In this episode of Leadership and Yoga, I sit down with Kino MacGregor, one of the most thoughtful voices in the yoga world, for a wide-ranging, honest conversation about practice, leadership, creativity, and impact through yoga.
We talk about high standards and self-compassion, ritual and discipline, discernment in creativity, and how to work with failure without letting it turn into self-denigration. We explore lineage and tradition in Ashtanga yoga, the power of storytelling, and what makes an impactful yoga teacher.
This conversation moves from a behind the scenes look at Kino’s daily rituals and decision-making to the deeply spiritual and big questions of, why are we here?
If you’re a yoga teacher, leader, or lifelong student navigating devotion, creativity, and real human life, this one is for you.
If you enjoyed this episode with Kino, please subscribe. Thank you! :)
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Time Stamps:
00:00 intro
02:16 inspired by Kino’s story
03:32 how did you realize you wanted to dedicate your life to yoga?
07:25 when you were little, what did you dream of being when you grew up?
12:30 do you remember your first ashtanga class?
19:34 from a dream about Pattabhi Jois to traveling to India
23:08 what is the essence of ashtanga yoga for you?
24:12 the guru’s grace
28:01 what characteristics of your teachers helped you the most?
31:00 the ashtanga authorization process
36:39 future of the teacher-student relationship in yoga
38:29 staying rooted in service as a yoga teacher
41:41 how can yoga be a tool for good in the world?
44:07 different paths of change
49:27 how do you prepare yourself to show up in the world to teach?
51:47 what is your relationship with creativity?
55:47 book recommendations?
01:00:00 tradition vs innovation
01:03:00 experiencing the transcendent
01:05:00 why do you think we’re here?
01:07:00 “let everything you do be an act of love”
01:12:00 the billboard question
This episode is for you if you haven’t started and don’t know how to spend your time to find the success you long for.
In this intimate solo episode, I share the truth about finding my first “thread” of success in my mission, business, life, my podcast, and social media. It’s about finding that small, almost fragile feeling of something finally working, and how I learned to turn that single thread into real momentum.
I talk about the lessons I wish I knew three years ago: why trying something 20 times matters more than chasing trends, how I learned to notice patterns without obsessing over perfection, and why my goals have to be close enough to touch. I break down the difference between meaningful creation and shiny-object noise, the power of setting specific focus time, and the art of resting deeply so the next idea can rise to the surface.
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Time stamps:
00:00 Intro
03:15 Finding Your Thread of Success
10:16 Major Growth Takeaways
20:28 Overcoming Victim Mindset
24:26 Creating Meaningful Work
27:48 Trying 20 Times Pattern Recognition
33:31 Setting Realistic Goals
37:20 The Power of Presence and Meditation
48:10 Starting Over: Lessons Learned
In this episode, Dedica joins us for an inspiring conversation about presence, adaptation, and what it means to stop betraying yourself by learning to listen to and trust your inner voice. She shares her journey from injury to returning to a physical yoga practice, rebuilding self-trust, and discovering the power of keeping the promises you make to yourself. We also explore finding balance between momentum and rest, the connection between yoga and creativity, and how lived experience becomes our greatest teacher.
Dedica’s Website: https://www.dedica.live/
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Time Stamps:
00:00 intro
01:16 offering tree
02:17 TEND giveaway
05:05 what is something people don’t usually know about you?
07:14 adaptation: getting injured & the healing process
16:27 balancing momentum with intentional rest
19:01 returning to the physical practice of yoga after injury
24:10 yoga brings me back to myself
27:09 learning through experience vs over-intellectualizing
28:33 why motivates you to create?
30:27 the relationship between yoga and creativity
36:49 how do you know which risks are worth taking?
41:51 anxiety and enjoying the present
43:38 how can we step into our own dreams?
46:00 persistence and the discipline of showing up as a new yoga teacher
50:50 the practice of discernment
52:32 stop betraying yourself
58:10 when you fall, be willing to begin again
01:00:39 keep your promises to yourself: building trust with yourself
01:02:41 what’s your greatest joy right now? biggest challenge?
01:03:50 what is your hope for the future of yoga?
This is what actually makes dreams come true. Join me for a magical, spontaneous, story-filled episode after traveling to Miami to interview legendary yoga teachers, Kino MacGregor and Jonah Kest. Embedded in this episode are teachings I’ve put into practice from Richard Rudd of the Gene Keys, Blu from the Deja Blu Podcast, Frederick Dodson of Levels of Energy and Dr. Joe Dispenza from Rewired.
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Time stamps:
00:00 intro
04:00 walking from miracle to miracle
06:30 dragonfly story
10:00 writing my book
16:00 giveaway & my sponsors update
20:00 miami interview biz trip
23:55 stare into my eyes
26:00 stop expectations
29:36 it’s not manifestation, it’s synchronization
33:30 it’s more fun to be someone else’s manifestation
David Swenson is a man who needs no introduction in the yoga world. If you practice Ashtanga yoga, you’ve likely studied his Ashtanga Yoga practice manual, and he recently wrote another book called Only Dead Fish Go with the Flow.
This is his second appearance on the leadership and yoga podcast and his stories are like none other. They will leave you in shock, and sometimes with a laugh, but always with a sense of remembering that anything is possible.
This episode is a reminder of what happens when we follow our dreams and when we persevere. It is the purest form of inspiration for us fellow yoga teachers, and a beautiful reminder that we find life‘s purpose in all the little moments that are always moving like a wave beneath us, propelling us forward, sometimes as if by magic.
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time stamps:
00:00 intro
05:19 stories are the most powerful tool we have as humans
07:19 why create in addition to teaching yoga
09:19 samskaras and expectations
12:49 confidence built through yoga
14:49 the tipping point of confidence in teaching yoga
20:19 David’s first classes teaching at 14 years old
21:34 getting fired from teaching yoga
23:19 self-pity and depression turning point
26:49 scraps of paper by his bed
30:19 memorization and details
33:49 creative process of the famous Ashtanga Yoga Practice Manual
36:49 energy for problem solving and figuring things out
40:49 confirm our own journey
43:49 yoga means trying hard and detaching
48:49 can yoga change the world?
50:34 yoga can be a selfish endeavor
53:49 peacefulness does not mean an absence of difficulty
56:19 this energy is a gift, it’s not for me to hoard
58:19 what is enlightenment?
59:49 David wore a wig for 3 years
01:02:49 jesus has long hair. are you a communist?
01:08:49 selfless action
01:12:49 a yogi is someone who leaves the place nicer
01:17:49 ashtanga yoga doesn’t have to evolve
01:21:49 landed back on his mat
01:26:49 rapid fire
Poetic, deep inspiration for yoga teachers & those new to yoga. I read a collection of poems about why I fell in love with yoga, how practice becomes a ritual, and why teachers have the power to change the world. I share pieces about presence, impact, acceptance & growth, and finish with three poems that inspired me this month — including “Start Close In,” by David Whyte, and “The Invitation,” by Oriah Mountain Dreamer. Whether you teach or simply show up to your mat, this episode is an invitation to stay, with it all.
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time stamps:
00:00 intro - yoga can change the world
07:30 giveaways! signed book & ayurveda self-care set
11:40 part 1: love poems for yoga
20:40 part 2: poems about yoga as a ritual
27:00 part 3: poems about yoga changing the world
36:00 part 4: acceptance & growth poems about yoga
46:00 part 5: poems that inspire me
Inspired from a moment in an interview I did with Sri Dharma Mittra, I sat down to contemplate my life over coffee as I do most mornings. But on this particular morning, everything I’ve learned from Richard Rudd of the Gene Keys, Frederick Dodson of Levels of Energy and Parallel Universes of Self, and even some Dr. Joe Dispenza organized itself in my head in a new way. The result is the “thought experience” I have prepared for you today.
Here’s a divine fractal theory I enjoy thinking about when I wonder why consciousness split itself to experience being human, and why life feels limiting—and what it really means about your power and purpose.
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Time stamps:
00:00 Intro
01:00 Sri Dharma Mittra on mysteries
03:50 my story of mystery
07:30 mysterious money arriving just in time
10:50 how to solve problems
13:10 giveaway! TEND yourself & a friend
15:00 sit back, relax, but also lean in
17:00 staying in the energy
19:20 THOUGHT EXPERIENCE START
33:00 my downfall & recovery & surprise
In this episode, poet Meghan Bay reveals how writing poetry is a way to practice presence. She shares how creativity can be seen as a gift from the Creator and how to create space to invite in more creative ideas. Meghan also shares the importance of honoring every version of yourself as you grow and evolve, allowing your journey of transformation to be uniquely your own.
Follow Meghan on Instagram: @meghan.bay
And find her writing: Meghan’s Substack
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Time Stamps:
00:00 intro
03:42 “the fool’s hunt” - poem by Meghan Bay
05:24 How do you know when you’ve written something that’s really true?
07:00 morning pages & digital journaling
08:53 Meghan's story: growing up Christian, moving to Australia, getting into writing
16:04 letting yourself be seen: sharing on social media
19:56 the process of writing a book: capturing poems when they arrive
22:11 creativity as a gift from the Creator to help shape this world
25:41 are you actually giving yourself what you need?
27:31 morning routine & a meditation practice
31:58 the discipline of a writing practice
33:06 creating space to invite creativity to land
34:06 Meghan's mission: creating a space for people to expand into themselves
36:10 let yourself move slowly, one small step at a time
39:04: how can we shift from a focus on the outcome to a focus on presence?
40:38 reality creation: fate or free will?
42:46 sending love to past or future versions of yourself
43:53 why are we here?
47:37 the path to transformation & liberation will be uniquely yours
52:42 appreciating the contrast of emotions & experiences
54:46 qualities of an exceptional leader
57:08 the billboard question
In this episode, I break down the four steps every yoga teacher needs to grow a business with moral ambition. Let's talk about why your mission is your most valuable business asset, why your systems determine your sustainability, how to face numbers, pricing, and fees without shrinking, and how “minimum viable structure” can change your whole life. I walk you through the ONE symbolic action you can take today—something you might look back on years from now as the exact moment everything began to change.
If you’ve ever felt behind, overwhelmed, or “not business-minded enough,” this is for you. Your dream isn’t meant for someone richer, older, more experienced, or more confident. It’s meant for you—and the world needs what you're building. This episode includes a tour of OfferingTree, my sponsor.
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One spot left. Come on my Costa Rica yoga retreat in January 2026:
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YouTube social media video I mentioned:
https://youtu.be/h_yQswsXwhY?si=SXLofxnBfWuwziIO
Time stamps:
00:00 setting the mood
07:50 animation
10:00 luck is when opportunity meets preparation
11:40 agenda for today & offeringtree
15:47 part 1: how to make actual progress
20:00 David Swenson example
23:30 part 2: creating offers
29:00 gene key 26 & divine pride
31:00 part 3: money
33:40 rates teaching yoga
34:00 social media income
38:00 courses and yoga retreats
40:00 part 4: systems & offeringtree
45:00 cost of systems & software
54:00 personal use & podcasting software
55:00 take notes on students
56:00 homework
57:00 inspirational send off :)
This conversation with yoga teacher Eva Vriens explores embodiment, discerning gut feelings, teaching yoga in other languages, why there is no such thing as going backward, and much more!
Find Eva on Instagram @eva.vri
Sign up here to join the next Yoga Teacher Roundtable
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Time Stamps:
00:00 intro
03:53 moving to Italy
07:19 teaching yoga in other languages
12:23 it’s exactly what makes you nervous that will bring the change you desire
16:28 interpreting gut feelings: trusting what your body is telling you
20:49 what did you want to be when you grew up?
25:06 the magic of yoga as a return to self & to presence
26:54 how was teaching your first yoga class?
31:18 breakthroughs in teaching yoga
34:29 retracing our steps can actually help us move forward
35:59 how do you prepare yourself to teach?
37:58 morning routine
42:16 creating our realities
43:53 how can we start to believe something different is possible for us?
45:59 book recommendations?
51:16 qualities of an exceptional leader?
53:14 if you could chat with anyone over coffee or tea, who would you invite?
57:16 the billboard question
In this episode, I talk about what it means to live addicted to the hormones of stress—constantly rushing, pushing, and chasing success instead of allowing life to unfold. I share how I learned to slow down, cultivate patience, destress, and trust the process of following my dreams without burning out. If you’ve ever struggled to find calm, balance, and faith while chasing your purpose, this conversation will help you remember that slowing down is how you truly speed up.
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00:00 intro
01:00 music
04:00 synchronicities
08:40 one: jeju island mistake
14:00 the meditation of patience
17:30 gabriel garcia marquez and magical realism
22:00 open gifts after dinner
23:30 Mr. Beast’s first $10k
25:00 two: patience protects you from your mind
27:00 walk towards the storm
29:24 don’t go fast
32:30 true trust
35:38 TEND
39:00 space for the unknown
42:00 time is a construct
Amy Newmark, publisher and editor-in-chief of Chicken Soup for the Soul, shares how stories can inspire, heal, and transform our lives. We talk about forgiveness, gratitude, synchronicities, and the kinds of stories the world needs most right now.
The Chicken Soup For The Soul Website
The Chicken Soup For The Soul Podcast
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Time Stamps:
00:00 intro
02:06 the power of stories
04:32 where does your interest in human stories come from?
06:35 finding chicken soup for the soul
10:54 how did working on wall street shape your path?
13:03 entering the publishing world
14:57 change your habits, change your life
15:58 the editing process
18:31 the best stories will make you feel something
19:59 you have a to-do list, but do you have a to-enjoy list?
22:01 do you ever feel self-help overwhelm or advice-overwhelm?
23:02 a gratitude practice can change your life
24:22 the power of forgiveness
25:37 if you’re convinced you have a good story: keep submitting
28:11 what kinds of stories do you think the world needs the most right now?
32:07 “pre-forgiveness”
33:36 the freedom of letting go of resentment
35:25 what do you think is happening when we read a story that sets us free?
37:20 the chicken soup for the soul podcast
39:55 consistency in creative work
42:17 have you included any of your own stories in the books?
44:21 a flat tire and the power of positive thinking
46:00 a synchronicity story: the family reunion
49:21 what makes an exceptional leader?
51:54 what’s your greatest joy?
52:58 billboard question
Join Shawna Krueger, Ben Kalra, Kimia Hajian, Marla Tortorice and Brand Bergado for a behind the scenes look into our self-created yoga teacher mastermind and friendship group. There are some absolute keys for finding authentic friendship in the yoga world, along with some good laughs.
This episode explores what it means to grow in community as a yoga teacher and creative. Let’s talk finding aligned friendships, choosing collaboration over competition, and building accountability and honesty within relationships. We touch on the balance between playfulness and focus, and the importance of becoming the kind of person you’d want to be friends with. And, what happens when friendship doesn’t come easily — and how openness, trust, and consistency can transform that over time.
Ben Kalra - @benkalra
Kimia Hajian - @kimihajian
Marla Tortorice - @marlasyoga
Brandon Bergado - @brandonberg_
Shawna Krueger - @shawnkru
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time stamps:
00:00 intro
01:00 trust me, don’t skip the intro
03:45 real friends are found on the mountain
05:10 shawna’s letter to cactus club
08:15 brandon’s cactus club origin story
10:00 community as a yoga teacher
15:45 brandon on where to find aligned friends
20:00 ben on collaboration over competition
25:40 marla on accountability in friendships
30:00 kimi on honest feedback in friendships
35:25 ben on balance between silliness & focus
40:00 becoming the kind of person you’d want to be friends with
45:50 kimi on when friendship doesn’t come easily at first
This roundtable episode brings together yoga teachers from across the country! Tune in to hear what’s inspiring their classes right now, unexpected teaching moments, personal stories, practical insights, and lessons learned on their teaching journeys.
Do you want to be part of the next Yoga Teacher Roundtable? Sign up here!
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Thank you to the contributing yoga teachers!
Camilla Fay (@camillawfay)
Carli Tornetta (@catcowcar)
Cassie Chechile (@theselfwithcassie)
Bex Nghi (@wildbexs)
Wren Heft (@flow_with_wren)
Lisa Osorio (@lisaosodel)
Bianca Cadiz (@biancavyoga)
Time Stamps:
00:00:00 intro
00:02:29 wren’s story: double savasana
00:05:05 bianca’s story: the sequencing notebook
00:08:27 camilla’s story: teaching yoga is an expression of the love language of quality time
00:10:38 bex’s story: an unexpected visitor
00:12:48 lisa’s story: the serious student
00:15:52 cassie’s story: on people pleasing
00:17:47 carli’s story: the cat cafe
00:20:38 shawna’s story: the foot incident
22:30 about the yoga teachers
29:43 billboard messages
36:50 what's been inspiring your classes lately?
43:30 closing
This is not just a list of “stops” to regain energy. It’s a call to remember why you started teaching yoga in the first place.
I have episodes on starting a meditation habit, getting clear on your mission as a conscious creator, and an episode called 7 keys for teaching yoga that changes lives that may also be of interest to you, linked below. :)
October 28th Webinar on creating your homepage
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Time stamps:
00:00 intro
01:00 opening poem: teaching yoga like we play music
03:00 let’s hang
08:00 stop procrastinating your meditation
10:30 creating a coherent message in class
12:30 stop thinking you need to practice exactly what you teach
15:40 stop trying to do it all on your own
17:55 the three S’s rule
23:00 stop grinding & start creating art
25:30 when u find joy in the process, others find joy in it
28:45 stop saying i don’t have time to slow down
30:00 laundry basket analogy
33:00 u are the seer of your thoughts, but do u remember?
34:01 stop being scattered & ignoring strategy
40:30 stop losing all your great ideas
42:00 how to define your mission
43:01 if u want more ppl in your class, why?
44:20 stop needing to prove anything about yourself
46:30 graduation speech & homework
Guru Benny is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and creator working at the intersection of quantum physics and human psychology. In this conversation, she shares about the power of belief, how mental health and spirituality are connected, and how consciousness is the key to both personal and collective liberation. She also shares practical ways to align with your higher self and tune into the endless possibilities all around you.
Find Guru Benny on her TikTok @itsgurubenny, Instagram @itsgurubenny, and on her website futureguru.co.
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Time Stamps:
00:00 intro
03:16 what sparked your interest in quantum physics/manifestation?
08:05 how much do you believe we shape our own reality?
12:40 what does it really mean to create your own reality?
14:37 how do we change our beliefs?
16:44 undoing beliefs from childhood
18:13 why are we here? We are here to become
20:00 how does the quantum make you feel supported?
21:39 what is quantum physics?
23:34 we influence everything we observe
24:40 we live in an infinite reality
27:13 spillover effect
30:56 how to integrate this into your daily life?
34:51 polarity
41:59 when you close your eyes and think about what God means to you, what do you see or feel?
34:55 we are our own attraction point
46:11 what have you learned in your therapeutic work about human nature?
47:56 mental health is spiritual
50:32 suffering is detatchment from the true self
51:52 what are the qualities of an exceptional leader?
53:57 what is your greatest joy?
54:52 what worries you?
56:35 book recommendations for continued learning?
58:13 billboard: you are the creator
Welcome in for a sonic and poetic journey back to what’s real. This immersive special episode is for anyone who’s ever felt lost in life — lost in the vastness of it all — and needed a reminder that we are never truly separate, and we have nothing to fear. Today I blend story and music in hopes that you feel something deeper. It’s not about fixing yourself — it’s about remembering your power, your softness, and your mission in a world that often forgets what matters most.
This is for the ones who want to believe in wild beauty, who want to have energy to live for what really matters in a world drowning in distraction.
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Inspiration behind the show:
This episode was written while listening to one of my favorite EP's right now, Lost Tales by Finnegan Tui.
It was also written as I have been reading Moral Ambition by Rutger Bregman thanks to the recommendation of one of my other favorite artists, Sophie Hawley-Weld from Sofi Tukker.
An episode on what makes the impossible synchronicities not only possible, but incredibly probable.
I hope y'all enjoy this special late night session. Thanks for being here. :)
The concept of spillover effect and parallel universes of self come from the author Frederick Dodson.
In this episode, I’m sharing my most powerful breakthroughs from living in Austin—along with structure to help you reflect on your own. I talk about how meditation, hot yoga, and conscious lifestyle choices have shifted my body, mind, and energy. I dive into reframing money as a tool for appreciation, breaking free from FOMO, and cultivating friendships and self-worth that feel truly nourishing.
I also share stories from my travels, experiences with wellness practices, and the mindset shifts that have changed my life. My goal is to inspire you to notice your own breakthroughs, embrace what truly lights you up, and create a reality that reflects that. :)
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Laurentine is a filmmaker who is a contributor for Gaia, an author, and a nutrition & business coach. She has produced five feature documentary films, two best-selling books, a streaming TV channel, Food Matters TV that became part of Gaia.
She has worked alongside hundreds of wellness and healing experts from around the globe including Joe Dispenza and Wim Hof.
https://www.foodmatters.com/films
Find Laurentine: @foodmatters @laurentinetenbosch
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Time stamps:
00:00 intro
01:00 who is Laurentine
05:30 the role of media in raising consciousness
10:50 how can we believe that love can heal
12:30 first film, going out on a limb, learning to make a documentary
14:00 not giving over power to medical world: nutrition & naturopath studies, taking health into their own hands
18:00 sharing confronting truths with the public in a way that allows them to be heard and understood
20:45 cinéma vérité: topics that need to see the light of day
22:45 opening the channel: 5am meditation mornings creative process
25:30 we are hungry for spirituality
28:00 talking to Dr. Joe Dispenza, Wim Hof & others
30:00 getting more people to say yes to speaking
32:00 clean slate releasing low energy through breathwork
34:45 Gaia flys to see them & joining Gaia process
39:20 the clutter in the lower mind is not at all a reflection of what is possible in our higher mind.
45:00 if you had to do a 20 minute TED talk, homework!!
48:30 exceptional leaders: blessing emails & taking off shoes as a team
52:30 rapid fire & billboard message