Yoga in Action in Minneapolis

Yoga in Action in Minneapolis

Content warning: This episode and show notes include discussion of gun violence, death, and ICE agent brutality In this episode, Jivana Heyman sits down with Lucia Yess, owner of Yess Yoga studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota to hear how her community responded to the violent ICE surge that swept through their city. Lucia shares the moment Alex Pretti was murdered one block away from the studio and how her studio became a place of refuge for neighbors seeking safety and mutual aid. She emphasizes the need for community support and how her studio's actions were aligned with their mission of liberation, compassion, and connection. Together, Jivana and Lucia reflect on the connection between yoga philosophy and social justice and what it looks like to truly live yoga off the mat. In the second part of the episode, Jivana is joined by co-host Deanna Michalopoulos to explore what the yoga teachings say about service and action. They look at karma yoga and passages from the Bhagavad Gita, and discuss how genuine service isn't a duty we force ourselves into but something that flows naturally when we feel connected to others. They close with a reminder that service can be small and quiet, and that taking care of yourself counts too. Topics Discussed: * Lucia's background in social work and social justice, and how it shaped Yess Yoga * Jivana’s activism work in the 90’s during the AIDS epidemic * Financial accessibility and sustainability with sliding scale models * Yoga practice as escape vs. practice as transformation * Responding to "keep yoga out of politics" * The yoga teacher as community leader * The power of collective action and compassion   We Want to Hear from You! How do you balance self-care and service in your yoga practice and teaching? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 [https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7] or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga [https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga] Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Lucia: Lucia Yess is a Minneapolis-based yoga teacher and parent who focuses on community-building, social justice, and inclusive space making. She has lived and traveled around this beautiful earth, learning all she can about the art of yoga. Lucia studied ancient approaches to the practice and is an enthusiast of yoga's way of life. Her classes focus on integrating a healthy mind, body and soul, both on and off the mat. By applying yoga principles to everyday life, Lucia has found a deeper sense of  contentment, peace and connection. Her goal is to help others discover an authentic life full of embodiment and joy. www.yessyogastudio.com [https://www.yessyogastudio.com] | @yessyoga (IG) [https://www.instagram.com/yessyoga/?hl=en] | Yess Yoga (FB) [https://www.facebook.com/yessyogastudio]   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga [https://bookshop.org/lists/jivana-heyman-s-books], Yoga Revolution [https://bookshop.org/lists/jivana-heyman-s-books], and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga [https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/teachers-guide-to-accessible-yoga], and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org [https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com] www.jivanaheyman.com [http://www.jivanaheyman.com] | @jivanaheyman [https://www.instagram.com/jivanaheyman] | facebook.com/jivanaheyman [http://facebook.com/jivanaheyman]    Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana [https://beyogi.com/jivana/]. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga [offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga] to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.    Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer

Imagining Self-Care For All

In this episode, Jivana Heyman sits down with his longtime friend and Accessible Yoga collaborator, Rodrigo Souza, to explore the season's central theme of balancing self-care with service. Rodrigo, who lives with a complete spinal cord injury, shares candidly about managing limited energy, letting go of guilt around rest, and learning to stop measuring his worth by how much he produces. Together, they reflect on what it really means to show up for others and why setting boundaries isn't selfish but essential. In the second part of the episode, Jivana is joined by Deanna Michalopoulos to unpack the philosophical heart of the discussion: karma yoga, seva, and what the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras teach about selfless service. They explore why genuine service has to come from a place of fullness rather than lack and why self-love might be one of the most radical practices of all. Topics include: * Brahmacharya as conscious management of time, energy, and boundaries * Representation and visibility of disabled practitioners and teachers * Yoga tools for anxiety management Imposter syndrome and challenges of teaching in a capitalist society * Teaching what you need to learn * Rodrigo’s involvement in Accessible Yoga Mentorship Program and current online series Yoga on Neurological Conditions   We Want to Hear from You! How do you balance self-care and service in your yoga practice and teaching? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 [https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7] or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga [https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga] Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Rodrigo: Rodrigo Souza (he/him) is an Adaptive and Accessible Yoga teacher with experience in instructing folks who have endured trauma and disability. After suffering a traumatic injury which left him paralysed from the chest down, Rodrigo recognised the significance of taking care of his own recovery to enhance his long-term well-being. This journey inspired him to become a yoga teacher, where he aims to share his personal insights into discovering joy in movement and rest. www.allihopayoga.com [http://www.allihopayoga.com] | @allihopayoga (IG) [https://www.instagram.com/allihopayoga/?hl=en]   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga [https://bookshop.org/lists/jivana-heyman-s-books], Yoga Revolution [https://bookshop.org/lists/jivana-heyman-s-books], and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga [https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/teachers-guide-to-accessible-yoga], and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org [https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com] www.jivanaheyman.com [http://www.jivanaheyman.com] | @jivanaheyman [https://www.instagram.com/jivanaheyman] | facebook.com/jivanaheyman [http://facebook.com/jivanaheyman]    Thank You to Our Sponsors! OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga [offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga] to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription. beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana [https://beyogi.com/jivana/].   Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer

Season Five Launch: Welcome Back!

Welcome to season five of the Accessible Yoga Podcast! In this launch episode, Jivana Heyman and Deanna Michalopoulos reunite to catch up, share what's been inspiring them lately, and reveal their personal journeys to finding balance in their lives. They offer a preview of this season's overarching theme of self-care and balancing self-care with service, especially for yoga teachers. Jivana shares an early look at his upcoming book, Yoga Meditation, which explores meditation in the yoga tradition and its accessibility. Deanna, who is editing the book, shares what she loves about it, especially how Jivana weaves in personal stories and practical applications. Together, they discuss the potential impact of the book on both yoga teachers and practitioners, aiming to deepen their understanding of the many paths into meditation that yoga already offers. Topics include: * Nature, movement, and daily practice as Jivana's self-care foundation * Deanna's experience learning German and living in Berlin * Using the ocean as a metaphor for capacity, resilience, and riding life's waves * Finding time for self-care and outlets such as creative hobbies * Jivana’s upcoming audiobooks and book, Yoga Meditation, set to release Fall 2026 * Gratitude for the Accessible Yoga community, team, and podcast sponsors    We Want to Hear from You! How do you balance self-care and service in your yoga practice and teaching? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 [https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7] or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga [https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga] Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga [https://bookshop.org/lists/jivana-heyman-s-books], Yoga Revolution [https://bookshop.org/lists/jivana-heyman-s-books], and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga [https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/teachers-guide-to-accessible-yoga], and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org [https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com] www.jivanaheyman.com [http://www.jivanaheyman.com] | @jivanaheyman [https://www.instagram.com/jivanaheyman] | facebook.com/jivanaheyman [http://facebook.com/jivanaheyman]   Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana [https://beyogi.com/jivana/]. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessibleyoga [https://www.offeringtree.com/referral-discount/?utm_campaign=partner&utm_source=accessible-yoga&_by=tan16] to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

The Teaching on Impermanence: Season Wrap-up with Jivana

Join Jivana Heyman and Deanna Michalopoulos for the final episode of the Accessible Yoga Podcast’s fourth season, celebrating Jivana's 30 years of teaching. In this reflective conversation, Deanna turns the tables and interviews Jivana about his journey, asking him to answer the paramount question posed to every guest throughout the season, “What is one teaching that's made an impact on your life and continues to today?” The episode offers an intimate look at what this yearlong series has meant, with heartfelt gratitude to the guests, team, sponsors, and listeners who made it possible. The conversation ends with appreciation for everyone who has been part of this journey and the promise of returning after a short break with a new season. Topics Include: * Non-attachment and selfless service * Yoga as preparation for death * The transformative impact of yoga practice and teaching * How service benefits both the giver and the receiver * Yoga as a living tradition passed down through generations * The future of yoga and the yoga community * Hope for moving beyond capitalism toward collective kindness     Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga [https://bookshop.org/lists/jivana-heyman-s-books], Yoga Revolution [https://bookshop.org/lists/jivana-heyman-s-books], and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga [https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/teachers-guide-to-accessible-yoga], and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org [https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com] www.jivanaheyman.com [http://www.jivanaheyman.com] | @jivanaheyman [https://www.instagram.com/jivanaheyman] | facebook.com/jivanaheyman [http://facebook.com/jivanaheyman]   Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana [https://beyogi.com/jivana/]. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga [https://www.offeringtree.com/referral-discount/?utm_campaign=partner&utm_source=accessible-yoga&_by=tan16] to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer

The Teaching on Living Yoga with Itzel Hayward

Join Jivana Heyman in conversation with his friend, Itzel Hayward, a former lawyer turned yoga teacher who brings together yoga, Buddhism, nonviolent communication, and social justice work. Itzel shares her journey of integrating these seemingly separate parts of her life into a unified practice centered on service, empathy, and compassion. The conversation delves into the philosophy of restorative and transformative justice as alternatives to punitive systems, and how these approaches align with yogic principles. Itzel explains nonviolent communication as both a technique and a lens for seeing everyone's actions as attempts to meet universal human needs. Together, Jivana and Itzel discuss Sutra 1.33 from the Yoga Sutras, known as the "locks and keys" teaching, and how it can be applied to relationships and social justice. At the end of the episode, Jivana and co-host, Deanna Michalopoulos, continue to explore Sutra 1.33 (friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and equanimity toward the non-virtuous). They discuss how these practices help us overcome obstacles to enlightenment while serving others in the world. The conversation concludes with reflections on non-attachement and how it is a central theme in the yoga teachings. Topics include: * Integration of yoga and social justice * Itzel’s contribution to Jivana’s book, Yoga Revolution [https://bookshop.org/lists/jivana-heyman-s-books] * Dual vs. nondual yoga teachings and their implications for social justice * How becoming a parent taught Itzel about non-attachment and empathy * Addressing guru abuse and creating safer spiritual spaces * Balance between internal and external practices in yoga Check out: Itzel’s upcoming event, Engaged Nonduality: Awake Awareness, Wise Action — A Nondual Approach to Anti-Racism on Sunday, February 1, 2026, https://www.attunedliving.com/events/engaged-nonduality [https://www.attunedliving.com/events/engaged-nonduality] Tracee Stanlee’s book, The Luminous Self [https://www.traceestanley.com/luminous-self]   Join a free Accessible Yoga webinar! Join the first session of The Art of Teaching Chair Yoga as a FREE course preview: Friday January 23rd, 2026 10:30am PT | 1:30pm ET (75 mins) -- Register Here [https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/the-art-of-teaching-chair-yoga#free-preview] Find Your Center Practice: Explore Balance in a Chair & On a Mat Monday February 2nd, 2026 9am PT | 12pm ET | 5pm GMT -- Register Here [https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/spring-2026-ay-workshops] Building Balance in Accessible Yoga Workshop Thursday February 19th, 2026 10am PT | 1pm ET | 6pm GMT -- Register Here [https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/spring-2026-ay-workshops]   We Want to Hear from You! What story, teaching, or practice inspires your yoga journey today? Submit your answer or any other questions you have for Jivana via Google Form: https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7 [https://forms.gle/NtijeM82dSgU5jVD7] or leave a voice message here (90 second maximum): https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga [https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga] Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!   Connect with Itzel: Itzel Hayward is a yoga teacher, facilitator, and former attorney whose work sits at the intersection of contemplative practice, justice, and collective care. After more than a decade practicing law in the areas of consumer protection and economic justice, she felt called to explore ways of restoring communities to wholeness after harm. She turned to restorative and transformative justice, compassionate communication, mindfulness, and yoga as practices of repair and healing—both outwardly and inwardly. Through her organization, Attuned Living, and in her role as an Adjunct Professor at UC Law San Francisco, Itzel supports inclusive, collaborative processes rooted in presence, agency, and right relationship with ancestors, community, and the living world. attunedliving.com [attunedliving.com] | bsky.app/profile/attunedliving.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/attunedliving.bsky.social] | linkedin.com/in/itzelhayward [https://www.linkedin.com/in/itzelhayward/] | instagram.com/attunedliving [https://www.instagram.com/attunedliving]   Connect with Jivana: Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga [https://bookshop.org/lists/jivana-heyman-s-books], Yoga Revolution [https://bookshop.org/lists/jivana-heyman-s-books], and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga [https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com/teachers-guide-to-accessible-yoga], and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org [https://www.accessibleyogaschool.com] www.jivanaheyman.com [http://www.jivanaheyman.com] | @jivanaheyman [https://www.instagram.com/jivanaheyman] | facebook.com/jivanaheyman [http://facebook.com/jivanaheyman]   Thank You to Our Sponsors! beYogi Comprehensive insurance for yoga instructors and wellness practitioners. Get $20 off our annual yoga teacher insurance policy at beyogi.com/jivana [https://beyogi.com/jivana/]. OfferingTree Simplify your yoga business with their all-in-one platform. Visit offeringtree.com/accessible-yoga [https://www.offeringtree.com/referral-discount/?utm_campaign=partner&utm_source=accessible-yoga&_by=tan16] to save 50% off your first 3 months on a monthly subscription or 15% off an annual subscription.   Credit: Mikus Dharma (they/them), AY Podcast Sound Engineer