Rebecca Sebastian - "Is There Still Hope in the Yoga Industry?"

Rebecca Sebastian, host of the Working in Yoga Podcast and founder of Inside Yoga Magazine, returns to talk with J about challenges and possibilities for yoga professionals. They discuss data that confirms an industry contraction, getting lumped in with pilates, pivoting away from owning centers, transferrable skills, trade organizations, ethics around credentialing, value of spreadsheets, decentralizing power structures, retirement plans, trend chasing, gig economy problems, and a small window for hope that is not likely to last long.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Chad Herst, author of The Performance Trap: The Ache No Success Will Ever Fix, talks with J about departing from deeply ingrained patterns and the nature of embodiment. They discuss coming to yoga through grief, going to Mysore in the early 90's, witnessing abuse, injuries, pressure to be successful, aftermath of fallen gurus, boom and bust of the industry, radical transparency, prana and apana, healing through connection, honest improvisatory spaces, end of the charismatic model, and letting yourself be humbled by life.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Leslie Kaminoff, co-author of Yoga Anatomy, returns to talk with J about his recent blog post on the impact of AI on creators and beyond. They discuss intellectual property theft, industrialized systems of deception, targeting of vulnerable populations, chair yoga, copyright violations, appropriate use of technology, individual sense of integrity, relating to language models, agential medical care, faking expertise, avoiding slop, policy positions for organizations, and where to draw the necessary lines that will keep human beings in the equation.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Joe Simek, co-owner of Dragonfly Yoga, returns to talk with J about his inquiries into religion and the nature of non-duality. They discuss aspects of Quakerism and community-led worship, questions of good and evil, value systems, understanding the divine, the point of nonduality, personal relationship with God, everything as a blessing, drawing lines, devotion to the goddess, suffering and orienting to love, desire for life, darkness, what "thy will" means, keeping yoga spiritual, and friendships that challenge us to learn and grow.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Paul JJ Alix, founder of Yoga for All, returns to talk with J about the future of his yoga business and the nature of karma. They discuss pricing for home studios, revenue streams and projected profits, people with money and those without, giving stuff away and valuing your work, karma, Ayn Rand, a mature vision of God, relationship to the divine, Desikachar and yoga sutras, teachings of Jesus, ignorance and salvation, auspiciousness of snakes, discerning right and wrong, and the unburdening our ideas so that truth can be revealed.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Will Revak, co-founder of Orawellness, talks with J about the oral microbiome and dental self-empowerment. They discuss common dental issues, periodontal disease myths, hidden lies in toothpaste labels, crystal nature of teeth, decay and enamel loss, choosing a dentist, statistics and outcomes, fluoride vs hydroxyapatite, mindful brushing, naturally sourced xylitol, the importance of saliva, navigating scams, Bass method, Chinese hygiene arts, tongue scrappers, and becoming an effective steward of your oral microbiome.   Use promo code: jbrown and get 15% off all Orawellness products.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Troy Hadeed, founder of Beyond Yoga and author of My Name Is Love: We're Not All That Different, talks with J about coming to know the love of God. They discuss Bob Marley and Jesus, interpretations and denominations, moving away from the church, connecting to Christ, yoga in Trinidad, Sean Corn, breath practice as prayer, divine agency, collective consciousness, questioning orthodoxy, slippery Gnostic slopes, grounding through faith, name and form, the one thing that makes us all the same, and the moment when truth is no longer in question.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

Grace Gessel, once founder of the Trauma-Conscious Yoga Method now offering faith-centered counseling at Through Faith Therapy, talks with J about leaving yoga and becoming a follower of Christ. They discuss religious trauma, being a public voice, questioning narratives around social justice and anti-racism, identity politics, church hypocrisy and exploitation, getting to the end of yourself, breath and prayer, somatics, waking up to Jesus, the Holy Trinity, spiritual warfare, and moving from a self-led to a Holy Spirit-led life.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga and Bowspring, talks with J about the history of Anusara Yoga, its collapse, and the aftermath. They discuss the reason for having John on now, 60's generation of free love, consciousness expansion, business backgrounds in the 80's, studying with Iyengar and Gurumayi, founding Anusara in 97, standardization, the scandal and collapse, wicca and tantra, ethical codes, power differentials, universal principles of alignment, Bowspring, optimizing spirit, changing the world, making a living, and market trajectories.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.    

David Singleton is a long-time listener and friend of the show and he joins J to talk about relationship to our environment and ourselves. They discuss finding yoga during his wife's illness and passing, discovering the podcast and following along with J's journey, deep love of the outdoors, motorcycles, becoming a fire ranger, operating vineyards, big agriculture, healthy soil, regenerative farming, organic labeling, permaculture, living in harmony with ants, defining success, personal spirituality of going outside, and truly caring for land and people.   To subscribe and support the show… GET PREMIUM. Say thank you - buy J a coffee. Check out J's other podcast… J. BROWN YOGA THOUGHTS.