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What makes a yoga pose truly restorative? Aru shares her journey from chasing challenging asanas to discovering the importance of deep rest. She explores the origins of restorative yoga, its roots in the Iyengar tradition, and the five qualities that make a pose restorative: support, stillness, warmth, silence, and darkness. Learn how these elements help the nervous system settle, why Mauna and sensory withdrawal matter, and how restorative yoga prepares us for unsupported Shavasana and a deeper experience of rest. Episode Highlights: Confessions of a YogaholicMovement and the Goal of StillnessUnderstanding Restorative YogaRestorative Yoga’s Iyengar RootsThe Autonomic Nervous SystemSympathetic and Parasympathetic ResponsesSupport and Intelligent Prop UseStillness and ProprioceptionWarmth and Nervous System RegulationMauna and the Practice of SilencePratyahara and Sensory WithdrawalDarkness and the Oculocardiac ReflexRestorative Yoga and the Five KoshasThe Goal of Unsupported ShavasanaFrom Doing Shavasana to Being in ShavasanaRestorative Yoga Teacher TrainingRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

What exactly is a Sangha, and why does community matter so much in yoga? Aru explores the meaning and origins of Sangha, its relationship to Satsang, and the many traditional forms of community that have supported yoga over time. She also looks at what makes a genuine Sangha, what it is not, the shadow side of spiritual communities, and the importance of boundaries, agency, accountability, and sustained relationships in modern yoga. Episode Highlights: Defining Sangha and its originsSangha, Satsang, and yogaCharacteristics and purpose of SanghaRecognizing genuine SanghaTraditional forms of yoga communityGuru Shishya Parampara and living transmissionKula, ashrams, and GurukulaBhakti communities and spiritual practiceAccountability, belonging, and collective knowledgeWhat Sangha is notThe shadow side of spiritual communitiesTeacher and student responsibilitiesBoundaries, agency, and discernmentThe Three Jewels and modern yogaRebuilding meaningful community in yogaRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

What actually changes during pregnancy, and how should yoga teachers adapt their teaching? Aru talks with Aparna Ramesh about prenatal yoga across all three trimesters, balancing effort and rest, modifications, props, pranayama, sound, visualization, and the tools that can support a healthy and empowering pregnancy practice. Episode Highlights: Prenatal yoga intensity and effortBalancing effort and rest, and teaching beyond “listen to your body”The prenatal talk testNormalizing breaks in practiceFirst trimester yoga practiceTrimester changes and teaching considerationsSecond trimester strengtheningThird trimester physical changesHeat and hot yoga risksFirst trimester practice focusSecond trimester practice focusThird trimester practice focusPrenatal yoga in mixed classesStrengthening for pregnancy and motherhoodPelvic floor education and practiceThird trimester modificationsProps and creative modificationsLying on the back during pregnancyPrana and pregnancyPrenatal pranayama practicesPrenatal chanting and soundVisualization during pregnancy and laborYoga Nidra and sankalpaTeaching prenatal yoga with confidenceFunctional and non-ego-driven practiceBuilding sustainable self-practiceRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

What exactly is Yin Yoga, and how is it different from restorative yoga? Aru gets nerdy with Vinay Jesta about sensation, stillness, connective tissue, the meridian system, emotional awareness, and finding the right balance between Yin and Yang. They also discuss common teaching mistakes, practicing Yin online, and what to look for in a good Yin Yoga training. Episode Highlights: What Yin Yoga is and its place in the yoga traditionYin Yoga vs. restorative yogaSensation, stillness, and finding the appropriate edgeProps, modifications, and working with different bodiesYin practice length, sequencing, and connective tissueTension vs. compression and recognizing harmful sensationsThe role of verbal guidance in YinThe meridian system and Traditional Chinese MedicineMeridians, nadis, emotions, and the psychological aspects of YinStillness, self-observation, and meditation in Yin posesYin poses, gravity, and different ways to practiceYin for injuries, pregnancy, and hypermobilityBalancing Yin with Yang-oriented practicesCommon misconceptions and mistakes in teaching YinMusic in Yin classesPracticing Yin through online videos vs. with a teacherWhat to look for in a Yin Yoga trainingBalancing anatomy, skeletal variations, and energetic approaches in YinRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

What does authentic yoga actually look like? Aru shares her personal checklist for examining the depth, roots, and transmission of your yoga practice and teaching. From lineage and Hinduism to pranic experience, sadhana, primary sources, and knowing what you don’t know, this episode explores why sincerity alone isn’t enough—and how we can move closer to authenticity. Episode Highlights: Feeling authentic versus being authenticWesternization and cultural driftAuthenticity beyond Indian identityHinduism and yoga literacyOrigin versus transmissionSocial media as a red flagPlatform size versus teaching depthReach versus depth in yogaThe content creator economyWhen content becomes teachingChurn in yoga offeringsSocial media versus real knowledgeAdhikara and authentic transmissionKnowing and tracing your lineageGuru Shishya Parampara and transmissionLineage versus compiled yogaHinduism as working yoga literacySanatana Dharma and yoga rootsYoga texts and traditionsExperiencing the pranic bodyPrana versus nervous system knowledgePranayama and pranic understandingThe pranic body in Hatha YogaDeep study with teachersHaving primary yoga teachersSadhana beyond asanaPersonal practice beyond physical yogaYoga practice versus transactional teachingMarketing culture and yoga communitiesLearning from primary sourcesLong-form study and contemplationKnowing the limits of knowledgeHonesty about what you knowRelationship with the sacredNon-instrumental spiritual practiceSincerity versus authenticityClosing the gap through practiceEarning the right to transmitSelf-reflection and authentic yogaRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

A closer look at Lakshmi, Saraswati, Durga, Kali, and Parvati—and why these Hindu goddesses cannot be reduced to modern wellness trends, aesthetics, or manifestation tools. Aru explores cultural appropriation, Shakti, devotion, ritual, and what it means to engage with these traditions with greater depth and respect. Episode Highlights: The viral Lakshmi Maxxing trendCultural appropriation in modern yogaHindu goddesses and their symbolismFemale goddesses and divine identityUnderstanding Shakti beyond feminine energyThe goddess as divine realityLakshmi beyond abundance and beautyThe eight forms of LakshmiLakshmi and auspiciousnessLakshmi’s relationship with prosperityProsperity within a dharmic frameworkUsing wealth responsibly and ethicallySaraswati and true knowledgeKnowledge, discernment, and VivekaDurga and extraordinary divine powerDurga beyond warrior woman stereotypesThe power of feminine strengthKali, destruction, and transformationKali and the dissolution of egoKali, impermanence, and liberationParvati and sustained devotionParvati as practitioner and asceticLiving with Hindu goddessesDevotion versus transactional worshipOfferings, gratitude, surrender, and ritualEveryday Hindu practices and reverenceWhen sacred traditions become aestheticsUnderstanding cultural appropriation with discernmentLearning from authentic sourcesWhat Lakshmi teaches beyond accumulationWhat Saraswati teaches about discernmentFinding courage through DurgaTransformation through KaliEmbodying Parvati’s qualitiesThe divine feminine beyond manifestationApproaching Hindu traditions with respectRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

What exactly is a sankalpa, and how is it different from an affirmation, intention, or goal? Medha Bhaskar joins me to explore the deeper meaning of sankalpa, how to discover one that truly resonates, and how it can become a guiding direction for our lives. Episode Highlights: Sankalpa’s meaning and place in yogaSankalpa versus affirmations and intentionsSankalpa versus manifestation and goalsUnderstanding SMART goalsDiscovering a deeper sankalpaHaving one or multiple sankalpasSharing a sankalpa publiclySankalpa as a personal mantraCultivating the feeling of sankalpaDifferent types of sankalpasPersonal versus universal sankalpasChoosing the right sankalpa focusMoving beyond selfish sankalpasMeasuring sankalpa progressWorking through disappointmentUsing sankalpa with difficult intentionsFinding and taking a sankalpaUsing self-inquiry to discover sankalpaWriting, repeating, and wording sankalpaChoosing the right sankalpa languageUsing positive sankalpa statementsSankalpa as a healing practiceSpiritual versus personal sankalpasRecognizing fear-driven sankalpasDo’s and don’ts of sankalpaAvoiding control and obsessionUsing universally applicable sankalpasAllowing sankalpa to evolveUsing a single-word sankalpaRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

What are the bandhas, and why do they play such an important role in Hatha Yoga? Sandra Anderson joins me to explore the physical, energetic, and meditative purpose of Mula Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha, Jalandhara Bandha, and Maha Bandha, along with practical guidance for yoga teachers. Episode Highlights: Meaning and purpose of bandhasBandhas in asana, pranayama, and meditationUnderstanding Mula BandhaMale and female differences in Mula BandhaContraindications for Mula BandhaUnderstanding Uddiyana BandhaAvoiding excessive muscular effortPreparing the body for bandhasTeaching bandhas without labelsSigns of effective bandha practiceUnderstanding Jalandhara BandhaJalandhara Bandha in pranayamaUnderstanding Maha BandhaYoga practice without bandhasPresenting energetic practices responsiblyTeaching advice for yoga teachersSandra's courses and resourcesRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

Why does Sanskrit place so much importance on sound and pronunciation? I’m joined by Dr. Varun Khanna to explore the stories, philosophy, and history behind Sanskrit, and discuss what modern yoga teachers really need to know about the language. Episode Highlights: Meaning of the word guruSound and vibration in SanskritOrigins of Devanagari scriptSanskrit's role in Indian philosophySound, vibration, and the subtle bodyPronunciation and mantra accuracySanskrit in modern yoga teachingSanskrit as a tool for learning yogaOm as the ultimate vibrationSanskrit beyond power and hierarchyPractical takeaways for yoga teachersRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

Strength is becoming an essential part of modern yoga, but what does it really mean to be strong in asana? I sit down with functional strength coach Chhavi Sahal to explore trunk stability, core engagement, flexibility versus strength, and practical ways yoga teachers can build stronger, more resilient practitioners. Episode Highlights: Strength gaps in asanaTrunk stability and load-bearingStrength versus flexibilitySthira Sukham AsanamPush and pull strengthStrength beyond yogaBuilding trunk and core strengthStanding versus supine core engagementPosterior chain strengthBalanced hip stabilityBenefits of strength trainingStrength and yogic practiceRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

Most yoga teachers have heard of at least one or two of the Shat Kriyas — maybe you've practiced jala neti, maybe you've taught kapalabhati. But the full picture of what these six techniques actually are, where they come from, and why the Hatha Yoga Pradipika places them before pranayama is a conversation the modern yoga world rarely has with any rigor. In this episode, Aru goes deep into the Shatkarma — the six cleansing practices of Hatha Yoga — drawing directly from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Gheranda Samhita to unpack what these techniques were actually built to do, and why "yogic detox" is one of the least accurate ways to describe them. This is not a beginner overview. This is the episode for teachers, trainees, and serious practitioners who want to understand the architecture of Hatha Yoga — why the body had to be cleared before the breath could be regulated, what the texts say about each technique specifically, and where modern science has quietly caught up to practices that are at least six hundred years old on paper, and likely much older. Episode Highlights: What Shat Karma actually means — Sanskrit breakdown of the term and each of the six kriyasThe historical context: Swatmarama's Hatha Yoga Pradipika (15th c.) vs. Gheranda Samhita (17th c.) and how they differ in their treatment of ShatkarmaWhy Swatmarama places the six kriyas before pranayama — and what that sequencing tells you about the entire logic of Hatha YogaThe difference between "cleansing for wellness" and "removing a specific obstruction so practice can go deeper"A full breakdown of all six — Neti, Dhauti, Basti, Trataka, Nauli, and Kapalabhati — with Sanskrit etymology, traditional technique, and purposeWhat modern research actually says (and where it goes quiet)Why Trataka is the only kriya that isn't physically invasive — and why that makes it the most misunderstood of the sixBasti: why it's the most prerequisite-dependent kriya, and why almost no one can do it traditionallyThe two texts don't list the six in the same order — and why that sequencing difference matters more than it looksRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

I sit down with Dr. Jayarajan Kodikannath to explore Ayurvedic parenting, child development, and holistic well-being. We discuss prakriti in children, digestion, hydration, breath, mindfulness, emotional health, modern parenting challenges, and practical ways to raise resilient, balanced, and healthy children through the lens of Ayurveda. Episode Highlights: Inspiration behind the bookAyurvedic pediatrics explainedUnderstanding the whole childPrakriti and child developmentOptimizing health from conceptionHealing versus fixingDigestion and nutritionWater and hydrationBreath and self-regulationMindfulness and awarenessEgo and child developmentSattva, rajas, and tamasPerception and mental healthParenting in the digital ageModern parenting approachesBuilding trust with childrenSupporting individualityCommon childhood health concernsSelf-care for parentsConscious parenting practicesRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

I sit down with Becky Aten to explore neurodiversity, ADHD, and how yoga teachers can create more inclusive and supportive spaces. We discuss the origins of neurodiversity, common misconceptions about ADHD, late-life diagnosis, inclusive teaching practices, and practical ways to better support neurodivergent students in yoga classes. Episode Highlights: Origins of neurodiversityNeurodiversity vs. neurodivergenceNeurodivergent conditions and traitsInnate and acquired neurodivergenceLate-life diagnosis experiencesUnderstanding ADHD beyond stereotypesADHD in adultsGender differences in ADHDHyperfocus and executive functionYoga and neurodiversityBenefits of yoga practiceRecognizing student challengesNeurodivergence and hypermobilityInclusive yoga languageAvoiding shame in teachingCreating neuro-inclusive classesClear expectations and accessibilityResources for further learningRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

With only a few days left before my Pranayama Teacher Training begins, I'm sharing a reading from Chapter 1 of the new training manual. Learn the foundations of pranayama, the difference between prana and pranayama, and why breath literacy matters for every yoga student and teacher. Episode Highlights: Pranayama training overviewProblems in modern pranayama educationPrana versus pranayamaThree pillars of pranayamaMeaning of pranayamaUnderstanding pranaClassical and modern pranayama goalsTeacher responsibility and lineageAsana and pranayama relationshipTraining enrollment detailsRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!

Most yoga teachers are taught that chest opening is the key to better pranayama, but what if that’s actually the last thing to focus on? In this solo episode, I share the five areas of asana practice that matter most when preparing the body for pranayama. We explore lung anatomy, spinal mobility, nervous system regulation, hip flexor tension, diaphragm function, and why true breath expansion comes from working with the whole body, not just the chest. If you want your pranayama practice to feel more effortless and effective, this episode offers a practical framework you can start applying right away. Episode Highlights: Common pranayama preparation mythsBody as the container of pranaSide and back body breathingLung anatomy and breath capacitySpinal mobility for pranayamaFalse expansion through chest openingNervous system regulation through breathFront body dominance and stressHip flexors and diaphragm functionLower abdomen freedom for breathingChest opening as a resultIntelligent asana preparation frameworkBreath literacy in practiceActionable pranayama preparation stepsRestorative Yoga Teacher Training Online Join our mailing list Find all the resources mentioned in this episode Follow Let's Talk Yoga on Instagram Connect with Aru on Instagram Subscribe to Aham Yoga on YouTube Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast on YouTube Leave us a review and share this podcast with your friends!