YOGA BUSINESS series Part 1 Austin- Urban Sadhu
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“Yoga business isn’t yoga”- David Life
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We start our exploration with these wise words of my teacher and co founder of the Jivamukti Yoga method David Life. Yoga and business how do they go together and do they even go together? We live in a capitalist society, so in modern yoga, in this modern world we respond to that society in a capitalist way, but where is the bhakti in that? This and a lot more is up for discussion with three amazing beings. Austin from Urban Sadhu in New Jersey, Clare from Jivamukti Yoga Bern and Nora from India. This first episode is with Austin. We discuss seeing money as energy (shakti) running a yoga studio, his method, social issues he wants to tackle through the means of yoga like race, gender, gender identity, reproductive right, the social structure of capitalism and more. LINK IN BIO!

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I personally have had some issues with the whole yoga brand thing, especially also within the method I teach, I personally feel that the “branding” part, the making money part can stand in the way of the actual teaching part, as in, I just want to teach a method and not sell a brand, or feel that I am being sold as part of that brand, so I focus on the teaching, the students, the blessings received from the founders of the method and everyday I live my yoga. So these series mean a lot to me, exploring the different ways of looking at Yoga Business, I have learned so much and I know you will too, and this is just as valuable and resonant for those who aren’t yoga teachers or students.
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ENJOY!

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Austin worked for twenty-two years as a designer in the American theater. In 2008 he was introduced to Jivamukti Yoga in Jersey City, New Jersey. In 2011 Austin attended the Jivamukti 300+ hour teacher training program at the Omega Institute. In 2012, he continued his studies and completed his 800-hour Jivamukti Teacher Certification at The Jivamukti Yoga School NYC. In 2013, Austin and his partner Bob opened a 3000 square foot Jivamukti Yoga Center in downtown Jersey City, two blocks away from where he took his first Jivamukti yoga class. Austin is extremely grateful to his teachers, Sharon Gannon and David Life. In 2020, Austin founded the Urban Sadhu Yoga Method, “a method of applying ancient yogic wisdom in a contemporary context.” He and his partner Bob are the co-owners of Urban Sadhu Yoga Shala, formally Jivamukti Yoga Center Jersey City. Austin is also the co-founder and co-producer of Yoga Fest Jersey City, a free public yoga, music and vegan food festival held in the heart of downtown Jersey City NJ during the summer equinox. 

Find Austin here. @urban.sadhu and his studio @urbansadhujerseycity
Also check @yogaisvegan for another great interview with Austin.