Joan Hyman on her dharma, teaching around the world and designing the School of Yoga
The dedicated yogi and founder of the Schoolof.yoga Joan Hyman discusses the foundation of her interest in yoga and her lifelong spiritual journey with Out of the Cloud’s host Anne V Mühlethaler. First Joan shares her background growing up in Philadelphia and her journey into yoga, which she first encountered while pursuing a dance career. She discusses the importance of finding her voice as a teacher and the role of lineages and traditions in yoga. Joan also explains the yoga concept of Tapas and reaching the edge in one's practice. Joan has built a following worldwide, as she’s been travelling to offer teacher training since 2010, and she reflects on the challenges and rewards of teaching internationally. She tells Anne about the creation of her Schoolof.yoga and her vision for its future, as well as her hopes for the future of yoga as a whole, including the importance of having great teachers continuing to teach and keep the lineage alive. Joan also talks about her new 300h teacher training program, and how she came to collaborate with world-renowned teachers, including Lisa Walford, Annie Carpenter, and many others.Together they have developed a comprehensive curriculum that covers various aspects of yoga, including pranayama and how the practice changes along with the practitioner's age. Joan also highlights the importance of incorporating healing modalities into yoga, such as trauma-informed practices. She explains how trauma affects the nervous system and emphasises the role of the parasympathetic nervous system in healing. To end, Joan shares her favourite yoga sutra, Pradipaksha Bhavanam, which encourages replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. Wanting to end on the importance of slowing down and enjoying life, she also tells Anne about the impact of India on her spiritual journey and how travel has opened up her mind ‘like an umbrella’. A warm and inspiring interview with a master teacher. Happy listening! *** Selected links from episode You can find Joan on Instagram @JoanHymanSchoolofyoga On Youtube Her yoga school is Schoolof.Yoga Her upcoming offerings including her Bali retreat are available here: https://www.schoolof.yoga/events Jivamukti Yoga Maty Ezraty Lisa Walford Marla Apt Cristina Holopainen Annie Carpenter Yogaworks Mysore Yoga Abhyasa Tapas Utthita Trikonasana The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Krya yoga Sean Corn Jean Heileman K. Pattabhi Jois Krishnamacharya Pranayama Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar The Vagus nerve Drishti Ali MacGraw and Eric Shiffman Yoga video on Youtube Viparita Karani Yoga Nidra or yogic sleep Pratipakshabhavanam, Joan's favorite yoga sutra - 2. 33, when negative thoughts arise, think the opposite. Wild World by Cat Stevens The Out of the Clouds playlist on Spotify The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer *** Takeaways Finding one's voice as a yoga teacher is an important aspect of teaching. Lineages and traditions in yoga provide a foundation of proven practices that have been passed down over time. Tapas, the willingness to endure and create a sense of purification, is an essential element of yoga practice. Meditation is a valuable practice in yoga that can be challenging but ultimately rewarding. Teaching yoga to different cultures requires adaptability and understanding of their unique needs and preferences. The School of Yoga aims to preserve the lineage and provide high-quality teacher trainings. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 03:02 Joan Hyman's Background and Journey 12:04 Finding Her Voice as a Teacher 17:46 Religion and Spirituality in Joan's Life 20:37 The Importance of Lineages and Traditions in Yoga 27:10 Understanding Tapas and Reaching the Edge in Yoga 30:41 Joan's Journey in Meditation 35:01 Teaching Yoga Around the World and the School of Yoga 44:18 Teaching Different Cultures and Adapting to Students 47:34 The Future of the School of Yoga and Yoga Itself 48:57 Cultivating Excellence in Yoga Education 52:20 Yoga for Healing and Trauma 55:46