What a whirlwind 2025 has been. Whether you're reflecting on the past year or planning for the year ahead, it's always worth thinking about how much you have grown. 2025 taught me many things but I wouldn't have gotten through it without my yoga practice. Here are a few lessons I learned - maybe they'll resonate with you.Stay til the end for 3 reflection prompts :)

Podcast & Host LinksWebsite:www.divyabala.comInstagram:Host: @divyabalaPodcast: @yogaoffthematpodcastYoutube:Youtube.com/divyabalaPatreon:Patreon.com/divyabala

Allow me to *re*introduce myself! A lot of you have been curious to get to know my journey with yoga, what my practice looks like, my thoughts on the industry, the business of yoga, how to decolonize yoga in the wild...and I got you. This is a short and sweet episode to help you get to know me a bit better, and there are some great tips sprinkled in as well.

Timestamps:

01:03 My journey with yoga

02:56 My current yoga practice

06:12 My thoughts on modern yoga

08:06 How to start a yoga practice

09:20 Considerations when practicing asana

12:19 Posture tutorial

12:50 Decolonizing yoga

14:52 Yoga retreats

16:02 Books on yoga

16:44 Becoming a yoga teacher

19:10 Starting a yoga business

Podcast & Host Links

www.divyabala.com

Youtube.com/divyabala

Patreon.com/divyabala

Instagram: @divyabala @yogaoffthematpodcast

Ashton Hall and Mel Robbins may be trending right now for their...intense...morning routines. But your morning doesn't have to look like that for you to start your day on the best foot. This episode is the first in a seasonal series about how to use the principles of yoga philosophy and its sister science Ayurveda to customize your morning routine - both for your unique needs and for the season.

Podcast & Host Links

Website: www.divyabala.com

Instagram: @divyabala @yogaoffthematpodcast

Youtube.com/divyabala

Patreon.com/divyabala

Whether or not we like it -- change is in the air. Socially, politically, spiritually. You may not realize it but yoga has prepared you with the mental resilience to face it head on. Here's how.

In this episode, I share 5 simple yogic tactics to fortify yourself ahead of major change.

Podcast & Host Links

Website: www.divyabala.com

Instagram:

• Host: @divyabala

• Podcast: @yogaoffthematpodcast

Youtube: Youtube.com/divyabala

Patreon: Patreon.com/divyabala

Some people think it's unethical. Some people think it's essential.

Either way, it's a massive industry that's only gaining more and more traction: The Yoga Teacher Training. In this episode, I share the origins of how yoga was passed down and taught, and how that has evolved with the birth of the yoga industry.

You'll also get a framework of inquiry to understand your intentions and whether YTT is right for you, PLUS a checklist to help you choose the right training program.

Podcast & Host Links Website: www.divyabala.com Instagram: Host: @divyabala Podcast: @yogaoffthematpodcast Youtube: Youtube.com/divyabala

One of the questions I get asked most frequently is "How do I build a yoga practice from scratch?"

In this episode, I offer a 5-step framework to help you build a yoga practice of your own - and you might be surprised at how simple it is! You'll incorporate elements from the 8-limbed path and integrate your practice into your life, both on and off the mat. Yoga doesn't have to be hard or scary - it just needs dedication, compassion and a little discipline.

Podcast & Host Linkswww.divyabala.comHost: @divyabalaPodcast: @yogaoffthematpodcastYoutube.com/divyabala

Learn about an essential element of yoga, Prana - your vital life energy. We unpack what it is, how to sense it, practices that enhance or deplete it, and how to optimize it to improve your quality of life. The episode ends with a short pranayama practice so you can experience the sensation firsthand.

In this episode we discuss:

• What is that indescribable feeling yoga gives us? Where does it come from?
• What is energy, as it pertains to yoga?
• Yoga and it’s effects on our energy
• How our body and breath are conduits of this energy
• What is subtle energy?
• What are bandhas? How do they impact our energy?
• How does asana affect Prana?
• How do you apply these practrices to in a holistically engage your Prana?

Resources and references

Books

1. Integral Yoga by Sri Aurobindo
2. Light on Yoga by BKS Iyegar
3. Mind Your Breathing by Sundar Balasubramanian

Articles:

1. ‘Understanding Prana’ by David Frawley https://yogainternational.com/article/view/understanding-prana/
2. Perception of Subtle Energy “Prana”, and Its Effects During Biofield Practices: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10498708/

1. 'Secrets of the five pranas' by Vamadeva Shastri https://www.vedanet.com/the-secrets-of-the-five-pranas/

Podcast & Host Links

Website: (changing soon!)

www.hidivya.com

Instagram:

Host: @divyabala

Podcast: @yogaoffthematpodcast

Youtube:

Youtube.com/divyabala

In this episode we discuss:

• The context of oppression and systemic violence
• The yogic definition of ahimsa versus himsa
• Modern interpretations of ahimsa
• Active versus non-active ahimsa
• Why Performative Activism doesnt work
• Ceasefire as ahimsa

Reference Links

A history of Al-Nakba

https://remix.aljazeera.com/aje/PalestineRemix/al-nakba.html#/17

The Balfour Declaration

https://www.britannica.com/event/Balfour-Declaration

How to get started in activism for Palestine:

https://www.pcrf.net/information-you-should-know/how-to-help-palestine.html#:~:text=This can include writing to,to bring about positive change.

Books:

Applied Ethics Primer by Letitia Meynell and Clarisse Paron

Yoga - Anticolonial Philosophy by Dr Shyam Ranganathan

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Sri Swami Satchidananda

Podcasts:

The Genocide of Palestinians: https://open.spotify.com/show/7jPGgYybr0lrmIHcpQlj93?si=726d2ccd8a3343f5

Eelam Tamil history:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6dvVVja3BaGopbh59GTIwV?si=EOqa273hSXOIMC8MRMCW7g

The war in Sudan:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0xbzCipOMQPeKQoD3FuyFh?si=S8FxtD8ERqaWN9rV4JbdFA

The civil war in DR Congo:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7svK7nxRct2LIx35onbEml?si=ttIXo8O-RKGf2M0w7QOKcg

Credible social media sources to follow:

@red_maat

@sbeih.jpg

@wizard_bisan1

@varathas

@letstalkpalestine

Podcast & Host Links

www.hidivya.com

Instagram:

Host: @divyabala

Podcast: @yogaoffthematpodcast

Youtube.com/divyabala