Leadership and Yoga

Today on the Leadership and Yoga podcast, I talk with Poranguí about the power of music to heal, awaken, and reconnect us to ourselves. In this episode, Poranguí shares what it feels like to improvise music in front of thousands of people with no set plan, trusting whatever wants to come through in the moment. We talk ritual, creativity, flow states, consciousness, ancestors, collective human connection, nervous system regulation, coherence as leaders, and music as medicine. Poranguí reminds us that interbeing is how we find meaning in life, and he leads by example. This is what the yoga of sound really means. If music has ever made you feel something beyond words, this episode is for you.Music in intro credit to Poranguí, "Amanecer" Find Poranguí on instagram:@porangui Poranguí events, tour, retreats:https://www.porangui.com/ Poranguí on YouTubePoranguí on SpotifyTechnology fail at Envision festival we mentioned:https://youtu.be/otkbFvz8Fy4?si=yV5o1OQGib-SbWLH&t=4758 Patreon: Leadership and Yoga CLUB. To support my work on this podcast, to meet fellow listeners, and more… Join below. https://www.patreon.com/cw/shawnakru Find Shawna on instagram:@shawnakru Time stamps:00:00 intro01:00 who is Poranguí? 03:00 context & backstory07:30 the body, Poranguí’s “favorite” instrument 11:00 improvising and not planning shows14:30 capoeira, playing & dancing with the “now”17:45 it helps us face the uncertainty of life20:45 “worst nightmare” technology fail in performance25:00 the prayer is too potent, energy28:50 what it feels like after performing29:30 how to stay present while performing: widening awareness and tracking all30:10 Schrödinger's cat, observer effect, parallel universes32:30 intricacy, care vs perfectionism 35:00 birth story how Poranguí’s parents met41:30 serpent medicine: chased by snakes44:30 trust46:30 ancestors “anceStars” 49:00 non-linear time and roots of trees51:50 why are we here? scrap of paper54:00 nervous system & our function 55:00 consumerism culture 56:15 keepers of fire: technology and AI. tending 58:30 impacting the world as healers: heart song1:00:30 heart 1:02:00 the voice is the fingerprint of the soul1:04:00 Poranguí’s rituals: getting into state1:06:30 change and successes after retreat 1:08:15 music expresses the inexpressible1:11:30 why music touches us1:12:30 the original pulse1:14:00 billboard message, tour & learn from Poranguí

In this sixth roundtable, yoga teachers from across the country and around the world share what teaching yoga means to them, lessons learned on the mat, bits of wisdom they've carried on from their own teachers, and their own “billboard messages.” See the link below if you're a yoga teacher and would like to participate in the next roundtable!⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠Thank you so much to the participating yoga teachers! Links to connect with them:Simone Marie-Elise - @ripplesinthematrix, www.ripplesinthematrix.comGrace Gribble - @gracesgallivant, https://www.youtube.com/@practicegracefullyAshley Simonis - @Ashleysimonisyoga; @homeyogamo, Homeyogamo.com; Substack.com/ashleysimonisyoga.comKatie Farinas - @katie.farinas, https://katiefarinas.com ; https://substack.com/@katiefarinas, Katie’s Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2R3MeaPOtqgBUpngAzxCN0?si=4ae2fc1b329d4ccbMikaela Millington - @mikmill; @evolve.yoga.retreats, evolveyogaretreats.comVeronica Drenth - @veronicasue_, https://www.theyogalensPatreon: Leadership and Yoga CLUB. To support my work on this podcast, to meet fellow listeners, and more… Join below. https://www.patreon.com/cw/shawnakru Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) Join YogaTrade Council & take workshops with me (Try it free) And check out jobs on https://yogatrade.com/ (My sponsor)⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND ⁠(My sponsor) Time Stamps: 00:00 intro02:00 teaching with humility (Mikaela)05:19 we are always planting seeds (Veronica)07:41 you never know who you'll lead to yoga (Grace)08:54 teaching authentically & honestly (Katie)10:32 yoga doesn’t choose the qualified… (Ashley)12:56 finding your own voice as a teacher (Simone)19:12 Sri Dharma Mittra’s first studio25:23 Grace’s story26:55 Katie’s story29:01 Veronica's story30:52 Simone’s story33:07 Ashley’s story36:49 Mikaela’s story42:11 closing thoughts

In this episode, yoga teacher Nicole Wild shares what she's learned about life and yoga from confronting death: both in the cadaver lab and through working in hospice, being with people in their last moments. She shares how sitting with grief and impermanence are part of her yoga practice, bringing in a deeper reverence for life. This conversation is about fear, discomfort, embodiment, gratitude, and embracing your life (and teaching) as you are, today."Allowing space for letting go, allowing space for endings, allowing space for deaths in all forms, whether that's actual human lives or just the little things we have to let go of on a day-to-day basis…doing that work is absolutely a part of the yoga practice." - Nicole WildQuote on the fires of the heart mentioned is by Edmund Wilson. View full quote hereDeath as a Surprise Party poem from Make Believe by Victoria Hutchins Nicole’s Website and offerings Nicole’s Instagram: @nicolewildcollectiveBook mentioned: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul GawandeFind Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) Join YogaTrade Council & take workshops with me (Try it free) And check out jobs on https://yogatrade.com/ (My sponsor)⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND ⁠(My sponsor) Time Stamps:00:00 intro08:38 the cadaver lab13:01 fear around discussing death17:30 griefwork19:59 what got you into this work?25:34 hospice work: there is nothing to be afraid of27:26 being with people in their last moments30:07 how does yoga help us approach our fears?32:45 addressing the body and mind as a whole35:35 the therapeutic process38:15 yoga can be both confronting & comforting42:36 yoga and creativity45:38 what you look for you will find48:01 you don't just teach what you know, you teach who you are50:48 how can yoga shape our values?55:20 rapid fire questions59:56 the billboard question

5 steps to let go of your embarrassment whether that’s in life, teaching yoga, or creating. Let’s talk embarrassment, fear, perfectionism, how to be confident, self-compassion, awkward people, self-conscious people, and why highly embarrassed people are also often highly judgmental people. Public speaking is a major part of teaching yoga, so let’s dissect in thrilling detail how we can confidently share what we know. “The minute that we stop overstating our own self-importance, the embarrassment and tightness of trying to uphold some image of yourself, starts to fade away.” Included: Gene key 26 by Richard Rudd: moving from pride to artfulness to invisibility. Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) Join YogaTrade Council & take workshops with me (Try it free) And check out jobs on https://yogatrade.com/ (My sponsor)⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND ⁠(My sponsor) TEND spring sale code for 25% off: SPRING25Gene keys profile I mention: https://genekeys.com/free-profile/ Adam Sandler interview with David Letterman: https://www.netflix.com/title/82014002 Time stamps:00:00 intro 01:00 tulip story06:30 Myke Towers tomato face embarrassment 10:00 confidence teaching yoga12:00 don’t “just jump”13:00 your best is not good enough yet15:00 the art of getting over embarrassment 16:15 freestyle sponsors:18:50 OfferingTree20:25 Yoga Trade22:30 TEND24:30 5 steps to overcome embarrassment 26:00 Self-Compassion by Kristin Neff30:30 defense vs offense in embarrassment 34:00 step 1: be seen as dumb36:30 Adam Sandler and David Letterman 42:00 judgmental people43:50 step 2: play with contrast48:00 step 3: face physical fear49:00 teaching yoga embarrassing stories55:00 pre-teaching tangible action to take56:30 step 4: stop restraining yourself59:00 decisiveness1:02:00 step 5: turn pride into art, and become invisible 1:06:00 artfulness quote1:11:00 invisible, why do we want to disappear1:12:45 when you make yourself self-important1:15:00 you don’t need a life ring

Ashish Arora is a yoga teacher based in Seattle, Washington, originally from Delhi, India, and currently leading teacher trainings and retreats around the world. In this episode we delve into the art of teaching, what tradition actually means in the context of yoga, yoga philosophy, and navigating cultural appropriation as a yoga teacher. Ashish also shares tips for remembering your students' names and finding your teachers. If you're a yoga teacher thinking deeply about why you teach, where the practice comes from, or how to bring more joy into the practice, this episode is for you!Practice with AshishFind Ashish on Instagram: @ashishyoga Listen to the previous episode with AshishFind Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) 30-day trial: Join Yoga Trade Council & take workshops with me(my sponsor) Get a job teaching yoga abroad? https://yogatrade.com/ ⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND ⁠(My sponsor) ⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠Time Stamps: 00:00 intro01:40 OfferingTree3:41 presence while teaching5:33 tips for remembering your students’ names10:06 growing up in India15:01 laughter breathwork17:11 the vastness of yoga19:20 peacock pose & joy23:45 finding your teachers28:16 tradition in yoga37:40 breath & energy42:22 what is your definition of a yogi?46:32 cultural-appropriation in yoga55:57 what is our responsibility as yoga teachers?59:55 rapid fire questions 01:03:17 billboard question

Londrelle shows us how spiritual practice becomes music that heals the world. Welcome to the inner workings of Londrelle’s songs, his creative process, and how he shares what he knows with the world. His music is communion with God, and he follows the Bhagavad Gita as instruction for everything he creates. Let’s talk about his spiritual practice and how it has made him the artist we know today: from maha mudra, kriya yoga and meditation to making music that elevates our vibration. Londrelle brings words of wisdom for us on how we can make an impact in the world, and also how we can make it through our own dark nights of the soul as he shares his own story from birth to present day. “Spiritual practice helps us tune into our gifts and abilities, they make us more open and less tense about what we do, so that we can go with the flow of that greater consciousness and intelligence that is always there.” -Londrelle “God for me is not something that you can put your finger on it, but you can't miss it. Everywhere you go, everywhere you turn, there is the presence of the most high God.” -LondrelleLondrelle on instagramLondrelle on SpotifyLondrelle’s mindfulness app: Eternal SunshineLondrelle’s websiteShawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) Join YogaTrade Council & take workshops with me (Try it free) And check out jobs on https://yogatrade.com/ (My sponsor)⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠Time stamps:00:00 this is Londrelle!! 01:00 Yoga Trade02:00 OfferingTree03:10 join the podcast?05:00 yoga connection 07:30 Bhagavad Gita as instruction for music09:00 how Londrelle writes songs like Gratitude10:15 more meditative than creative11:45 when a song arrives, no sleep or pause, until it’s complete14:30 if they can see it in you, they can see it in themselves16:45 God: when you close your eyes and think of God..18:00 Protest and activism: Police brutality 20:00 setting out to serve, you open yourself to universal intelligence24:00 music is broadcasted to the world & shapes culture27:00 growing up: no space to dream, only survive31:10 Londrelle’s story from birth33:45 studying the divine you see your own true nature & importance35:10 Londrelle’s teachers/influences39:00 religion & spirituality are the same, two expressions of the same truth41:00 virgos! both Londrelle and Shawna are virgos. 45:00 dark nights of the soul & initiations46:00 death experience49:30 tests following 53:00 can’t escape yourself. wherever you go, there you are55:00 artist journey: becoming the Londrelle that we know today57:50 music is a science 59:00 Londrelle’s spiritual practices: maha Mudra, kriya yoga & meditation1:01:43 be less tense & tune into our gifts1:02:00 is there yoga in your music?1:04:00 supporting people going through darkness with our art1:05:09 winter in life1:08:00 self-acceptance1:11:00 impact in the outer world and introspection 1:12:50 this world is not meant to be heaven1:14:00 the world as a projection of yourself1:15:58 yoga’s role in addressing suffering of the world1:18:00 yoga is the process of opening ourselves1:19:00 how can we keep our dreams alive (song discussion)1:21:00 doing music for 25 years: dreams are seeds1:23:00 how to dream: look to serve1:25:00 billboard message: stay free!

This is the architecture of a moonshot idea coming true (a transmission, not a list.) Let’s talk about how improbable dreams become reality. Blending mindset, spirituality, yoga philosophy, and personal storytelling, this episode explores manifestation, self-belief, identity shifts, intuition, and the energetic process of becoming. Perfect for listeners interested in personal growth, spiritual development, leadership, and conscious living, this is a reflective, poetic transmission designed to expand your perspective and reconnect you with your power.Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠Join YogaTrade Council & take workshops with me (Try it free) And check out jobs on https://yogatrade.com/ ⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠Time stamps:00:00 intro01:00 poetic 03:00 what restored my faith in myself09:50 Yoga Trade 13:07 definition of moonshot16:00 why architecture 18:45 the mountain 20:00 the improbable bus story 27:00 event horizon discomfort 33:00 the moment you KNEW 35:00 living as that version of you41:00 how do we change beliefs44:00 the better we are at being patient, the less we need it49:00 being that brings opportunities 55:00 musical poetry: tree of your dreams

Hey fellow underdog. Did you know that the world loves an underdog? Let’s talk about why, and what that means for you. If you feel stuck, behind, or like an underdog in your life, business, or creative path, this episode will show you how to turn that struggle into your greatest advantage. We break down the underdog mindset, the biggest mistakes keeping you stuck (like comparison, shiny object syndrome, and self-doubt), and practical steps to build momentum, confidence, and long-term success as a creator, yoga teacher, or entrepreneur. Whether you're growing a podcast, building a brand, or chasing a dream, this episode is your roadmap to stop feeling behind and start winning.It’s a 3-part episode: 1. Reasons being an underdog is a blessing. 2. Major underdog mistakes that will keep you flailing, stuck and hopeless. 3. Instructions for living as an underdog. (For now. Because this is just an era.) Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) Join YogaTrade Council & take workshops with me (Try it free) And check out jobs on https://yogatrade.com/ ⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠Time stamps: 00:00 intro04:28 3 part episode08:30 Yoga Trade10:00 OfferingTree 12:00 join the podcast! 13:55 PART 1: underdog blessings17:50 nothing to lose22:18 days of “trying” train you26:00 you don’t want a one hit wonder30:50 the danger of starting when things are easy33:55 PART 2: underdog mistakes36:20 envy 38:20 blindly leaping on a shiny object41:00 not looking at what you create critically45:40 “this is my only chance” 47:50 judging yourself too soon49:20 expert positioning when you’re not51:15 PART 3: underdog instructions

DJ Taz Rashid is a DJ and music producer creating music with a deeper mission to awaken, uplift, and empower humanity with music. His work lives in yoga, breathwork, dance and wellness spaces around the world, and you’ve likely already heard some of his tracks in a yoga class or added them to a playlist of your own. In this episode, we explore the power of music, how a carefully curated playlist can completely shift the energy of a yoga class, the practice of creating with intention, and more.DJ Taz on SpotifyDJ Taz’s WebsiteFind DJ Taz on instagram @djtazrashid ⁠⁠Shawna’s website⁠⁠Find Shawna on instagram: ⁠@shawnakru ⁠Try OfferingTree for free⁠ ⁠with my link here⁠⁠ (My sponsor) 30-day trial: Join Yoga Trade Council & take workshops with me(my sponsor) Get a job teaching yoga abroad? https://yogatrade.com/ ⁠Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND ⁠(My sponsor) ⁠Yoga Teacher Roundtable free community events & mailing list⁠Time Stamps: 00:00 intro1:31 yoga trade2:43 offering tree4:00 TEND & mini-lesson from Art08:20 starting to create music with intention14:38 expectations in the creative process16:43 music is energy and emotion19:55 music is a powerful portal24:17 the mission to awaken & empower humanity with music26:49 study your own story30:15 did you ever doubt your music path?37:54 creating with intention41:17 consistency & finding a focus45:50 understanding music as a yoga teacher48:21 tips for yoga teachers on making an intentional playlist50:12 yoga classes without music52:30 festivals57:20 collaborating in art01:01:17 current inspirations?01:06:01 getting aligned then taking action01:09:31 rapid fire questions01:10:44 billboard question

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

“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

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