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Do you ever feel out of balance? Maybe your priorities right now feel a little off, or perhaps you even feel physically shaky or unstable on your feet. Wherever you fall on this spectrum, today’s episode is for you because I’m sitting down with Sage Rountree to discuss balance, both on and off your mat. Sage is an endurance sports coach and a pioneer in incorporating yoga for athletes. We’re discussing how to decide what would bring more balance to your practice, either for yourself or your students, and how to create a sequence that brings a little more physical, mental, and spiritual balance into your life. Get full show notes and more information here: https://erikabelanger.com/134 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Do you ever crave a life with more connection, joy, and purpose? Well, our guests today sure do, and they continuously act in alignment with their motto: to live a deep life.  I’m sitting down with Dan and Elise from Momentum Strength & Wellness. Elise is a certified nutritionist and Dan is a personal trainer and certified holistic lifestyle coach. Together, they have dedicated their life to the study, exploration and application of all things wellness. They're sharing how to take a deep look at everything you think you know, and how their outlook has transformed since they started looking below the surface and digging for what’s true for them. Get full show notes and more information here: https://erikabelanger.com/133 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Have you ever wondered how the nervous system can inform your practice or teaching of yoga? This week, Licensed Psychotherapist and Certified Yoga Therapist and Instructor Joann Lutz is here to share how you can use all of this nervous system knowledge to teach while staying aware of people’s potential traumas. In this episode, Joann and I discuss the profound effect yoga had on her personally in her early life, the differences between therapeutic yoga as opposed to yoga for spiritual or physical development, and how to use the nervous system and trauma sensitivity in your yoga teaching or practice. Get full show notes and more information here: https://erikabelanger.com/132 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Did you know you can request premium episodes? One of our members has requested a weight loss sequence, a sequence that will make you sweat! So I got you covered with this 30 min class.   This episode is part of our premium subscription, get access to it here, and become a premium podcast member.    On the membership platform, you'll find:   1. Your premium podcast episodes ($5/month). Just like before, as a member, you can get a ton of exclusive audio and video content like this class for sensitive knees. 2. You can now also have access to almost 300 recorded full-length yoga classes in a Netflix-Style Membership ($25/month).  3. You can sign up for any live-stream class I offer!   With our podcast premium membership, your contribution ripples to thousands of people every week, allowing me to offer accessible quality free content to a wide community of yogis. This podcast is a way I contribute to the community, and this membership is a way you can too. It allows you to share everything yoga offers with the world by supporting me in the creation and production of this podcast while I choose to keep it ad-free.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Have you ever had sciatica, or worked with someone who does? Maybe you had sciatica and tried to continue your yoga practice, or you turned to yoga for relief, but you never had any success with it? Either way, today’s episode is for you. I’m sitting down with Alison Mclean, a massage therapist, yoga teacher, and physical therapist who is passionate about anatomy. We’re discussing how sciatic nerve issues arise, why it’s so painful, and how you can incorporate a personalized yoga practice for yourself or your clients that focuses on healing unique sciatic nerve pain. Get full show notes and more information here: https://erikabelanger.com/130 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Did you know that chakras are an elegant roadmap to balancing your body, mind, and spirit? I sat down with Morgan Starr-Riestis, a therapist who is passionate about helping people transform their lives through accessible holistic wellness practices, to discuss how we can use our chakras to look deeply at our symptoms of imbalance. Tune in this week to discover some new tools and insights for creating a holistic approach to wellness through a deeper understanding of your chakras. Get full show notes and more information here: https://erikabelanger.com/129 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you starting to recognize and identify your stress responses, the different branches of your nervous system, and you’re ready to start taking action in moving your body from one state to another? Tune in this week for a comprehensive list of suggestions for how to regulate your nervous system. Listen with curiosity and, by the end of this episode, you’ll have a list of tools and strategies that you can start experimenting with when your nervous system takes over because of insecurity or stress. Get full show notes and more information here: https://erikabelanger.com/128 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you are on a journey to feel your best for as long as possible, this episode is for you. I’m sitting down with Baxter Bell, a family doctor, medical acupuncturist, author, yoga teacher, and a licensed yoga therapist. Baxter has deep insights into experiential anatomy, yoga technique, and yoga mythology, and he’s here to share how to use yoga as a life-changing tool for healthy aging. Learn the science behind why yoga is an amazing tool for healthy aging, and how you can start introducing yoga into your routine, no matter how old you are. Get full show notes and more information here: https://erikabelanger.com/127 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Did you know you can request premium episodes? One of our members has requested a weight loss sequence, a sequence that will make you sweat! So I got you covered with this 30 min class.   This episode is part of our premium subscription, get access to it here, and become a premium podcast member.    On the membership platform, you'll find:   1. Your premium podcast episodes ($5/month). Just like before, as a member, you can get a ton of exclusive audio and video content like this class for sensitive knees. 2. You can now also have access to almost 300 recorded full-length yoga classes in a Netflix-Style Membership ($25/month).  3. You can sign up for any live-stream class I offer!   With our podcast premium membership, your contribution ripples to thousands of people every week, allowing me to offer accessible quality free content to a wide community of yogis. This podcast is a way I contribute to the community, and this membership is a way you can too. It allows you to share everything yoga offers with the world by supporting me in the creation and production of this podcast while I choose to keep it ad-free.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you craving to go deeper in your practice and your understanding of yoga philosophy? If so, today’s episode is for you because I’m sitting down with someone who lives at the intersection of yoga and philosophy: Rebecca Polack. Rebecca has been a yoga teacher for over 20 years and also holds a Doctorate Degree in Philosophy and Religion, with a concentration in yoga studies. She's sharing what she’s learned through her philosophical and practical research on the power of getting creative as you work to understand what texts like the Yoga Sutras mean to you and your practice. Get full show notes and more information here: https://erikabelanger.com/125 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Do you struggle to put yourself at the top of your list? To commit to and invest in your personal growth? My guest today is Amber Hagberg, international yoga teacher and life and business coach, and she's sharing why it’s so important for us as yoga teachers to prioritize our own personal growth and development. We discuss helping our students thrive, stress management and reduction, and how yoga teachers can learn to stand out. Get full show notes and more information here: https://erikabelanger.com/124 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Do you see yoga as social justice in itself? When you think of the meaning of yoga, does that directly invoke inclusivity and accessibility? I sat down with Robin Lacambra from GOODBODYFEEL to explore how to bring inclusivity, accessibility, and community into your yogic practice. We’re discussing why community and collective healing is the bridge between the inner and outer world, the power of embodiment, and how to set and pursue collective goals that mutually benefit – and are supported by – others. Get full show notes and more information here: https://erikabelanger.com/123 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you busy and would like really quick practices to calm anxiety, to raise your energy, or to calm yourself and relax? Breath practices are the way to go… and this premium video episode is for you. In 3 short separate videos, we’ll work on the 4-7-8 technique for anxiety, on the 8-Stroke Breath for Energy, and on the ratio of 1-2 for relaxation. This episode is part of our premium subscription, get access to it here, and become a premium podcast member.    On the membership platform, you'll find:   1. Your premium podcast episodes ($5/month). Just like before, as a member, you can get a ton of exclusive audio and video content like this class for sensitive knees. 2. You can now also have access to almost 300 recorded full-length yoga classes in a Netflix-Style Membership ($25/month).  3. You can sign up for any live-stream class I offer!   With our podcast premium membership, your contribution ripples to thousands of people every week, allowing me to offer accessible quality free content to a wide community of yogis. This podcast is a way I contribute to the community, and this membership is a way you can too. It allows you to share everything yoga offers with the world by supporting me in the creation and production of this podcast while I choose to keep it ad-free.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Did you know that the nervous system is basically controlling everything that happens in your body? Tune in this week to get a little nerdy about your nervous system. We’re discussing the science behind your nervous system, its structure, how it’s trying to help you, and how you can leverage your thoughts, allowing you to work with your nervous system to change your experience of stress and create a sense of true safety. Get full show notes and more information here: https://erikabelanger.com/121 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Do you suffer from anxiety or depressive moods from time to time? Do you wish you had more tools to shift your energy while still meeting yourself where you are? Yoga can be a transformative resource for shifting your energy, and my guest today happens to be an expert on this topic. In this episode, bestselling author, Amy Weintraub, shares the ways practicing yoga transformed the way she manages her mood swings and how yoga teachers can facilitate this healing for our students. We discuss Amy’s impressive career, how a daily practice can help you connect with what is true beneath the mood, and the power of allowing yourself to feel your feelings. If you’ve been looking for natural ways to address your low or anxious moods, yoga could be an option, and this episode will share why.  Get full show notes and more information here: https://erikabelanger.com/120 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you a new yoga teacher? Maybe you got into teaching to help others because you loved yoga, but you’ve never really seen yourself as an entrepreneur… I know that was my case for a long time. If it's been your case too, today's episode is for you. EPISODE ANNOUNCEMENTS: 👉🏻 Subscribe, rate, and review this podcast anywhere you listen. Find out how here. 👉🏻 Take a screenshot of the episode when you listen and share one of your takeaways on IG @onandoffyourmatpodcast 👉🏻 Become a Premium Member: www.withribbon.com/u/erikabelanger.  👉🏻 Read my takeaways here. QUESTIONS SHE ANSWERED IN THIS EPISODE. What does it mean to you to have a successful career in the yoga industry? What are some common beliefs you see in teachers that stop them from becoming successful and profitable? If you are contracting to a yoga studio, are you still an entrepreneur? How so? What are some essential business skills a yoga teacher needs to learn? How can we get better at talking about our offers? What mistakes do teachers do when they start becoming more business-minded? How do get clear on our offer? Once we have started and are becoming profitable. What is the next step to scale and level up? ABOUT OUR GUEST A decade before she was the host of the Yoga Boss podcast, Jackie learned the hard way that being a talented yoga teacher wasn’t enough to build a lifelong profitable business. Using her 10 years of experience teaching, opening studios, and leading teacher trainings, Jackie now helps yoga teachers become profitable CEOs by offering them the most effective marketing, sales, and business foundation strategy in the industry. Through her Profitable Yoga Boss program, Jackie is changing the yoga industry by putting more money in the hands of the people whose feet actually touch the mat. Her Website: www.jackiegmurphy.com Instagram: instagram.com/jackieg.murphy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you still learning meditation and want to experience different styles? Do you want to learn to connect to the more subtle aspects of yourself like your energetic body? If so, today's episode is for you. This episode is part of our premium subscription, get access to it here, and become a premium podcast member.    On the membership platform, you'll find:   1. Your premium podcast episodes ($5/month). Just like before, as a member, you can get a ton of exclusive audio and video content like this class for sensitive knees. 2. You can now also have access to almost 300 recorded full-length yoga classes in a Netflix-Style Membership ($25/month).  3. You can sign up for any live-stream class I offer!   With our podcast premium membership, your contribution ripples to thousands of people every week, allowing me to offer accessible quality free content to a wide community of yogis. This podcast is a way I contribute to the community, and this membership is a way you can too. It allows you to share everything yoga offers with the world by supporting me in the creation and production of this podcast while I choose to keep it ad-free.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you part of the 50% of people who report their stress increased dramatically in the last few years? Has the world pandemic and its new demands taken a toll on your life and wellbeing? If so, today’s episode is for you. For today’s episode, I do not have a guest, I’m taking the spotlight. Check out my other solo episodes: Episode #73: Yoga, chronic pain, and mental health. Episode #77: Setting Goals and Moving Forward Episode #87: 5 reasons you procrastinate  Episode #93: A 3 step guide to being more yourself  Since stress is such a big topic and affects so many people, I’m planning on doing a series. It’s also a very big part of my yoga teachings already, at the core of my coaching, so I have a lot to say on the subject. EPISODE ANNOUNCEMENTS: 👉🏻 Subscribe, rate, and review this podcast anywhere you listen. Find out how here. 👉🏻 Take a screenshot of the episode when you listen and share one of your takeaways on IG @onandoffyourmatpodcast 👉🏻 Become a Premium Member: www.withribbon.com/u/erikabelanger.  👉🏻 Sign up for coaching on this 👉🏻 My 5 biggest takeaways TOPICS I COVERED DURING THIS EPISODE: Why we need to learn about our stress What stress is Our perception and thoughts on our circumstances Tools to become more aware of out thoughts Our lack of safety Our nervous system response to stress The first step in addressing our stress ABOUT ME Erika is a yoga teacher, the host, and producer of On & Off Your Mat Podcast, and a transformational life coach. Being a teacher is part of who she is, and she uses yoga, podcasting, and life coaching as different entry points all aiming to help her students and clients build a happier, healthier, and more peaceful life. Her radiant spirit and engaging sense of humor create light-hearted practices focused on awareness, intentional movement, and self-care. She empowers her students and clients to awaken to themselves, become embodied, and build the life of their dreams. Website : www.erikabelanger.com IG :@erika.belanger & @onandoffyourmatpodcast Tell me what you struggle with, go on, tell me, I’ll create content just for you See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Have you ever caught yourself reacting in what felt a totally automatic way… and ever wondered where that reaction came from?  Today I sat down with Bonnie Wallace to talk about the yoga philosophy concept of Samskara or psychological imprints to answer this question… EPISODE ANNOUNCEMENTS: 👉🏻 Subscribe, rate, and review this podcast anywhere you listen. Find out how here. 👉🏻 Take a screenshot of the episode when you listen and share one of your takeaways on IG @onandoffyourmatpodcast 👉🏻 Become a Premium Member: www.withribbon.com/u/erikabelanger.  👉🏻 The tool she talked about. 👉🏻 My 5 biggest takeaways from this episode. QUESTIONS SHE ANSWERED IN THIS EPISODE Can you tell us what Samskaras and Vasanas are? What are the different types of Samskara? How do they affect us and our lives? Can we change/erase “negative” samskaras? Can we create new “positive” ones? What does that process look like? What is your personal favorite practice when it comes to beliefs/samskaras? ABOUT OUR GUEST Bonnie G. Wallace is a Certified Ayurvedic Health Counselor, Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist (RYT-500), Holistic Chef, and Herbalist. As a graduate from the largest Ayurvedic College in the Western world, Bonnie has over 1,300 hours of education from the California College of Ayurveda and the Himalayan Institute. Her specialty is working with the overachiever -the one who does it all to help heal their gut health, burnout, depression, and anxiety. For nutrition and lifestyle counseling, Bonnie Wallace's multi-faceted programs result in radical and sustainable transformation- using a combination of therapeutic tantric yoga techniques, Life-Pattern counseling (uncover and reframe beliefs that keep us in self-sabotaging cycles), customized nutrition plans, herbal medicines, specialty lab testing, and sensory therapies. Bonnie especially enjoys working with her team of Ayurvedic and Functional Medicine practitioners, meeting regularly to optimize treatment plans for all her clients. Her expertise in nutrition and lifestyle counseling is led not only by scrupulous education but refined intuition and an affinity for understanding the human condition. This approach opens doorways in individuals that they forgot were there, while her gentle yet passionate guidance holds space and inspiration for individuals to do the necessary personal work in these journeys. Bonnie works exclusively with individuals 1:1 in order to ensure each person has her utmost attention and is getting exactly what they need. She works virtually, making this work accessible to people around the world. She caters retreats and special events with beautiful, nutritious food, educational workshops and health consultations. You can find Bonnie freediving, making friends with animals, and traveling when she is not working with her clients or cooking. Connect with her for resources and inspiration on Instagram @bonnie.gene See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you have sensitive knees and poses on all 4 or lunges that bother you, if you know the muscles around your knees are weak or they tend to compensate for your tight hips, this class is for you. This episode is part of our premium subscription, get access to it here, and become a premium podcast member.    On the membership platform, you'll find:   1. Your premium podcast episodes ($5/month). Just like before, as a member, you can get a ton of exclusive audio and video content like this class for sensitive knees. 2. You can now also have access to almost 300 recorded full-length yoga classes in a Netflix-Style Membership ($25/month).  3. You can sign up for any live-stream class I offer!   With our podcast premium membership, your contribution ripples to thousands of people every week, allowing me to offer accessible quality free content to a wide community of yogis. This podcast is a way I contribute to the community, and this membership is a way you can too. It allows you to share everything yoga offers with the world by supporting me in the creation and production of this podcast while I choose to keep it ad-free.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.