Week of Oct 5th
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Breathing: The Art and Science of Pranayama, with Mark Stephens
Breathing: The Art and Science of Pranayama, with Mark Stephens
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October 7, 2026
Listen in now as our guest, Mark Stephens, discusses his book, Breathing: The Art and Science of Pranayama, and learn the ancient yogic art of conscious breathing.
Mark presents an accessible and comprehensive study of pranayama. He details its roots in the pan-Eurasian shamanic tradition, the Vedas, Upanishads, early Buddhism and Jainism, and its fullest development through tantra, hatha yoga, and contemporary breathwork. Stephens offers systematic instruction for foundational practices, such as posture refinement, nasal cleansing, and pelvic floor activation. He also teaches advanced techniques for cultivating presence, interoception, and spiritual insight.
Mark shows how pranayama can benefit you across your lifespan, and he highlights its applicability to a range of health conditions, including pregnancy, ADHD, PTSD, long COVID, asthma, and other respiratory ailments. He shows how breathwork can deepen meditation, enhance intimacy, and restore our innate breathing rhythms that are often lost due to stress and social conditioning.
Uniting ancient wisdom and contemporary science, Breathing offers an immersive and empowering path to transform your body and consciousness.
Mark Stephens is the author of five bestselling yoga books, including Teaching Yoga and Yoga Therapy. Practicing since 1991 and teaching worldwide since 1996, he has studied and practiced in the ashtanga, Iyengar, and tantra traditions and has engaged deeply with yoga histories and philosophies, somatic psychology, and evidence-based sources. Mark has trained yoga teachers and therapists for three decades and served as the “For Teachers” columnist for Yoga Journal for two years. He lives on California’s central coast. You can learn more at markstephensyoga.com.
Recent Interview with guest Les jensen
In this episode of the original Loretta Brown Show, host Loretta Brown interviews author and inspirational speaker Les Jensen. The conversation explores Jensen’s personal journey of spiritual awakening, specifically focusing on his experience with suppressed anger and how he learned to process it as a powerful energy rather than a negative emotion. Jensen discusses the distinction between the ego, which he describes as a linear thinker shaped by family dynamics, and the soul, a multidimensional intelligence. He shares profound personal experiences, including a significant health crisis that required multiple surgeries and a transformative trip to Egypt, which he describes as a total reset of his consciousness. The discussion concludes with advice on navigating current global shifts by finding resonance between the ego and the soul to maintain peace amidst chaos.