In this week's episode, Mae looks back on an incredible experience from her freshman year in high school that was ... highly stressful. Might this be an episode out of the TV series LOST? Or something out of The Hunger Games? And what did Mae learn from the experience? Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. In 2016, Mae was awarded...

This week, Mae shares her take on a fun word-usage from colloquial modern-day Japanese. Similar but different than any English version usage of the term, Mae challenges you to incorporate this word into your mind to acknowledge and emphasize the "God Moments" of your daily life. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. In 2016, Mae...

Mae reflects on the #GetToKnowMe challenge on Instagram that she recently took on. To present to someone "Who You Are" takes a little bit ... or a lot of knowing yourself. But, to be known by someone is a whole other feeling; a feeling of love. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. In 2016, Mae was awarded the “Yoga People’s Award”...

Do you ever catch yourself trying too hard? And then knowing that you’re trying too hard but not quite being able to stop yourself? Well, there’s only one answer. STOP. In this episode, Mae reflects on the simplicity of this answer and what that looks like in a day in her life. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. In 2016, Mae was...

The perks of hitting rock bottom are hard to talk about because no one wants to be there. But it's true, there are some. For Mae, the most notable of these has been her ability to re-create her sense of identity by moving beyond who she thought she was and into ... the unknown. The unknown is the ever-present realm of nowness where she gets to discover and reinvent who she is, moment to moment. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006,...

Is our quest to be smart getting in the way of our happiness? The modern-society rat-race often has us striving to rise to the top by being smarter than others. But if the question "Would you rather be smart or happy?" is posed, most of us would answer that we would prefer to be happy. In this episode, Mae explores what true smartness is and how to align it with happiness. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first...

Have you ever noticed that some of the issues you're dealing with in your life didn't even start with you? It might be surprising at first, but it's true that you're shaped more by your upbringing and DNA than you may realize. As you begin to identify these generational patterns, you gain the power to break free from them. In this episode, Mae reflects on your ability to rise above such patterns and the healing that comes from "giving what you didn't get." Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author,...

Do you believe that thinking makes you smart? One might argue that our society has us believing so. Yet, the troubles of over-thinking seem to be on the rise. In this episode, Mae talks about "what is prior to thinking" that just might be even more important and smarter than thinking. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. In 2016,...

We all long for peace. Peace comes in the form of quiet. Less movement. Silence, even. And so, it's not uncommon that when peace comes in the form of silence, we end up squirming, moving, and dodging. It's like we're wired to want dynamic action. What does it take for us to find and keep peace, then? Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in...

Sometimes the wisest thing you can do is to recognize your own limitations. Such was the case for Mae, as she reflects on the period of her life following her divorce from her first husband. This is a juicy episode reflecting on the path of healing and revival. There are some types of healing, Mae discovers, you can't do alone. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding...

The modern world can feel super fast-paced and hurried. Which results in, as Mae reflects in this episode, a internal experience of impatience. As Mae catches herself trying too hard to "get there," the words of Louise Hay delivers an aha-moment and she realizes what she was missing. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. In 2016,...

Mae reflects on a conversation she heard between the Zen Buddhist teacher Adyashanti and a student who was experiencing mental turmoil. Mae related to this student and the sense of banging her head against the wall, or, reaching the limit of the mind. "Trust the Process," we've heard it said many times before. But it never quite landed so well for Mae, until she heard Adyashanti follow it up with a few simple words: "not perfectly" and "messy." Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga &...

Mae reads a deeply personal and meaningful article that she wrote three years ago. It is a piece that encapsulates the key kizukis of her grief experience; something that has shaped her to become who she is today. Have you ever been loved SO much that it hurts? Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. In 2016, Mae was awarded the...

Returning home from summer vacation, Mae reflects on the quality of friends in her life. What are the key elements that all of her dear friends across the world have in common? Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. In 2016, Mae was awarded the “Yoga People’s Award” for her remarkable social impact in the wellness field. She is...

How does one live true to oneself without being too stubborn, especially when your thoughts differ from your loved ones? A question from a student prompts Mae to reflect on the essential nature of how to best keep this balance of integrity. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. In 2016, Mae was awarded the “Yoga People’s Award” for...

Mae had a little bit of a surprise this week. She received an unexpected compliment about, well, none other than this very podcast. It was about "being kind" which led Mae to reflect on the meaning of kindness, especially as it relates to non-judgment. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. In 2016, Mae was awarded the “Yoga...

Delightfully like a child on Christmas morning, Mae opens the small gray box that her friend handed to her in celebration for her birthday. In it, Mae discovers not only a gift that means something to her--she also receives her next unexpected kizuki. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. In 2016, Mae was awarded the “Yoga People’s...

Ever find yourself appalled with your own ignorance? While shocking at first, Mae reflects that this is a state that is essential for the yoga and meditation practitioner, or anyone who's on the journey of expanding awareness. While it can feel like a wipeout, it might just work more like a humbling ego-check on the road to greater consciousness. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be...

Meditation teaches us to observe our thoughts, and therefore, to begin to dis-identify with them. But what about the thoughts that we believe make who we are? "I am a mother." "I am a woman." "I am so-and-so years old." In this episode, Mae shares an interesting journal prompt that flips these thoughts around. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of...

Mae dives into the highly charged topic of male chauvinism, reflecting on how triggered she was with the gender bias she witnessed at her nephew's graduation ceremony at a Japanese high school. Where does chauvinism spring from? Mae inquiries into the history and culture that have colored our collective experience. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of...

Neither here nor there, the in-between space can be a very challenging place to spend any amount of time. Mae knows this from personal experience. This episode is an encouraging hug and a confirmation, as well as a lesson on how to be in the limbo space. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the founding school of Ashtanga Yoga in India. In 2016, Mae was awarded the “Yoga...

Certain lessons in life, Mae claims, repeat itself over and over again as if rising upward on a spiraling staircase. Such is the case for the lesson of relaxation for Mae—uncovering layers upon layers of tension that she didn't even know she had. Listen out for a key “hack” that's helped Mae along her path of coming home to herself. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006, Mae became the first Japanese woman to be authorized by the...

Mae catches herself doing the creepy mom thing--staring her child down in awe of him. It's an outpouring of endearment and love. As Mae reflects on her experience raising two children, she comes to the kizuki that when we experience something for the first time or experience something as though it might be our last, we imbue it with special meaning. It helps us to cherish each moment as it is. Mae Yoshikawa Mae is an author, yoga & meditation practitioner, teacher, and mother. In 2006,...

In this week's episode, Mae takes a poke at a common practice in Japanese culture, where the sense of "in" or "out" is pronounced by selectively using different forms of language. In addition, there's an underlying understanding of "honne and tatemae" or "truth and front." While people generally wouldn't like to think of themselves as wearing fake fronts, there just might be other ways where one may unknowingly employ sneaky little fronts, even in the closest relationships. Mae...