Vinny Yoga

There are many practices in the wellness industry that are being extracted from traditional and cultural wisdom with little to no reciprocity or giving back to these communities. Yoga is a practice that is enjoyed and embraced by people worldwide and while its popularity has exponentially grown, it's not always respected and honoured. As an Indian cultural practice, it can be challenging for those without an Eastern heritage to fully appreciate and/or observe it. Those who teach it, especially in contemporary contexts, are often well-meaning, but parts of yogic ancestry is often cherry picked to serve a Western palate and whether it or not intentional - this is cultural appropriation and it's damaging.

In the last episode of 2022 we're joined by Khushbu Vyas (nee Patel) who helps to bridge the gap between these ancient yogic practices and Western contexts. She shares the benefits of yoga and yoga nidra for healing with trauma, drawing from new knowledge based on growing scientific evidence. We also unpack:

✨The brainwave frequencies and their association with yoga nidra / yogic sleep.
✨How yoga and yoga nidra (yogic sleep) can help with healing from trauma.
✨The chakra system in the context of the nervous system.
✨Harmful examples of cultural appropriation in yoga and the wellness industry.
✨How to be more respectful of yogic ancestry.

Khushbu (she/her) is a generational yogi, chakra guide and social justice attorney that shares yoga and yoga nidra as a tool for healing and alignment.

Listen to the episode now via link in bio 💥

We recently spoke to from about meditation and mindfulness. Sally eloquently reminded us that everyone’s feelings are valid and that we have the right to feel the way we do. Meditation should be accessible and inclusive for all—and as long as we’re empowered…anything is possible. Thanks Sal! Listen to our episode with Sally on your preferred podcast platform via link in bio. 🙏🏽 xo

For our fourth episode, we bottle up all of ’s energy into one discussion all about meditation and mindfulness, which are now increasingly popular, even in corporate environments, as a quick fix for enhancing productivity and focus. While it’s a well-meaning concept, don’t be fooled! Meditation and mindfulness are practices that take more than just a few gos to feel the impacts.

In this episode, and I speak with Sally from about how to start, sustain and strengthen your practice. More points we talk about:

👉The benefits of meditation and how it can become your superpower.
👉The difference between meditation and mindfulness.
👉Trying out different meditation teachers to find one that resonates with you.
👉Inclusivity and access to meditation for all bodies and beings.
👉The advantages and limitations of meditation apps.
👉Being an entrepreneur with integrity in the wellness industry.
👉Navigating the ups and downs of owning a meditation studio including pandemic proofing a business.
👉How to become a meditation teacher and the importance of having lived experience to share it meaningfully.

Listen now via link in bio on your preferred podcast platform.

How often do you exercise self-compassion? This is a great reminder from the lovely Jo — Jo Stewart]. The energy you reflect inwards affects how you see everyone around you. By extension, impacting how you behave towards others. Having self-compassion means showing compassion for others. When was the last time you embraced an act of self-compassion, self-care or self-love? Listen to what else Jo Stewart] has to offer in our latest podcast episode ( #3) on sharing yoga authentically in a modern world. Link in bio to listen now. Xo

Episode 3 has landed! Yoga is so much more than a movement practice. But in the wellness world where yoga has been overly commodified... how do we share it authentically whilst respecting its roots?

In this episode we talk about sharing yoga authentically in a modern world with a focus on aerial yoga and podcasting alongside - Jo Stewart and Rane Bowen . They kindly share their experience as the studio owners of Garden of Yoga, which shares accessible and supportive movement and meditation including pilates, aerial yoga and yin yoga. They are also the creators of The Flow Artists Podcast spotlighting global movement and meditation artists from all walks of life. I first met Jo at a teacher training with . And in our first encounter, I knew we would be friends. She was as inquisitive as I was and loved to ask questions! So when the Vinny Podcast started I knew she would undoubtedly be one of the first people I spoke with. And I got to meet her partner Rane in the process so it's been a real pleasure!

Listen to us discuss:

👉Sharing yoga in the modern world using contemporary styles like aerial yoga.
👉Aerial yoga is trauma-informed and supports mental health by offering sensory feedback without causing overwhelm.
👉The grounding and sense of safety created by props like a hammock in aerial yoga.
👉Practising yoga beyond the mat through podcasting.
👉Podcasting 101 - the basics of how to start one.
👉Aligning podcast content with your business and building community.

Listen now via the link in bio. Remember to like, share, save, rate and review the podcast 🙌

I hope you enjoy this episode whether you’re a yogi or not! Perhaps you’ll be inspired to try aerial yoga or even start a podcast. As always feel free to share feedback 🙏.

Much love, Nancy xo

“When we collaborate, everyone can bathe in the fruits of success”. — Thank you for this wonderful nugget! Hear more gems from Rye in our latest podcast episode — collaboration over completion: building community and sustainable practices. Link in bio to listen now.

Whilst the global wellness industry is a multi-billion dollar market, it’s still challenging to be successful whilst remaining ethical and true to your values. What is it that makes a career sustainable? In this episode I speak with about building community and dismantling competition to grow together as a team. Ryan is a yoga studio owner and a Ambassador. We discuss Ryan's experience in forming collaborations and connections with practitioners, businesses and brands. And how staying true to his values has helped him to create a sustainable model that fulfils both his purpose and financial goals. This conversation is relevant for not only yoga, but also other wellness practices.

We discuss:

👉Putting the 'why' at the centre of your passions.
👉The importance of community and collaboration for personal and professional growth.
👉How to authentically share yoga and be grounded in values.
👉Accessibility and inclusivity in yoga and other wellness practices.
👉Balancing a diversity of offerings for different audiences whilst sustaining a business.
👉Ethical and sustainable collaborations for entrepreneurs.

Listen now🎧 on and via link in bio. Don’t forget to follow, rate and review the podcast 🧡 Enjoy! xo

💻We can all be susceptible to misinformation and conspiracy theories. **Any environment can be fertile breeding ground for misinformation.** The yoga and wellness industry is not immune. Find out more about when we might be particularly susceptible, as well as how to support yourself and others who are disproportionately exposed. We recently released a podcast episode on how conspiratorial thinking affects wellbeing. Link in bio to listen🎙 and read the articles written by Carly — to learn more.

The first episode in the first season of our podcast is with Carly Dober - . This episode shares insights into how conspiratorial thinking affects wellbeing. COVID-19 has shone a light on the exponential growth of fake news, myths and conspiracy theories. And whilst many higher-income countries seem to have moved on from COVID-19, the information pandemic or ‘infodemic’, is still a very real threat.

In this episode, we talk about how people may unwittingly share inaccurate or misleading information because it’s provoked an emotive response. Whilst a dose of magical thinking is fun, when these alternative ideas and beliefs cause physical, mental and/or community harm, it’s no longer amusing. It’s dangerous. We explore how conspiracy theories can be harmful to our wellbeing and that the yoga and wellness industry is not immune.

You’ll also hear about:

👉🏽Psychological susceptibility to conspiracy theories, including what personal and environmental factors affect what we believe.
👉🏼What magical thinking is and what a healthy dose might be.
👉🏿The role of big tech in driving misinformation, or worse, disinformation.
👉What is confirmation bias and how it can colour our worldview.
👉🏾How to recognise misinformation and support yourself and others who are disproportionately exposed.

Carly has also written some fascinating articles about conspiratorial thinking, ways our minds processes information that leads to this, and how to support yourself or loved ones who have been exposed. You can read these on our new blog ‘Threads’ and listen to the podcast episode via the link in bio.

Conversations for the well-meaning about wellbeing. This podcast explores not only yoga, but also other practices in the wellness industry. In acknowledgement of both the slight and outright commodification of wellbeing and culture, this series does not shy away from fringe and polarising topics. We discuss the intersections of yoga with mental and physical health, body image and cultural wisdom, the science of wellbeing, ethical and sustainable businesses, as well as myths and challenges of wellbeing. In essence, embodying social change is the core of Vinny.

Episodes will land fortnightly on Apple Podcasts or Spotify - listen now via the link in bio.