Listen: Podcast roundup, yoga-style

I've been finding myself spending a lot of time in my Jeep these days ... driving to and from work, classes, visits with my parents in Connecticut, our Vermont retreat, etc. But ever since I discovered podcasts, I almost relish my time behind the wheel now.

I don't know what took me so long to find these educational and entertaining portable sound nuggets, but I'm pretty sure I'm addicted. Most of the podcasts I listen to relate to yoga teaching and business, as well as mindful living. And because there is so much good yoga-themed content out there, I don't even have the drive time to expand my repertoire!

So here's what I'm listening to right now:

Although the yoga podcasts that focus on entrepreneurship are the first ones I download, there are plenty that will appeal to those who aren't teachers. J. Brown's Yoga Talks is probably my favorite. J. is the real deal, and he has down-to-earth conversations with lots of interesting folks ... studio owners, authors, activists, and more.

Two well-respected yoga organizations offer insightful podcasts of their own: Kripalu and Yoga International. These episodes tend to be more serious and straightforward, featuring in-depth discussions with experts in the field.

If you enjoy the music you often hear during a yoga class, you'll like Yoga Chat with the Accidental Yogist. Although a portion of each episode is dedicated to live music happenings in California, host Joni Yung opens and closes each episode with devotional sounds. I've found many new (to me) world music artists by listening to her each week.

Another favorite is The Sivana Podcast with host Ashton Szabo. Ashton presents Eastern spirituality and philosophy--as well as ancient mythological tales--with clear, easy-to-digest explanations. He really brings the stories of Ganesh and Hanuman to life with his colorful descriptions.

And finally, there are two other podcasts that reach beyond the mat to cover ayurveda and natural health. The Yoga Healer Podcast covers lots of diverse topics, and often includes recipes and healthy life hacks. The Yoga Talk Show with Lucas Rockwood was the very first podcast I downloaded. I've learned so much about healthy living from this show, from breathing and heart rate, to vitamins and gut health.

I'm sure there are other conscious living podcasts out there that I don't know about. At the risk of seeing that dreaded "Storage is Almost Full" message on my iPhone after trying to download even more content, what are you listening to?

Happy Buddha Lamp loves podcasts, too :D I decided to look up why Buddha always has long ears, and this is what buddha-heads.com had to say: "The Buddha, a former prince, was born in Lumbini and raised in Kapilvastu (both located in Nepal), where the culture and tradition was for men to display their wealth and prosperity on their ears, must have adorned large and heavy ear jewelry made of precious metals and stones, and this may have resulted in having stretched ears, alongside the rich men of that period. ... Though the prince stopped wearing them when he left the palace to become an ascetic while on the search for the ultimate answer, his earlobes remained stretched. ... In oriental Buddhism and eastern Asia, large ears are taken as auspicious because they signify wisdom and compassion." I often put my iPhone on my nightstand in front of this lamp when I listen to podcasts as home, so I like to think that Buddha Lamp is listening to all the educational, entertaining sounds along with me.

UPDATE 2/8/17: I happened to come across some information about Hotei a couple of weeks ago, and I thought I should update this post to provide some additional information on this figure. Turns out this isn't Buddha at all, but rather a Japanese monk. I love this detailed description of him, and the idea that he spreads contentment everywhere he goes. There's even an image of him with a child cleaning his left ear. Maybe all the better to hear podcasts with ... ?