382: Having Tough Conversations with Rebecca Sebastian

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

382: Having Tough Conversations with Rebecca Sebastian

Description:

Many yoga teachers are trying to navigate having tough conversations with their colleagues, friends, and families about many issues going on in the world today - from the genocide in Palestine to racism, from misogyny to cultural appropriation, and much more. These conversations are difficult but so important. Rebecca Sebastian joins Shannon Crow in this episode to discuss having tough conversations.

Rebecca Sebastian is a long-time yoga teacher and 11-year yoga therapist. She owns an accessible and inclusivity-focused yoga studio and apothecary in Davenport, Iowa, called Sunlight Yoga + Apothecary, and is the host of the Working In Yoga Podcast. Rebecca is a passionate writer on yoga topics and she participates and loves all things yoga and the yoga industry. She believes that through writing and communication, we can all lift each other up and share what lights us up with the world.

This episode came about because of a hard conversation between Rebecca and Shannon as friends when they realized that they were on the same journey but not on the same page about some things. They decided to share what it’s like to have difficult conversations with people you care about and are in relationship with, and how they have been navigating these chats. If you have been struggling with having tough conversations with people around you, you are not alone.

Key Takeaways:

[3:00] Shannon gives a shout out to the sponsors - OfferingTree and Shannon's 20-hour Yoga for Pelvic Health Training.

[4:56] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Rebecca Sebastian. This episode is more of a conversation between friends talking about what it's like to have hard conversations with each other than a typical podcast episode.

[16:25] Rebecca invites us to give ourselves (and our former selves) and each other grace when having difficult conversations.

[18:29] There are many different issues that yoga teachers could be having tough conversations about these days. Does this belong in yoga?

[25:53] What are Rebecca's thoughts on yoga teachers who don't want to talk about "politics" in their classes? Shannon and Rebecca discuss the importance of consent in having hard conversations.

[30:19] How should/can yoga teachers respond when yoga students bring tough conversations into yoga spaces?

[36:38] Rebecca and Shannon discuss holding space for tough conversations and how they react when there are differences in fundamental beliefs or their moral compasses.

[40:20] Shannon reflects on how she is reacting to witnessing the genocide in Palestine, which can feel like "too much" for some people. Rebecca shares her perspective.

[46:08] It can be difficult to know how to respond when people who care about you give you unhelpful "advice".

[48:58] Shannon pops in to share a message about OfferingTree.

[51:27] Shannon and Rebecca diverge in their opinions about how they show up for the issues that matter on social media.

[56:20] What has Shannon's experience on social media been like since October 7th?

[61:20] Rebecca and Shannon discuss the shaming and "infighting" that tends to occur in social justice spaces.

[64:53] What are some actions that are effective in supporting the causes we care about, like Palestine?

[68:26] Rebecca talks about protesting as a strategy to effect change.

[72:13 - 72:17] "I feel like we can struggle and care at the same time."

[74:06] Shannon and Rebecca talk about the fact that many people are simply unaware of what is happening in Gaza and Palestine, but also that some people choose not to see it.

[77:15] When it comes to difficult conversations, there are a lot of things to consider. What is Rebecca's advice to people who want to do the hard work but don't know where to start?

[83:24] Shannon reflects on her biggest takeaways from this conversation with Rebecca.

Links:

• Rebecca Sebastian

• Rebecca Sebastian on Instagram

• The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 312: We Stand with Survivors with Rebecca Sebastian & Colin Hall

• The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 304: How Are We Still here? with Rebecca Sebastian

• The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 297: Yoga Philosophy & Business with Rebecca Sebastian

• The Future Of Yoga Therapy on Facebook (Facebook Post)

• The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 356: How Silence Feels for a Yoga Student with Suzanne Miller

• The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 375: Why Marketing is Different Now with Tristan Katz & Brooke Monaghan

• Values as Luxury Goods and Political Polarization

• Do Politics Belong in Yoga? by Naomi Gottlieb-Miller on Substack

• The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 361: Connect to Nature & Your Roots with Tracee Stanley

• Eyes of Gaza by Plestia Alaqad (Pre-Order)

• Anti-Oppression, Inclusion and Accessibility in Yoga (Podcasts & Articles) Resource

• The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Team

• Shannon Crow on Instagram

• The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group

Gratitude to our Sponsors, OfferingTree, and Yoga for Pelvic Health 20-hr Online Training with Shannon Crow.

Quotes from this episode:

"I think we learn a lot from private conversations through friends about tough things." - Shannon

"After those [tough] conversations you're like, wow, our friendship is way stronger, but on the flip side of it, when it starts to go sideways, it also can mean the end of a friendship." - Shannon

"One of the best things about being able to have hard conversations with friends is that if you truly have respect [and a] friendship connection, the stakes feel a little bit lower because you ... can practice having hard conversations with people who are gonna be still in relationship with you at the end of those hard conversations." - Rebecca

"To have conversations that are difficult, all parties should consent to that conversation." - Rebecca

"How do we hold space for difficult conversations if we don't want to be in them?" - Rebecca

"Every change is a long game. It is always a long game." - Rebecca

"I also know that I show up for the work in my own community and that's my priority." - Rebecca

"I can't care about everything, I can't. Otherwise I'm not gonna show up for the things that matter to me." - Rebecca