Abundant Yoga Teacher Podcast

Why can it feel so uncomfortable to put yourself out there, even when you know people need what you offer? This week, I’m exploring the fear of visibility, from worrying about what other Yoga teachers might think to feeling awkward about photos, self-promotion and being the face of your business. I’ll share a few client stories, my own rather disastrous early attempts at being photographed and a...

Brianna Patten is a Delaware-based writer and podcast host whose work investigates spiritual abuse and centres the experiences of survivors. Her podcast, Surviving Satchidananda: The Dark Secrets of an International Yoga Movement, has reached thousands of listeners in over fifty countries. She is currently writing a biography of Yogaville founder Swami Satchidananda, exploring his life, the...

What can Duryodhana teach us about dharma? And what if our understanding of our purpose in life is missing something rather important? In this episode, I continue exploring the ideas behind the Bhagavad Gītā, looking at the story of Duryodhana and what it reveals about knowing our path, making choices and acting in accordance with what we believe to be right. Then I throw in a tantric curveball....

What does the Bhagavad Gītā actually mean when it tells us to do our dharma? And how on earth are we supposed to know what ours is?In this first part of a two-part exploration, I dive into one of the Gītā's most compelling and complicated ideas: dharma. We'll look at what it means to act in accordance with our responsibilities, how we might distinguish dharma from ego and our own conditioning,...

What do you do when your Yoga business isn't working as you'd hoped? Create another offering, try a new marketing strategy or work even harder?In this episode, I explore three teachings from the Bhagavad Gītā that offer a different perspective on business uncertainty, drawing on real examples from my work coaching Yoga teachers.We'll explore why asking for help matters, how attachment to outcomes...

I’m kicking off a new teacher spotlight series of the show this week with a conversation with Sonya Quijada. After using yoga as part of her recovery from Army-related injuries and chronic pain, Sonya pursued extensive training in yoga, mindfulness, biomechanics, and physio-functional movement. She became a yoga teacher in 2008, focusing on helping people who may feel intimidated by traditional...

In this episode, I’m exploring what happens when you’ve built a successful business, you’re earning enough and you have plenty of clients, but you still feel compelled to do more. Through three conversations with Yoga business owners and two stories from the Mahābhārata, we’ll look at the beliefs and habits that keep us striving long after the original need has passed, why an empty space in your...

Today I’m joined by Mark Breadner who has spent 45 years teaching yoga and more than 30 years educating teachers. His work has taken him from yoga rooms and teacher trainings to elite sport, corporate performance, Tibetan monasteries and online education. Through all of it, one question has remained: what does it actually mean to teach? Today, Mark's work explores Teaching in the New Room—helping...

Last month we kicked off the new Yoga Teacher Circle with some juicy questions about boundaries. Enjoy a teaser of that conversation. And over on Patreon I’ve got a bonus episode of the podcast all about a recent Shero I discovered. Enjoy!Support this show and access all the extra goodies on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/AmyMcDonaldJoin the Returning Retreat here:...

There’s a strange point in personal growth where you can become very good at understanding your patterns without actually changing them. In this episode I’m looking at why insight isn’t always enough, how attachment and people-pleasing patterns can show up with students, studio owners and colleagues and what it takes to interrupt those automatic responses and choose something different.Support...