Most of us learned that the chakras are an ancient yogic system, but what if that story isn’t quite true? In this talk, I take you down the rabbit hole that completely changed how I understand chakras. We'll deep dive into the forgotten history of the modern Western chakra system from early Tantric philosophy to Theosophy, Carl Jung, and the New Age movement. You’ll learn how a mix of Western psychology, color theory, and mysticism transformed a centuries-old meditation map into today’s popular seven-chakra rainbow model.

Together, we’ll explore: How Western thinkers and energy-healing culture shaped the modern chakra system's evolution. What Sanskrit scholars reveal about the original Tantric practices. How source amnesia nearly rewrote history.

This talk is for yoga teachers, philosophy students, and really anyone who's ever felt like the chakra system didn't quite add up. Get ready because this conversation will change how you see yoga history forever.

P.S. This episode was repurposed from my podcast, All Mats Taken for yoga teachers.

To begin this full moon manifestation ritual, you'll make gentle movements in a seated posture and practice Samavritti pranayama aka box breathing to help ready the mind and body for meditation. The full moon has the most powerful energy of the moon phases. It’s uplifting and energizing when in balance. Take time to be grateful and celebrate your wins. Then focus on releasing blocks and limitations that are holding you back from the next phase. Refine ideas and renew commitments. Be open to breakthroughs and getting closer to realizing your intentions.

Most people know Yoga Nidra as a relaxation tool that helps you fall asleep. But according to renowned yoga therapist and author Indu Arora, we've been missing the most important word in the practice... yoga. In this deeply illuminating conversation, Indu unpacks the true philosophy of Yoga Nidra, tracing it from ancient Vedic and Tantric texts all the way to the modern technique we practice today and we discuss why the difference matters more than you think.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why Yoga Nidra is a state of consciousness, not just a relaxation technique. And what the ancient texts actually say about it
• The real reason we fall asleep during Yoga Nidra (and what to do about it)
• How to prepare your body and nervous system before practice to stay present and aware
• Why reading a script is not the same as true transmission and how your personal practice changes everything
• The many pathways to Yoga Nidra beyond the Pancha Koshas, including through the three bodies, the five pranas, and more
• What "frequency following response" means and why the state you are in shapes the experience of every student in the room
• Why Indu believes we are "settling for fractions" of what Yoga Nidra can truly offer

Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or a yoga teacher looking to deepen your transmission, this episode will completely shift the way you approach Yoga Nidra.

*Note: This episode is repurposed from The All Mats Taken Yoga Teachers Podcast

About Indu Arora:

Indu Arora is a Yoga and Ayurveda teacher, mentor, and author, based out of the USA. She considers herself a student for a lifetime. Indu has been sharing about Yoga philosophy, Yoga Therapy, and Ayurveda for the last two decades. Her unique gift is making Yoga and Ayurveda a practice, which is equally useful for a beginner as for a sincere seeker who has made Yoga a lifelong journey. She is inspired by and taught under Kriya Yoga, Himalayan Yoga, Kashmir Shiavism, and Sivananda Yoga lineages. She has studied in a traditional Guru-shishya parampara setting.

Her teaching style is rooted in empowering and inspiring students to awaken the inner Guru. Her core philosophy is 'Yoga is a Work-in and not a Work-out'.

She is the author of Mudra: The Sacred Secret (2015), Yoga: Ancient Heritage, Tomorrow's Vision (2005, 2019), and SOMA: 100 Heritage Recipes for Self-Care (e-book, 2020; updated hard copy, 2022).

Episode Links:

Visit Indu's website: https://yogsadhna.com/

Follow Indu on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/induaroraofficial/

Connect with Adrianne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adriannejerrettyoga/

Watch the Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/OD0cXYBQYkM

Indu's Book Shop (Hard-copy and e-books): https://shop.yogsadhna.com/collections/book-and-audio

Get SOMA - 100 Heritage Recipes for Self-Care in E-Book format on Amazon*: https://amzn.to/4cZpLsQ

*I receive a small affiliate commission if you buy using these links. It doesn't cost you anything extra but helps support the show. Thank you 🙏

This soothing Yoga Nidra practice shifts you through the five koshas with the intention to connect to your inner wisdom and intuition. Yoga Nidra is a little bit different from traditional meditation as it's designed to help you enter a "conscious sleep" state for deep rest, or it can be used as a sleep aid for a power-nap or at night before bed. Yoga Nidra can help reduce stress, improve sleep quality, improve cognitive function, enhance memory, and reduce anxiety. Guided by Adrianne Jerrett. Background music by David Fesliyan.

Learn how to practice Nadi Shodhana, also known as Alternate Nostril Breath. In this short 5-minute guided practice, we'll start by discussing the benefits of this breathing technique, then you'll discover them for yourself.

This relaxing meditation uses breathwork (pranayama), affirmations, and body scan techniques to bring more awareness and loving-kindness towards your body. The positive affirmation you will repeat in this meditation is "My Body is My Home."

This 20-minute body scan guided meditation is designed to help reduce racing thoughts so you can fall asleep for find deep rest. Instead of asking your mind to find quiet, we will trace your body to give your mind a clear, moving focus to help distract from racing thoughts. We will begin with a short diaphragmatic breathing exercise to help activate your parasympathetic nervous system and encourage a state of calm, then settle into the guided scan.