Feb 18 2025 63 mins
Join host Jivana and guest Melissa Shah to reflect on the fullness of the path of yoga as an inner practice that translates to outer action and service.
Melissa shares about her grassroots efforts to support her LA community after the recent fires and together they discuss how yoga helps foster resilience, prevent burnout, and serve as a tool for community care. They share thoughts on the importance of slowing down to integrate teachings and embrace the present moment.
In the Question and Answer segment, we hear inspiring stories from Sally Denton and Jackie Driscoll about the impact of yoga in building community and the wisdom of nature as a teacher.
We also hear from Lesley on her goals to merge her roles as Occupational Therapist and yoga teacher and her excitement to join the upcoming Accessible Yoga Training Online in March.
Topics Include:
- Activism and social justice through a yogic lens
- Generational cycles of trauma and healing
- Breaking Western values of perfectionism and urgency
- Teaching what you know
- The value of repetition in practice
- The balance between acceptance and change
- Highlights of the upcoming Accessible Yoga Training Online, March 6 - April 17th, 2025
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 or leave a voice message here: https://www.speakpipe.com/AccessibleYoga
Selected responses may be featured in future episodes!
Connect with Melissa:
Melissa Shah (she/they), founder of Find Your Breath, is an Indian-American yoga therapist who works to educate folks on how to practice yoga holistically through one-to-one and group sessions, retreats, and uplifting South Asian and BIPOC wellness leaders. She also regularly guest lectures for trainings and events across the U.S,, where she educates people on the more subtle aspects of yoga, such as mantra and pranayama. One of Melissa’s greatest passions is to create and co-create supportive spaces for rest and exploration of Self that are rooted in radical inclusion. Their work has been featured by NBC Asian America and in Yoga Journal, Anti-Racism Daily, SHAPE magazine and Women's Health Mag.
www.findyourbreath.net | @findyourbreath (IG)
Connect with Jivana:
Check out Jivana’s books, Accessible Yoga, Yoga Revolution, and The Teacher’s Guide to Accessible Yoga, and get more information about Accessible Yoga at accessibleyoga.org
www.jivanaheyman.com | @jivanaheyman | facebook.com/jivanaheyman
Connect with Lesley: @mindbodyflow_yoga
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Credit: Mikus Dharma, AYP Podcast Sound Engineer