Living In Alignment

Regarded as a teacher of teachers, Heather Elton has practiced yoga since 1986. She has facilitated countless international retreats and yoga teacher trainings and currently takes groups on spiritual tours of the Himalaya throughout Bhutan, Nepal, and India. 

Over many decades, Heather’s physical practice has primarily been in Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga. She offers 1 on 1 mentoring and private classes as well as more recently teaching weekly at a studio in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Her teachings integrate ancient wisdom traditions with contemporary psychology to create a mindful practice that diminishes suffering.

Originally from Canada, Heather’s work and wisdom will take you into the spiritual heart of the practice.

IN THIS EPISODE:

— Heather’s captivating story over many decades of yoga, spiritual seeking, the quest for identity and the dissolution of it

— The transmission and entanglement of Buddhist, Tantrik, and Hatha traditions

— The value and demise of traditionalism in yoga

— A glimpse into the mystical and ancient  abode of Nepal and the Himalaya

— Learn of Heather’s upcoming South Asia spiritual experiences

MENTIONED:

Tripsichore Yoga Theatre

Dona Holleman

Jivamukti Yoga

Chökyi Lodrö

Dzongsar Khyentse

Maharaj Ishanath Aghori Baba

Viharas

Vajrācārya

CONNECT WITH HEATHER:

Mira Manek is an author and the founder of the chai spice brand Chai by Mira; She is a speaker and Ayurveda and wellness expert. 

Her 3 books are Saffron Soul, Prajna: Ayurvedic Rituals for Happiness, and, her latest release is The Book of Chai: History Stories and Recipes.

IN THIS EPISODE:

— Be taken inside some of Mira's personal inspiration, cultural heritage, and journey that has influenced the creation of her work.

— Fascinating insights into the history and timeline of chai and how it influenced India's culture through both rebellion and community connection

— Behind the scenes of Mira's process of creating three published books that are held by a common thread

— Discover the chai food culture of India, the staples and snacks that are traditional accompaniments of the classic beverage

— Some fun facts about Mira: her fave spice in chai, her fave snack with chai, her ultimate memory of chai, her fave chai recipe, and Mira's most cherished and beloved place in India (and why)

CONNECT WITH MIRA:

Website: https://miramanek.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miramanek/ & https://www.instagram.com/chaibymira/

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ABOUT YOUR HOST, AMY LANDRY:

A beacon for those craving a connection to tradition and timeless wisdom, Amy has cemented herself as a global yoga teacher, ayurvedic practitioner, mentor, podcast host, speaker, and facilitator of the Study Yoga Summit. Based in Australia and renowned for her sold-out international retreats, Amy has contributed extensively to Australian Yoga Journal, Om Yoga & Lifestyle magazine, YOGA Magazine (UK), and Nature & Health magazine (AU). She has presented at Wanderlust, Evolve Festival, Byron Spirit Fest, and Ekam Yoga Festival. You can listen to her Living In Alignment podcast on all major platforms. A registered senior yoga teacher, Amy aims to amalgamate several Indian disciplines into daily life with the hope of inspiring her community to have a tangible relationship with living yoga–rather than seeing it as an isolated practice.

Anja Brierley Lange is the author of Teaching Yoga for the Menstrual Cycle - an Āyurvedic Approach, and an experienced yoga teacher,  Āyurvedic practitioner, and teacher trainer.

Teaching since 2005 she has specialised in yoga and Āyurveda relating to female anatomy and physiology. 

Originally from Denmark, Anja moved to London and now lives on the Sussex coast where she enjoys being by or in the sea.

You can head to yogaembodied.com for courses, classes and inspiration from Anja.

IN THIS EPISODE:

- Discover how Anja came to specifically study and work in the field of women's health through the lens of yoga and ayurveda

- How the three doshas govern and transition across a menstrual cycle (Rutuchakra), and how this also overlaps with the Western biological understanding

- Key considerations for adapting a postural yoga practice according to the phases of the menstrual cycle (which also hint to the adaptations we can make over a female's lifespan)

- To invert or not invert during menstruation clarified

- Anja's process of writing a book and who the book aims to serve

CONNECT WITH ANJA:

Indu Arora is a Yoga and Ayurveda teacher, mentor, and author, based out of the USA. She considers herself a student for a lifetime. Indu has been sharing about Yoga philosophy, Yoga Therapy, and Ayurveda for the last two decades. Her unique gift is making Yoga and Ayurveda a practice, which is equally useful for a beginner as for a sincere seeker who has made Yoga a lifelong journey. She is inspired by and taught under Kriya Yoga, Himalayan Yoga, Kashmir Shiavism, and Sivananda Yoga lineages. She has studied in a traditional guru-shishya parampara setting.

Her teaching style is rooted in empowering and inspiring students to awaken the inner guru. Her core philosophy is ‘Yoga is a Work-in and not a Work-out’. 

She is the author of Mudra: The Sacred Secret (2015), Yoga: Ancient Heritage, Tomorrow’s Vision (2005, 2019), and SOMA: 100 Heritage Recipes for Self-Care (e-book, 2020; updated hard copy, 2022).

IN THIS EPISODE:

—Demystifying japa: What is Japa, what is it not, the Sanskrit meaning, and the various types of Japa

—Mantra:. What is a mantra and the value of Sanskrit? What mantra should one choose, how to choose or who should choose it?

—Mala etiquette: What to use, how to appropriately wear mala and why

—Insight into the inspiration and motivation behind each of Indu’s books

—Indu’s upcoming offerings, both in person and online

—Her personal story of coming to yoga, her teachers, family, and pivotal moments

CONNECT WITH INDU:

Website: https://www.yogsadhna.com/

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/induaroraofficial/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InduAroraOfficial

INDU’S BOOKS: 

Mudra: The Sacred Secret 

Yoga: Ancient Heritage, Tomorrow's Vision

SOMA: 100 Heritage Recipes for Self-Care

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ABOUT YOUR HOST, AMY LANDRY:

A beacon for those craving a connection to tradition and timeless wisdom, Amy has cemented herself as a global yoga teacher, ayurvedic practitioner, mentor, podcast host, speaker, and facilitator of the Study Yoga Summit. Based in Australia and renowned for her sold-out international retreats, Amy has contributed extensively to Australian Yoga Journal, Om Yoga & Lifestyle magazine, YOGA Magazine (UK), and Nature & Health magazine (AU). She has presented at Wanderlust, Evolve Festival, Byron Spirit Fest, and Ekam Yoga Festival. You can listen to her Living In Alignment podcast on all major platforms. A registered senior yoga teacher, Amy aims to amalgamate several Indian disciplines into daily life with the hope of inspiring her community to have a tangible relationship with living yoga–rather than seeing it as an isolated practice.

Dr Lauren Tober is a Clinical Psychologist, Senior Yoga Teacher and author of Mental Health Aware Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers, based in Mullumbimby, Australia.

With a passion for health, healing, happiness and awakening, Lauren integrates the best of Western psychology with ancient yogic wisdom, both on and off the mat.

Passionate about the life-changing benefits of yoga, Lauren is the founder of the Yoga Psychology Institute and the Mental Health Aware Yoga training. This professional development training for Yoga Teachers is designed to educate teachers about mental health so they can support their yoga students experiencing mental health challenges with compassion, confidence and skill.

Lauren is also the founder of the Centre for Mind Body Wellness, an integrative health practice in Mullumbimby, Australia.

Her work is soulful without being new-agey.  It’s evidence-based, without being clinical.  It’s authentic, heartfelt and life-changing.

IN THIS EPISODE:

—How Lauren came to yoga, India, and her work in the field of psychology and mental health

—Lauren’s book writing process

—What Mental Health Aware Yoga actually is (and its immense relevance to all)

—How Mental Health Aware Yoga pertains to and overlays subtle and deeper aspects of the yogic teachings (such as the five koshas)

—What a “safe container” is, and what yoga teachers need to consider

—The shadow side of meditation

CONNECT WITH DR LAUREN: