Not Just Āsana
Not Just Āsana
Keith Kempis and Sandy King
Not Just Āsana is a yoga podcast beyond the postures, hosted by advanced certified Jivamukti Yoga teachers and best friends Keith Kempis (director of Bija Yoga) and Sandy King (founder of Golden Yoga School). Each week, one surprises the other with a topic from the vast yoga universe and they have a spontaneous dharma discussion. Sit in on their casual chats about everything from meditation to Morrissey; spiritual teachings to snacking; telling jokes to teaching yoga in the 21st century... and a whole lot more.
SIMPLE ĀSANA SEQUENCE: led by Keith Kempis [winter bonus episode 3]
WINTER BONUS EPISODE 3 In our third winter bonus episode, you will be led by Keith in a simple (but not necessarily easy!) āsana sequence, that moves the spine in all directions, guided breath by breath. We hope you will enjoy this bonus class as either a stand-alone practice, or as part of a longer practice. For the best experience, return to this recording regularly and turn it into your sādhanā for a period of time.   YOGA OBSCURA NEWSLETTER: https://sandyking.com.au/newsletter/    COMING UP: Thailand Retreat with Keith in October. Get in touch with Keith here. India Retreat - November. **last spots remaining** Enquire here.   FIND US: Keith’s studio: Bija Yoga, Penrith / @bija_yoga Sandy teaches in Nipaluna / Hobart and offers online classes at sandyking.com.au /@sandykingyoga
Jul 15
13 min
CHANTING + MEDITATION: led by Sandy King [winter bonus episode 2]
WINTER BONUS EPISODE 2 In our second winter bonus episode, you will be led by Sandy in chanting a medley of two classic kirtan mantras: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya and hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇakṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare harehare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare Then a 5 min meditation is taught with classic Jivamukti Yoga instructions. We hope you will enjoy this bonus class as either a stand-alone practice, or as an opening or closing to a longer practice. For the best experience, return to this episode regularly and turn it into your sādhanā for a period of time.   YOGA OBSCURA NEWSLETTER: https://sandyking.com.au/newsletter/    COMING UP: Thailand Retreat with Keith in October. Get in touch with Keith here. India Retreat - November. **last spots remaining** Enquire here.   FIND US: Keith’s studio: Bija Yoga, Penrith / @bija_yoga Sandy teaches in Nipaluna / Hobart and offers online classes at sandyking.com.au /@sandykingyoga
Jul 8
17 min
JIVAMUKTI YOGA MAGIC 10: led by Sandy King [winter bonus episode 1]
WINTER BONUS EPISODE 1 In the first of our winter bonus episodes, you will be led by Sandy in the classic Jivamukti Yoga warm-up/mini practice sequence the Magic 10. Devised by our teacher Sharon Gannon, this intelligent sequence takes takes you through all movements of the spine in a series of seated, standing and inverted āsanas, all accompanied by conscious ujjayi breath. We hope you will enjoy this bonus class as either a stand-alone practice, or as a warm-up for a longer practice. For the best experience, practice regularly and turn it into your sādhanā for a period of time.   YOGA OBSCURA NEWSLETTER: https://sandyking.com.au/newsletter/    COMING UP: Thailand Retreat with Keith in October. Get in touch with Keith here. India Retreat - November. **last spots remaining** Enquire here. FIND US: Keith’s studio: Bija Yoga, Penrith / @bija_yoga Sandy teaches in Nipaluna / Hobart and offers online classes at sandyking.com.au /@sandykingyoga
Jul 1
16 min
KṚṢṆA + PRINCE: rock stars, peacocks and holy cows
EPISODE 64 Join Sandy and Keith for the last episode before a one-month break. Learn some of the famous Krishna lilas, including Gopal and the universe, Govinda and the gopis, and why Keith loves Prince so much. Cosmic sunglasses, shoulder shimmies, and making it big in Vietnam (not really).    YOGA OBSCURA NEWSLETTER: https://sandyking.com.au/newsletter/    COMING UP: Thailand Retreat with Keith in October. Get in touch with Keith here. India Retreat - November. **last spots remaining** Enquire here. FIND US: Keith’s studio: Bija Yoga, Penrith / @bija_yoga Sandy teaches in Nipaluna / Hobart and offers online classes at sandyking.com.au /@sandykingyoga
Jun 24
39 min
MAKE ME AN INSTRUMENT: becoming a friend of the animals
EPISODE 63 An episode for all the animal lovers. Are you a dog person or a cat person? The pair discuss being joyful activists who enjoy delicious food, and Keith shares the beautiful origin story and prayer of St Francis.   YOGA OBSCURA NEWSLETTER: https://sandyking.com.au/newsletter/    COMING UP: Kirtan with Sandy at Folde - 21st June. Book here. **spots open**Finding Space Within (hip opening workshop) with Sandy - 27th June. Book here. Golden Yoga School Teacher Training in Sydney - starts August. Learn more here. Thailand Retreat with Keith in October. Get in touch with Keith here. India Retreat - November. **last spots remaining** Enquire here. FIND US: Keith’s studio: Bija Yoga, Penrith / @bija_yoga Sandy teaches in Nipaluna / Hobart and offers online classes at sandyking.com.au /@sandykingyoga
Jun 17
39 min
TRISTHĀNA + STRICT VINYĀSA: how yogis focus
EPISODE 62 Sandy and Keith discuss the different ways yogis focus in their practice and compare the tristhāna method from ashtanga yoga, with strict vinyāsa from Jivamukti. The pair go into detail about dṛṣṭi (gaze), ujjayi breath, mūla bandha, movement/āsana and high intention.   YOGA OBSCURA NEWSLETTER: https://sandyking.com.au/newsletter/  COMING UP: Kirtan with Sandy - 21st June. Book here. Finding Space Within (hip opening workshop) with Sandy - 27th June. Book here. Golden Yoga School Teacher Training in Sydney - starts August. Learn more here. Thailand Retreat with Keith in October. Get in touch with Keith here. India Retreat - November. **last spots remaining** Enquire here. FIND US: Keith’s studio: Bija Yoga, Penrith / @bija_yoga Sandy teaches in Nipaluna / Hobart and offers online classes at sandyking.com.au /@sandykingyoga
Jun 10
46 min
UNBRIDLED BLISS: using saṃyama (concentration, meditation + absorption) to tap into presence
EPISODE 61 Join the pair as they explore the final 3 steps of Patañjali's Aṣṭāṅga Yoga - dhāraṇā (concentration) dhyāna (meditation) samādhi (absorption) Keith shares about his recent yin teacher training experience, Sandy talks about feeling in their body vs. leaving their body. They both discuss flow state, neurotypical vs. neurodivergent minds in concentration mode + of course... food, recpies and cooking.   COMING UP: Kirtan with Sandy - 21st June. Book here. Finding Space Within (hip opening workshop) with Sandy - 27th June. Book here. Golden Yoga School Teacher Training in Sydney - starts August. Learn more here. Thailand Retreat with Keith in October. Get in touch with Keith here. India Retreat - November. **last spots remaining** Enquire here. FIND US: Keith’s studio: Bija Yoga, Penrith / @bija_yoga Sandy teaches in Nipaluna / Hobart and offers online classes at sandyking.com.au /@sandykingyoga  SANDY'S NEWSLETTER: https://sandyking.com.au/newsletter/
Jun 3
46 min
YOU ARE WHOLE: teachings from the Upaniṣads
EPISODE 60 Sandy and Keith discuss a famous verse from the Upaniṣads on wholeness/holiness and explore recent teachings from their teacher Seema Agarwal.   COMING UP: Finding Space Within (hip opening workshop) with Sandy - 29th June. Book here. Golden Yoga School Teacher Training in Sydney - starts August. Learn more here. Thailand Retreat with Keith in October. Get in touch with Keith here. India Retreat - November. **last spots remaining** Enquire here. FIND US: Keith’s studio: Bija Yoga, Penrith / @bija_yoga Sandy teaches in Nipaluna / Hobart and offers online classes at sandyking.com.au /@sandykingyoga  SANDY'S NEWSLETTER: https://sandyking.com.au/newsletter/
May 27
37 min
SATYA + MAUNA: speak your truth vs. silence is golden
EPISODE 59 Keith opens the pod with a sūtra on satya - truthfulness and the pair discuss how they say what they mean and mean what they say. They reminisce about silent satsang at Jivamukti NYC, which Bija Yoga continues to this day. They discuss their yoga grandpa, Swami Nirmalananda, who was a maunī and didn't speak for 11 years. Also featured: Cognitive dissonance, silence as introspection, mantras as spells, how to overcome fear of silence, reduce overstimulation and tap into your inner truth.   COMING UP: Teacher Training Info Session in Sydney with Sandy - 29th June Free to book here. Finding Space Within (hip opening workshop) with Sandy - 29th June. Book here. Golden Yoga School Teacher Training in Sydney - starts August. Learn more here. Thailand Retreat with Keith in October. Get in touch with Keith here. India Retreat - November. **3 spots remaining** Enquire here. FIND US: Keith’s studio: Bija Yoga, Penrith / @bija_yoga Sandy teaches in Nipaluna / Hobart and offers online classes at sandyking.com.au /@sandykingyoga  SANDY'S NEWSLETTER: https://sandyking.com.au/newsletter/  SANDY'S FOCUS OF THE MONTH ESSAY FROM 2019: https://jivamuktiyoga.com/fotm/mauna-silence-is-golden/  Book referenced: Florence Scovel Shinn “Your Word is Your Wand”
May 20
44 min
PRĀṆĀYĀMA: freeing the life force through means of breathing
EPISODE 58 Sandy brings the topic of Prāṇāyāma to the pod and the pair discuss the four parts of the breath, the two major categories of practice and break down the Sanskrit meaning of the word (and why it’s not breath work!). They cover nervous system regulation and the gunas in relation to breath practices as well as many other points of view on this elusive, yet practical topic of life force.   COMING UP: DARK YOGA (sold out) Teacher Training Info Session (online) with Sandy - 18th May. Free to book here. Finding Space Within (hip opening workshop) with Sandy - 29th June. Book here. Golden Yoga School Teacher Training in Sydney - starts August. Learn more here. Thailand Retreat with Keith. Get in touch with Keith here. India Retreat - November. **3 spots remaining** Enquire here. FIND US: Keith’s studio: Bija Yoga, Penrith / @bija_yoga Sandy teaches in Nipaluna / Hobart and offers online classes at sandyking.com.au /@sandykingyoga  SANDY'S NEWSLETTER: https://sandyking.com.au/newsletter/  THE BREATHING APP: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-breathing-app-calm-daily/id1285982210
May 13
45 min
Load more