As it happens, I'm also reading One Dharma by Joseph Goldstein. There's an interesting conversation between the two. Chemi Lhamo draws our attention to cultural appropriation, particularly of Tibetan Buddhism; Goldstein then lays out a whole system for thinking of how the traditions of global Buddhism are emerging in the West to create a new Buddhism. It sparks the question, for me at least, of how we grow and learn from traditions from which we do not emerge (nationally, ethnically, spiritually, etc.). I find the term "cultural misappropriation" because it stakes out some space for appropriate and inappropriate cultural borrowing. One more thing: I deeply appreciated the discussion of the cultural genocide taking place in Tibet as we speak. I was aware at some level, but this episode filled in many gaps for me. 🙏🏻

So much learning and unlearning in each episode. Very powerful and thoughtful. Thank you Anjali Rao & Accessible Yoga Association. 5 stars!

I just came across this wonderful podcast and the episode with Chemi Lhamo on belonging and Tibetan Buddhism moved me beyond words. More please!

Thank you for this podcast! It has always taught me something important about yoga and accessibility and I appreciate every guest and everything you do to make this accessible to all!

I decided to listen to this on a whim and have to admit that the golden words of accessibility and inclusion have been so refreshing to hear. Many things spoke were what I feel and believe but rarely hear in the yoga community. Thanks!!!

Thank you so much for the pod addressing transphobia. Maybe I should preface this by saying I present as a straight, cis-gendered white woman, but a more accurate description would be pansexual, gender fluid, feminist, neurodiverse white person who has always found the societal construct of gender arbitrary, confusing, and frustrating. I was caught completely off guard by the transphobic podcast you mention. The evening before, I'd watched the doc "Middle Sexes: Redefining He and She" and was in the middle of an ongoing respectful and curious exchange with friends on the topic of sex and gender. So when I saw the title of the pod while looking for something to listen to, I excitedly pressed play expecting to hear an intelligent, thoughtful conversation. That is NOT what I got. It took several hours of pausing and breathing and then coming back to listen until I was so dis-regulated I needed yet another break to actually get through the entire podcast.  I'm so grateful for your response. I feel like it's a super helpful resource for anyone who felt shaken up by this instance of transphobia masquerading as feminism and open dialogue. Thank you a million times over!

So informative, welcoming. Yoga for the rest of us...all of us. I enjoy all the different topics you cover on your podcast, specially chair yoga it speaks to me, so more please. Thanks.

I’ve learned something from every episode of this podcast, but I absolutely LOVED this episode with Justin Michael Williams, who I wasn’t familiar with until this podcast. It spoke to me and hit me in ways that really touched me and left me introspective and curious and hopeful all at the same time. His guided meditation at the end had me in tears - but in a good and beautiful way! Much gratitude & appreciation for this and for all the Accessible Yoga community does to broaden the scope of the yoga practice.

As a trans yoga teacher, I was super excited to listen to this podcast. The guests were amazing! I just wanted to listen to them. They were prompting each other to get into the key topics and sounded great and were well prepared to speak. The interviewer was another story, unfortunately. He didn’t seem prepared at all, wasn’t even sure how to pronounce a guest’s name. His questions often trailed off to awkward silence and were filled with ums, likes, mumbling and various verbal tics, leaving the guests unsure when to speak. The first 20 minutes was spent on pronouns, which are certainly important but I imagine that anyone listening knows about pronouns. A better prepared interviewer would have gotten on to relevant yoga-specific topics before a third of the episode was past. That being said, it’s important and good content and I’m grateful to the producers and guests.

I feel like I found home with both Amber and Jivana. They fit so well together sharing their experiences from different places and yet the unity they share is remarkable. I found my home . THANK YOU!!!

The spiritual dimension of yoga is explored by Jivana Heyman and Amber Karnes allowing the West to meet the origins and truth to the fullness of practice. I move between tears of recognition as they explore emotions to laughing aloud as they name a human thought process - as a 59 year young yogi, I have virtually adopted you both!

I can't praise this podcast enough! I'm honored to be part of this wonderful community and humbled by the ways we can ensure that "yoga for EVERY body" has meaning. Please continue to do this much needed work!

I believe in and teach accessibility of all kinds in yoga and the responsibility of yogis to contribute to social justice. But when one podcaster immediately mentions headstand and later remarks on the fact that the other one has a lot of followers, it felt like 1. flexing—‘I do real yoga, even though I focus on accessibility’ and 2. Lip service that Not enough yoga teaching focus on eliminating ego while marking the measure of social Media popularity. Disappointing. Walk the walk. Words matter.

This podcast is addressing real issues in the yoga community, and approaches these topics with warmth and and honesty and open conversation. Grateful to have a consistent space to hear from Jivana and Amber and the incredible guests they speak with.

I took yoga for over a decade before I understood what I was taking was a white washed practice. My 200hr teacher training led me to believe I knew enough to lead yoga classes. It wasn’t until I became successful in teaching yoga movement based fitness classes that I knew I wasn’t teaching YOGA. This podcast is exactly what we need!

Jivana and Amber bring their warmth and knowledge to discussions about creating space for EVERY BODY in yoga. This podcast is conversational and honest. They both are able to relate everyday living to yoga and social justice. I particularly appreciate the idea that practicing yoga means we need to be taking action to make social change for EVERY BODY. Also, liked hearing the ideas around what is healing.

I love Jivana and Amber - I consider them my teachers and role models. It was such a pleasant surprise to find out they created a podcast but more importantly this first episode blew me away! I am so excited to sit and learn with these two leaders each week.

It’s so wonderful to welcome Accessible Yoga to the world of Yoga Podcasts. Having a consistent place to hear the voices of these two hosts, Amber & Jivana (and potential guests), discuss what Accessible Yoga topics is like a lifeline. Thank you both for this offering.