Musings on the Podcast

Written By Christina Sell
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As many of you know, I have a podcast. 

I was a bit slow to join the world of podcasts and podcasting until  my students Brittany Kassel and Alex Lee-Ammons introduced me to Another Name for Everything by Richard Rohr, which I loved.  Once convinced of the power of podcasts,  Brit and Alex  talked me into the idea of collaborating together  on a podcast project of our own.

The work has been fulfilling, fun, and personally enlivening. If you know me as an asana teacher, you know my love for the body, for details of alignment, and for the intricacies of anatomy. What you might not know is that, for all my passion for asana, my true interest is transformation and the processes by which we grow into who we most truly are.  The podcast is  not  about asana, modern trends in yoga, teaching methods as they relate to alignment or vinyasa, or the ways yoga is ruined. Far from it.

 Instead, we use topics from my latest book, A Deeper Yoga, as springboards for discussion and commentary.  Shortly after we released our first few episodes, the realities of Covid-19 hit and we recorded additional  Covid-19-centered bonus episodes. Our conversations range from studentship to community, from self-compassion to white fragility,  from suffering, addictions, and cultural imperatives to faith, wholeness and dogs as perfect beings. 

Writing a book is awesome. The writing process involves many long hours alone in front of a computer— first, in composition, and later, in editing. A Deeper Yoga benefited from the excellent editing work of my father, Mike Frosolono, and my mentor, Regina Sara Ryan.  No book makes into print without a team of people and I am lucky to have an excellent team.

And, by the time a book is published, the material is distilled and refined.

A podcast is  different than a book, even if organized  around the same topics.  Alex and Brit edit very little out of our conversations, so what you are listening to in the podcast is unscripted, largely unedited, and oftentimes raw. Recently, after talking about hair color in the time of quarantine, I got an email from a listener offering an additional viewpoint  and revealing  a blind spot of mine. I thanked her and wrote,  “If this episode had been a book, my editor would have attached a note saying, ‘Are you sure you want to say it that way?’ ”  (Anyone who knows me knows that I  could benefit from having one of my skillful editors  on hand before I say what is on my mind. You also know I have grown in this area, but clearly, there is always more room to improve.) 

At any rate, I invite you to listen to the podcast if you haven’t. And, if you  find the content useful, thought-provoking, and/or helpful, there are four primary ways to support the project:

1.) Put the principles and practices to work in your life. Self-compassion, self-acknowledgment, and truth-telling are the central themes of our considerations and have tremendous transformational potential both personally and communally.

2.) Inquire within. Agreeing with my perspectives and opinions  is not necessary to use the podcast to further clarify your own views. Sometimes a 180-degree disagreement is the  productive outcome of listening to an episode. The light of yoga shines brightest in each of us when we are authentic and in an honest relationship with ourselves as we are. 

3.) Share the podcast with your friends, family, and students.

4.) Support the project on Patreon. The podcast is free and always will be. We have started a Patreon site to support production costs and to create a community of members to consider the teachings together.  Like most member-supported projects, we have tiers of membership  and unlike many tiered member programs, each tier has access to the same benefits. 

We recognize income inequity is a world-wide issue that grants access to opportunity and assigns value to people based on money, rather than inherent human worth.  As a small gesture of inclusivity, unity, and respect for the intrinsic value of all people, each tier has access to the same benefits of membership.  Members receive a live Q&A with me each month, downloadable audio meditations, thoughtful articles from our team, discounts with Kira Grace clothing, Third Eye Threads, Yoga International, and more. Members can also offer discounts to other members to create a network of support that elevates and amplifies the work they are doing in the world. Membership begins at $5/month. 

Speaking of member benefits, the first live Q&A, A Deeper Dive, will focus on cultivating community amidst a global pandemic. This is the first of a once-monthly series of conversations that I will be offering as a thank you to the Patreon members of Live the Light of Yoga podcast. Beginning in June, these talks will be private to our Patreon members; however this month the conversation is free and open to all in celebration of what we are building together. To register for the talk on May 14th, fill out this form.

All right, that’s the news from my world today other than a list of announcements and shameless promotions.

The 4-day Asana Intensive was stellar. I was buoyed but the participation, curiosity, and tenacity of the students who signed up. I wasn’t sure how 4-days Livestream would go, and, other than some of my own human errors and a few technological glitches, the event was awesome. (Available now as downloadable recordings.)

More good things coming your way in May:

May 7, Christina's 51st Birthday Bash 

May 9, Twisting Class

May 13-June 3 : May Asana Junkies Livestream

May 14: A Deeper Dive: Live Q&A with Christina Sell

May 15 : Asana Class and Public talk for Mental Health Awareness Month

May 16 : Beyond the Basics: Arm Balances

Also, reserve the dates (details and registration coming soon)

May 29- Fundamental Forward Bends

May 30- Foundational Back Bends

Christina Sell
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