What is in a name?
For the last 11 episodes we’ve traced the stories behind the shapes of yoga.
We’ve seen gods and mountains, sages and animals, rivers and lotuses.
We’ve leapt with Hanumān, stood firm as mountains, spread wings with Garuḍa.
Each pose a story, each name a doorway.
But are we ever really doing “just a pose”?
Or is each asana, however ordinary it may seem,
a chance to touch the nameless,
to bow to what words can never fully contain?
Today, we close this season with a meditation on reverence and remembrance.
Because yoga is more than posture — it is the myth we live into.
It is the remembering of who we already are.
This is The Shape of Meaning.
And today, we name the nameless.
Every posture in yoga has a name.
Some are named for sages.
Some for animals.
Some for gods, rivers, trees, or mountains.
But the name is never only a label.
It’s a doorway.
A hint at the inner state of the practitioner.
A way of remembering that each pose is more than muscle and bone —
it is a step on the path, a story lived through the body.
Today, we’ll explore how names in yoga do more than describe.
They invite.
They unfold.
They return us to something deeper.
This is The Shape of Meaning.
And today, we walk the path that is also the pose.
The divine feminine is not limited to gender but is the timeless, universal energy that embodies creation, intuition, compassion, and transformation.
It is the power that nurtures life into being, that dissolves what no longer serves, and that reveals wisdom through softness as much as through ferocity.
In the language of yoga and myth, she appears as Devī in countless forms—gentle as Saraswati’s flowing river of knowledge, fierce as Kālī’s dance of destruction, steady as Durgā’s unshakable strength.
To speak of the divine feminine is to speak of the rhythms of nature, the cycles of birth and renewal, and the deep reminder that divinity is not only transcendent but also immanent—alive within the body, the earth, and the heart of every being.
Today, we reflect upon Devī, Durgā, and Kāli.
And we’ll ask: what does it mean that yoga itself names and honors the feminine?
This is The Shape of Meaning.
And today, we bow to the goddesses.
Some leaps are physical — a burst of muscle, a stretch of sinew.
Others are leaps of the spirit — a crossing into the impossible, powered by devotion and courage.
Today, we follow two great beings from the Indian epics: Hanuman, the monkey warrior, and Garuḍa, the eagle of the gods.
This is The Shape of Meaning — and we are leaping from the heavens.
The universe is always in motion — stars spinning, tides shifting, breath rising and falling
But sometimes, motion carries us into stillness.
Today we move from the cosmic dance of creation and destruction, into the quietest of all poses — where nothing happens, yet everything is possible.
This is The Shape of Meaning — and we are falling into stillness.
Some poses are more than shapes — they are symbols.
Flowers that never fade, wheels that keep turning, staffs that guide travellers between worlds.
Today, we enter the sacred geometry of yoga — where the body becomes a lotus, a wheel, a staff… and even a triangle that holds the universe in balance.
This is The Shape of Meaning, and these are the sacred shapes.
There’s something about a twist in yoga that can feel like time bending.
A turn of the spine, a gaze over the shoulder — and suddenly the past and future are both looking back at you.
In this episode, we meet a fish who became a yogi, a warrior who hesitated before the greatest battle of his life, and a bow that exists not only in the hand, but in the body itself.
This is The Shape of Meaning, and today we twist into insight.
There’s something in the names of the yoga poses.
In some, we see animals — cobra, eagle, frog — and in others, the shapes of nature itself.
But then there are the names that carry a weight of reverence: the sages.
Not just historical figures, but luminous presences from the pages of myth and memory.
When we step into a sage pose, we are — for a moment — in the company of the Masters.
This is The Shape of Meaning, and today, we remember them
The story of Vīrabhadra. The myth that lives behind the Warrior poses. And the question: can we stand strong for what we believe is right ….. BUT without causing harm?
Welcome back to The Shape of Meaning — the podcast where we explore the names behind yoga poses and the stories, symbols, and secrets they carry.
I’m Kevin, your yoga-loving, myth-chasing guide… and today, we’re following some curious footprints through the practice — because this episode is all about creatures.
Great and small. Sometimes Sacred and sometimes sneaky. But always Mythic and meaningful.
In episode two we will learn about the shapes of the world around us — our inherited legacy of the natural world.
Trees. Mountains. Moons.
Welcome back, dear listener, to Season 2 of the podcast which I’ve decided to call the shape of meaning The Shape of Meaning.
This season, we’re diving into the world of names — not just any names, but the names that guide us through myth memory and metaphor these are the names that we move through the names of our Yoga postures
Teaser trailer for Season 2, launching August 2025.
This bonus episode is an invitation to slow down, soften, and reconnect with the stillness that already lives within you. Whether you’re looking to release stress, improve sleep, or simply take a moment to ground yourself, Yoga Nidra offers a powerful reset for body, mind, and spirit.
Find a quiet, comfortable space where you won’t be disturbed. You can lie down with a blanket or cushion, allowing your whole system to let go. There’s no need to do anything — just listen, receive, and rest.
Let this be your time to simply be.
In the final episode of the season, we journey through the chakra system not just as energy centers, but as symbolic stepping stones in the mythic unfolding of the self. From the root to the crown, we explore how ancient stories of ascent and descent—like Ganga’s fall and the rising Kundalini—mirror our own inner transformation. This is a call to see myth not as fiction, but as a living map, guiding us from the earthly to the cosmic and back again.
In this episode, we journey into one of the most profound moments of the Mahābhārata — the Yaksha Prashna, or “Riddle of the Spirit.” As Yudhishthira is challenged with questions that test his wisdom and integrity, we explore what it means to live and practice with dharma — not as blind obedience, but as soulful discernment.
What sustains the world?
What is the greatest wonder?
What is the true path?
This episode invites you to slow down, to listen deeply, and to reconnect with the questions that shape your own journey — both on and off the mat.
#Dharma #Mahabharata #YogaPhilosophy #SpiritualWisdom #YakshaPrashna #Yudhishthira #YogaPodcast #RightAction
In this episode, we explore the powerful myth of Hanuman — the monkey god who forgot his own strength until reminded of his divine nature. Through his legendary leap across the ocean to find Sita, we reflect on the yogic quality of śraddhā — faith — and what it means to move forward when the outcome is uncertain.
We also look at the balance between humility and power, the illusion of limitation, and the playful dance of reality known as Māyā and Līlā.
This episode invites you to ask:
What if the obstacle is only there because you forgot who you are?
What if the universe began not with light, but with sound? In this episode, we explore the sacred vibration of Om, the river goddess Saraswati, and how wisdom flows like water—not fixed, but ever-unfolding. Through story and reflection, we uncover why myth is not a set of rules, but a living current of insight.
Episode 2 – The Fire and the Sage: Agni and the Call to Practice
Why does the Rig Veda begin with a hymn to fire? In this episode, we explore Agni—the Vedic god of fire—as the symbol of inner transformation, the role of tapas (spiritual heat), and how true practice begins. We also meet Shiva as the Adiyogi, the first teacher, and reflect on what it means to answer the call to the spiritual path.
Episode 1 – Why Myth Still Matters
In this opening episode, we explore why ancient myths are still relevant in today’s world. Far from being outdated stories, myths offer powerful metaphors that help us make sense of life’s challenges, transitions, and inner journeys. From Hindu epics to modern retellings, we’ll look at how myth can guide us, inspire us, and reflect something timeless in our very human experience.
Whether you’re new to mythology or looking to deepen your understanding, this episode lays the foundation for a season of storytelling, reflection, and discovery