What if everything you thought you knew about yoga’s history was only part of the story?
In this powerful conversation, yoga educator and researcher Anjali Rao joins Hannah to explore the roots of yoga that are often left out of modern narratives. From her personal journey as a cancer survivor to her deep dive into philosophy, caste, and patriarchy, Anjali invites us to see yoga not as a single tradition, but as a tapestry shaped by countless voices, movements, and histories.
Together, they unpack common myths about yoga’s origins and discuss what it really means to practise with awareness of culture, context, and power.
In this episode:
Anjali’s story of rediscovering yoga after surviving breast cancer
Why yoga has never been a monolith
The myth of “yoga as union” and what the teachings really point to
How caste, gender, and power dynamics shape modern yoga spaces
Why it’s time to question what we’ve been taught about yoga’s origins
This episode will challenge what you think you know and open new ways of seeing yoga’s depth and diversity.
About Anjali
Anjali Rao is a yoga educator-practitioner whose work deconstructs the dynamics of power in yoga with a multidisciplinary approach integrating philosophy, art and history. She offers insight into the stories that have been obscured by heteropatriarchy, orthodoxy, and colonization.
She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Philosophy and Religion at the California Institute of Integral Studies, exploring the formulation of movements of dissent and resistance in the religio-spiritual context. She is on the faculty of many yoga teacher training and continuing education programs. She is also the host of The Love of Yoga podcast, where she shares thought-provoking conversations with yoga scholars and activists on the frontlines of liberatory movements.
Anjali's brand new book, Yoga as Embodied Resistance is now available to buy here.
About Alba Yoga Academy
Learn more with Alba Yoga Academy
Follow Hannah on Instagram.
Follow Celest on Instagram