Yoga Philosophy for Everyday Living, Season 2, Episode 3

Leading With Courage in Uncertain Times

Welcome to Yoga Philosophy for Everyday Living, where we explore how ancient wisdom supports modern leadership, work, and life. This episode is on Leading with Courage in Uncertain Times.

I am joined by Angela Cheng-Cimini, Chief HR Officer at The Chronicle of Philanthropy, who is an accomplished HR leader with three decades of experience across industries. In this episode, she shares what courage looks like in the workplace and why it's a critical skill for today's leaders. Learn what courage looks like in practice for a leader today, how small acts of everyday bravery build a culture of courage and the ripple effects they have throughout an organization, and how courage champions inclusion.

SHOW NOTES

Leading With Courage in Uncertain Times, Season 2, Episode 3

I am joined by Angela Cheng-Cimini, Chief HR Officer at The Chronicle of Philanthropy, who is an accomplished HR leader with three decades of experience across industries. In this episode, we discuss what courage looks like in the workplace and why it's a critical skill for today's leaders. Learn what courage looks like in practice for a leader today, how small acts of everyday bravery build a culture of courage and the ripple effects they have throughout an organization, and how courage champions inclusion.

Listen as we explore:
🌿 What courage looks like in practice for a leader today.

💛 How small acts of bravery build a culture of courage.
🧘‍♀️ What we can learn from fear.
✨ How mindset gets in the way of us doing our best work.
🤝 Why is it important to take action that is aligned with our core values?

🌿 How we cultivate inner steadiness amid change.

We weave in yoga philosophy through the lens of Satya, from the yamas (external ethics) and Svadhyaya, from the niyamas (internal ethics).

Satya means truthfulness and how speaking truth, even when it's uncomfortable, is an act of courageous leadership. How is honesty rewarded in your organization?

Svadhyaya (self-study) and how courage begins with self-awareness — knowing your fears, triggers, and values. How can leaders use self-inquiry to shape their leadership style or decisions?

For leaders at all levels and those who want to cultivate courage in the workplace, this episode is for you!

Learn more about Angela Cheng-Cimini online:

Angela Cheng-Cimini is chief HR officer at The Chronicle of Philanthropy. She is a global executive Human Resources leader with over 30 years of comprehensive experience in both Generalist and Specialist competencies, partnering with C-suite leaders. She has been a proven contributor to the business strategy by helping leaders identify and build organizational capabilities. She is a board advisor to technology start-ups dedicated to the future of work, a keynote speaker trusted by Fortune 500 organizations as well as some of the largest HR associations, and a dedicated advocate of the AAPI community.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-cheng-cimini/

About the host

With more than 20 years of experience leading strategic business teams, Monica Phillips supports leaders at all levels in creating thriving and inclusive workplaces by elevating leadership, mindfulness, and emotional well-being. She is the CEO of Spark Plug Labs (CPCC, PCC, CPQC), the founder of the Legal Academy on Equity and Inclusion, and she developed and runs ChIPs Network's year-long General Counsel Boot Camp to advance women to the highest levels of leadership. She has a master's degree in international education and is a Professional Certified Coach with the ICF. She is a yoga teacher (ERYT-200, RYT-500) and loves hiking and being on the water.

Learn more about Monica Phillips.

https://www.sparkpluglabs.co/bio

Cultivate your courageous leadership journey through an 8-week Positive Intelligence Group Coaching Cohort.

https://www.sparkpluglabs.co/group-coaching

Have you ever been in a meeting where someone talks so fast you can barely keep up…
…or with someone who speaks so slowly you're tempted to finish their sentences?

Turns out, yoga philosophy has something to say about this. 🧘‍♀️💡

In Season 2, Episode 1 of Yoga Philosophy for Everyday Living, I sit down with the extraordinary teacher Jeanne Heileman to explore how the doshas—vata, pitta, and kapha—show up in the workplace.

👉 What if understanding these natural tendencies could help us:
✨ adapt our communication style
✨ reduce tension
✨ and build stronger connections at work?

We also dive into the gunas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—and how these energies shape the way we think, respond, and lead. 🌿

🎧 Listen in to learn how Ayurvedic wisdom can transform not just your health, but also your meetings, teamwork, and leadership.

🔗 Click the link to to watch, listen, or read the full episode:

https://www.sparkpluglabs.co/podcast-yoga/dosha-to-dialogue-season2-episode1

From Dosha to Dialogue: Transforming How We Connect at Work

1. The doshas—vata, pitta, and kapha—are often discussed in terms of physical health, but how do they influence how we express ourselves, make decisions, or respond to conflict in the workplace? Learn how Ayurvedic wisdom informs us of practical, interpersonal dynamics in a professional setting.

2. How would you describe the gunas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—to someone new to yoga philosophy, and what are some ways they show up in our communication styles at work? How do we move through the doshas at different times? Energy and behavior are fluid, rather than fixed.

3. How are the gunas and doshas interconnected, and what does that relationship teach us about adapting our communication style to different people or situations?

4. Can you share an example of how understanding someone's dominant guna or dosha helped improve communication or collaboration in your own work?

5. In a high-pressure or fast-paced workplace, how can we cultivate more sattva—or balance among the doshas—to foster clarity, empathy, and meaningful connection? Gain insights you can apply to shift the energy of your teams or conversations.

Episode highlights:

9:09 - If you are working with someone ...the most important thing is to meet them and slow yourself down.

19:00 - Caress someone's pitta dominance to lower their resistance and soften their need to control and criticize.

19:54 How do you add femininity to a demanding workforce? Weave in a sliver of femininity to soften the harshness...

21:23 The Vatas don't always finish their tasks. Catch them with your eyes and hold their gaze to help them feel grounded and safe.

27:35 - The gunas are qualities of Nature. It's natural for things to change. They originate in the mind.

34:32 We have this lovely feeling and we start clinging to it, we don't want it to end. If we stay too long in this, we lose the sense of humor about ourselves.

40:57 The gift of a steady meditation practice is to be able to ride the wave of our own thoughts so you can sit with hard situations.

Learn more about Jeanne Heileman and check out her latest offerings including a Master Training in the Subtle Body.

Sept. 19 – 21 and Oct. 3 – 5, 2025

9:00 am – 4:00 pm PST

Livestream via Zoom and On Demand.

https://jeanneheileman.com/

About Monica Phillips

As a heart-based leadership coach, executive coach, and wellness coach, Monica Phillips brings play to work. These moments where we can check in with ourselves, bring calm to our minds and bodies, and reset our brains are so important.

When we draw in and stop the chatter in our minds, we live better, create more meaningful relationships, and reach peak performance.

It is not about doing more and pushing to the max, it is about noticing ourselves and others and allowing space to be seen, heard, and valued.

Learn more and connect with me at sparkpluglabs.co

Melissa Townsend is an Artist, Author, Psychic & Astrologer.

Her paintings of the Yoga Sutras Book One and Book Two are available with translations and commentary, published in full-color, soft-bound books. She also features them in her meditation deck.

She hosts a popular YouTube series with videos on Astrology and the Tarot.

In this episode we look at these universal questions through the lens of yoga philosophy and the path to Samadhi, a state of meditative consciousness and how this process of concentration and focus can be part of what we do in this very busy modern world.

From Patanjali's Eight Limbs, we discuss the last three -Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi.

The full episode with video and transcript is available online at http://bit.ly/yoga-Holzman.

Marc Holzman is a pioneer for deep change who has dedicated most of his own life to unraveling this great mystery. He is an avid Truth-seeker, a playful risk-taker and is passionate about refining the art of living and empowering his students to do the same. Join us in this episode as we explore pratyahara and learn more about the power of breath, Ayurveda, and yoga nidra.

The full episode with video and transcript is available at http://bit.ly/yoga-walford.

Lisa Walford is an extraordinary yoga teacher who holds a Level III Iyengar teaching certificate and has been teaching yoga in Los Angeles since 1982. She studies annually with the Iyengars and teaches worldwide. She was a co-creator of the YogaWorks teacher training program that started in 1990 with Maty Ezraty and Chuck Miller. Join us as she shares more about the power of breath through pranayama.

Find the full episode with video and transcripts online at

https://www.sparkpluglabs.co/podcast-yoga/peak-performance-bob-levant

In May 2018, Bob secured the largest malicious prosecution civil rights verdict in Pennsylvania history when a jury awarded his client, Khanefah Boozer, $10 million.

Khanefah Booker had been wrongfully accused of a crime he not only did not commit but that never even happened. Bob shares with us the influence yoga played on his journey as a trial lawyer.

Camille Moses-Allen, expert yoga teacher, discusses the benefits of asana practice. View full episode details including transcript and video at:

https://www.sparkpluglabs.co/podcast-yoga/asana-camille-moses-allen

Since 2006, Camille Moses-Allen has been one of Baltimore's top yoga teachers. Camille is a senior YogaWorks teacher and teacher trainer, yet she is an eternal student of yoga having taken 5 teacher trainings at both the 200 and 300 level herself. Camille is a certified YogaWorks teacher and trainer, OM Yoga teacher, and restorative yoga teacher.