uncomplicated life. ‘’Talking to Taylor was something I've wanted to do since I started the podcast. I’ve been personally affected by addiction from a young age, through my family, so to talk to Taylor about his recovery and how yoga has helped his sobriety felt deeply important top me. I was so deeply grateful at how honest Taylor was. I hope this helps others feel like they are not alone. Like Zephyr’s, its one of the most important and personal conversations I’ve had yet… Scott Johnson – November 2020 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with . /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/16813268

#020: Prem & Radha Carlisi | Finding Humility Together 10/24/2020

#020: Prem & Radha Carlisi | Finding Humility Together #020: Prem & Radha Carlisi Scott talks to Prem and Radha Carlisi (and their lovely dogs) about their friendship since 2008 and how they've evolved over an incredibly close, and tender, twelve years of knowing each other. --- We'd like to invite you to join our growing . We live stream Ashtanga Yoga assisted self practice and guided classes with evening mindfulness sessions over 6 days with Scott Johnson and the Stillpoint teaching faculty. It's a beautiful way to navigate these times... --- Anthony ‘Prem’ Carlisi and Heather ‘Radha’ Carlisi first came together as a teaching team in Sri Lanka in 2007. They felt a powerful synergy between their combined energy as teachers, which led them to continue to teach together internationally. They were married in 2013. In December 2008 they travelled to Bali, where in November 2009 they established the Ashtanga Yoga Bali Research Center (AYBRC). In their shala they teach in the tradition of K. Pattabhi Jois, with whom they both studied for many years. Prem first travelled to Mysore to study in 1978, and Radha in 1995 having begun her study of Ashtanga yoga with Chuck Miller in 1990. Following the example set by Krishnamacharya, they adapt their teaching to the individual needs of each student. They also apply their knowledge Ayurveda to their unique teaching style, blending the elements of Ashtanga yoga and Ayurveda to help students to achieve a balanced lifestyle well beyond their asana practise. Prem and Radha have many shared at AYBRC. You can find out more about their teaching schedule . Finding Humility Together - Prem and Radha Carlisi In this moving conversation Scott, Prem and Radha share intimate and tender memories of their friendship over the past 12 years. Prem and Radha are deeply open and honest about how their relationship managed the passing of Prem's daughter Shanti in 2012 and how they navigated people coming to their Yoga Shala in Bali and their own yoga practices. We are left with hope.... In this deeply moving conversation Prem & Radha share: The challenges they’ve faced running a Mysore shala from Bali during the COVID-19 pandemic. How Scott contacted Prem in 2008 after reading ‘The Only Way Out is In’, and ended up hosting both Prem and Radha for a London workshop. Prem’s motivation for writing his book - to share his perspective as a ‘regular guy’ so that people would know that yoga is accessible to anyone. That after Radha’s first yoga class - which she found in the Yellow Pages - she told the teacher (Chuck Miller) that she was going to be a yoga teacher. About the incredible support Radha has given Prem in his work and in his personal life. About how they set up Ashtanga Yoga Bali together, and how it felt like everything was falling into place for them. That everything collapsed in 2013 with the death of Prem’s daughter, Shanti. How they managed to keep the shala open, with crowds coming to see them, while struggling to come to terms with this tragic loss. The thoughtless comments that Prem received about how, as a long term yogi, he should be able to deal with grief. How grief forces a deeper perspective to Ashtanga yoga practise beyond the physical. That teaching - being able to give to others - can be a solace, and that suffering can bring empathy. The sense of humbling humiliation that Prem felt, in the face of such grief after this life-changing loss, despite external material successes. Their intentions around organising Ashtanga yoga conferences, hoping to keep the community connected after K. Pattabhi Jois died. The responsibility that senior teachers have to pass on the subtler layers of practise that move beyond the physical. About why Ashtanga yoga is a constant process of discovery, rather than a static set of rules. How important it is to meet all students as individuals, and that teaching this way becomes a dance. That an ‘advanced’ practise isn’t necessary to experience the principles of Ashtanga yoga practise: breath, bandha, and drishti. The relationship between the ethereal aspects of practise and how they relate to our physical being. Learning to dance with the people in our lives and with ourselves: Nataraja, Shiva, the aspect of life and death. How Prem’s practise has become more contemplative over time, spending hours in meditation. How Radha has become more forgiving of herself, and that in finding more freedom in her practise she has a better understanding of who she is, rather than who she thinks she’s supposed to be. ‘'I've been wanting to have this conversation with my dear friends Prem and Radha since I started the Stillpoints Podcast. It is one of the tenderest and most open conversations I have had and I loved the candid honesty that both Prem and Radha bring. They share how they have navigated grief together and that this is now the foundation of their relationship. We're left with a sense of hope. That it's a dance... Scott Johnson - September 2020 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and . /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/16529366

#19: Laruga Glaser | Leaning In To Vulnerability 10/10/2020

#19: Laruga Glaser | Leaning In To Vulnerability #019: Laruga Glaser Scott talks to Laruga Glaser on her life as a yoga student and teacher of Ashtanga yoga. She also shares her experience as a woman of colour in the yoga industry. On 3rd June . The majority of her conversation (with Scott) references Laruga's post. It would be highly beneficial to watch this whole share. It is beautiful, powerful and raw.... Laruga Glaser was first drawn to yoga in 1996, and after coming across Ashtanga in 1998 she fully immersed herself in the method and now has over 20 years of dedicated Ashtanga yoga practise. She made her first trip to Mysore to study at KPJAYI in 2007 and has returned every year ever since. A committed student, an advanced practitioner and a Certified teacher, Laruga endeavours to pass on the tradition of Ashtanga yoga. Laruga shares the teachings of Ashtanga yoga as an act of deep love with which she aspires to create an open, challenging and inspiring space in which each individual who comes to her can realise their full potential. Laruga leads the Ashtanga Yoga program at Yogayama in Stockholm, Sweden and teaches workshops and retreats around the world. You can find out more about Laruga's teaching schedule . Leaning in to Vulnerability - Laruga Glaser. Scott and Laruga have a beautifully open conversation on Laruga's life as a student and teacher of Ashtanga yoga. She shares how she left a corporate life to become one of the most recognised faces in Ashtanga Yoga. She also shares how she has had to struggle as a woman of colour in the world of yoga and push hard to get to where she is. Scott and Laruga also talk about how to make yoga spaces more diverse. In this inspiring conversation Laruga shares: The ways that yoga has landed for her many times in her life, right from the very first time - a series of ‘aha’ moments, of finding inner stillness. How she began practising by following Iyengar-inspired videos by Patricia Walden and Rodney Yi, which helped her to release back pain and encouraged her to carry on practising. How she started learning Ashtanga from David Swenson’s videos and books, which she considers to be her first virtual teacher That despite ‘doing things wrong’, like not holding the drishti or poses for long enough, she still felt a shift, another ‘aha’ moment How Ashtanga felt ‘complete’ to her Her sense of finally feeling at home when she found yoga, that she was in her space, where she’s supposed to be. That while she was at university in Ohio she found an ad in the student paper for 90 days of yoga for $90 - she went every single day. That she found Laurel Howdry, her first Ashtanga yoga teacher, in her last year of university, How her dedicated Ashtanga practise kept her sane and grounded while she was on a corporate career path. That when she found herself at a crossroads between her career and yoga, she decided to follow yoga. When she made her first trip to Mysore in 2007 it was to be a student, to go and study at the source. How she began teaching internationally after that first trip to Mysore, when a fellow student invited her to teach in Taiwan. About her 14 trips to Mysore and how the energy in the new shala still remains the same The importance of being a student. The strong energetic pull she felt that led her to share in depth on about the lack of diversity in Ashtanga yoga, and how it was a vulnerable thing for her to do. About how it finally felt like people were collectively willing to listen to her experience, despite having been speaking out on individual level for years That she spoke out for the people who didn't feel they fit in About having to deal with microaggressions from within the yoga community, and how she’s been the one who’s had to do the work unpacking these. That these uncomfortable moments have pushed her to a place of confidence, having transformed toxicity into something positive. That she’s nurtured a culture of diversity in her Mysore room, making all people feel welcome and comfortable. About feeling overwhelmed by the response to her video, with many people of colour sharing their experience that yoga spaces don't feel conducive to people from diverse backgrounds, and that the practise feels elitist in a socio-economic sense. How she challenges organisers when she teaches in countries where people of colour are the majority but not represented in her workshop. Her experience of resistance within the Ashtanga yoga community to discuss uncomfortable things. How she’s experienced dismissiveness from her peers, a sense of being ‘put in her place’ About her relationship with her father, a white European, who’s done the work and who sees diversity as a beautiful thing That she’s learned more from her dad through seeing example than the yoga teachers she used to look up to That we don’t need to look so far outside ourselves for these lessons. What it means to her to live a contemplative life. ‘'This conversation with Laruga was so valuable to have. She shares so openly about how she has had to navigate the yoga world as a woman of colour and how she has created a diverse and mindful yoga space in her home of Stockholm. Her courage and strength in speaking out is so inspiring. We are left with how we can find ways to navigate open conversations that matter. To listen... Scott Johnson - September 2020 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , and . /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/16351289

#18: Simon Borg-Olivier | Finding The Real Yoga 09/26/2020

#18: Simon Borg-Olivier | Finding The Real Yoga #018: Simon Borg-Olivier Scott talks to Simon Borg-Olivier on his 50 years as a teacher and practitioner of yoga. Simon Borg-Olivier is a maverick and someone who has truly done his own research into how yoga works for him. Simon Borg-Olivier has been studying traditional forms of posture, movement and breathing for over 50 years. He has worked as a research-based scientist, exercise-based physiotherapist and a university lecturer. He has over 33 years experience teaching yoga, inspiring people all around the world. He co-founded Yoga Synergy in 1984 with Bianca Machliss, leading daily yoga classes, workshops, teacher training courses and international events. His passion for his work has brought him to understand the interconnectedness of the world around us, and the belief that we can make the world a better place by acknowledging and enhancing the connections within us and around us. The purpose of a yoga practise for Simon is to ‘lovingly encourage the circulation of energy and consciousness’ in the body, so that we can be in greater harmony with everything around us. You can find out more about Simon’s profile and teaching schedule and his teacher training courses Simon also has a new online Ashtanga Yoga course. You can access it . Finding The Real Yoga – Simon Borg-Olivier Scott and Simon have an incredibly expansive conversation on SImon’s 50 year exploration into yoga and movement and his search for the ‘real’ yoga. Simon shares incredible stories of his time spent with some of the leading teachers of modern postural yoga and shares how he has formulated his unique approach to yoga teaching and practice. In this inspiring conversation Simon shares: How he was introduced to breathing techniques when he was very young. His fascination from an early age with the connection between yogis and nature. That for him, meditation is a deep deep process of the body and mind based on circulation of the blood in the body. How his approach to meditation resonated with the Iyengar teaching method. How meeting Professor Bim Dev Malik inspired him to see the possibilities of what yoga can achieve. That meeting Shandor Remete in 1985 really deepened his knowledge of Iyengar Yoga and sent him to meet BKS Iyengar in India, leading him to understand that only BKS Iyengar taught true Iyengar yoga. How he learnt Ashtanga yoga in 1985 from Robert Lucas, Cliff Barber and Danny Paradise. About meeting Pattabhi Jois in the 1990s, and w he’s still inspired by Ashtanga yoga. How he met TKV Desikachar, who was an influence too. How seeing and learning the Malakam practice in India inspired him greatly. Learning dasaran in Malakam was challenging but a way to connect with the Indian boys in India. The similarities between yoga postures and martial arts postures. About his time working in an Indian hospital. His decision to teach yoga rather than become an academic in 1992. How, as a result of a friend having a bad accident, he presented yoga exercises to doctors to help rehabilitate paraplegics. That training to be a physiotherapist was about being able to present yoga to doctors as a valid rehabilitation process. How becoming a physiotherapist changed his way of teaching people. His views on how easy it is to become a yoga teacher now, and why he set up his own teacher training programme. How Yoga Synergy became a system that could help benefit a wide range of people, basing it on traditional Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga and adapting it for the modern body. How he healed from a back injury by changing how he moves as well as how he teaches, and how this non-traditional approach has been healing for himself and others. How care needs to be taken with yoga cueing so that their meaning and helpfulness doesn’t get lost or misunderstood How he met his teacher, Master Zhen Hua Yang, in 2007, who he continues to train with. How he sees his role as a teacher as learning from his mistakes and doing better job with his students than he did with himself. That the ultimate purpose of yoga is to realise that we are all one – a manifestation of connected consciousness – which we can start to realise by becoming physically connected with ourselves first. That, for him, the aim of yoga practice is to generate loving information and communication in the body by freeing good energy, and becoming yama and niyama in action. That, ultimately, it’s all about love. Simon talks about: ‘To me Simon Borg-Olivier is a teacher’s teacher. A modern day icon and maverick in the yoga world. He is a visionary and has never rested on his laurels, always learning… This conversation get’s behind how he has become the yogi we know and love. An essential listen for all modern day yoga practitioners who are on a quest for real yoga…. Scott Johnson – September 2020 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , , and . /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/16166303

#17: Greg Nardi | Empowerment Through Ashtanga Yoga 08/29/2020

#17: Greg Nardi | Empowerment Through Ashtanga Yoga #017: Greg Nardi Scott talks to close friend and colleague Greg Nardi on his life as an Ashtanga yoga practitioner and teacher. --- In this podcast we talk about the sexual abuse commited by Pattabhi Jois on a number of his students over the years. While this conversation centers Greg's experience, it is not meant to detract from the victim's experience. We acknowledge the sexual abuses and other abuses of power that have happened in the Ashtanga community and the ways in which community members can be trained not to see the abuses that happen in plain sight. This denial serves to hide the abuse and creates a culture that is unsafe for victims. It is our hope that this conversation will help those who are also in a process of reckoning with their relationship to yoga practice and community. Below are links to the victims testimony and others of relevant interest: --- Greg Nardi believes in the healing power of yoga for all. His style of teaching empowers students to discover the approach to the practice that is most beneficial for them. He has been practicing yoga since 1996, and is a 500 hr E-RYT with Yoga Alliance. He is currently director of Ashtanga Yoga Worldwide where he teaches workshops in yoga practice and theory internationally, and is co-director of Grassroots Yoga where he teaches in his home of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His work draws on his knowledge of the oral traditions of yoga, having studied Sanskrit chanting and yoga philosophy in Mysore, India. He also travelled to KPJAYI thirteen times, the first trip was in 1999. He was later authorised by Pattabhi Jois to teach Ashtanga yoga. He has studied extensively with teachers in North America and Europe, and he draws on his personal experience of practice, as well as his ongoing self-study of academic research in contemporary and traditional yoga. Greg resigned his authorization from KPJAYI in 2018. He now works with his colleagues at Amāyu yoga, developing an organization and learning pathway for Ashtanga teachers to help create safer spaces for yoga practitioners. Amāyu’s work is consent driven, practitioner centered, and based in practitioner empowerment. You can find out more about Greg’s teaching schedule _____________ Empowerment through Ashtanga Yoga - Greg Nardi Scott and Greg have a deeply open and honest conversation on the evolution of yoga in Greg’s life. They have been close friends since 2013 and share in a moving conversation how the devotional aspect of yoga became a central part of Greg’s life and how Greg has shifted direction since he left KPJAYI. In this intimate conversation Greg shares: How he was drawn to the spiritual aspect of yoga from the very beginning. How he explored different yoga traditions, such as Jivamukti, before settling on Ashtanga yoga. The pull he felt to travel to Mysore, the home of Ashtanga yoga. His early misconception that ‘gurus’ have godlike aspects, and how until recently this formed a big part of his life and belief system. The immediate connection he felt when he first met K Pattabhi Jois. The romanticised image he had of Mysore during his first few trips there. How he witnessed K Pattabhi Jois’ abusive treatment of women, and his growing disillusionment with his teacher. The problems with his initial response to Karen Rain’s 2017 #metoo statement, and how he’s learned and evolved since then. How he had to let go of his conception of K Pattabhi Jois as his ‘guru’, and how as a response he changed his whole teaching process, rejecting the authoritarian model of the Ashtanga yoga teaching method. How the challenges of the last few years have shown him what yoga really means to him, and that things falling apart have helped him to feel more connected to himself. His belief that creating connection and personal agency for practitioners is key for developing Ashtanga yoga. ‘This is such a rich conversation. It shows how one can use their personal agency in their own practice to see that the light can grow from there, not anywhere else. Greg is one of the most considerate and compassionate teachers I’ve met and I’m so proud to call him a friend. We’ve had many conversations over the years and I’m so pleased that his wisdom, intelligence and insights are now available. He has really found a way to navigate himself into a new way of being after the huge disappointment he felt from his teachers behaviour.’ Scott Johnson - August 2020 If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with , , and . /episode/index/show/stillpoints/id/15801242

Stillpoints: A Podcast with Scott Johnson

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