Welcome to the Liberating Yoga podcast. A space to explore yoga as a practice and path of healing, resistance, and deep connection.
If yoga is a rich body of experiential knowledge rooted in South Asia, how did we end up with a mainstream yoga culture in the United States focused on promoting physical fitness and selling polyester “yoga pants” with pockets?
Join Harpinder Kaur Mann, Punjabi Yoga Asana, Pranayama, & Meditation Teacher, on a journey of yoga’s history, philosophy, and contemporary culture to uncover its true nature as a path toward deep self-inquiry and collective liberation.
When the World Is Burning: Spiritual Practice, Grief, and Liberation | Lama Rod Owens
Welcome back to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. As we begin season two, I'm delighted to welcome Lama Rod Owens to talk about love, rage, grief, lineage, and spiritual practice during times of upheaval.In this episode, we talk about how people can get through hopelessness about genocides, wars, and oppression by letting heartbreak and grief in, cutting through resistance, and finding support in their ancestors, community, and the natural world. We also discuss guilt and privilege as things that can be shared, freedom as less pain and more balance, and merit as a way to end systems of violence that hurt trans people, Palestinians, Sudanese, Congolese, Haitians, and others.Resources
Lama Rod Owens
https://www.lamarod.com (https://www.lamarod.com)
Thank you for watching this video and checking out the channel, my practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice.
To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Onlinehttps://www.harpindermann.com (https://www.harpindermann.com)
https://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga (https://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga)
https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga (https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga )
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder )
https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga (https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga)Liberating Yoga Bookhttps://www.harpindermann.com/book (https://www.harpindermann.com/book )Work With Mehttps://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me (https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me)
17 Jun 2025
Yoga as a Philosophy of Integrity with Anjali Rao
Host Harpinder Mann interviews Anjali Rao, teacher and health advocate, about the absence of history and philosophy in yoga teacher trainings and the importance of integrity in yogic spaces.
10 Jun 2025
Decolonizing Yoga: Classical Roots & Spirituality with Dr. Neil Dalal
Host Harpinder Mann interviews Dr. Neil Dalal, discussing decolonizing yoga by connecting to its original intentions and exploring its classical roots and spirituality.
2 Jun 2025
Tantric Yoga & The Power of Holding Multiple Truths | Kendra Coupland
Harpinder Kaur Mann interviews Kendra Coupland, yoga grandmaster, about tantric philosophy and its potential to foster collective liberation by addressing harmful patterns in mainstream yoga spaces.
26 May 2025
Re-Centering Yoga’s Philosophy | Dr. Shyam Ranganathan
Host Harpinder Kaur Mann interviews Dr. Shyam Ranganathan, scholar and historian of philosophy, about reclaiming yoga as an ethical and sovereign practice, fighting racism and colonialism.
19 May 2025
Creating Braver Yoga Spaces | Tejal Patel
Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. My guest today is Tejal Patel.
In a sea of yoga spaces that often feel exclusionary, I find myself asking: What does it really take to create an environment that reflects yoga’s deeper purpose—collective liberation and peace?
Tejal is the founder of Tejal Yoga, and in this conversation, we explore what it means to build yoga spaces rooted in community, cultural humility, accountability, and justice.
00:00 - Intro
01:14 - Speaking on Gaza
02:20 - Meet Tejal Patel
04:00 - Yoga and Peace
06:45 - Meditation as Listening
10:51 - Student vs. Teacher Role
14:51 - Challenging Assumptions
18:32 - Harm in Modern Yoga
22:50 - Love & Light Culture
27:20 - Yoga and Collectivism
33:58 - Intentional Communities
37:46 - More Work to Do
42:47 - Inclusive Yoga Spaces
47:05 - Building Brave Spaces
52:04 - Addressing Harm
57:07 - Trust Through Honesty
1:03:16 - Returning Through Yoga
1:06:18 - Closing Thoughts
Find Tejal Online
https://www.tejalyoga.com (https://www.tejalyoga.com)
Subscribe
https://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1 (https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me)
Resources
Thank you for watching this video and checking out the channel. My practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below.
Online
https://www.harpindermann.com (https://www.harpindermann.com)
https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga (https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga )
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder )
https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga (https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga)
Liberating Yoga Book
https://www.harpindermann.com/book (https://www.harpindermann.com/book )
Work With Me
https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me (https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me)
#yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration
12 May 2025
Embodying Yogic Activism | Reggie Hubbard
Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. My guest today is Reggie Hubbard.
Reggie is the founder/chief serving officer of Active Peace LLC. His yogic and meditative practices have served as a sanctuary of peace and perspective while navigating the stresses of being a black man in the world and serving in pressure-filled jobs at the height of US politics.
His practices have also helped him navigate complicated emotions (anger, grief, disappointment) to find and nurture peace of mind and ease of spirit, which is why he now seeks to share them widely for the well-being of all.
He has extensively studied with leading teachers such as Faith Hunter, Amy Ippoliti, Yogarupa Rod Stryker and Sri Dharma Mittra and countless other amazing teachers he has encountered along the way – always remembering that the best teacher is an eternal student. He is a graduate of the 2023 MMTCP (Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program) cohort, led by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach.
Find Reggie
https://activepeaceyoga.com (https://activepeaceyoga.com)
https://www.instagram.com/oreggieglobal (https://www.instagram.com/oreggieglobal)
00:00 - Intro
02:54 - Yoga & Activism
05:05 - Burnout & Awakening
08:11 - Starting the Path
10:55 - Merging Practice & Politics
14:54 - Healing Retreat for Black Men
17:14 - Refuge, Not Retreat
20:25 - Representation Matters
22:09 - Why Black-Only Spaces
24:07 - Community Healing
26:06 - Listening to the Call
30:06 - Teaching with Compassion
34:02 - Listen with the Heart
36:26 - Identity & Teaching
41:10 - Teaching Philosophy
44:03 - Collective Healing
47:02 - Healing Through Grief
51:03 - Wisdom in Community
54:33 - Radical Self-Love
57:44 - From Despair to Action
1:01:02 - Generational Burnout
1:05:00 - Rest in Retreat
1:08:59 - Fast Connection
1:13:00 - Gong Meditation & Close
Subscribe
https://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1 (https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me)
Resources
Thank you for watching this video and checking out the channel. My practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below.
Online
https://www.harpindermann.com (https://www.harpindermann.com)
https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga (https://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga )
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder )
https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga (https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyoga)
Liberating Yoga Book
https://www.harpindermann.com/book (https://www.harpindermann.com/book )
Work With Me
https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me (https://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me)
#yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration
Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. My guest today is Leah Saliter (she/her).Leah is a Death Doula, Digital Creator, Yoga enthusiast, and certified Yoga-Asana instructor who teaches Yoga as a source of healing for Black and Brown, abundant bodies. She is the founder of Unity in Healing, an organization that creates safe spaces where folks can experience the power of healing in community through movement practice, tarot, divination work, and ancestral practices. Leah's mission is to create accessible healing communities that support the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual exploration of self. Find Leah: https://www.joywork.onlinehttps://www.instagram.com/leahlaughed00:00 - Intro01:17 - Meeting Leah Saliter02:52 - What Yoga Means to Leah04:02 - The Importance of Safety in Community07:46 - Profit-Driven Wellness Spaces vs. Authentic Healing10:04 - Reducing Yoga to Fitness13:27 - Discovering Yoga as a Path to Survival and Peace17:03 - Teaching Tools and Encouragement for Students20:02 - Reconnecting to Accessibility in Yoga24:05 - Teaching Restorative Yoga Amid Studio Resistance29:00 - Letting Go of Capitalist Measures of Success in Yoga33:00 - Body Acceptance and Embracing What Is37:42 - The Violence of Beauty Standards 40:54 - Practising Ahimsa (Nonviolence) with Ourselves43:04 - Speaking Kindly to Ourselves 47:04 - More Ways Fatphobia Shows Up in Yoga49:01 - Disordered Eating "Perfect" Bodies52:30 - Yoga as Stillness, Listening, and Deep Work56:01 - The Challenge and Rewards of the Inner Work01:02:51 - What Led Leah to Reach Out01:08:56 - Working Together in Community, Not Hierarchy01:10:49 - How to Connect with Leah and Unity & Healing 01:12:29 - OutroSubscribehttps://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1ResourcesThank you for watching this video and checking out the channel, my practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Onlinehttps://www.harpindermann.comhttps://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyogaLiberating Yoga Bookhttps://www.harpindermann.com/book Work With Mehttps://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me#yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration
5 May 2025
Yoga vs. Commercialization: Can We Reclaim It? | Susanna Barkataki
Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. My guest today is Yoga Teacher & Social Justice Advocate Susanna Barktaki. Today’s mainstream yoga culture is steeped in capitalism, exclusivity, and cultural appropriation. How did we get here, and how can we protect the wholeness of the practice for future generations? In this episode we discuss the nuances of yoga’s history, accountability for yoga professionals, and decolonization in practice. 00:00 - Intro01:25 - What Yoga Means to Us03:17 - Interconnectedness in Yoga and Daily Life05:58 - Moving Beyond the Mat: Everyday Practice of Yoga07:14 - Harmful Norms in Modern/Postural Yoga10:00 - How Oppressive Systems Show Up in Yoga Spaces13:07 - Hierarchy in Yoga Studios 15:04 - Yoga’s Resilience and Power Despite Appropriation16:03 - The “At Least They’re Moving” Narrative:20:07 - Teachers' Responsibility to Go Deeper25:04 - Internalized Oppression 27:06 - Desire to Learn and Practice with Respect29:00 - The Emotional Toll of Appropriation31:01 - Capitalism and Commercialization in Yoga34:59 - Historical Context of Yoga37:02 - Modern-Day Capitalist Exploitation in Yoga40:00 - Teachers Navigating Capitalism with Integrity42:27 - Representation, Reparations, and Platform Inequity48:03 - Mutual Support vs. Competition 52:23 - Humanizing the Experience: Healing Through Yoga55:11 - Importance of Internal Validation56:56 - How to Begin the Work of Decolonizing Yoga58:59 - Move Slowly and Consistently with the Work01:00:03 - Building Relationships with Stewards01:03:04 - Ask Hard Questions to Institutions01:05:47 - Reflections on Slowing Down 01:08:05 - Be Yoga, Not Just Do Yoga01:10:01 - Uplifting Each Other 01:12:39 - OutroSubscribehttps://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1ResourcesThank you for watching this video and checking out the channel, my practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Onlinehttps://www.harpindermann.comhttps://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyogaLiberating Yoga Bookhttps://www.harpindermann.com/book Work With Mehttps://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me#yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration
5 May 2025
Reconnecting to the Traditional Yogic Ecosystem | Prasad Rangnekar
Welcome to the Liberating Yoga Podcast. In this first episode, I'm in conversation with Yoga & Resilience Educator Prasad Rangnekar. In this episode, we discuss yoga’s many definitions and margas while unpacking all that is lost in a society that narrows its abundance down to a commercialised brand of asana. We also explore the differences between traditional yoga and the version that is popular today, and why the commodification of yoga strips its rich ecosystem of vital history, ethical frameworks, and cultural roots. 00:00 - Intro01:31 - Meeting Prasad Rangnekar05:01 - Yoga as a Life Skill 07:00 - Traditional Goals of Yoga10:00 - Beyond Asana: Acknowledging Yoga’s Full Scope13:00 - Cultural Roots of Yoga 16:00 - Complexity of Yoga’s History 20:27 - You Don’t Have to Know Everything24:00 - Problem of Overconsumption in Yoga Education27:48 - Traditional vs. Popular Yoga: Key Differences36:08 - Responsibilities of Practitioners40:25 - Lack of History & Philosophy in Modern Yoga 43:07 - Vastness of Yogic History 47:02 - The Eight Limbs Are Not the Whole of Yoga51:01 - What Makes a Sincere Yoga Student or Teacher?54:04 - Performing Yoga vs. Living Yoga56:56 - Different Margas (Paths) of Yoga & Their Relevance01:03:04 - Raja Yoga: Symbolism and Mental Refinement01:07:05 - Refinement of the Mind 01:12:10 - Letting Go & The Path to Freedom01:17:05 - Uncovering the Self Through Shedding Layers01:20:02 - Importance of Critical Thinking 01:27:04 - Reconciling Science and Spirituality in Yoga01:33:05 - Yoga Sutra: Beyond Yama and Niyama01:37:27 - OutroSubscribehttps://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyoga?sub_confirmation=1ResourcesThank you for watching this video and checking out the channel, my practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Onlinehttps://www.harpindermann.comhttps://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyogaLiberating Yoga Bookhttps://www.harpindermann.com/book Work With Mehttps://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me#yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration
9 Apr 2025
Welcome to Liberating Yoga with Harpinder Kaur Mann
Welcome to the Liberating Yoga podcast. A space to explore yoga as a practice and path of healing, resistance, and deep connection.I'm Harpinder Kaur Mann, a yoga educator, writer, and seeker, here to dive into the roots of yoga, dismantle appropriation, and uplift practices that honor collective liberation while making yoga accessible.These conversations were recorded two years ago as part of my research and interviews for my upcoming book, Liberating Yoga: From Appropriation to Healing.Now, I'm sharing them with you - unedited and in full. This is Liberating Yoga - where we honor yoga's past and shape its future.ResourcesThank you for checking out this episode of Liberating Yoga, my practice is rooted in my spiritual background of Sikhism and Buddhism and ancestral roots in Panjab, India - this informs my desire to teach yoga authentically as a spiritual practice. To learn more, please find all of our resources below. Onlinehttps://www.harpindermann.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@harpindermannyogahttps://www.facebook.com/harpindermannyoga https://www.linkedin.com/in/mannharpinder https://www.instagram.com/harpindermannyogaLiberating Yoga Bookhttps://www.harpindermann.com/book Work With Mehttps://www.harpindermann.com/work-with-me#yoga #yogapractice #yogainspiration
Who has been a guest on Liberating Yoga
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Anjali Rao
Dr Neil Dalal
Kendra Coupland
Dr Shyam Ranganathan
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
1,265
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
7 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 49 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
58
Social presence
0
YouTube
68
Engagement
32
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