Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers

Monica Bright

The podcast for yoga teachers centered around important conversations for yoga teachers to discuss, reflect, and implement. From class planning to business strategy, these conversations help yoga teachers build the business that will help keep them teaching long-term and with a sustainable income. 

  1. Ep 131: How Breathing Helps the Nervous System

    1 day ago

    Ep 131: How Breathing Helps the Nervous System

    The breath is one of the only functions in the body that is both automatic and within our conscious control, which makes it one of the most accessible tools for shifting the nervous system in any of your yoga classes. This episode breaks down how breathing helps the nervous system, why this matters especially for anxious students, new students, and students in pain, and explains specific breath practices you can start using in your very next class. I'll discuss: The Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System, Explained SimplyThe Role of the Vagus NerveWhy This Matters for Anxious Students, New Students, and Students in PainFour Breath Practices You Can Use Right AwayMentioned in the episode: The Nervous System Toolkit  If this episode has you thinking about how much breath can do, the Nervous System Toolkit gives you practical, ready-to-use tools for working with the nervous system, including breath-based practices, Yoga Nidra, and 10 Common Yoga Pose Modifications. Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the show YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries Let's connect: Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it! Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

    19 min
  2. Ep 130: Why Plow Pose Shouldn’t Be Taught in Group Classes

    22 Jun

    Ep 130: Why Plow Pose Shouldn’t Be Taught in Group Classes

    Plow Pose is a standard part of many yoga classes, and many teachers were trained to include it without much question. But in a group class setting, the demands on the cervical spine in this pose, combined with the reality of teaching multiple students at once, create a level of risk that is worth taking seriously. In this episode,  I'll make a direct case for why plow pose does not belong in a group yoga class, what the anatomy actually tells us about what this pose asks of the neck, and what it means to teach responsibly when you cannot give every student your individual attention. The Reality of Group ClassesUnderstanding the Cervical SpineWhy Plow Pose Is Specifically ProblematicAdditional Problematic PosesWhat Thoughtful Teaching Actually Looks Like Go Deeper Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship The anatomy behind the poses you teach, how to make confident decisions about what belongs in your classes, and how to work with students who have complex histories are all part of the Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship. Book a Strategy Call Want to talk through whether it is the right fit for you? Book a strategy call. Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the show YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries Let's connect: Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it! Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

    15 min
  3. Ep 129: Should Chaturangas Be in Every Vinyasa Class?

    15 Jun

    Ep 129: Should Chaturangas Be in Every Vinyasa Class?

    Chaturanga is one of the most repeated movements in vinyasa yoga, and one of the most commonly practiced by students without having the foundational capacity to support it. For yoga teachers, understanding what chaturanga actually demands of the wrists and shoulder joint, and recognizing when students are not ready to practice it in a way that supports their bodies, is essential knowledge for teaching safe, effective vinyasa classes.  This episode challenges the assumption that you should teach chaturanga in every flow, answers the question "Why?", and offers you alternatives to use with the real range of students who come to a typical vinyasa class. Challenging The Assumption That You Should Always Teach ChaturangaThe Makeup of Students In Your Classes Why the Wrists MatterWhy the Shoulder Joint Is the Bigger ConcernWhat to Offer InsteadFree Resource 10 Chaturanga Variations -  Download the free 10 Chaturanga Variations video series for a complete toolkit of modifications and alternatives you can offer any student in any vinyasa class. Related Episodes:  Why Traditional Restorative Yoga Isn't for Everyone How to Teach Students Body Awareness in Yoga Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the show YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries Let's connect: Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it! Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

    18 min
  4. Ep 128: Yin Yoga and Labral Tears

    8 Jun

    Ep 128: Yin Yoga and Labral Tears

    Many yoga teachers think of yin yoga as a universally gentle practice, but for students with hip labral tears, the deep hip flexion and sustained holds that define the yoga practice can be genuinely problematic. Understanding the difference between yin yoga and restorative yoga, why the hip labrum is vulnerable to certain kinds of loading, and what alternatives you can offer your students is the kind of practical anatomy knowledge that changes how you teach. This episode gives yoga teachers a clear foundation for working more safely and thoughtfully with students who have hip labral tears. Well cover: Yin Yoga vs. Restorative Yoga: Why the Distinction MattersWhat a Hip Labral Tear Is and Why It Matters in Yoga Why Yin Yoga's Deep Hip Poses Can Be ProblematicWhat to Help Students Look Out For Four Alternatives That WorkGo Deeper Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship - The hip, labral tears, movement considerations, and practical sequencing strategies are covered in depth inside the Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship. Your real students, real scenarios, and real support Not sure if it's the right fit? Book a strategy call. Book a Strategy Call Related Episodes: Why Traditional Restorative Yoga Isn't for Everyone How to Teach Students Body Awareness in Yoga Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the show YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries Let's connect: Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it! Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

    19 min
  5. Ep 127: Why Traditional Restorative Yoga Isn't for Everyone

    1 Jun

    Ep 127: Why Traditional Restorative Yoga Isn't for Everyone

    As yoga teachers, we were initially trained to think of restorative yoga as the gentle, accessible option, the class option to send students who are struggling. But for students managing anxiety or chronic pain, traditional restorative practice can be challenging, and sometimes counterproductive. Understanding why certain nervous systems resist stillness, and what to offer when they do, is one of the most practical skills you can develop. This episode challenges the assumption that restorative yoga is universally calming and gives you concrete alternatives to use with students whose nervous systems need a different approach. You'll learn: Why Restorative Yoga Doesn't Always Regulate the Nervous SystemWhat Happens with Students in Chronic PainWhere Teachers Get It WrongFive Alternatives That Actually Work Want to Go Deeper on the Nervous System? Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship Not sure if the mentorship is right for you right now? Book a strategy call, and we can talk through it together. Book a Strategy Call Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the show YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries Let's connect: Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it! Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

    20 min
  6. Ep 126: How to Teach Your Students Body Awareness

    25 May

    Ep 126: How to Teach Your Students Body Awareness

    Teaching body awareness in yoga is one of the most underused skills a teacher can develop, and one of the most impactful things you can offer your students. This episode makes the case for why this skill deserves a central place in how you teach, and gives you concrete tools to bring it into your classes, starting with your very next class. This episode includes: Why Saying "Listen to Your Body" Isn't Enough Why Teaching Body Awareness Matters for Your Students Why Body Awareness Matters for You as a TeacherPractical Ways to Teach Body AwarenessWhat Students Experience When You Teach This WayResources Mentioned: Sequencing Made Easy - a clear, practical framework for building classes that are accessible and well-structured.  Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the show YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries Let's connect: Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it! Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

    20 min
  7. Ep 125: Sequencing: Why Less Is More

    18 May

    Ep 125: Sequencing: Why Less Is More

    If you think you need to have creative sequences that are wildly different every week to retain students, or that the creative demonstrates a teaching skill, then this episode is for you! In this episode, I will directly challenge this belief. If you have ever felt anxious about being too repetitive or wondered whether your regular students are getting bored, this conversation is going to give you a different way to think about what your sequencing is actually doing for the students in your classes. What I'll cover: Why Cognitive Load Matters in Yoga ClassWhat I've Observed Teaching Mixed-Level ClassesWhy Students Come to Yoga Three Alternatives to Consider Instead of Writing New Sequences Week After WeekResources Mentioned: Sequencing Made Easy - a clear, practical framework for building classes that are accessible and well-structured.   Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the show YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries Let's connect: Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it! Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

    20 min
  8. Ep 124: Teaching Yoga to Aging Students

    11 May

    Ep 124: Teaching Yoga to Aging Students

    Many yoga teachers can feel uncertain about how to serve older students effectively. Students in their sixties, seventies, and eighties have different considerations than younger students (i.e. reduced range of motion, changing balance, concerns about bone density, addressing multiple chronic conditions, and slower recovery times). But aging is not decline, and older adults aren't necessarily fragile. They're people who are capable of growth, adaptation, and would benefit immensely from a meaningful yoga practice. Learn to understand what changes with aging, what concerns older students face, and how to teach this population thoughtfully. This episode breaks down everything yoga teachers need to know about working with aging bodies, from physical changes to emotional context to practical modifications to class formats that work well. I'll cover: The Physical Changes That Affect Yoga Practice as Bodies AgeWhat Older Students Are Actually Dealing WithHow to Approach Teaching Older Adults ThoughtfullySpecific Modifications and Teaching ConsiderationsClass Formats That Work Well for Older AdultsWhat Older Adults Actually Need from TeachersTeaching older adults is meaningful work because you are helping these students maintain independence, stay connected to their bodies in a culture claiming they're past their prime, create community, and experience joy and purpose in movement. Resources Mentioned: Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship - Six-month program with real students, real-time application, ongoing support covering anatomy, pain science, injuries, nervous system, recovery strategies, and sequencing Designing Transformative Workshops -  Create workshops for specific populations, including older adults, market them, and deliver them thoroughly with confidence. Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode! Support the show YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries Let's connect: Check out my website: Enhanced BodyConnect with me on InstagramWanna work together? Book a Discovery CallPractice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)Join my Newsletter for teachers below! Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it! Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.

    29 min
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About

The podcast for yoga teachers centered around important conversations for yoga teachers to discuss, reflect, and implement. From class planning to business strategy, these conversations help yoga teachers build the business that will help keep them teaching long-term and with a sustainable income. 

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