Yoga Solutions Episode 14:
Anticapitalism and Yoga: Rest & Power of Breath
with Sangeeta Lerner
Anticapitalism and Yoga: Rest & the Power of Breath with Sangeeta Lerner
In today’s episode of Yoga Solutions, I connect with Sangeeta Lerner, a yoga teacher, social justice activist, and the visionary behind Annapurna House. Sangeeta’s work integrates yoga, anti-oppression, and community care, creating spaces for repair, restoration, and collective well-being. She brings her lived experiences as a creative director turned yoga teacher, a survivor of personal trauma, and a mother to the forefront of her teachings, weaving together the personal and the political.
Sangeeta and I explore how yoga serves as a practice of liberation and resistance, grounding us in our humanity while challenging the systems that demand endless optimization. She shares deeply personal stories of resilience and transformation, offers practices to reconnect with our breath and natural rhythm, and calls on us to slow down, rest, and resist the pressures of capitalist culture.
What You'll Learn from This Episode:
[00:03:29] The Role of Yoga in Navigating Injustice and Trauma
[00:05:20] How Breath Awareness Builds Resilience in Moments of Crisis
[00:10:00] Recognizing and Returning to Your Natural Rhythm
[00:16:35] The Power of Co-Regulation in Parenthood and Community
[00:19:19] Why Yoga Should Center Rest, Repair, and Anticapitalism
[00:23:00] Understanding the Harm of Misrepresenting Yoga in Modern Culture
Quotes to Remember:
“Capitalism always makes us move faster than our rhythm. But we can reclaim our pace, even in small moments—waiting for a bus or sitting in the toilet.”
“Yoga isn’t about bettering yourself endlessly. It’s about slowing down, resting, and repairing—becoming a better human, not a better machine.”
Listen to the Full Episode:
Medical Disclaimer:
Please know any yoga wellness or health advice presented is not meant to replace the advice of your personal physician or other healthcare professional always seek competent medical care.
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Meet the Voices Behind this Podcast Episode
Get to Know Our Dynamic Host and Guests
Experts in Yoga, Social Change, Health and Wellness
Sangeeta Lerner
Mother, Yoga teacher, Social justice warrior, Skill in Action Trainer, Singer, Performer
Sangeeta is a mother, Yoga teacher, Social justice warrior, Skill in Action Trainer, Singer, Performer. She was born and raised in Mumbai India and lives currently in Berlin, Germany since 2013. She is a teacher and student of the Krishnamacharya Yoga tradition. She is also studying Ayurveda with her teacher and Dr in india. Sangeeta's work focusses on creating space for healing. Repairing the harm colonialism, racism, capitalism and other systems of oppression have and continue to cause. She is in service of creating communities that center accountability and care. Yoga & Ayurveda, Dismantling Racism, Healing from trauma are the guiding principles that shape all of her offerings and how she makes and takes space in the world.
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Susanna Barkataki
Host, Yoga Solutions Podcast & Founder, Yoke Yoga
Susanna Barkataki (she/her) has been called “a trailblazing yoga leader and visionary for our times.” An Indian teacher building bridges in the West, she is known for her work in decolonizing and embracing the roots of yoga. She is the tech founder of Yoke Yoga, a free yoga app of micro practices for more peace in seconds. Bringing yoga socially to all people to help solve everyday problems at YokeYoga.com
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