251: Reflect & Plan [Part 2] with Shannon Crow & Jivana Heyman
At the end of every year, Shannon has a personal practice of reflecting on how her year has been. In this episode, she shares more about reflecting on what didn’t work and letting that go. In her practice, Shannon has tried to include elements of non-attachment and letting go, and turned to Jivana Heyman with her questions about incorporating yoga philosophy and Sanskrit into her framework.
Shannon and Jivana discuss different elements of non-attachment mentioned in yoga texts, and how we can respectfully incorporate these teachings into our lives and daily practice. Shannon also offers a guided reflection practice with some questions to contemplate and journal on things we need to let go and release. This episode is part of a series, and an excellent guide to return to every time you need to take stock and review how things are going in your yoga business.
Key Takeaways:
[4:36] This episode is part two in a series about reflecting and planning in your yoga business.
[6:21] Part one of this exercise was looking at what went well and finding moments of contentment. Part two focuses on what didn’t work and letting that go.
“What would you like to let go of next year or next month or next quarter? What is no longer serving you?” ~ Shannon Crow
[9:49] Shannon shares what she has learned from reading yoga texts about non-attachment and letting go.
“We are not looking at how to escape every moment of discomfort or bad emotion.” ~ Shannon Crow
[11:25] Sponsor Schedulicity shares the hot tip of the week.
[12:13] Shannon learned about Vairāgya from Jivana Heyman. She also wanted to make sure she wasn’t appropriating yoga in trying to include these elements in her reflection and planning.
[14:52] An important part of reflecting is to think about what we are distracted by and that’s pulling us off course.
[16:58] Shannon is doing a giveaway of one of Jivana’s books!
[17:31] Vairāgya is really about looking at what we want to reach for or make space for. Shannon has a small exercise to illustrate this principle.
[19:08] Shannon encourages you to make a list of things you would like to clear out and let go of or release and create space.
[22:40] Shannon talks about the continuation of learning that we are all doing.
[24:32] This framework can act as your map and your compass all wrapped into one.
“This whole framework, what we’re doing, is like your map and your compass all wrapped into one.” ~ Shannon Crow
[28:01] If we climb every single mountain alone, we would never get anywhere.
[28:10] Shannon shares some journal prompts to guide your reflection.
[30:30] Shannon introduces Jivana and shares more about why she reached out to him for this conversation.
[32:58] How can we respectfully integrate yoga into what we are doing?
“How can we apply monastic ancient teachings to our lives now? How do we do that in a respectful way?” ~ Jivana Heyman
[36:45] Jivana shares some of his thoughts on non-attachment.
“In the West, we tend to identify with the mind so much that we don’t even know what it means to identify with spirit.” ~ Jivana Heyman
[37:52] Shannon reflects on how the idea that yoga is the opposite of capitalism has played out in her own journaling and reflection this year.
[39:02] Non-attachment is about analyzing our desires.
[43:36] Non-attachment doesn’t mean having non-attachment to the things going on in the world because it’s too painful. Jivana explains more about this.
[46:08] Shannon and Jivana discuss her conundrum around integrating yoga and Sanskrit into her reflection framework.
[54:07] Shannon has three gifts for listeners!
Links:
- Jivana Heyman
- Yoga Revolution: Building a Practice of Courage and Compassion, by Jivana Heyman
- Accessible Yoga: Poses and Practices for Every Body, By Jivana Heyman
- A Queer Dharma, by Jacoby Ballard
- The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 247: Being Wrong is Part of Learning with Shannon Crow
- The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 209: Online Yoga Teacher Training with Jivana Heyman
- The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 138: Accessible Yoga Beyond Asana with Jivana Heyman
- Shyam Ranganathan Yoga Sutras
- Swami Dayananda
- Shannon Crow on Instagram
- The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group
Gratitude to our Sponsors, Schedulicity (Coupon:cyt2months) and Pelvic Health Professionals (Coupon: Connected2021).
Thank you to both as always. Happy Holidays to you Shannon and all your team
Thanks Lisa 🙂 Happy holidays to you as well.
Shannon, I am looking forward to actually doing this exercise. As a long time yoga teacher and former college counselor in my 60s, I am reassessing how I want to focus my time and energies. I love the structure of the exercise you’ve shared. Although I’ve guided many similar ones, timing is everything and I will work with your great cues. Thank you for all you do!
Thank you for sharing this Bonnie. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this — especially as we move into part 3 & 4. Keep me posted please and let me know if you have questions or thoughts as you go through this. I can’t wait to hear where your focus will be in this New Year!
I love this work, thank you for your generous helpful vtips. I cannot wait to print the PDF, meditate and dig deep. It will surely be interesting to see what will unfold.
Thanks for digging in to this Laurie. Keep us posted on how it goes and let us know if you have any questions.
Thank you so much for your always so helpful offerings/tips ! I cannot wait to sit, meditate and work with your framework. I am sure that what will come out of it will be quite interesting !
Amazing Laurie! You are welcome. I am thrilled to share anything that might help other yoga teachers. Keep us posted on things and let me know if you have any questions.
Hello Shannon,
your work often supports my search… thank you love.
As per the use of sanskrit, it has always appeared to me as the perfect universal international tool. When you say aparigraha it’s more likely for me to understand what you are talking about and link it to my indian, french or spanish sources…
Also it permits to go beyon a national definition-limitation of ourselves…
Go girl !
<3
Thank you for sharing your thoughts here and thanks for listening to the podcast!
I loved this conversation you had with Jivana. Jivana’s commentary on the ‘Gita vs. the Sutras touched a nerve (in a good way) for me. It created a serious a-ha and I journaled for like 6 pages. Rewinding the podcast to re-listen and soak it all in. It just poured out onto the page in front of me with more clarity than I have had in a long while. It was NYE and I had just had a lovely asana practice and was sitting down to do part 2 of my year in review with your lovely guidance and poignant questions. The distinction between body/mind and heart/soul landed for me in a way that I had been asking for clarity around. I am forever changed by this conversation. And I cannot wait to see how 2022 unfolds. Doing Part 3 this evening. Thank you to you both. Deep bows.
I love this so much Jessika — especially that it led to journal time and an a-ha moment! Keep me posted on how things go as we move into 2022. Thanks for listening and sharing your thoughts here.
Last year I participated in the planning event you hosted with Amanda and I really got a lot out of it. So, I downloaded the PDF for this year and have been slowly making my way through, listening to Part 1 and yesterday, this episode Part 2. I loved the conversation with Jivana and am looking forward to reading his book. There is a lot of food for thought and I will be listening again before putting pen to paper and then moving to Part 3. Shannon, you mentioned that you are easily distracted by researching and I wanted to share that I’m easily distracted by organizing :). Sometimes it’s a good thing and it helps me put things in perspective and gives me time to think. On the other hand, it also prevents me from getting my real work done. Thanks for sharing your planning process.
Sue! I am so glad you are here again for planning time. I’m curious to hear any questions or thoughts as you get to all 4 parts of this. And YES — I can relate to how organizing can be a distraction for sure.
WOW, this is so needed and helpful. Thank you for the workbook PDF’s, more importantly the podcast was perfect. Talk about synchronisity. Please add my name for drawing for boook! Would love to read it!