Keen on Yoga Podcast Adam Keen

Reema Datta (www.reemadatta.com | @reemayoga)
In this conversation, Reema Datta shares her journey of discovering yoga and becoming a teacher. She discusses her background growing up in a family immersed in yoga and Ayurveda. Rima also talks about her experience with Larry Schultz and the perception of yoga appropriation.
She emphasises the need for a holistic approach to yoga, including integrating mind practices. Rima suggests that ancient texts should be translated and made applicable to modern life to deepen the understanding of yoga.
The conversation explores the importance of incorporating mental aspects in yoga and the need to go back to the original teachings of yoga. It discusses the role of translations in understanding yoga texts and the significance of cultural appropriation and respect in yoga.
The meaning and pronunciation of Namaste are explored, along with the importance of respecting yoga traditions and practices. The conversation also delves into overcoming the fluctuations of the mind and the gift of yoga to humanity. It highlights the need to improve the representation of yoga and the use of yoga sequences to work with emotions. 
The conversation concludes with discussing the need for a feminine touch in yoga and the mind-body experience in yoga. The chapter ends with a reflection on inspiration and guilty pleasures.
Highlights
Yoga can be practised in various ways and is not limited to asana.        The perception of yoga appropriation can be divisive and counterproductive. ·       There is a need for a holistic approach to yoga that integrates mind practices. ·       Ancient texts should be translated and made applicable to modern life to deepen the understanding of yoga. Incorporating mental aspects in yoga is essential to honour the original teachings of yoga. ·       Translations of yoga texts can greatly impact our understanding and practice of yoga. ·       Cultural appropriation in yoga should be approached with respect and understanding. ·       The meaning and pronunciation of Namaste can vary, but the intention behind it is what matters. ·       Respecting yoga traditions and practices includes understanding the symbolism and significance of statues and other elements. ·       Yoga helps overcome the fluctuations of the mind and promotes unity and connection. ·       Yoga is a gift to humanity and should be represented with integrity and authenticity. ·       Yoga sequences can be designed to work with specific emotions and promote emotional well-being. ·       Including more feminine perspectives in yoga can bring balance and depth to the practice. ·       The mind-body experience is an integral part of yoga and should not be suppressed or denied. ·       Honesty and authenticity are inspiring qualities in yoga and in life. ·       Taking time for guilty pleasures, such as watching movies and enjoying snacks, is important for self-care. You can find links to Reema's book, Sacred Sanskrit Words for Yoga, Chant, and Meditation and her two mantra albums on her website: www.reemadatta.com 
You can also follow her on Instagram @reemayoga
Sources: 
Eknath Easwaran's translations of the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads are excellent. He taught at the University of California, Berkeley for decades, and was an amazing bridge between India and the West. His translations are easy to read and full of relatable stories. Roopa Pai has written The Gita for Children and The Vedas and Upanishads for Children. They are both excellent books if you'd like to share with your kids and learn with them! Even for adults, these books are a great introduction to these texts, which carry the original wisdom teachings of yoga that focus on the mind. 
You can learn more about Niguma from H.E. Kalu Rinpoche. 
Reema offers a free online community gathering on the last Su

In this solo episode, Adam talks about the challenges facing yoga teachers and how he manages them. 
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David Fredriksson - A Journey From Injury to Yoga (@david_fredriksson | www.yogayama.com/teachers/david-fredriksson/ )
Background in dance | Hatha to Ashtanga | Change from an unhealthy lifestyle | Going through therapy | Switching addictions | Moving to a 6-day-a-week practice | Going to the source | Meeting Laruga | Healing body and mind | Tristana brings me to the present | Being there to give the tools | If I can do it, you can do it
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David is one of the most experienced Ashtanga teachers in Sweden. His first contact with yoga was back in 1993 while exploring ways to find alternative forms of healing when Western medicine and physical therapy failed to heal a foot injury.
As a spiritual seeker from his teens, he tried Hatha yoga. Right away, David felt the deep benefits of asana and meditation practice.
Miraculously, yoga healed him physically, however, what blew David away the most, was the deep, sustaining well-being, that in turn, wasn’t fleeting, like other sensory pursuits. Yoga gave a greater sense of clarity, calmness, and internal focus more than anything he had previously experienced. Here David’s yoga journey began.
His asana practice has been on and off through the years, but David always kept his seated meditation practice going the entire time.
In early 2006, David took his first Ashtanga Yoga class. From that point on, he has not stopped. When David embarked on his first trip to Mysore, India, in February 2008, practicing with R. Sharath Jois, he delved deeper into the practice and fully committed himself to the method. Ever since then, David has been back to India every year to continue his studies and deepen his practice. In January 2011 he had the honour of receiving his Level 1 Authorization to teach from his teacher, R. Sharath Jois.
In Sweden, David teaches and assists alongside his teacher, Laruga Glaser (Certified – Advanced B). When Laruga travels around the world to teach workshops and retreats. David is the one who runs and oversees the Mysore program at Yogayama Östermalm, in Stockholm.
David regularly gets invitations to teach internationally and in other Swedish cities. He also teams up and teaches together with Laruga during her workshops and retreats all over the world.
For David, it’s a great honour to help hold a space for students from all walks of life, where they can explore who they are, and grow as human beings with the help of this dynamic practice. He invites all of you who feel inspired by this practice to walk this path with him.
 
 
 

#149 John Tattva & Marta Magdalena - Ashtanga Yoga, Love & Community (Ashtanga Nilayam Singapore | @ashtanganilayam.sg )
Yin and yang | Yoga community in Singapore | Finding Ashtanga Yoga | Pranayama & Chanting | Manifesting | A Gateway to Self-realisation | What’s in the sequences? | Sharing the joy of connecting to your own breath | Not following blindly | Managing knee issues | Yoga as a lifestyle | Removing obstacles | Finding your truth 
Marta Magdalena is a co-founder of Nilayam and a dedicated yoga practitioner and teacher of Astanga Yoga. With over 20 years of experience on the mat, Marta's dedication to her daily self-practice of asana and pranayama is truly inspiring.
Passionate about the holistic approach to wellness, Marta emphasises the importance of breathing practices, Ayurveda, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle alongside the physical aspects of yoga. She firmly believes these elements should always go hand in hand, creating a harmonious balance for overall well-being. 
In her spare time, Marta delves into the study of Vedic mantras, seeking a deeper understanding of the mind-body-soul connection. She understands that exploring a wide range of practices that bridge the physical and metaphysical realms unlocks the gateway to a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
John Tattva is a co-founder of Nilayam and a passionate advocate of yoga. From his early days as a primary school apprentice, John has immersed himself in yoga, constantly expanding his knowledge and expertise. Today, he stands as a seasoned instructor, sharing his deep-rooted passion and wisdom with students daily for over a decade.
He truly believes in the transformative power of Ashtanga Yoga, a practice that has become the cornerstone of his teachings. Yearly trips to Mysore allowed him to deepen his understanding and receive the blessing to teach from his teacher, Sharath Jois, reaching an Authorization Level 2.
John also embraces therapeutic yoga, spreading positivity and healing through his teachings. Join him on a transformative journey of self-discovery and holistic well-being.

Christopher Wallis – Near Enemies of The Truth (www.hareesh.org | @hareeshwallis | YouTube )
Speaking in near absolute truths | Digesting v rather than letting emotions go | Don’t take it personally | I am my own guru | When the mental filters fall away | Communion with reality | Being with what is | Is yoga stilling the fluctuations of the mind? | Finding your dharma? | Following the golden thread in your life
New Book Available for Pre-order: Near Enemies of the Truth https://hareesh.org/nearenemies 
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Christopher Wallis, also known as Hareesh, is a Sanskritist and scholar-practitioner of Classical Tantra with thirty years of experience. He was initiated by a traditional Indian guru at the age of sixteen and received education at yoga āshrams in India and the West. 
Subsequently, he engaged in fourteen years of formal education in Sanskrit, South Asian Studies, and classical Indian religions.
Hareesh teaches classical Tantric philosophy and Tantric practices, meditation, Sanskrit, and mantra-science to an engaged online community of practitioners. He is the Founder of Tantra Illuminated Online, an online learning portal where all his courses and teachings are available. He also offers workshops, retreats and classes in person in Portugal and around the world.
He combines his practice of more than 25 years with a rigorous inquiry into the original Sanskrit sources to accurately translate and bring this ancient nondual wisdom to modern practitioners. The practices aim to facilitate both spiritual awakening and enhanced well-being for people in all walks of life. His community of students frequently praise his deep love for the tradition and the clarity of thought and expression. 
His teachers, mentors, and gurus, in chronological order, include: Gurumayī Chidvilāsānandā (root-guru), Paul Muller-Ortega (Śaiva Tantra and Classical Yoga); Alexis Sanderson (Śaiva and Śākta Tantra and Sanskrit); Marshall Rosenberg (Nonviolent Communication); Somadeva Vasudeva (Śaiva Tantra), Adyashanti (Meditation), and others who wish to remain anonymous.
 His degrees include a B.A. in Religion and Classics from the University of Rochester, an M.A. in South Asian Studies from U.C. Berkeley, an M.Phil. in Classical Indian Religions from Oxford, and a Ph.D. in Sanskrit from U.C. Berkeley. 
Hareesh is the author of Tantra Illuminated: The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a Timeless Tradition, the first comprehensive and accessible introduction to Classical Tantra in English (also available in Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian), and of The Recognition Sutras, a translation and commentary on a 1000-year-old masterpiece on experiential recognition of oneself as a direct expression of universal divine Consciousness. 
His new book Near Enemies of the Truth comes out on November 14 and is available for pre-orders now. 
EDUCATION 
Ph.D. in South Asian Studies (Sanskrit), University of California-Berkeley, 2014
M.Phil. with Distinction in Classical Indian Religions, University of Oxford (UK)
M.A. with Honors in South Asian Studies (Sanskrit), University of California-Berkeley, 2003
B.A. magna cum laude in Religion and Classics, University of Rochester, 2001
 In this talk:
Near Enemies of the Truth 
Christopher Wallis YouTube Channel 
Christopher Wallis Blog 
Tantra Illuminated Online 
 

Lotta Sebzda - The Mindset of Practice |  @lottasbzdayoga
Ashtanga as a 57-year-old grandmother (not what you’d think) | The importance of listening to the body | Early injury | Balancing yoga practice with family | Finding your limit | Finding joy in simple moments | Practice moments when feeling down | Inspiration from social media | Struggling with jumpbacks | Being mindful of social media | The benefits of a cold plunge | The practice in the early 2000s | Discovering the handstand press | Pushing yourself in practice
Lotta Sebzda is a 57-year-old hairdresser - Ashtanga lover - mother of two adult children and two grandchildren.  Ever since Lotta was a child, she was mostly upside down, doing handstands, cartwheels or other gymnastics.
When she found Ashtanga Yoga in the late 90s it was like coming home, she says - she was immediately drawn to the practice. Since that day it’s been a big part of her life - with dedication, love, curiosity, energy and gratefulness.
Andrew also started his Ashtanga Yoga journey at the same time as Lotta. With a background as a basketball player, he had many old injuries to deal with. Ashtanga yoga helped him to strengthen the weak and injured parts of his body, and today yoga is the only thing that keeps him strong, both in body and mind.