273: Yoga is a Revolution with Jivana Heyman
What is the ultimate goal with your yoga practice? How does yoga tie in with social justice and activism? How is yoga a revolution? Jivana Heyman is back on the podcast to answer these questions and to share more about his new book, Yoga Revolution: Building a Practice of Courage & Compassion.
Jivana Heyman (he/him) is the founder and director of the Accessible Yoga Association, an international non-profit organization dedicated to increasing access to the yoga teachings. Through his work with Accessible Yoga, Jivana offers conferences, community forums, a podcast, and a popular ambassador program. He is also the co-founder of the Accessible Yoga Training School, and the author of Accessible Yoga: Poses and Practices for Every Body.
In this episode, Jivana explains his perspective on how yoga relates to social justice, and how our personal practice of yoga helps us show up and serve. Jivana and Shannon also discuss the power dynamic in teacher-student relationships, why we struggle with failure and how we can normalize it, what to do when the world feels overwhelming, and more.
Tune in to also find out how to win one of two copies of Jivana’s book as well!
Key Takeaways:
[4:28] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode – Jivana Heyman
[8:35] What was it like for Jivana to write his second book?
[10:51] What does yoga have to do with social justice and activism?
“I’ve always, always really found those connections between yoga and social justice and I wanted to share them.” ~ Jivana Heyman
[14:29] Shannon and Jivana invite you to consider what is the goal of your own practice.
[17:19] What are Jivana’s thoughts on how some people view speaking out as unbecoming or not aligned with being a yoga teacher or the teachings of yoga?
“To me, social justice is wanting justice for others, actually just having compassion for others and caring about other people other than myself. To me, that’s directly aligned with the yoga teachings.” ~ Jivana Heyman
[22:05] A live listener, Jessica, shares that for them, the ultimate goal of yoga is connection.
[24:06] Another listener shares how yoga has helped them with patience and building community.
[27:07] Shannon and Jivana discuss a personal experience he shared in the book about how he dealt with his yoga teacher being accused of abuse.
[33:45] Shannon pops in with a message about a new update from OfferingTree.
[35:51] Jivana explains what he means by ‘my liberation is tied to yours’.
[42:04] If we’re all connected, we need to work on our connections to people we disagree with as well.
“We are all intimately connected, and that’s the point of yoga actually is to find those connections.” ~ Jivana Heyman
[47:51] Jivana talks about failure as a practice, and the impact of our internal self-talk on ourselves.
“What do you think the ultimate goal for you is with your own practice?” ~ Shannon Crow
[51:40] Shannon shares some comments from listeners.
[54:09] Going back to the theme of failure, Jivana reflects on how we should approach failure.
[55:58] What is the rainbow mind?
[59:11] How does building your personal practice tie in with being able to deal with the world when it feels overwhelming?
[63:29] How can you support someone in your life right now?
[66:37] Jivana’s new book is available for purchase and Shannon is also giving away two copies to listeners!
Links:
- Jivana Heyman
- Yoga Revolution: Building a Practice of Courage and Compassion by Jivana Heyman
- Accessible Yoga Association
- Accessible Yoga: Poses and Practices for Every Body By Jivana Heyman
- Yoga Revolution Podcast
- The Secret Power of Yoga by Nischala Devi
- Post-Lineage Yoga, by Theodora Wildcroft
- Live with Jivana (full interview) – Yoga Revolution with Jivana Heyman
- Live with Wolf Terry – Ahimsa in Action with Wolf Terry
- Theo Wildcroft – Yoga with Theo Wildcroft
- Native Land Digital
- Shannon Crow on Instagram
- The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group
Gratitude to our Sponsor, OfferingTree.
I really enjoyed this episode! So much to unpack. I appreciate when Shannon commented that if we are connected, then we need to connect with those whom we might not agree with-I need to work on that, too!
I am so grateful that you commented with your key takeaway here Deniece! It is something I had to hear again this week.
Is this how you enter the competition to win a book? I loved this podcast. Jivana’s book sounds so soothing. I was nodding along with everything he and Shannon were speaking about. I’m a single parent and it’s so friggin wonderful to hear other people who I really respect in the ‘yoga world’ speaking about the challenges of being on a spiritual path and also very much in the human world. My kids are definitely my gurus!!
Thank you for the listen.
Lots of love
X
Yes, this is you entered in the draw now Jen 🙂 Thanks for sharing your thoughts here! The draw will happen next Friday (June 3, 2022)
Great episode! Looking forward to the book!!
Thank you so much for this! I just took Jivana’s Accessible Yoga training, and this was a wonderful adjunct.
Thank you for this discussion there are so many take aways for contemplation. I too talk with students about what Ahimsa is for them on and off the mat. What are the stories they tell themselves about their experiences in the world and how can we find more space for love. Valarie Kaur’s book us one I go back to often. Seeing others as ourselves and how can we support others to rise in their power especially in our classes. Giving choice and space to explore 🙏 I would love to read Jivana’s new book, thank you.
Thank you both for this wonderful discussion! Very inspiring and reaffirming for me. I truly appreciate the work that you both do!!
This was such a fun and nourishing listen, thank you so much. You both have soothing voices and speak with so much compassion. I laughed out loud when Jivana answered Shannon’s question about should the mind listen to the heart by saying… ‘Ya, it’s called Meditation’. LOL. I also love the Queerness is a superpower perspective BUT the big takeaway for me came during the dialogue exchange regarding social justice and yoga. Jivana speaks about how yoga is traditionally seen as an inward practice that helps us relax and breath and reach enlightenment on a personal level, but what we do with the energy we get from those practices also really matters. The social justice component comes from using the energy we get in asana class to be of service to others. So good!
I always learn so much – and something new – from Jivana! I appreciate his wit, vulnerability and his kind dose of reality!
I love Jivana. Thank you for having him.
Absolutely loved this episode and the realness of it – especially all the discussions around ego and failure. Thank you Shannon for always having such apropos discussions.
This episode is not only so timely but applicable with whats happening globally,. It is so easy to encapsulate oneself within a small protective circle with all the division happening. So what Jivana said helped me, so as to mirror the introspection, “Whom am I alienating from?” Thank you for this realilty check.
Amazing episode! I learned a lot about the connections between social justice and yoga as a healing practice. Also I never thought about failure as an opportunity to practice (especially to practice Ahimsa and Aparigraha).
Thank you for sharing this wisdom!
This was seriously, such a wonderful podcast to listen to. It was like hearing a couple of good friends having a conversation. I love the work you both are doing in the world
I honestly appreciated having to use this episode as my mirror to sit with. Great topic expecially to look to see whom I may be excluding from my circle of acceptance. Withdrawing and insulating with like minded is not part of the yogic philosophy. Timely with all happening in our world today. Thank you.
Looking forward to listening to this 🌸
I loved how you talked about the importance of yoga as self-care to give yourself the ability to help others. During 2020, we experienced a tragic loss. Teaching yoga became my method of radical self-care as well as spreading good into a world that seemed quite dark. It still is this for me now. I try to show my students how to reduce their suffering and in return the give me a path to reduce mine.