Movement for Modern Life Podcast
Movement for Modern Life is so chuffed to finally have jumped on the podcast wagon! In our podcast, Founder of Movement for Modern Life, Kat Farrants, will meet Champions of Change – those who are changing the world, and helping us all to live a more healthy, happy and sustainable life, as well as meeting experts who can all help us to Move More. Live More.
Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review to let us know what you think. Also, find us on iTunes, Stitcher, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Yoga Off The Mat 41: Ana Forrest & Jose Calarco on Yoga, Trauma and Ceremony
Emotional trauma sits in all of us, but we can shift it. In this episode, we talk to Ana Forrest and Jose Calarco to get some insight into the power of ritual and ceremony for enhancing our yoga practice, which can then act as a release for emotional trauma from the body.
Yoga Off The Mat 40: Catherine Annis on Anatomy, Awareness & Intuition
In this episode, we talk to Scaravelli inspired yoga teacher, Catherine Annis, about more than just functional anatomy! We discover the intrinsic link between our body and our minds through exploring our feet, our psoas muscles and our vagus nerve. So, this conversation is about the mental and emotional side of a deep physical practise; how can being aware of our bodies increase our awareness as we move through life? How can playing with our yoga practice fine tune our intuition?
Yoga Off The Mat 39: Adam Hocke on Yoga and Buddhism
Buddhism is something which fuels Adam’s practice and teaching, so in this episode, so he shares his interpretation of the teachings and how they have impacted him. Specifically, he explores the Buddhist Paramitas; what they are and how we can live by these qualities. He and Kat also discuss how yoga and Buddhism are interrelated, what they have in common and why there seem to be so many similarities between the two philosophies.
Yoga Off The Mat 38: Frederique Sardais and the Accessible Yoga
In this episode, we talk to the master of adaptive yoga, Frederique Sardais, about how yoga can be a truly inclusive practice for every body. We discover what adaptive yoga is and explore the meaning of inclusivity and discuss why this conversation is long overdue. Fredee has been teaching specialist yoga classes for the last eight years, for people living with disability, primarily mobility disabilities. However, we are all going to need adaptive yoga at some point in our lives, and it’s not always going to be about achieving physical poses.
Yoga Off The Mat 37: Rakhee Jasani and the Yoga Sutras
In this episode, we are talking about Patanjali’s yoga sutras and how relevant they are to modern life. How can these ancient texts help us get through daily life and the crises we face? Kat chats with Rakhee Jasani, MFML teacher and philosophy expert, about her fascination and frustration with the old yogi texts, and answers questions on the importance of integrating philosophy into our lives to help us face everything from personal overwhelm to environmental and societal issues.
Yoga Off The Mat 36: Vidya Heisel on Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life
In this episode Kat talks to Vidya Heisel, the founder of Suryalila about how her life has been informed by Eastern philosophy. Vidya talks about her early influences and how when she discovered Eastern philosophy and meditation at the age of nineteen, she felt like a light had gone off in her head.
Meditation: finding courage
In this podcast, Zephyr gives a summary of the five virtues of yoga, focusing on courage. What does courage look like? How can we be courageous? How can yoga support us in finding and practicing courage? We chat about how we can face challenging times through the lens of yoga philosophy and physical practice, followed by a lovely meditation from Zephyr.
Yoga Off The Mat 33: Adam Hocke on Building Strength
“The quickest way to learn is through play.”
It is something which is often overlooked in a yoga practice, but strength is so important for a safe, comfortable and progressive yoga practice. So, we talk to one of our most popular teachers, Adam Hocke, about how we can explore and increase our strength and the impact it can have on our bodies and lives.
Meditation: coming home to yourself
In this episode, we talk with Lizzie Reumont about the theme of coming home. What are your preconceived ideas of home and safety? What does home mean to you and how can we feel at home in our bodies? In this podcast, we will explore the idea of landing on the earth and coming back to ourselves. Lizzie will offer a guided meditation and we would like to invite you to practice with us.
Yoga Off The Mat 31: Jonelle Lewis on Creativity
“The quickest way to learn is through play.”
How and why should we bring creativity to our yoga practice? We chat to Jonelle Lewis, a brave, fierce and experienced yoga teacher who loves to explore a range of yoga styles. Jonelle has an amazing way of making yoga an inclusive, accessible and empowering experience. She shares the various different yoga styles she practices, how she came to them and how can we be more fluid, free and creative on our mats.
Meditation: supporting and recharging your energy
Today, Joo Teoh, is sharing a meditation on the theme of energy.What is energy, qi, or prana? How can we recharge and best take care of our energy? Joo is a wonderful teacher of both yoga and Qi Gong, so has a beautiful way of looking at the concept of energy through these different lenses. We will start with a little chat about this theme and Joo will follow with a guided meditation.
Meditation: be in the present moment
In this episode, we talk with Lucy McCarthy about the theme of awakening. How can we be conscious from moment to moment and pay attention to the small things which would normally pass us by? How can the concept of the seven chakras move us from just our mind to our whole body? We will explore this theme and Lucy will offer a guided meditation. Find a quiet space to spend a few minutes practicing with us.
Meditation: cultivating awareness and finding clarity
In this instalment of our MFML Meditations podcast, Adrianna Zaccardi shares a meditation on awareness. Adrianna is a brilliant restorative yoga teacher, whose practices are all about coming into a deeper place of quiet within ourselves so we can meet the present moment with clarity. Cultivating awareness can be so nourishing and it’s great to do so from a very calm, clear and grounded place.
Meditation: exploring connection
In this instalment of our MFML Meditations podcast, the wonderful Mimi Kuo-Deemer is sharing a meditation on the theme of connection. During lockdown, the word connection has taken on a whole new meaning. Whilst we cannot connect physically with our loved ones, there is still so much we can connect with. It is so important to explore those connections when everything around us feels so disconnected.
Meditation: being grounded and present
Welcome to another special edition of the Movement for Modern Life podcast! This week, Adam Hocke joins Kat to lead a meditation on the theme of grounding. Being grounded enables us to be in the moment and accept the present moment for what it is. It also helps us feel connected to and supported by our bodies and the earth. This is a useful meditation for when you’re feeling stressed, anxious or overwhelmed.
Meditation: transitions, expansion and empowering yourself
Welcome to this special edition of the Movement for Modern Life podcast! This is the first in a series of live meditations from our wonderful team of teachers which were part of our recent Home Yoga Retreat. These meditations, dharma talks and Q&A sessions are fantastic tools for supporting us through challenging times. This week, Clive Fogelman will be leading a meditation on the theme of transitions. The meditation is followed by a Q&A session with members of the Movement for Modern Life community.
Yoga Off The Mat 24: Sylvia Garcia
“Going deeper isn’t about doing the pose better, it’s about what the pose is teaching you.”
Why are so many people acquiring yoga injuries? How can we find a class which suits us? What impact has instagram had on yoga? In this episode, we talk to Sylvia Garcia, about adapting our yoga practice to suit our bodies, rather than the other way round. It is possible for yoga to not be healthy or good for our bodies; you can punish yourself with yoga or choose to use it intelligently by making it suit you in each moment.
Yoga Off The Mat 23: Joo Teoh
“I can choose what happy means to me at any given point in time.”
Balance, intention, silence and slowing down. How do these actions help us on the path to cultivating happiness every day? In this episode, we talk to one of our wonderful teachers, Joo Teoh. Joo has been through some big life upheavals, both good and bad, but has managed to retain a real sense of joy and equanimity. He offers his own tips for when you are going through your own changes. Learn more about consciously stepping away from stress triggers, finding space and being comfortable with slowing down.
Yoga Off The Mat 22: Mercedes Sieff
“We know what makes us happy, what is tricky is the unhappy moments.”
It often seems that as a society we are constantly on the search for the holy grail of happiness. But what if everything you need to be happy was already inside of you? This chat with Mercedes is all about lightness, playfulness and “seeing the moment for what it is and having a bit of fun with it”. We explore character strengths and the history of yoga to lead us to the answer to finding happiness, which may not be quite what you expect.
Yoga Off The Mat 21: Lisa Sanfilippo
“It’s a very yogic thing to return to good sleep…it’s a time when we have to let go.”
In this episode, we talk to Lisa Sanfilippo, author and yoga teacher, who has created a sleep recovery course for MFML. Kat talks to Lisa about moving beyond the pills, apps and pillow sprays and discover deeper long lasting solutions to better sleep. We need to repair our ability to sleep well, not depend on these crutches, but how can we do that? Lisa offers tips on how to prepare for sleep with some revolutionary ideas, but also by using yogic philosophy to help us rediscover balance, patience, receptivity and rest.
Yoga Off The Mat 20: Clive Fogelman
“Transitions are opportunities for great enquiry, curiosity and discovery.”
Many of us come to yoga for the physical practice, but it is not just all about making shapes and repeating movements. In this episode, we talk to one of Movement For Modern Life’s most popular teachers, Clive Fogelman, on the power of transitions, both on and off the mat. Transitions are a huge part of creating a more familiar relationship with the body, expanding our options and empowering ourselves to make mindful choices.
Champion of Change 19: Zephyr Wildman
“Yoga doesn't prevent life from happening, but it gives you the tools to manage the unmanageable.”
Life is filled with ups and downs, but one thing which remains constant is our yoga practice. But the practice of yoga goes beyond just the shapes we make with our body. In episode 19 of our podcast, we talk to Zephyr Wildman, a beautiful yoga teacher and a leading light on how we can weave yoga philosophy into our classes and everyday lives. Kat talks to Zephyr about life, death and transformation, and how we can affect our lives by navigating changes. So, settle into a comfortable position and learn how yoga can support and curate transformation in your life.
Champion of Change 18: Nikita Akilapa
“Being a parent is the biggest yoga I've ever done!”
In episode 18 of our podcast, Kat chats to Nikita, one of our most popular teachers, about how her yoga practice has supported her after the arrival of her second baby and how it has changed on her journey through motherhood.One of the biggest lessons of parenthood is to know what it is to surrender to life and change, and the beauty of yoga is that it teaches us how to ride that wave of change.
Champion of Change 17: Kat & Rakhee on Small Steps
“If all of us do something very small, it becomes something very big.”
Life is overwhelming, full on and busy. It’s a rollercoaster out there; we’re constantly bombarded with news and information as we try to navigate our way through the peaks, troughs, twists and turns of life. So, in Episode 17 of our podcast, Kat sits down with our Content Creator, Rakhee, to talk about the small steps we can all make towards a healthier, happy, more sustainable life. There’s lots of energy in the new year as people set ‘resolutions’ and vow to make big changes for the year ahead, which can feel too much for many of us. So, discover the things the MFML team are doing this January to set themselves up for the year ahead without the pressure and overwhelm.
Champion of Change 16: Vera Farrants
“Let it go!”
Getting older is something we all think about, and maybe even get anxious about, but age does not have to limit us. In Episode 16 of Champions of Change, we look at how the inspiration between mother and daughter has transformed the life of 78-year-old Vera Farrants. Vera is the mother of Movement for Modern Life founder, Kat, and though she only recently came to yoga at the age of 73, she doesn’t see that as a bad thing. Instead, the older you are, the more you can benefit. In fact, her practice has not only helped her physically, but transformed her attitude to and outlook on life, and taught her the importance of letting go.
Champion of Change 15: Dan Peppiatt
“Wanting more is at the heart of our crises.”
Welcome to Season 2 of our Champions of Change podcast! Our first guest, Dan Peppiatt, is so inspiring and somewhat of a maverick when it comes to teaching and talking about yoga. Join us as we take a deep dive into his unique perspective on life and learn how living a little differently can help us through not just the Christmas festivities, but anytime we struggle, stumble or question ourselves.
Champion of Change 14: Henrietta Norton #2
What’s the best way to eat for optimal health? What’s the best nutrition to support the body through the menstrual cycle and the menopause? Listen in for this fascinating discussion with Founder of Wild Nutrition, Henrietta Norton, to find out the best things to eat to reduce symptoms around periods and menopause and increase fertility and your feeling of wellbeing.
Champion of Change 13: The Red School
'There’s nothing more dangerous than a woman being kind to herself'
Episode 13 of our Champions of Change Series features Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer, Founders of Red School talk to Kat, Founder of MFML. This is a fun and furious episode, full of revelations and revolutions, with two radical champions of change - changing the way women understand and live in our own bodies. Find out how we can step into our own power by becoming aware of our own bodies and our own cycles. Hear about how power can be restored to women through paying attention to the menstrual cycle.
Champion of Change 12: Lucy McCarthy
Lucy is a radical, a champion of changing the way we see things, in her approach to yoga philosophy and the way she incorporates seemingly esoteric philosophies into her life. She is a mum, and an incredibly grounded, balanced person, yet manages to incorporate the ancient yogic way of seeing the world into her life.
In this conversation with Lucy we delve into the koshas. What are the koshas? How do they help us to understand our yoga journey? Lucy discusses, in her characteristically accessible and down to earth way, what the ancient yogic philosophical concept of the koshas are and how relevant they are to each and every one of us in our journey to find happiness and health.
Champion of Change 11: Adam Hocke
How did Adam go from being the stiffest guy in yoga class to becoming a yoga teacher.. The inclusivity of Adam’s yoga practice is a hallmark of Adam Hocke’s classes and his approach to yoga as a tool for mental management, his very modern, science-based view of what yoga is, and his thoughts on how yoga could be so crucial for helping men’s mental health makes him truly a Champion of Change.
Champion of Change 10: Adrianna Zaccardi
Movement for Modern Life is so pleased to welcome our newest yoga teacher on the site and our next Champion of Change. Adrianna Zaccardi. She is a radical yoga teacher in that she teaches something many of us need, but so few of us get. Rest.
In this podcast we hear why restorative yoga, taught without music and with minimal instruction is the most radical practice, and why it’s absolutely essential for our health and wellbeing. Hear how restorative yoga can heal you, and the importance of giving permission to yourself to relax into yourself and being able to be accepting of ourselves and others and all that life throws at us.
Champion of Change 9: Kat Farrants
In this episode the tables are turned! Rakhee interviews Kat Farrants on all things change. Kat talks about how she ditched her career in law, found her dharma and started Movement for Modern Life. We also uncover Kat’s obsession with transformation and change, and why it’s the most important thing in life. Knowing that nothing is fixed, we all have the power to change. What is it to feel stuck? How is it that people do feel stuck in their lives and how can we change our lives. Kat has experienced being stuck in the wrong job for years, and having come out is now living the life she never dared dream was possible. How to make that shift? How to move from the life your living to the life of your dreams? Kat shares the practices that helped her to dare to dream, face the fear head on and have the courage to surrender to the best version of her own life and create movementformodernlife.com!
Champion of Change 8: Andrea Kwiatkowski
In this conversation with internationally renowned Jivamukti and Yin yoga teacher, Andrea Kwaitkowski we have a really wide ranging conversation about what does it mean to take our yoga practice off the mat and out into the world? This is a conversation about connecting back to yourself, our connections with others and finding the extraordinary in the most ordinary moments. What is yoga anyway? Is it the shapes? And if yoga isn’t about making shapes, why do we make the shapes anyway?
In this conversation Andrea shows us how her yoga practice is making the everyday decisions, doing the everyday actions, and living her everyday day to day life. It is a way of connecting back to our true selves, and our true joy.
.png)
Champion of Change 7: Henrietta Norton
With a background in biochemistry and having worked for supplement companies, it was Henrietta's battle with endometriosis which led her on a journey to find out why traditional supplements weren't working and improve nutritional supplements.
In this incredibly wide ranging conversation we discuss why it is that conventional supplements have such high dosage, and will never be able to serve the body's nutritional requirements.
.png)
Champion of Change 6: Norman Blair
Norman shines a light on how our yoga practice is an everyday practice of living a life with meaning and integrity. In this discussion we talk about the small steps we might take to become a constructive agent of change, and how we can become more conscious influencers of change in the world.
In this discussion we discuss what yoga teaching has to do with living a meaningful life, how we might find meaning in our lives, and the importance, as yogis, of living a life full of honesty and integrity and challenging complacency.
.png)
Champion of Change 5: Mimi Kuo-Deemer
Mimi Kuo-Deemer is one of the most inspiring and scholarly yoga and qigong teachers you’re likely to meet. She combines a sense of humour in story telling, with telling us how it is. In this chat, Mimi shares her radical vision of a sustainable health and fitness. This is a vision in which we move for our health and wellbeing not for a sense of accomplishment. Where our target is to live more in tune with the natural world and our life’s rhythms.
Champion of Change 4: David Kam
In this very inspiring conversation you’ll meet Movement Artist David Kam who is a champion of change, but not in the usual way. He is a champion of changing things up! We discuss the art of responsiveness.
‘My purpose to break boundaries and remember what the point is of yoga is. Shedding light where you lack awareness.’
Take a sideways look at yoga with David. If you were nudged sideways, would you fall? Find out from David how his teaching is to build new connections and new patterns of responsiveness.
Champion of Change 3: Jyoti Manuel
In our third episode highlighting the work of some of the most inspiring people, Kat meets Jyoti Manuel, founder of Special Yoga Global.
‘When it’s your soul’s calling, it lights you up to do the work’.
Jyoti has been practicing yoga for four decades and working with special needs people. Find out how yoga helps special children and how tand teaching is that of listening
Champion of Change 2: Vidya Heisel
Vidya’s mission in her newest project is to reverse desertification in southern Spain. Southern Spain is at massive risk of becoming a desert, which means that the land will be irreversibly unusable. Vidya Heisel is founder of Frog Lotus Yoga International, Suryalila and Danyadara, and is one of the most senior and respected teachers of yoga in the world. The story Vidya tells is one of her resourcefulness in educating herself around the issues to manage her yoga retreat land, and passion to educate and inspire people about different ways of managing the land, and the impact intensive farming has on the planet. The practice of mindfulness around the preciousness of our resources is key to Vidya’s message, her work truly is yoga in action.
Champion of Change 1: Robin Watkins-Davis
Wooohooo!!! It’s our first podcast and Kat is absolutely over-excited to chat to Champion of Change, Teen yoga ambassador, Robin Watkins-Davis. Robin is the youngest person to qualify as a yoga teacher in the UK and shares her insights into:
- how yoga helped her anxiety as a teenager
- her vision for sharing yoga with young people
- how yoga was a superpower that turned her from struggling student to A grade.
'Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change’.