The Uplifted Yoga Podcast

What if thinking about death wasn't morbid—but liberating?
In this conversation, Elena Brower (author of "Hold Nothing") and I get real about turning 40, 50, and beyond. We talk about why ego dissolution might be the greatest gift of aging, how meditation is actually an act of service to others, and why certainty is killing your relationships.
Elena shares why she's ready to let all her accomplishments dissolve, the difference between prayer and meditation (spoiler: maybe there isn't one), and a simple exhale practice that serves humanity.
This isn't your typical "graceful aging" conversation. It's about ruthlessly re-prioritizing, slowing down radically, and preparing for death in the most relaxed way possible.
In this episode:
Why "I'm half-dead" is the most freeing thought you can have

The invisible gift your meditation practice gives everyone around you

How sitting still helps your kids solve their own problems

Why knowing everything makes you terrible company

A breathing practice you can do right now to serve humanity

💖 Ready to 'DO LESS' in your practice? Explore the Uplifted Membership here => https://www.brettlarkin.com/uplifted/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=uplifted
🐍 Download your FREE Feminine Kundalini Starter Pack: https://www.brettlarkin.com/online-kundalini-yoga-teacher-training/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=ku 
 
GUEST EXPERT: Elena Brower | https://elenabrower.com/ 
Mother, mentor, poet, artist, volunteer, bestselling author, and podcast host, Elena Brower is a celebrated international yoga and meditation teacher on Glo, guiding transformative practices since 1999. Her new book, Hold Nothing, was published by Shambhala Publications in November 2025. Her column on Substack by the same name, Hold Nothing, supports girls and women, through On The Inside, Girls on Fire Leaders, Women for Women, and Free Food Kitchen.
 
FREE Practice: 60 Min Restorative Yoga | RESTORATIVE YOGA FOR TIGHT HIPS
Relevant Blog: Somatic Meditation: A Body-Based Approach to Healing Stress, Anxiety, and Trauma
 
Relevant to Today's Episode:
🐍 Yoga for Self Mastery
💖 Uplifted Membership
🌀 Somatic Yoga Life Coaching 
💫 Somatic Certification
🎧 Also Listen to:
#320 – Less Is More: How To Honor Yourself & Your Students with Elena Brower
#397 – How to Live Smartphone Free (From a 20 Year Old) with Yunus M.
#401 – Who Has Your Attention? Attention Economy vs the Ancient Path
 
© 2026 Uplifted Yoga | BrettLarkin.com

It's Chapter Six of the Bhagavad Gita, where everything starts to get real. After five chapters of philosophy and frameworks, Krishna now turns to practice—specifically the challenges of meditation, discipline, and staying steady on your spiritual path.
If your mind feels too restless to meditate... if you wonder whether your practice actually counts... or if you've ever feared you're "doing it wrong"—this chapter will soothe your soul.
🔹 Krishna reveals why inner discipline > outer rituals
🔹 Arjuna expresses the doubts we all have on the path
🔹 Meditation becomes the core of yogic living—not just something we "do"
🔹 We explore witness consciousness, compassion, and true non-attachment
🔹 Spiritual effort is never wasted—even across lifetimes
📘 This also marks the completion of the first arc of the Gita. Many scholars divide the Gita into three sections of six chapters each—and Chapter 6 concludes the first movement, focused on Karma Yoga (yoga of action). We've been building the foundation. The next six chapters will take us into Bhakti Yoga—the yoga of devotion and loving recollection of God, so stay tuned for the next segment.
🐍 Download the FREE Feminine Kundalini Starter Pack: https://www.brettlarkin.com/online-kundalini-yoga-teacher-training/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=ku 
 
📖 Different translations explored:
Barbara Stoler Miller: https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-Krishnas-Counsel-Bantam-Classics/dp/0553213652 
Godsong by Amit Majmudar: https://www.amazon.com/Godsong-Verse-Translation-Bhagavad-Gita-Commentary/dp/1524733474 
Eknath Easwaran: https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-2nd-Eknath-Easwaran/dp/1586380192 
Bhagavad-Gita As It Is by Swami Prabhupada: https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-As-Bhaktivedanta-Swami-Prabhupada/dp/0892131233 
 
FREE Practice: 15 Min Beginner Morning Yin Yoga | NO PROPS
Relevant Blog: The Ultimate Guide to Karma Yoga
 
Relevant to Today's Episode:
✨ Kundalini 200-hour YTT
🔮  History of Yoga
🐍 Yoga for Self Mastery
💖 Uplifted Membership
🎧 Also Listen to:
#374 – Karma Yoga & the Detached Yogi: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Part 2
#395 – The Role of "God" in Yoga + Tantric Shadow Work w/ Katie Silcox
 
© 2026 Uplifted Yoga | BrettLarkin.com

Self-care isn't a luxury — it's your foundation. Today, we explore why self-care can feel so uncomfortable (especially for those of us used to being the strong one), and how to start building your tolerance for pleasure, rest, and receiving. These are the same micro-practices that have transformed my relationship with myself and my energy over time.
Here are the truths I keep learning again and again:
🔹 You can't give from an empty cup
🔹 Self-care isn't something you check off once — it's ongoing
🔹 Honoring your tiniest desires builds self-trust
🔹 Slowing down unlocks your creativity
🔹 Five-minute "pleasure containers" can change your life
💖 Slow down, check in, and come home to yourself. Join Yoga For Self Mastery before live calls begin.  => https://www.brettlarkin.com/yoga-for-self-mastery/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=ysm 
 
FREE Practice: Yin Yoga for the Sacral Chakra - Creativity & Sexual Energy
Relevant Blog: Yoga to Reconnect with Yourself: 5 Essential Practices for Inner Peace
 
Relevant to Today's Episode:
📖 Yoga Life Book 
🐍 Yoga for Self Mastery
💖 Uplifted Membership
🎧 Also Listen to:
#260 – Killing The Self Care Buzzword
#372 – Can the Sutras Make Space for Pleasure? (Sutra 1.15 Explained)
#384 – Do Less, Heal More: 7 Invitations to Resolve Trauma from Organic Intelligence

© 2026 Uplifted Yoga | BrettLarkin.com

SURPRISE!! I've got a bonus episode for you this week. 
I'm going to explore three of the most commonly asked questions I hear from students about the chakras — especially how they relate to the nervous system, your fascia, and lived experience.
🔹 Are the chakras literal locations, archetypes, developmental stages — or all three?
🔹 Do chakras actually open and close?
🔹 What's the relationship between chakra patterns and nervous system regulation?
If you've ever wondered how these energy centers show up in your posture, behavior, and emotions — this quick breakdown will connect the dots between yogic wisdom and modern science in a way that's practical and embodied.
I'll also share my favorite metaphor for understanding the chakras, and why we need to stop treating them like a spiritual report card.
🌈  Discover your dominant chakra with my FREE dominant chakra test => https://www.brettlarkin.com/chakra-test/
📱Book a Free Clarity Call => https://calendly.com/uplifted-clarity/discovery-call?utm_medium=social&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=200ytt 
 
FREE Practice: Chakra Hatha Yoga | YOGA TO ALIGN & BALANCE YOUR CHAKRAS
Relevant Blog: Crystals For Chakras: Unlock Your Energy and Balance
 
Relevant to Today's Episode:
📚 Healing with Somatic Yoga Book 
🔮 300-hour Online Yoga Teacher Training
💖 Uplifted Membership
💫 Somatic Certification
🎧 Also Listen to:
#351 – Unlocking the Secrets of Chakras: Lower Chakra Symbols Explained
#355 – Unlocking the Secrets of Chakras: Upper Chakra Symbols Explained



© 2026 Uplifted Yoga | BrettLarkin.com

Today, I take you into Chapter 5 of the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna shifts the spotlight from what you do to how you are being when you do it. This is the heart of Karma Yoga — acting in the world without clinging to the outcome.
We unpack the powerful metaphor of the lotus leaf (living in the world, untouched), explore the nature of witness consciousness, and look at what it really means to "renounce" in a modern world. 
🔹 What it means to act without attachment
🔹 Why the question is no longer "What should I do?"
🔹 How inner renunciation leads to clarity and peace
🔹 The lotus leaf: your new spiritual metaphor
🔹 How Krishna reframes spiritual maturity and hierarchy
Whether you're making a big decision or trying to navigate daily life with more presence, this chapter has wisdom for you.
Loved this episode?
👉 Dive deeper into yoga's origins with my History of Yoga Course
🐍 Or explore my 200-Hour Kundalini Training
 
📖 Different translations mentioned:
Barbara Stoler Miller: https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-Krishnas-Counsel-Bantam-Classics/dp/0553213652 
Godsong by Amit Majmudar: https://www.amazon.com/Godsong-Verse-Translation-Bhagavad-Gita-Commentary/dp/1524733474 
Eknath Easwaran: https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-2nd-Eknath-Easwaran/dp/1586380192 
Bhagavad-Gita As It Is by Swami Prabhupada: https://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-As-Bhaktivedanta-Swami-Prabhupada/dp/0892131233 



FREE Practice: 15 Min Vinyasa Flow For Flexibility | BEGINNERS VINYASA YOGA
Relevant Blog: The Complete Glossary of Sanskrit Words Used in Yoga
 
Relevant to Today's Episode:
📖 History of Yoga
🔮 300-hour Online Yoga Teacher Training
🐍 Yoga for Self Mastery
💖 Uplifted Membership
🎧 Also Listen to:
#297 – What is Samkhya Philosophy and How is it Different from Yoga?
#358 – Intro to The Bhagavad Gita: How Do You Navigate Moral Dilemmas?
#392 – How to Act from Wisdom & Make Every Moment Sacred: Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4
 
© 2026 Uplifted Yoga | BrettLarkin.com