Leadership and Yoga

In this conversation, Jarrett Green, lecturer in law at USC Law School and internationally recognized well-being, stress resilience, and peak performance consultant, shares how mindfulness and yoga extend far beyond the mat and into the world of leadership. Working with major law firms and Fortune 500 companies through NBK Consultancy, Jarrett helps individuals and organizations lead with intention. In this conversation, we explore his journey from practicing law to teaching the “yoga of the mind.” Whether you lead a team, a company, yoga classes, or yourself, this episode invites a reframing of yoga as an internal practice. This conversation offers an expansive view of both yoga and leadership.⁠Jarrett’s Linkedin⁠⁠Jarrett’s Website⁠Jarrett’s book recommendation, ⁠“Loving What Is” by Byron Katie⁠Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) ⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND ⁠(My sponsor) ⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠

Through breath, visualization, musical poetry and storytelling, I guide you through a meditation for personal transformation: the dragonfly’s dream. If you’re feeling called toward something new, questioning your direction, or experiencing a period of growth in your life, this immersive special / meditation episode is an invitation to reconnect with your energy. You are the dragonfly.Everything I’ve learned from Richard Rudd of the Gene Keys, Frederick Dodson of Levels of Energy and Parallel Universes of Self, and even some Dr. Joe Dispenza. And from endless hours of contemplating consciousness and who I am, really. Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠30-day trial: Join Yoga Trade Council & take workshops with mehttps://community.yogatrade.com/leadership (March 13th - “Find Your Voice part 1” w/Shawna live, my sponsor) ⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠time stamps:00:00 intro01:50 back story: from scribbles 04:10 gene keys 55 (not 22!)05:15 monkey story07:05 yoga trade!!!! 10:20 creating is a massive driver of joy13:15 dharma style sun salutations and writing16:37 it matters, even when you don’t feel like it does19:00 the guided experience START

“Yoga doesn’t need governance, it needs leadership.” American Yoga Council is like LinkedIn for Yoga and Ancestry.com for lineage, an alternative to Yoga Alliance. We talk the whole yoga ecosystem: power, money, education, technology, ethics, and impact. Can we step away from 200 hour teacher trainings?? A yoga retirement plan? What does the future of yoga and teaching yoga look like? Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) ⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠Join American Yoga Council FREE or Code “SHAWNA” for 15% off first year of premium & pro membership  https://ayc.yoga/shawnakru Andrew’s Berkshire yoga festival:https://www.berkshireyogafestival.com/AYC on instagram: @americanyogacouncilAndrew on instagram: @andrewtanneryoga time stamps:00:00 intro01:20 OfferingTree04:45 yoga ecosystem: power, money, education, technology, ethics, and impact05:45 yoga teachers’ future is bright despite ai09:15 the future of leadership is inner power, yoga in leadership11:45 what is American Yoga Council13:15 like LinkedIn for Yoga and Ancestry.com for lineage17:45 why are so many teachers i know part of AYC?19:15 wonderful people FIRST, first who, then what thing/money.20:45 Andrew’s journey working at Yoga Alliance26:45 no more 200 hour trainings?29:35 Andrew’s story of power dynamics and experiencing a cult30:35 how to know if you’re in a cult39:15 putting out candles from across the room43:15 leadership roles48:45 money and greed in yoga52:15 retirement fund for yoga teachers?56:45 why can you tell me what i can and can’t teach?1:02:45 how does AYC avoid falling in the same trap1:06:15 anti yoga: instagram. yoga is attention.1:09:15 a leader must have a mission1:14:30 billboard message

My typical Friday bedside chat episode has a special guest today: Maria Mir! Maria is a long-time listener of the Leadership and Yoga podcast who joined my last retreat in Costa Rica. I was thrilled to discover her work, the Pensando Nada podcast many months ago, and to meet her in person. Maria teaches us about Reality Creation and is from Argentina. Today we talk about what is ACTUALLY possible for us, beyond what we may allow ourselves to believe. We talk imagination, manifestation, law of attraction, levels of energy, consciousness, creating our realities and bts of our time together in Costa Rica. Find Maria on instagram - @pensando.nadaMaria's podcast - Pensando NadaMaria’s website: https://30-dias.com/terapiaderedes Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠GIVEAWAY: 1 YEAR OF OFFERINGTREE. Enter here by March 5th. Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) ⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND ⁠(My sponsor) ⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠00:00 intro01:24 free year giveaway!! OfferingTree03:05 my trusted guide: TEND04:30 animation 07:00 your podcast was a reflection of what was possible for me10:00 Maria’s story14:45 dopamine & creative consistency16:30 Maria’s creative process17:45 creating content for social media growth journey20:30 how to step into new realities of ourselves & manifestation25:00 finding your true mission27:30 stability is an illusion29:45 jealousy and worry from friends when you step into a new version of yourself33:00 imagination 38:30 exceptional leader40:00 billboard message: you are so powerful that if you think you’re not, you’re not

Lana Wedmore tells us that yoga and nature are more alike than we realize. She has hosted presidents of Costa Rica in her lodge, and fights for systemic change, but she also teaches yoga and helps heal individuals. She speaks to the animals and teaches us how to see the subtle realms of nature we may be missing, and what happens when we are reconnected with them. “The longest journey you will ever take is the six inches: from your head to your heart.” This episode is a powerful reminder that when you do the thing you’re called to do, you don’t just change your own life, you help change the world.Lana’s Whitehawk Foundation:https://www.whitehawkfoundation.org/ Visit Luna Lodgehttps://lunalodge.com/ Join Lana and Tommy’s retreat: https://www.wetravel.com/trips/we-are-rising-lana-and-tommy-7812198380 Find Lana on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lana_wedmore/ Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠GIVEAWAY: 1 YEAR OF OFFERINGTREE. Enter here by March 5th. Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) ⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND ⁠(My sponsor) ⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠Time stamps:00:00 tour of Lana’s house01:34 my sponsors, check them out! 04:18 who is Lana?09:13 cacao toast11:15 yoga & nature have in common15:00 fear of spiders: universe doesn’t understand “no”18:00 46 years earlier… Costa Rica story23:00 responsibility is freedom25:40 ashtanga yoga, yoga saved Lana28:40 do the thing, and you will have the power31:15 how to breathe34:30 mother earth wants to give you something37:50 triumph is try with umph43:00 gratitude and feeling enough - really. 44:30 everything is reaching for the light47:00 plant meditation 49:40 humans, what are we really?51:30 the world is changing, consciousness is changing 53:00 shaking hands with presidents59:20 president of costa rica coming to luna lodge, Lana’s lodge1:06:00 political leaders - getting through to them1:08:00 leaders: look people in the eye1:10:00 feel good in your body1:13:50 “buy this land” whitehawk foundation1:16:00 are you sure? yes I am. 1:18:00 a Lana in every town?1:19:00 billboard message: ongest journey is 6 inches from your head to your heart

So you want to host a yoga retreat. Behind every beautiful retreat is a human like you. A yoga teacher navigating money, nerves, imposter syndrome, leadership decisions, and pivots... so I have some yoga retreat planning tips for ya.In this episode, I’m sharing the real story of hosting my last retreat, the shaky anxiety before it began, the moments where the experience didn’t match my expectations, the double-booked shala, the breakfast pivot, the unexpected abundance, and the leadership lessons that no one talks about.This is more than “how to host a yoga retreat.” This is about the energetics of hosting, and some stories that will keep you company. :)Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠GIVEAWAY: 1 YEAR OF OFFERINGTREE. Enter here by March 5th. Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) ⁠Join Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠Time stamps00:00 intro03:00 bold! year of the firehorse 04:30 7 steps to getting ready to host your retreat08:30 backstory 13:50 giveaway!! 1 year free of offeringtree15:50 number 1 nothing to hide, nothing to prove20:55 taxi driver wisdom, don’t fixate on pain24:30 number 2 carving from edge to edge31:00 100 points allocation theory 33:00 number 3 leading is recognizing talent in others36:40 number 4 abundance and budgeting38:50 money as appreciation 43:40 number 5 see the people45:30 notes advice48:20 scholarship programs50:00 number 6 how to be decisive 51:00 my first time driving in latin america54:50 number 7 on the other side of that dream57:00 regret & the magic gardener

In this episode, Carling Harps shares her journey through 15 years of teaching yoga and how her practice has evolved over time. She reflects on cueing, identity, accessibility, and learning to trust the different seasons of practice. Carling speaks to the importance of yoga community, joy and play in a movement practice, and why there is no self-liberation without collective liberation. Carling’s Instagram: ⁠@carlingnicole⁠⁠Carling’s Website⁠Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠GIVEAWAY: 1 YEAR OF OFFERINGTREE. Enter here by March 5th. Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) ⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND ⁠(My sponsor) ⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠Time Stamps:00:00 intro01:10 offering tree 04:02 when you think about yoga, what do you see?06:25 consistency in yoga practice 08:00 trusting the different seasons of your practice11:00 identity in yoga12:25 the misconception that yoga will heal you14:41 hyper-individualism in yoga16:51 self-realization vs self-obsession18:00 “there is no self-liberation without collective-liberation”20:14 fostering yoga community 26:00 walking alongside your students28:55 cueing, alignment, & injuries 36:38 diversifying your movement practice 40:36 weightlifting & energy46:23 play & joy in movement as an adult48:37 as yoga teachers, what is our responsibility to address what’s going on in the world?52:27 do you think yoga can change the world?56:10 both systemic change and individual change01:00:00 yoga is political01:02:22 expand your yoga worldview01:08:00 billboard question

Victoria Hutchins, a poet, yoga teacher and former corporate lawyer who creates the Daily Victorian, talks about leaving law to create, the rituals that unlock her writing, and balancing visibility with vulnerability. Short stories about handstands, routine, jealousy turned into abundance, and reclaiming childhood wonder come up in multiple candid, surprising conversations.

In this episode of Leadership and Yoga, I sit down with Rey Cardenas, Austin-based yoga teacher, and co-studio owner of Practice Yoga Austin, to explore what it means to teach yoga in rhythm with the seasons. We talk astrology in the yoga class, the relationship between the sun and our bodies,consciousness, Ayurveda and seasonal practice, burnout and sustainability for yoga teachers, and how presence, sound, and language shape a truly transformational yoga experience. Rey also shares insights from Rudolf Steiner, yoga therapy, and his philosophy on teaching yoga as a co-created experience rather than a performance.Practice with Rey at Practice Yoga Austin:​​https://practiceyogaaustin.com/ Yoga Therapy program: https://practiceyogaaustin.com/yoga-teacher-training/practice-yoga-therapy-training/ Rey’s instagram: @reys.awarenesshttps://www.instagram.com/reys.awareness/ Rey on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@reysawareness Find Shawna on instagram: @shawnakru - https://www.instagram.com/shawnakru Try OfferingTree for free with my link here (My sponsor) Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND https://www.tend.eco/collections/consultations Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list:https://www.shawnakru.com/fam Time stamps:00:00 Intro03:53 Welcome back & why Rey’s teaching stands out05:38 When astrology entered Rey’s yoga teaching07:23 Scientific materialism, burnout, and losing rhythm08:38 Rudolf Steiner, cultural ages, and the zodiac10:38 Western vs Vedic astrology: personality vs karma13:08 Why astrology belongs in a yoga class14:48 Capricorn season, liminal time, and seasonal support17:23 Teaching with the seasons instead of against them19:58 Forward bends, backbends, and seasonal consciousness21:58 Fall energy, overthinking, and teaching to what students feel23:08 Introducing new ideas without alienating students24:13 Going against trends and trusting your teaching path26:58 Living and teaching yoga in rhythm at Practice Yoga Austin27:59 Ayurveda and seasonal yoga practices29:00 Summer vs winter yoga: heat, yin, and balance30:08 The three gunas: tamas, rajas, and sattva31:43 Cycles of life, injury, aging, and sustainable practice34:38 Karma, grace, and trusting the unfolding path36:28 Making mistakes before and after 3539:28 Ascension, service, and responsibility on the spiritual path43:18 What makes an exceptional yoga class45:28 Presence, attention, and co-creating experience48:33 Advanced cueing and anchoring awareness beyond the body51:38 Sound, mantra, and the meaning behind language54:28 Poetry, tone, and shaping the mood of a class56:13 Mantra yoga, Sanskrit, and sound consciousness58:13 Yoga therapy as “grad school for yoga”1:00:13 Science, yoga therapy, and medical integration1:03:13 Billboard question & Rey’s message to the world

This episode is exactly what is sounds like. Me checking in, telling you some updates, like a little nonsensical voice note update from me to a friend (you, dear listener). Yet, this nonsense episode is oddly motivational and also somewhat historical if you've ever been curious about when I started teaching yoga and how I decided to host a retreat after only teaching for a year and why it actually worked.... and lead to me hosting my 5th (not 4th like I said in the pod) yoga retreat in Costa Rica right now, as we speak! Find Shawna on instagram: @shawnakru - https://www.instagram.com/shawnakru Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list:https://www.shawnakru.com/fam Own a copy of the guided journal I created, code POD for $33.https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/