From Scandal to Serenity: The Untold Story of John Friend Episode 88

Yogalebrity

Welcome to the latest episode of the Yogalebrity podcast, where I had the honor and pleasure of interviewing John Friend, an accomplished yoga teacher with years of experience in the field of yoga. In this episode, we delve into John's personal journey and explore how he discovered his passion for yoga.

John shares his insights on the various yoga traditions he has studied, and the teachers who have influenced his practice. From there, we get a glimpse into John's current work as a yoga teacher, including his approach to teaching and the benefits of practicing yoga regularly.

John doesn’t shy away from the controversy of Anusara yoga and shares his experience during his departure from Anusara.

We openly discuss the state of the world and true yoga philosophy around how the yoga community has chosen to react to the events of 2020 and forward.

Throughout the podcast, John offers valuable tips and advice for anyone looking to deepen their yoga practice or become a yoga teacher themselves. You won't want to miss this insightful conversation with one of the most respected yoga teachers in the world.

To learn more about John Friend and his work, check out his website at https://www.bowspring.com.

Enjoy this incredible episode of the Yogalebrity podcast and stay tuned for more exciting conversations in the future!

John Friend is an American yoga teacher who was born on February 5, 1959, in Houston, Texas. He is widely known for creating Anusara yoga, a popular style of yoga that emphasizes alignment and the heart-opening qualities of yoga.

Friend began his yoga practice in 1970 at the age of 11, when his mother introduced him to yoga. He continued to practice and study yoga throughout his teenage years and into his adulthood, eventually becoming a certified Iyengar yoga teacher in 1984.

In 1997, Friend founded Anusara yoga, which quickly gained popularity among yoga practitioners in the United States and around the world. Anusara yoga is known for its emphasis on alignment, its use of heart-opening postures, and its focus on connecting with the divine.

Friend continued to teach and promote Anusara yoga throughout the 2000s, leading workshops and teacher trainings around the world. However, in 2012, controversy erupted when allegations of inappropriate conduct by Friend and other senior Anusara teachers were made.

In response, Friend resigned from his position as leader of Anusara yoga and took a hiatus from teaching.

He returned to teaching in 2016 with a new approach to yoga, which he calls "The Roots" or Bowspring emphasizing the importance of alignment and breath in a more grounded and non-dogmatic way.

Today, Friend continues to teach and promote yoga, and has written several books on the practice, including "The Art of Anusara Yoga" and "The Roots."

Despite the controversy surrounding his past, Friend remains a highly respected and influential figure in the world of yoga, and his contributions to the practice continue to be felt by students and teachers alike.

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