Yoga in South Africa - A Transforming Journey | Michael McColly | YogaScussion Preview

Healing Body Shame with Yoga | Briiohn Covert | YogaScussion Ep. 17

In this YogaScussion, yoga teacher Briiohn Covert [https://linktr.ee/NeonBriiohn] shares her transformative journey from managing scoliosis, back pain, and endometriosis to finding healing through body awareness yoga and mindful movement. Discover how yoga for chronic pain management, breath work for anxiety relief, and overcoming body shame through yoga practice can support your wellness journey. Briiohn reveals how the mind-body connection in yoga helps release disconnection from physical sensations, while her teaching philosophy emphasizes showing up as you are—because if you're breathing, you can do yoga. Learn practical breath work for anxiety relief through nostril breathing, yoga for women with endometriosis, and how finding your authentic yoga teaching voice creates safer spaces for students navigating chronic pain, comparison culture, or seeking embodied presence on and off the mat. Key Topics * Briiohn's journey from accounting career to yoga teaching through personal healing with back pain, scoliosis, and endometriosis * Body awareness and mind-body connection as pathway to managing chronic pain and releasing disconnection from physical sensations * Teaching philosophy using "bright stars" metaphor to guide students from easy concepts to deeper yogic understanding with autonomy * Overcoming body shame and comparison culture through present-moment awareness and non-judgmental practice on the mat * Breath work practices for anxiety relief and nervous system regulation through nostril breathing and balancing brain activity Follow YogaScussion wherever you get your podcasts. To get access to ad-free episodes five days early and attend live show recordings, join the YogaScussion Circle [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/]! About YogaScussion: YogaScussion [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/] is a dynamic podcast that goes far beyond the yoga mat. Each episode brings together passionate practitioners, teachers, experts, and thought leaders from various backgrounds to dive deep into the rich, nuanced world of yoga. Hosted by Brendon Orr and Gina Clingerman, the show explores yoga’s intersection with philosophy, wellness, culture, personal growth, and social issues. Expect authentic, thought-provoking discussions, personal stories, and insights that challenge and expand your understanding of what yoga has meant in the past and what it means today. In each episode of YogaScussion, Gina and Brendon are joined by guests and paid member listeners to share in a collective discussion about what yoga is, what it’s not, what it was, what it wasn’t, what it is becoming, and what it can be. Support the show: > Join the YogaScussion Circle! [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/] for extra benefits, to attend live show recordings and participate in the YogaScussion > Donate to the Show [https://donate.stripe.com/cNi7sKbICgghcMQ4RwdfG0j] > Shop the YogaScussion Collection on the Podmasana Store [https://podmasana.threadless.com/collections/yogascussion-1] Connect With Podmasana: > Website: yogascussion.podmasana.com [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/] > Email: yogascussion@podmasana.com [yogascussion@podmasana.com] > Support the Show: yogascussion.podmasana.com/support [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/] > Social Media: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@yogascussion] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/yogascussion.bsky.social] | Mastodon [https://mastodon.social/@yogascussion] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yogascussion/] Current Release Schedule: New episodes every other Wednesday with preview episodes releasing the following Wednesday Early access for YogaScussion Circle members (5 days before public) Follow and subscribe now so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others who might be interested. Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! Feel free to also check out Podmasana Media’s other shows: Podmasana [https://podmasana.com/] and My Mindful Moment [https://podmasana.com/mymindfulmoment].

Overcoming Body Shame Through Yoga | Briiohn Covert | YogaScussion Preview

In the next YogaScussion, yoga teacher Briiohn Covert [https://linktr.ee/NeonBriiohn] shares her transformative journey from managing scoliosis, back pain, and endometriosis to finding healing through body awareness yoga and mindful movement. Discover how yoga for chronic pain management, breath work for anxiety relief, and overcoming body shame through yoga practice can support your wellness journey. Briiohn reveals how the mind-body connection in yoga helps release disconnection from physical sensations, while her teaching philosophy emphasizes showing up as you are—because if you're breathing, you can do yoga. Learn practical breath work for anxiety relief through nostril breathing, yoga for women with endometriosis, and how finding your authentic yoga teaching voice creates safer spaces for students navigating chronic pain, comparison culture, or seeking embodied presence on and off the mat. Key Topics * Briiohn's journey from accounting career to yoga teaching through personal healing with back pain, scoliosis, and endometriosis * Body awareness and mind-body connection as pathway to managing chronic pain and releasing disconnection from physical sensations * Teaching philosophy using "bright stars" metaphor to guide students from easy concepts to deeper yogic understanding with autonomy * Overcoming body shame and comparison culture through present-moment awareness and non-judgmental practice on the mat * Breath work practices for anxiety relief and nervous system regulation through nostril breathing and balancing brain activity Follow YogaScussion wherever you get your podcasts. To get access to ad-free episodes five days early and attend live show recordings, join the YogaScussion Circle [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/]! About YogaScussion: YogaScussion [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/] is a dynamic podcast that goes far beyond the yoga mat. Each episode brings together passionate practitioners, teachers, experts, and thought leaders from various backgrounds to dive deep into the rich, nuanced world of yoga. Hosted by Brendon Orr and Gina Clingerman, the show explores yoga’s intersection with philosophy, wellness, culture, personal growth, and social issues. Expect authentic, thought-provoking discussions, personal stories, and insights that challenge and expand your understanding of what yoga has meant in the past and what it means today. In each episode of YogaScussion, Gina and Brendon are joined by guests and paid member listeners to share in a collective discussion about what yoga is, what it’s not, what it was, what it wasn’t, what it is becoming, and what it can be. Support the show: > Join the YogaScussion Circle! [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/] for extra benefits, to attend live show recordings and participate in the YogaScussion > Donate to the Show [https://donate.stripe.com/cNi7sKbICgghcMQ4RwdfG0j] > Shop the YogaScussion Collection on the Podmasana Store [https://podmasana.threadless.com/collections/yogascussion-1] Connect With Podmasana: > Website: yogascussion.podmasana.com [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/] > Email: yogascussion@podmasana.com [yogascussion@podmasana.com] > Support the Show: yogascussion.podmasana.com/support [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/] > Social Media: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@yogascussion] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/yogascussion.bsky.social] | Mastodon [https://mastodon.social/@yogascussion] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yogascussion/] Current Release Schedule: New episodes every other Wednesday with preview episodes releasing the following Wednesday Early access for YogaScussion Circle members (5 days before public) Follow and subscribe now so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others who might be interested. Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! Feel free to also check out Podmasana Media’s other shows: Podmasana [https://podmasana.com/] and My Mindful Moment [https://podmasana.com/mymindfulmoment].

Walking Meditation | Michael McColly | YogaScussion | Ep. 16

In this YogaScussion, author and former Northwestern professor Michael McColly [https://www.michaelmccolly.net/] shares how yoga became his anchor after an HIV diagnosis, transforming his practice into a path of care, embodiment, and connection. He discusses teaching yoga to people living with HIV across continents, weaving mindful movement with creative writing to help students feel their words in their bodies. Michael explores walking meditation as urban pilgrimage through his latest book, Walking Chicago's Coast [https://www.amazon.com/Walking-Chicagos-Coast-63-Mile-Journey/dp/1501783149], a 63-mile journey from his doorstep to the Indiana Dunes that blends memoir, environmental witness, and place-based awareness. Discover how walking cultivates perception, sensing history in the land, and developing empathy for body and others. Learn about yoga as care, the power of intention in practice, and how simple acts of walking can become moving asana that connects us to place, community, and the sacredness of everyday life. Key Topics * Michael's journey from HIV diagnosis to finding yoga as agency, community, and spiritual practice * Teaching yoga to people living with HIV across Africa, Asia, and the U.S. as an act of care and empowerment * Weaving yoga with creative writing to help students cultivate embodied, sensory-rich prose through body awareness * Walking Chicago's Coast: a 63-mile urban pilgrimage blending memoir, environmental witness, and walking meditation * How walking cultivates perception, empathy, and connection to place as an extension of yoga practice Follow YogaScussion wherever you get your podcasts. To get access to ad-free episodes five days early and attend live show recordings, join the YogaScussion Circle [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/]! About YogaScussion: YogaScussion [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/] is a dynamic podcast that goes far beyond the yoga mat. Each episode brings together passionate practitioners, teachers, experts, and thought leaders from various backgrounds to dive deep into the rich, nuanced world of yoga. Hosted by Brendon Orr and Gina Clingerman, the show explores yoga’s intersection with philosophy, wellness, culture, personal growth, and social issues. Expect authentic, thought-provoking discussions, personal stories, and insights that challenge and expand your understanding of what yoga has meant in the past and what it means today. In each episode of YogaScussion, Gina and Brendon are joined by guests and paid member listeners to share in a collective discussion about what yoga is, what it’s not, what it was, what it wasn’t, what it is becoming, and what it can be. Support the show: > Join the YogaScussion Circle! [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/] for extra benefits, to attend live show recordings and participate in the YogaScussion > Donate to the Show [https://donate.stripe.com/cNi7sKbICgghcMQ4RwdfG0j] > Shop the YogaScussion Collection on the Podmasana Store [https://podmasana.threadless.com/collections/yogascussion-1] Connect With Podmasana: > Website: yogascussion.podmasana.com [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/] > Email: yogascussion@podmasana.com [yogascussion@podmasana.com] > Support the Show: yogascussion.podmasana.com/support [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/] > Social Media: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@yogascussion] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/yogascussion.bsky.social] | Mastodon [https://mastodon.social/@yogascussion] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yogascussion/] Current Release Schedule: New episodes every other Wednesday with preview episodes releasing the following Wednesday Early access for YogaScussion Circle members (5 days before public) Follow and subscribe now so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others who might be interested. Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! Feel free to also check out Podmasana Media’s other shows: Podmasana [https://podmasana.com/] and My Mindful Moment [https://podmasana.com/mymindfulmoment].

Yoga in South Africa - A Transforming Journey | Michael McColly | YogaScussion Preview

I [https://www.michaelmccolly.net/]n the next episode of YogaScussion, Michael McColly [https://www.michaelmccolly.net/] shares his 63-mile urban pilgrimage along Chicago's coast, teaching yoga to people with HIV across Africa and Asia, embodied writing practice at Northwestern, and walking as meditation. Lambda Award-winning author of The After-Death Room [https://www.michaelmccolly.net/portfolio-collections/works/the-after-death-room], Michael discusses how yoga sustained him through HIV diagnosis, caring for degraded landscapes as spiritual practice, integrating yoga with creative writing teaching, environmental witness, bringing honor to forgotten communities, and why his three words for yoga are simply "care." Follow YogaScussion wherever you get your podcasts. To get access to ad-free episodes five days early and attend live show recordings, join the YogaScussion Circle [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/]! About YogaScussion: YogaScussion [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/] is a dynamic podcast that goes far beyond the yoga mat. Each episode brings together passionate practitioners, teachers, experts, and thought leaders from various backgrounds to dive deep into the rich, nuanced world of yoga. Hosted by Brendon Orr and Gina Clingerman, the show explores yoga’s intersection with philosophy, wellness, culture, personal growth, and social issues. Expect authentic, thought-provoking discussions, personal stories, and insights that challenge and expand your understanding of what yoga has meant in the past and what it means today. In each episode of YogaScussion, Gina and Brendon are joined by guests and paid member listeners to share in a collective discussion about what yoga is, what it’s not, what it was, what it wasn’t, what it is becoming, and what it can be. Support the show: > Join the YogaScussion Circle! [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/] for extra benefits, to attend live show recordings and participate in the YogaScussion > Donate to the Show [https://donate.stripe.com/cNi7sKbICgghcMQ4RwdfG0j] > Shop the YogaScussion Collection on the Podmasana Store [https://podmasana.threadless.com/collections/yogascussion-1] Connect With Podmasana: > Website: yogascussion.podmasana.com [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/] > Email: yogascussion@podmasana.com [yogascussion@podmasana.com] > Support the Show: yogascussion.podmasana.com/support [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/] > Social Media: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@yogascussion] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/yogascussion.bsky.social] | Mastodon [https://mastodon.social/@yogascussion] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yogascussion/] Current Release Schedule: New episodes every other Wednesday with preview episodes releasing the following Wednesday Early access for YogaScussion Circle members (5 days before public) Follow and subscribe now so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others who might be interested. Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! Feel free to also check out Podmasana Media’s other shows: Podmasana [https://podmasana.com/] and My Mindful Moment [https://podmasana.com/mymindfulmoment].

Yoga of Responsibility & Leadership | Christy Lynn Hicks | YogaScussion Ep. 15

In this YogaScussion, yoga studio ownership, yoga teacher training, and yoga philosophy guide Christy Lynn Hicks [https://www.yogaofresponsibility.com/]' journey. Discover yoga for stress management, yoga and embodiment, conscious living yoga, and yoga responsibility practices. Learn how to practice yoga responsibility, yoga for burnout recovery, yoga for corporate leaders, integrating yoga into daily life, and yoga attention practice for sustainable wellbeing on and off the mat. Key Topics * Christy's journey from high-stress corporate career to yoga teacher and studio owner in Los Angeles * The "yoga of responsibility" framework: taking ownership of thoughts, words, and actions for conscious living * Yoga philosophy as practical tool for leadership, business ethics, and sustainable success without self-awareness * Nature connection and one-pointed focus as essential practices for nervous system regulation and embodimen * Attention, responsibility, and integration as the three pillars of yoga practice for holistic wellbeing Audio Disclaimer: there were some echoing sounds in this recording that we couldn't entirely get rid of. Apologies, but otherwise, we think this is another great YogaScussion! Follow YogaScussion wherever you get your podcasts. To get access to ad-free episodes five days early and attend live show recordings, join the YogaScussion Circle [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/]! About YogaScussion: YogaScussion [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/] is a dynamic podcast that goes far beyond the yoga mat. Each episode brings together passionate practitioners, teachers, experts, and thought leaders from various backgrounds to dive deep into the rich, nuanced world of yoga. Hosted by Brendon Orr and Gina Clingerman, the show explores yoga’s intersection with philosophy, wellness, culture, personal growth, and social issues. Expect authentic, thought-provoking discussions, personal stories, and insights that challenge and expand your understanding of what yoga has meant in the past and what it means today. In each episode of YogaScussion, Gina and Brendon are joined by guests and paid member listeners to share in a collective discussion about what yoga is, what it’s not, what it was, what it wasn’t, what it is becoming, and what it can be. Support the show: > Join the YogaScussion Circle! [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/] for extra benefits, to attend live show recordings and participate in the YogaScussion > Donate to the Show [https://donate.stripe.com/cNi7sKbICgghcMQ4RwdfG0j] > Shop the YogaScussion Collection on the Podmasana Store [https://podmasana.threadless.com/collections/yogascussion-1] Connect With Podmasana: > Website: yogascussion.podmasana.com [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/] > Email: yogascussion@podmasana.com [yogascussion@podmasana.com] > Support the Show: yogascussion.podmasana.com/support [https://yogascussion.podmasana.com/support/] > Social Media: YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@yogascussion] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/yogascussion.bsky.social] | Mastodon [https://mastodon.social/@yogascussion] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yogascussion/] Current Release Schedule: New episodes every other Wednesday with preview episodes releasing the following Wednesday Early access for YogaScussion Circle members (5 days before public) Follow and subscribe now so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and share the show with others who might be interested. Thank you for listening and thank you for your support! Feel free to also check out Podmasana Media’s other shows: Podmasana [https://podmasana.com/] and My Mindful Moment [https://podmasana.com/mymindfulmoment].