Kino MacGregor

Ashtanga Yoga

How Yoga, Practice, and Community Carry Us Forward When Everything Falls Apart

This year has been rough in ways I could not have imagined. The overarching theme has been one of grief, loss, and sorrow, a kind of ache that spread through every part of my life. The tragic death of my teacher did not remain a single event. It rippled outward until it touched everything. Other…

Ashtanga Yoga

Is Yoga Inherently Healing? Trauma, Activation & the Power of Presence

In this profound and heartfelt conversation, Kino MacGregor welcomes yoga teacher, activist, and trauma-informed educator Terri Cooper to the podcast. Together, they explore the layered question: Is yoga inherently trauma-sensitive? What unfolds is a rich dialogue about the nature of trauma, the capacity of yoga to heal, and the responsibilities we carry as teachers and…

Ashtanga Yoga

Walking in the Light of the Guru: Lineage, Faith and Living Wisdom

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…

Ashtanga Yoga

The Sacred Transmission: On the Teacher Student Relationship in Yoga

In a world where information is always within reach, it is 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 is something that the internet cannot give you: transmission. Yoga is not simply learned. It is…

Ashtanga Yoga

Turning the Wheel Within: The Four Noble Truths as a Living Path

Inspired by the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11) 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…

Ashtanga Yoga

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

Abhyāsa and Bhāvanā, The Heart of Practice What does it mean to practice? Not just once not just when it’s convenient or inspiring but again and again across years across seasons across the full arc of a life. The ancient yogis gave us a word for this abhyāsa. It’s a term rooted in the Yoga…

Ashtanga Yoga

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

The Hidden Meaning of the Ashtanga Invocation The yoga community is like one big family, not united by fancy poses but by a shared love for this ancient practice. Whether you’re new to yoga or have practiced for years, the real essence of yoga is not in perfection but in presence. It doesn’t matter what…

Ashtanga Yoga

Five Tips on Establishing a Home Yoga Practice

I’ve been practicing yoga for over 20 years. The vast majority of that time has been spent in quiet mornings on the mat at home. At first I dropped in on classes with different teachers who set me off in the right direction along the path. I was inspired and started coming to class more…

Ashtanga Yoga

Yoga Arm Balance: Mayurasana with Kino

Ashtanga Yoga

Open Your Hips in Trikonasana by Kino MacGregor

Some men think that women naturally have open hips and that they are just plain out of luck simply because they are guys. Yet in my experience as a teacher I have seen many students who have tight hips irrespective of their gender. Tightness usually stems from deeply ingrained habit patterns in the body and…