Garth McLean was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1996, and with that his life changed in an instant. Gone were the days of high-intensity exercise, and upon the advice of his doctor, he went to a yoga class. As it happened, an Iyengar Yoga one. Within a couple weeks, he noticed sensation return to his body and he learned to cultivate patience and respect for it, and so embarked on a new way of living. Inspired by what yoga did for him and could do for others, Garth became a yoga...

Jo Joseph is the only woman to have ever won DJ Magazine’s coveted DJ of the Year award, and for more than 30 years has been one of the globe’s most successful DJs, playing at Pacha and Space in Ibiza, Fabric in London, and Womb in Tokyo. Yoga became the antidote to the excesses of DJ life, and her study of philosophy, anatomy and sequencing deepened as she became a teacher. In this triyoga talks podcast, Jo spoke about smashing the glass ceiling as one of the first female DJs to break into...

When you think about it, David Swenson has been distance teaching Ashtanga Yoga for decades with his VHS tapes and books. He recognised long before anyone else that students might not always be fortunate enough to be in the same room as their teacher — whether that was due to geography, personal circumstance or now Covid. Even so, he struggled in the early days to adapt to the technology of teaching online (like most teachers!) and in this triyoga talks podcast he spoke about moving from...

Aisha Nash is an award-winning pastry chef who left behind the high-stress world of Michelin-starred restaurants to become a yoga teacher. As a teacher, however, she did not feel welcome in most modern yoga studios, which she says are not properly reflective of what yoga is, and who it is for. In this triyoga talks podcast, Aisha spoke about how the word “fat” has unnecessarily become an insult, and how people living in large bodies can feel excluded in a yoga class. She spoke about freeing...

Matthew Sanford at the age of 13 was paralysed from the chest down in a car accident that killed his father and sister. He spent three months at the Mayo Clinic, a world famous medical facility where paradoxically, the care he received increased his mind-body injury in what he calls corrective violence. Those doctors saved his life, yes, but the hospital experience itself was traumatising and ended up further separating Matthew’s mind from his body. |t was yoga, an ancient practice from...

Yoga’s roots are generally accepted to be found in India where it has developed over the course of 2,500 years, influenced by the country’s diverse religions and practices. It is now practiced by millions around the world, and can be done in ways that are wholly appreciative and respectful, but unfortunately also in ways that do not acknowledge the source or recognise the essence of yoga. In this triyoga talks podcast, we sat down with Ayurvedic chef Mira Manek, yoga teacher Savira Gupta and...

George Floyd’s brutal murder has sparked outrage on American streets. Many in the yoga community has expressed solidarity with the protests, and in this special triyoga talks podcast, we speak to Canadian yoga teacher and activist Dianne Bondy about the harm caused by spiritual bypassing, about how the yoga community can challenge the racist status quo, and about what being an ally in the Black Lives Matter movement really means. “It’s great to put up your black out on Instagram, but are you...

In this very special episode of triyoga talks (our first in a while), Yoga Director Genny Wilkinson Priest talks to triyoga founder Jonathan Sattin. They speak about the difficult days leading up to the closure of our five centres (and our plans to reopen), taking triyoga online, the changing yoga landscape, what the future might hold with social distancing within studio spaces and lots more. You can listen to the podcast in our usual audio format here and on all our usual iTunes and...

At the height of the HIV/AIDS hysteria of the ’80s, Faith Hunter’s two brothers were diagnosed HIV positive after being treated for Hemophilia with contaminated blood. The experience brought her closer to her family, taught her how to express herself and, ultimately, took her to the mat. Now, she owns her own studio in Washington, D.C and works to help as many people as possible heal their wounds through yoga – whether they be emotional or physical. This episode Faith goes deep on difficult...

Just as he was planning to move on to his PhD in Clinical Psychology, Gahl Sasson’s professor stopped him. He refused to write a letter of recommendation. Why? Gahl was simply too creative for the profession. And thank goodness for that: Gahl left to go surfing in California, stumbled on the world of astrology and the rest is history. Now, he is a trusted astrologer, established author and has been teaching workshops on kabbalah, astrology and mysticism around the globe for over a decade. In...

Subscribe: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher Lolly Stirk moved to London from South Africa in 1969. Upon arrival, she immediately found herself drawn into the world of yoga and psychoanalysis. She developed her yoga practice under legendary teachers such as Donna Holleman and Vanda Scaravelli, nurturing an intimate connection to her body and breath – both foundational principals of active birth. The joyful experience of giving birth to her daughter at home is what drove Lolly to start teaching...

At the height of her career at YogaWorks in Los Angeles, Mia Togo decided to move to the other side of the world with little more than her passport and a promise: love. Now, she speaks to us about how to overcome fear, what yoga looks like in London vs. America, and how teachers – wherever they may be in the world – can and should empower their students. It’s a big one. When talking about the differences she’s noticed here in the London yoga community, she says “Here, people think advanced...

Yin yoga is one of the fastest-growing and most practised styles of yoga worldwide. Hear its origin story straight from the source as we sit down with Paul Grilley, the founder and developer of yin yoga as we know it today. During our chat, Paul walks us through yin yoga’s three threads (anatomy, practice and Chinese/Indian energetic theory), the benefits of a regular practice and who should (and shouldn’t) be practising this style – speaking specifically to pregnant women and hypermobile...

  Jivana Heyman is on a mission to bring the heart of yoga and its practices to long marginalised and under-represented groups. As a social activist, he advocates equal and fair treatment for all people in the yoga space – the disabled, the elderly, the chronically ill, the bigger bodied, the economically disadvantaged. He founded Accessible Yoga, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to bringing the practices of yoga to everyone, regardless of their economic status, race, sexuality,...

One third of the population lands somewhere on the spectrum of hypermobility and the yoga community often praises this over flexibility of the joints, attracting a large number of hypermobile students. Being in the dark about your own or your student’s hypermobility can lead to serious injury. So, what exactly is hypermobility? What are the common symptoms? What can be done to correct bad habits within your asana practice? And how can teachers spot and help to adjust hypermobile students...

Four experts discuss the dynamics of the guru-disciple relationship in this special recording of our recent symposium in Camden. This was an evening of open, honest and fascinating conversation, which we’re releasing by popular request from those who missed out on the day. The event looked closely at the traditional guru-disciple relationship that ancient Indian epic texts say is crucial to spiritual progress. However, it’s a relationship that’s come under intense scrutiny in recent times...

Globally-recognised yoga teacher Kino MacGregor shares the inspiring tale of her evolution from late-night raver to fully-devoted yoga practitioner, teacher and entrepreneur. Her first goal as a new yoga teacher was a grand one: share yoga with one million people. Two decades later, and she’s done just that, inspiring 1.1 million followers on Instagram and students in studios around the world. In this episode of triyoga talks, Kino shows her vulnerable side as she opens up about her healing...

Dianne Bondy is an empowering yoga teacher and passionate social activist who is leading the rebellion against the homogenisation of yoga. Over the past decade, she’s been speaking out against the lack of diversity in the yoga world, calling out major players in the yoga industrial complex and – slowly but surely – inspiring change. This episode of triyoga talks is a passionate, frank conversation packed with grounded wisdom and infectious laughter – things we’ve come to know and love about...

Subscribe: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher In the 1980s, Beryl Bender Birch famously coined the term “power yoga,” and in doing so brought the practice of ashtanga yoga to the high-energy masses in Manhattan at the New York Road Runners Club, where she was the wellness director. The influential and best-selling book “Power Yoga” soon followed and, today many teachers credit it as being the first yoga book they ever bought. Three more books followed, each progressing deeper into the many...

Subscribe: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher Carolyn Cowan has lived an extraordinary life. Child model for Vogue, original 70s punk on King’s Road, body painter for music legends such as Freddie Mercury and Elton John – the list goes on and on. After decades of drink, drugs and gambling, it was David Bowie who took Carolyn to her first NA meeting at the age of 31. She’s been clean and sober ever since – 29 years. Today, Carolyn is one of London’s foremost Kundalini yoga teachers and a...

Subscribe: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher Growing up as a self-described wild child on the beaches of Malibu in the 1970s, Sarah Powers is a passionate student of life with a curious mind. She found yoga while in grad school at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and never looked back. Following a spinal injury, she focused her studies more deeply on anatomy and Yin yoga. Today, Sarah is one of the world’s best known and most respected Yin yoga teachers. She is the co-founder of the...

Subscribe: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher Cyndi Lee was raised on the idyllic Puget Sound where she grew up playing on beaches and climbing trees in the forest. While attending the University of California Irvine as a dance major, she discovered yoga (or it discovered her), and she immediately delved into all its practices, learning asana, transcendental meditation, chanting and kriyas. Eventually, she opened the legendary Om Yoga Centre on 14th Street, an institution that started the yoga...

Subscribe: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher To mark International Women’s Day on 08th March, we spoke with Alexandria Crow, a leading female voice in the yoga world. Known to be fearless and blunt, Alexandria has strong opinions and isn’t afraid to express them, whether she’s questioning conventional definitions of advanced yoga or busting yoga myths. Having trained at YogaWorks under James Brown, Alexandria has taught on YogaWorks’ teacher trainings, appeared on numerous MyYogaWorks online...

Subscribe: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher 19 years ago today on 19th February 2000, triyoga opened the doors to its first centre in Primrose Hill. And so, to mark the occasion, we spoke with triyoga’s Managing Director Jonathan Sattin, in this very special episode of triyoga talks. As a lawyer, Jonathan worked for 18 years in private practice. Having started practising meditation in law school, in 1985 he met his teachers John Stirk, who taught him the physical practices of yoga, and Gurumayi...