Leadership and Yoga

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.awareness
https://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 Intro
03:53 Welcome back & why Rey’s teaching stands out
05:38 When astrology entered Rey’s yoga teaching
07:23 Scientific materialism, burnout, and losing rhythm
08:38 Rudolf Steiner, cultural ages, and the zodiac
10:38 Western vs Vedic astrology: personality vs karma
13:08 Why astrology belongs in a yoga class
14:48 Capricorn season, liminal time, and seasonal support
17:23 Teaching with the seasons instead of against them
19:58 Forward bends, backbends, and seasonal consciousness
21:58 Fall energy, overthinking, and teaching to what students feel
23:08 Introducing new ideas without alienating students
24:13 Going against trends and trusting your teaching path
26:58 Living and teaching yoga in rhythm at Practice Yoga Austin
27:59 Ayurveda and seasonal yoga practices
29:00 Summer vs winter yoga: heat, yin, and balance
30:08 The three gunas: tamas, rajas, and sattva
31:43 Cycles of life, injury, aging, and sustainable practice
34:38 Karma, grace, and trusting the unfolding path
36:28 Making mistakes before and after 35
39:28 Ascension, service, and responsibility on the spiritual path
43:18 What makes an exceptional yoga class
45:28 Presence, attention, and co-creating experience
48:33 Advanced cueing and anchoring awareness beyond the body
51:38 Sound, mantra, and the meaning behind language
54:28 Poetry, tone, and shaping the mood of a class
56:13 Mantra yoga, Sanskrit, and sound consciousness
58:13 Yoga therapy as “grad school for yoga”
1:00:13 Science, yoga therapy, and medical integration
1:03:13 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/

"The only thing that matters with dreams is that you keep them alive." -Londrelle
Today, I take you on a journey of what it feels like to be seen as you chase your dreams, I show you all of my bad angles and "reasons" why I thought I wasn't good enough for my dreams, and why I was wrong.
Today's episode is fire: a fire of inspiration and a bit of a fire under your ass to go after those big, lofty ideas. But I also throw you a lifeline of tangible tips for staying organized like a to-do list HACK.

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 

Own a copy of the guided journal I created, code POD for $33.
https://www.ritualofwritingjournal.com/ 

Contributors: @iamcleer and @spiritualshores 

Time stamps: 
00:00 intro
01:20 let me show u all my bad angles
07:00 heartbreak of following dreams
10:50 know ur stories & OfferingTree trial
13:15 Londrelle on dreams
17:30 no good vibes only meditation 
19:00 how to problem solve better
20:30 to-do list HACK
24:00 Ayurveda with TEND  
25:450 magic vs logic
28:00 the mind of light - Richard Rudd
32:00 someone who makes things feel easy
34:00 David Swenson on energy to keep going

In this episode, Naoise Ni Bhroin shares her journey into yoga and how teaching through the Irish language has become a way to connect people both to the practice of yoga and to cultural belonging. She reflects on the evolution of yoga in Ireland and growing confidence as a yoga teacher and leader. Naoise also discusses facilitating large yoga events, including Techno Yoga, the importance of ritual and community, and what it means to teach with authenticity and integrity.

Follow Naoise on Instagram: @yogalenaoise

Naoise’s Website: https://www.yogalenaoise.com/

Find Shawna on instagram:
@shawnakru

Shawna’s website: ⁠https://www.shawnakru.com/⁠ 

Try OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year ⁠with my link here⁠: ⁠https://www.offeringtree.com/shawnakru?utm_source=leadership-and-yoga&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=partner-discount⁠  (My sponsor) 

Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND - ⁠https://www.tend.eco/collections/consultations⁠ 

Time Stamps:
00:00 intro
01:13 offering tree and TEND
07:06 how did you find yoga?
09:25 naoise’s first yoga teacher
10:53 the yoga scene in Ireland 
12:00 the Irish language 
17:19 teaching yoga in Irish
19:46 how did it feel to teach your first yoga class?
23:13 how has your perspective on teaching yoga evolved over time?
24:26 public speaking & confidence as a yoga teacher
27:40 hosting yoga events and techno yoga
31:53: how do you bring your dreams to life?
35:03 finding aligned community
38:21 grounding rituals before teaching a yoga class/event
40:00 teaching on off days 
46:10 connecting people with the Irish language 
48:47 yoga is a practice of self-awareness and interconnection
50:12 what makes an exceptional yoga teacher?
51:47 billboard question

In this roundtable episode, yoga teachers from around the country gather to reflect on how yoga has shaped their lives and how yoga can shape the world. Through honest stories of grief, connection, and presence, they share insights on how the practice of yoga can help us connect with ourselves, our communities, and create a ripple effect that extends into our lives and the lives of our students.

Thank you to the participating yoga teachers:

Ally Braxton
@allybraxton
Ally Braxton on Facebook

Denisse Aimar
@denisse.aimar
linktr.ee/denisseaimar

Hannah Winokur
@hannypack

Jen Armistead
@yogaendeavour
yogaendeavour.com

Dr. Meredith Calvert
@meriyogasf
meriyoga.com
wildcalmretreats.com
Dr. Meredith's Podcast "Calm With Me"

Victoria Luciana
@__victorialuciana

Do you want to join the next Yoga Teacher Roundtable episode? Join the waitlist here: https://www.shawnakru.com/yoga-teacher-roundtable

Find Shawna on instagram: @shawnakru - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/shawnakru⁠⁠

Shawna’s website: ⁠https://www.shawnakru.com/⁠ 

Try OfferingTree for free, plus 50% off your first three months or 15% off your first year ⁠with my link here⁠: ⁠https://www.offeringtree.com/shawnakru?utm_source=leadership-and-yoga&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=partner-discount⁠  (My sponsor) 

Ayurvedic consultation with Art, TEND - ⁠https://www.tend.eco/collections/consultations⁠ 

Time Stamps:
00:00 intro
02:09 how did yoga change your life?
06:32 “yoga allowed me to save myself”
08:47 yoga practice during grief
13:00 how can yoga change the world? 
15:54 presence and movement over fear
20:25 sharing the wisdom of yoga creates a ripple effect
25:10 “yoga enables you to be your own home”
27:57 developing a lens of compassion and kindness
30:40 start by being honest with yourself on the mat
32:16 billboard messages
40:13 closing