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Kino MacGregor

Join Kino MacGregor, one of the world's master yoga teachers, as she shares her yoga life hacks to translate the wisdom of yoga into a happier, more peaceful, more loving life. Listen to authentic, raw conversations and talks from Kino on her own and with real students about what yoga is really all about. Ignite or rekindle your inner spark to get on your mat and keep practicing.

Yoga Inspiration

Each year, under the bright full moon of Guru Purnima, yoga practitioners and seekers around the world pause to honor the timeless presence of the Guru, the teacher who removes darkness and reveals the light that has always been within us. This was written in July 2025, the first Guru Purnima Day, after Sharath Jois passed. 
 
 Our hearts were still heavy with grief and we contemplated what it truly means to walk in the light of the Guru? In the ancient yoga tradition, the Guru is far more than just a transmitter of techniques or philosophy. The Guru is the living embodiment of wisdom, a steady flame passed from teacher to student, generation after generation.
 
 The Guru: Not Just a Teacher, but a Living Embodiment
 
 Our ancient texts speak clearly about this. The Mundaka Upanishad (1.2.12) tells us:
 
 तद्विज्ञानार्थं स गुरुमेवाभिगच्छेत
 समित्पाणिः श्रोत्रियं ब्रह्मनिष्ठम् ॥
 Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet
 Samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nishtham
 
 "To realize that Supreme Knowledge, one must approach a Guru alone, carrying fuel in hand, who is learned in the scriptures (srotriya) and firmly established in Brahman (brahma-nistha)."
 
 These two qualities, srotriya and brahma-nistha, reveal the heart of the true Guru.
 
 Srotriya (श्रोत्रिय) comes from sruti (श्रुति), meaning "that which is heard," the revealed wisdom of the Vedas and Upanishads. Etymologically, sru means to hear and -triya means possessor of. A srotriya is one who has fully mastered the sacred teachings, the outer mastery of scripture, tradition, and precise method.
 
 Brahma-nistha (ब्रह्मनिष्ठ) brings us deeper still. Brahman is the undivided reality, the ultimate truth. Nistha means "firmly established," from nis (down, firm) and stha (to stand). A brahma-nistha is one who stands unshakably rooted in the living truth of Brahman. This is the inner realization that breathes life into the outer knowledge.
 
 Together, they remind us:
 Without srotriya, the teaching drifts. Without brahma-nistha, the teaching is lifeless.
 
 How the Guru Lives in Our Lineage
 
 In the Ashtanga Yoga tradition, we have seen these qualities alive in the teachers who came before us. Sri T. Krishnamacharya was a true a srotriya and brahma-nistha, deeply rooted in Sanskrit, the Vedas, and the subtle method of yoga: his whole life was devoted to the practice. His student, K. Pattabhi Jois was my teacher and he dedicated his life to teaching. While K. Pattabhi Jois' scholarship as a Sanskrit Vidwan was widely recognized, he unfortunately did not fulfill the role of a perfect endowment of the teachings due to the harm done to female students at his hands. Ashtanga Yoga still seeks to account for those actions. 
 
 Sharath Jois, K. Pattabhi Jois' grandson, embodied the living thread of the practice with all his heart and sought to steady the lineage and make space for healing. His srotriya shined through in the precise count, the unwavering discipline, the commitment to preserve the parampara, the unbroken lineage. But what touched people most was his brahma-nistha: the quiet steadiness, the humility, the simple, living truth that shows through his presence and service to this path.
 
 Both of my Ashtanga teachers are gone now. To me, they will always be a light on the path. I still sit with much grief, sorrow and loss about their passing. 
 
 A yoga Guru is a yoga master teacher, not necessarily a spiritual embodiment. The word Guru has many levels and my teachers cultivated a light in me that continues to shine today. I would not be who I am today without them both.
 
 A true Guru (or teacher) does not make you a follower. A true Guru (or teacher) shows you how to find the light that has always been yours.
 
 The Guru Cultivates the Inner Flame
 
 As Patanjali reminds us in the Yoga Sutra (1.20):
 
 श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृतिसमाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम् ॥ १.२० ॥
 Sraddha-virya-smrti-samadhi-prajna-purvaka itaresam
 
 "For others, samadhi comes through faith (sraddha), vigor (virya), remembrance (smrti), deep absorption (samadhi), and wisdom (prajna)."
 
 These qualities are the hidden garden the Guru, our teacher, nourishes in us:
 
 Sraddha: faith, the quiet trust that steadies us when doubt arises.
 Virya: courageous effort, the strength to keep going.
 Smrti: remembrance of who we really are and why we practice.
 Samadhi: deep absorption, the merging of mind, breath, and heart.
 Prajna: clear insight, the wisdom that sees through illusion.
 
 The outer Guru lights this lamp. The inner Guru, which is our own guidance and light, keeps it burning.
 
 A Prayer on Guru Purnima
 
 When we bow on Guru Purnima, we do not bow only to a person, we bow to the entire living thread that connects us to truth: our teachers, our daily practice, our inner wisdom.
 
 May our lives be our offering back, our sraddha, our virya, our willingness to stand firm in the truth when the world wavers.
 
 May we carry this flame forward, bright and steady, for all those who will come after us, seeking the same light that our Gurus kept alive for us.
 
 ॐ श्रीगुरुभ्यो नमः।
 Pranam to all Gurus, visible and invisible, past, present, and yet to come.
 
 May Guru Purnima remind us all that the Guru is not far away. The true Guru lives in daily breath, sincere effort, and the quiet voice inside that whispers, keep going. May we keep this light alive, together.

#217 Walking in the Light of the Guru: Lineage, Faith & Living Wisdom

In a world where information is always within reach, it's tempting to believe we no longer need teachers. With a few clicks, we can access ancient texts, videos, and tutorials on nearly any aspect of yoga. But there's something that the internet cannot give you: transmission. Yoga is not simply learned; it is received. And it is only in relationship that this sacred transmission occurs.
 
 Our role as yoga teachers is not to entertain or perform. We are not here to serve up a random collection of poses or stories. Our job is to teach yoga to you, to help you understand the significance of the method. Especially in Ashtanga Yoga, where lineage matters and precision holds meaning, we offer a comprehensive system, not a fragmented sampler. What we offer is not just technique; it is a way of being. And that way of being is passed down through a living thread.
 
 To understand the teacher-student relationship in yoga, we must return to its roots, in the Sanskrit tradition, in the oral teachings of the Upaniṣads, and even in the deep etymology of the words we use in English.
 

 
 Practice LIVE with me exclusively on Omstars! Start your journey today with a 7-day trial at omstars.com.
 
 Stay connected with us on social @omstarsofficial and @kinoyoga
 
 Practice with me in person for workshops, classes, retreats, trainings and Mysore seasons. Find out more about where I'm teaching at kinoyoga.com and sign up for our Mysore season in Miami at www.miamilifecenter.com.

#216 The Importance of a Teacher, the Meaning of Being a Student and the Power of Transmission.

In this deeply honest and sometimes difficult conversation, Melissa Matt, Kino MacGregor, Peg Mulqueen, Sarah Nelson, and Greg Nardi take a courageous step into the heart of Ashtanga Yoga's ongoing reckoning. This episode asks some of the most pressing and uncomfortable questions facing our community today:
 
 Who decides what practice looks like? How are poses given, and what happens when power, hierarchy, and silence intertwine?
 
 Drawing from recent events and decades of shared experience, the teachers reflect on accountability, lineage, and the urgent need for new models of integrity. The dialogue is raw, vulnerable, and imperfect but necessary.

 
 Stay connected with us on social @omstarsofficial and @kinoyoga
 
 Practice with me in person for workshops, classes, retreats, trainings and Mysore seasons. Find out more about where I'm teaching at kinoyoga.com and sign up for our Mysore season in Miami at www.miamilifecenter.com.

#215 Dialogue and Discipline, Rethinking Authority in Ashtanga Yoga

Podcast notes
 
 The Quiet Turning: Meditation, Yoga, and the Truth of Impermanence
 
 One of the most frustrating instructions I ever received in a meditation class was deceptively simple: Close your eyes and quiet the mind. I remember thinking, if I could do that, I wouldn't be here learning how to meditate. Like so many others, I was searching for peace amidst the chaos of my own thoughts.
 
 Fortunately, I stumbled upon an ancient method that didn't demand silence from the start. It welcomed me exactly as I was. And over the years, daily meditation has become a cornerstone of my spiritual path, a way not to escape my thoughts but to learn how to be with them, honestly and gently.
 
 Many people believe they can't meditate because their minds are too restless. But that's precisely why meditation works. You don't need to be naturally calm to benefit from the practice, in fact, it's often those with the most inner turbulence who stand to gain the most. The very effort to sit, to observe, to try, even if imperfectly, is itself transformative. Every sincere attempt to concentrate, even for a moment, changes the texture of our awareness. Presence deepens. Stillness peeks through.
 
 In this way, meditation becomes a necessary companion to the physical discipline of yoga āsana. While āsana strengthens and opens the body, meditation refines the mind. Both are limbs of the same eightfold path and thrive in relationship to each other. If you're immersed in a strong physical practice, I invite you to explore the quiet power of sitting. If you already sit, but haven't stepped onto a mat, consider how movement might deepen your awareness. It's in the meeting of stillness and motion, of breath and body, that yoga reveals its deepest gifts.
 
 There is a turning that happens in every sincere moment of meditation: a turning inward, a turning away from distraction, and when we're ready, a turning toward truth.
 
 Seeing the Dhamma in Impermanence
 
 The Buddha's path is experiential, not theoretical. In the Saṃyutta Nikāya (SN 22.45), he says:
 
 "Yo aniccaṃ passati, so dhammaṃ passati. Yo dhammaṃ passati, so aniccaṃ passati."
 
 "One who sees impermanence sees the Dhamma. One who sees the Dhamma sees impermanence."
 
 To walk the path is to see clearly—moment by moment—that all things arise and pass. This insight is not depressing, but liberating. It opens the heart to compassion, to presence, and to the letting go that leads to peace.
 
 Practice LIVE with me exclusively on Omstars! Start your journey today with a 7-day trial at omstars.com.
 
 Limited time Offer: Sign up for an Omstars+ membership and Get my FREE course: Ashtanga Mechanics.
 
 Sign up Here!
 
 Stay connected with us on social @omstarsofficial and @kinoyoga
 
 Practice with me in person for workshops, classes, retreats, trainings and Mysore seasons. Find out more about where I'm teaching at kinoyoga.com and sign up for our Mysore season in Miami at www.miamilifecenter.com.

#214 The Quiet Turning: Meditation, Yoga, and the Truth of Impermanence

What does it really mean to practice yoga not just once in a while, but again and again, across years, through resistance, joy, boredom, and transformation?
 
 In this episode, Kino and Tim explore the deeper meaning of abhyāsa, the Sanskrit word often translated as "practice," but whose roots reveal something far more enduring: the committed, intentional act of returning. They weave this with the concept of bhāvanā, the inner cultivation of the heart and mind, drawn from early Buddhist teachings.
 
 Through stories from the Ashtanga method and personal reflections on the power of repetition, Kino and Tim share how practice is not about performance or perfection, but about shaping who we become through presence.
 
 This episode is an invitation to see practice not as a means to an end, but as the path itself. The pose is not the point. Returning is the point. Cultivating presence, breath by breath, day by day, becomes the living path of yoga. When we stop running and return to the moment, we remember, this is the place we never truly left.
 
 Practice LIVE with me exclusively on Omstars! Start your journey today with a 7-day trial at omstars.com.
 Registration is now open for Yogaversity! Join us for a transformative 12-month yoga education program. 
Stay connected with us on social @omstarsofficial and @kinoyoga
 Practice with me in person for workshops, classes, retreats, trainings and Mysore seasons. Find out more about where I'm teaching at kinoyoga.com and sign up for our Mysore season in Miami at www.miamilifecenter.com.

#213 Abhyāsa: The Sacred Art of Returning, Practice, Repetition, and Inner Cultivation

The yoga community is like one big family, not united by fancy poses but by a shared love for this ancient practice. It doesn't matter what shapes your body can or can't make; what matters is that you keep showing up and giving your best effort.
 
 What binds us is presence, not perfection. The practice calls forth a quiet courage and insight within us and it weaves us into a community of fellow seekers.
 
 One of yoga's subtle gifts is clear seeing, not just of the body but of the mind and heart. Its promise is not mere physical skill, but an inner transformation that dissolves confusion and reveals freedom.
 
 At the start of every Ashtanga practice, we chant an invocation. It's not just ritual, it's a reminder of why we practice and what we're really here to transform.
 
 Key Line:
 
 Saṃsāra Halāhala Mohaśāntyai
 
 "For the pacification of the delusion (Moha) that is the poison (Halāhala) of Saṃsāra."
 
 Quick Word-by-Word Meaning
 
 Saṃsāra (संसार): From sam- (together) + √sṛ (to flow) - the endless cycle of birth and death. Literally "the continuous flowing together."
 

 
 Halāhala (हलाहल): Deadly poison - like the mythic poison Śiva contained in his blue throat. Symbolizes the toxic nature of worldly entanglement.
 
 Moha (मोह): Delusion - the ignorance that clouds clear seeing.
 
 Sāntyai (शान्त्यै): "For pacification" - calming the poison of confusion.
 
 Why It Matters

 This ancient line reminds us: the real work of yoga is inner alchemy. The Guru and the practice help neutralize the poison of confusion so we can see clearly and live freely.
 
 When we chant, we remember: the obstacles aren't just outside, they live inside us as fear, attachment, and illusion. The path of yoga transforms poison into nectar, chaos into calm, confusion into clarity.
 
 Listen in as we explore more hidden meanings behind this beloved chant and how it can deepen your practice.
 
 Practice LIVE with me exclusively on Omstars! Start your journey today with a 7-day trial at omstars.com.
 
 Limited time Offer: Sign up for my upcoming Live series in October on Omstars, Embodied Strength and get one year of Omstars+ membership free!
 
 Stay connected with us on social @omstarsofficial and @kinoyoga
 
 Practice with me in person for workshops, classes, retreats, trainings and Mysore seasons. Find out more about where I'm teaching at kinoyoga.com and sign up for our Mysore season in Miami at www.miamilifecenter.com.

#212 Understanding the Ashtanga Yoga Opening Invocation: Etymology, Meaning & Inner Alchemy

In this insightful episode of the Yoga Inspiration Podcast, Kino MacGregor sits down with longtime Ashtanga practitioner and teacher Wade Oakley to explore the intersection of traditional yoga practice and modern strength training.
 
 Wade shares how an early shoulder injury led him to Ashtanga Yoga at the University of Virginia, and how his journey quickly took him to India to study with Sharath Jois. He reflects on practicing in Mysore, balancing academic research with daily sadhana, and what it means to approach yoga with both a beginner's heart and a scholar's mind.
 
 The conversation dives into Wade's personal evolution, from golf and weightlifting to yoga, from serious injury and reconstructive surgery to rehabilitation and "prehab" strategies that sustain long term practice. Together, Kino and Wade discuss the sometimes controversial topic of cross training, highlighting how mobility, strength, and yoga can complement each other for healthier movement and more sustainable teaching.
 
 Listeners will gain practical insights on the difference between flexibility and mobility, the physical demands of assisting in Mysore style classes, and how weight training can protect hypermobile bodies while deepening the yoga journey.
 
 Whether you are an Ashtanga student, a yoga teacher navigating injuries, or a practitioner curious about integrating gym training with yoga, this episode offers inspiration and practical wisdom for building a supported practice.
 
 Highlights from the episode
 
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 Wade's first encounter with Ashtanga Yoga and his early teachers
 

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 Stories from his first trips to Mysore and practicing with Sharath Jois
 

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 Recovering from major knee surgery through physical therapy and yoga
 

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 The difference between flexibility and mobility
 

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 How gym training can support safe assists and prevent injury
 

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 Strategies for bridging yoga, strength training, and long term practice
 

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 Practice with Kino and Wade on Omstars.com
 
 Practice LIVE with me on Omstars! Start your journey today with a 7 day trial at omstars.com
 
 September special - sign up for my upcoming October live series Embodied Strength, and get one year free of Omstars+!
 
 Stay connected with us on social: @omstarsofficial and @kinoyoga @wadeoakley
 
 Join Wade on Omstars for his upcoming Ashtanga Prehab Masterclass October 24th.
 
 Practice with me in person for workshops, classes, retreats, trainings, and Mysore seasons. 

 Learn more at kinoyoga.com

#211 A Supported Practice: Finding Balance Between Yoga and Strength Training with Kino MacGregor and Wade Oakley

In this rare and heartfelt conversation, Kino MacGregor sits down with Sri Shubha, daughter of the legendary T. Krishnamacharya, to share stories and insights from the man often called the father of modern yoga.
 
Sri Shubha offers a deeply personal glimpse into her upbringing in a household where yoga was not just a practice, but a way of life. She reflects on her father's presence, rituals, and teaching style, along with the subtle ways his guidance shifted between students. She also honors her mother's quiet but profound contributions to yoga, revealing how both parents shaped her own path as a teacher.
 
Together, they explore how yoga was introduced to her, why it remains an essential part of her life, and how she prepares for each class she teaches. Sri Shubha shares what she hopes students carry beyond the mat, what matters most when guiding a practitioner, and the balance between breath, alignment, and presence.
 
Listeners will also get a preview of her upcoming live sessions on Omstars, including the sacred text she will be covering and the wisdom students can expect to gain.
 
Whether you are a dedicated practitioner, a yoga teacher, or simply curious about Krishnamacharya's enduring influence, this episode offers an intimate and inspiring portrait of a living lineage.
 
Highlights from the Episode
 
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Early memories of Krishnamacharya at home and in practice
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The rituals and rhythms of the Krishnamacharya household
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How his teaching adapted to the needs of different students
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The influence of her mother's yoga practice and teachings
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What Sri Shubha considers before stepping into a classroom
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The qualities she values most in guiding students
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Insights into the sacred text she will teach in her Omstars live series
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Links & Resources

 Learn more about Sri Shubha's upcoming Omstars live sessions at: www.omstars.com

#210 Living Legacy: Sri Shubha on Krishnamacharya, Yoga, and Teaching from the Heart

This bonus episode is a gateway into The Spiritual Hustle, an honest, practical, and soul-centered approach to building a yoga or wellness business. The conversation traces the roots of practice, the call to teach, and the leap of faith it takes to create an online presence that stays true to authentic voice.
 
You'll hear about:
 
• The real challenges (and gifts) of shifting from student to teacher
 • How to overcome fear and show up authentically online
 • The power of collaboration and how The Spiritual Hustle was born
 • What makes this program different from other yoga biz trainings, blending real-world tools with ethical, heart-led guidance
 
For yoga teachers, practitioners, and soul-led entrepreneurs ready to grow with heart and purpose, this conversation offers inspiration and guidance. Because you don't have to hustle alone, we're in this together.
 
Join Kino MacGregor and Bruce Barkus this September for The Spiritual Hustle, a 3-week live course designed to help yoga teachers, practitioners, and wellness entrepreneurs grow with clarity, confidence, and integrity. Enrollment is open now, secure your spot for September 3–24, only on Omstars.

Bonus Episode: The Spiritual Hustle: Build Your Authentic Yoga Business Without Losing Your Soul

In this warm and inspiring episode, Kino MacGregor welcomes her dear friend and legendary Ashtanga Yoga teacher David Swenson for a conversation about his new book, Only Dead Fish Go With the Flow.
 

 
 David shares what sparked the idea for the book — a collection of stories, reflections, and wisdom from decades of living yoga on and off the mat. He offers an inside look at the writing journey: the surprises, the challenges of editing, and why he chose the self-publishing route to keep his voice true and unfiltered.
 

 
 David shares a few anecdotes straight out of the book!
 

 
 Kino and David also laugh and reflect on life's simple pleasures — teaching students around the world, staying connected to loved ones, and tending to the fruit trees that thrive under David's careful eye on his Hawaiian land.
 

 
 This episode is a reminder that yoga is more than poses — it's a way of living with courage, humor, and a willingness to swim against the current when your heart says so.
 

 
 Tune in for:
 

 
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 Why Only Dead Fish Go With the Flow is a book for every yogi and seeker
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 Practical tips on writing and self-publishing
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 Teaching stories and life lessons from decades of practice
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 Honest reflections on staying rooted in what matters
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 A glimpse into David's island life, fruit trees included!
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Practice LIVE with me exclusively on Omstars! Start your journey today with a 7-day trial at omstars.com.
 
 Limited time Offer: Sign up for an Omstars+ membership and Get my FREE course: Ashtanga Mechanics.
 
 Sign up Here!
 
 Stay connected with us on social @omstarsofficial and @kinoyoga
 
 Practice with me in person for workshops, classes, retreats, trainings and Mysore seasons. Find out more about where I'm teaching at kinoyoga.com and sign up for our Mysore season in Miami at www.miamilifecenter.com.

Bonus Episode: The Spiritual Hustle: Build Your Authentic Yoga Business Without Losing Your Soul

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