Yoga Inspiration

Episode Description
In this conversation, Kino sits down with Dr. Raj Balkaran to explore the deeper dimensions of yoga practice beyond physical postures. Together they discuss mythology, meaning, and the role of story in shaping how we understand and embody yoga.
Dr. Balkaran shares the origins of The Stories Behind the Poses and explains how myth functions as a living teaching tool rather than symbolic decoration. Through stories of Ganesha, Kurmasana, Hanumanasana, and the churning of the cosmic ocean, he reveals how yoga practice is fundamentally about removing ignorance, cultivating wisdom, and learning to meet difficulty with clarity rather than force.
The discussion moves through themes of inner transformation, the role of the teacher student relationship, the subtle and gross bodies, and why yoga continues to work on us even when we believe we are only practicing for physical reasons. This episode invites listeners to consider yoga as a lifelong inward journey, where practice becomes a way of refining perception, deepening responsibility, and remembering our connection to something much larger than ourselves.
Topics Covered
Yoga as inner practice rather than performance

Mythology as a teaching tool in yoga

The story of Ganesha and the true meaning of obstacles

Poison, difficulty, and transformation in practice

Kurmasana and the still point within chaos

Physical and subtle dimensions of yoga

Teacher student relationships and authentic transmission

Yoga as a lifelong journey rather than a destination

About the Guest
Dr. Raj Balkaran is a scholar of Sanskrit narrative literature, Hindu mythology, and yogic philosophy. He is the author of The Stories Behind the Poses and teaches internationally through courses, lectures, and retreats, bridging academic scholarship with lived spiritual practice.
Practice with Kino on Omstars
Continue the conversation on the mat. Omstars is Kino's online yoga platform, offering thousands of classes, workshops, and in-depth courses designed to support a sustainable, lifelong practice. Members can explore teaching, philosophy, strength, mobility, and mindful movement from anywhere in the world. Share this episode with a teacher, studio owner, or mentor who would benefit from the conversation.

In this episode of The Yoga Inspiration Podcast, Kino MacGregor sits down with hospital chaplain, writer, and grief expert J.S. Park for a deeply grounding conversation about grief, presence, and what it means to live with an open heart in a world that can feel overwhelming.
They explore why grief is not something to fix or overcome, but something to honor, carry, and let transform over time. Kino reflects on communal grief in the Ashtanga world after the loss of a spiritual teacher, and J.S. offers compassionate insight into why we reach for solutions, why closure can be a myth, and how grief changes shape rather than disappearing.
Together they talk about treasured objects and rituals as anchors when words fail, the ways spirituality and community can either support or collapse under real-world suffering, and how spiritual practice must include our shared humanity and collective responsibility. J.S. also shares his path from atheism toward faith through witnessing love in community, and they unpack the tension between the teachings of Jesus and the harm done in the name of religion.
This episode is for anyone holding loss, navigating a crisis of faith, feeling exhausted by "move on" culture, or looking for a spiritual practice that helps you show up with tenderness and integrity.
Guest:

J.S. Park is a hospital chaplain, writer, and grief educator. He is the author of As Long As You Need: Permission to Grieve.
Topics covered
• Grief as something to honor, not solve • Why "closure" is not the goal and grief changes shape • Grieving the dream, not just the person • Treasured objects and ritual as grief anchors • When words fail and the role of art, music, and practice • Faith crises and spiritual seasons • From atheism to faith through love and community • Spiritual practice, justice, and resisting dehumanization • Boundaries, self care, and what actually sustains us • Mortality as an invitation to live more tenderly, now
Resources
As Long As You Need: Permission to Grieve by J.S. Park
Practice with Kino on Omstars
Continue the conversation on the mat. Omstars is Kino's online yoga platform, offering thousands of classes, workshops, and in-depth courses designed to support a sustainable, lifelong practice. Members can explore teaching, philosophy, strength, mobility, and mindful movement from anywhere in the world. Share this episode with a teacher, studio owner, or mentor who would benefit from the conversation.

In this episode of the Yoga Inspiration Podcast, Kino MacGregor is joined by Andrew Tanner, yoga teacher of over 20 years, founder of the American Yoga Council and the Berkshire Yoga Festival, and author of So You Want to Open a Yoga Studio.
Together they explore what it truly means to be a yogipreneur and how to build a sustainable livelihood in yoga without losing the heart of the practice. Andrew shares why service is the foundation of meaningful work, why the yoga industry has shifted in recent years, and what many teachers and studio owners are navigating right now.
A central focus of the conversation is the vision behind the American Yoga Council, including competency-based standards, lineage-respecting accreditation, mentorship pathways, and accountability structures designed to better support teachers, schools, and the future of yoga.
This episode is a thoughtful, honest discussion for anyone who teaches yoga, runs a studio, mentors students, or cares deeply about the integrity and evolution of the yoga community.
In this episode, you'll hear about:
What "yogipreneur" really means in today's yoga landscape

Why service is the spark behind sustainable yoga businesses

How and why the yoga industry has changed since 2017

The limitations of traditional accreditation models

The vision and mission of the American Yoga Council

Competency-based standards and lineage transparency

Mentorship, accountability, and trust in yoga education

Supporting teachers and schools without forcing one-size-fits-all systems

Practice with Kino on Omstars
Continue the conversation on the mat. Omstars is Kino's online yoga platform, offering thousands of classes, workshops, and in-depth courses designed to support a sustainable, lifelong practice. Members can explore teaching, philosophy, strength, mobility, and mindful movement from anywhere in the world.
About the Guest
Andrew Tanner is a yoga teacher of over 20 years, founder of the American Yoga Council and the Berkshire Yoga Festival, and author of So You Want to Open a Yoga Studio. He has owned and sold multiple yoga studios and is dedicated to creating ethical, transparent systems that support yoga teachers, schools, and lineages.
Listen, Reflect, and Share
If this episode resonates with you, consider joining the Omstars community to deepen your practice with Kino and explore yoga as a path of study, movement, and self-inquiry. Share this episode with a teacher, studio owner, or mentor who would benefit from the conversation.

In this episode of the Yoga Inspiration Podcast, I sit down with astrologer and teacher Gahl Sasson for a thoughtful conversation on cycles, change, and finding meaning during times of transition.
Together we explore how astrology and yoga intersect as tools for self awareness, timing, and personal growth. Gahl shares insights into understanding cycles of challenge and opportunity, the importance of perspective during uncertain times, and how spiritual practices can help ground us when life feels overwhelming.
This conversation offers practical wisdom for anyone navigating change, seeking clarity, or wanting to deepen their relationship with practice as a source of stability and insight.
What You'll Learn in This Episode

• How astrology can be used as a tool for self reflection rather than prediction
• Understanding life cycles and why periods of difficulty often precede growth
• The relationship between yoga practice and navigating personal transitions
• How awareness and timing can support wiser decision making
• Finding meaning, resilience, and perspective during uncertain times
• Using spiritual tools to stay grounded while embracing change
As this conversation reminds us, timing matters. When we understand the cycles we are moving through, we can meet them with intention rather than force. If you're feeling called to begin the new year with greater awareness and consistency, the January 30 Day Flexibility Challenge on Omstars offers a supportive way to do just that. Through just 20 minutes a day of guided practice, you can align your body and mind with the rhythms of change and start the year grounded, steady, and connected. 

https://omstars.com/courses/30-day-flexibility-journey-with-kino-macgregor

This episode is a reflection on a year marked by grief, loss, and profound inner reckoning. I share openly about the death of my teacher, the unraveling of relationships I once trusted, and the disorienting experience of being misunderstood, judged, and rejected in ways I did not expect.
What began as a single loss rippled outward, touching every area of my life. Along the way, I was forced to confront painful truths about friendship, projection, and the limits of compassion when others are committed to misunderstanding you.
Through it all, one thing remained steady: practice.
Yoga has never been performance or achievement for me. It is where effort becomes prayer, where breath becomes an offering, and where I reconnect with something deeper than circumstance. Practice did not erase the pain of this year, but it gave me the strength to keep standing inside it.
In this episode, I explore:
Grief as a force that reshapes identity, relationships, and belief

The difference between honest feedback and cruelty rooted in unprocessed pain

Why some people react with hostility to joy, light, and devotion

The limits of persuasion when someone has decided who you are in their story

How social media amplifies judgment, outrage, and division

Why tending the "garden of the heart" is the only real work we can do

Falling and rising in practice as training for resilience in life

Strength as the courage to keep the heart open rather than shutting down

The power of speech, intention, and conscious listening

Community as imperfect, fractured, and still sacred

Why yoga remains unbroken even when people and institutions feel divided

I also reflect on the teachings that continue to guide me, including the idea that the true practitioner remains steady in praise and blame, friend and foe. I am not there yet. The words still sting. The grief still enters. But I am learning what strength actually means.
This episode is an offering to anyone who has felt shaken, misunderstood, or tempted to dim their light in order to belong. It is a reminder that joy and sorrow can coexist, that devotion does not require approval, and that the practice lives on through sincere breath, effort, and presence.
As long as yoga is practiced with honesty, the lineage has a future. And within that future, there is light.
Continue the Practice
If you are looking for a steady place to practice, I invite you to join me on Omstars for the January 30 Day Flexibility Challenge. In just 20 minutes a day, we return to breath, movement, and consistency as a way to build strength, flexibility, and resilience on and off the mat.
Omstars members can join the challenge at no additional cost. If you are new, you can sign up for the Omstars email list and try the first three days of the challenge free.
https://omstars.com/courses/30-day-flexibility-journey-with-kino-macgregor