Join me and Dr. Andrew McGonigle as we unpack the difference between pain and inflammation, how language and mindset shape the way students experience discomfort, and what yoga teachers can do to create safe, supportive spaces. From understanding acute vs. chronic pain to practical advice on guiding students you’ve just met, this conversation blends science with compassion to give you tools you can use in every class.
Episode Highlights:
- Defining pain: What it is, how the brain creates it, and the difference between acute and chronic (or “persistent”) pain
- Why language and mindset can change how pain is experienced—both positively and negatively
- Simple, general questions teachers can ask when they don’t know a student’s history
- How yoga teachers can respond compassionately when students share injuries or pain
- Is pain always a sign of tissue damage? The biopsychosocial model and what landmark research reveals
- Aru’s personal story of ACL surgery and recovery without heavy pain meds
- Observations of widespread knee pain in Indian women and the role of lifestyle and expectation
- Good discomfort vs. bad pain in yoga practice, and how to guide students without teaching from fear
- Placebo and nocebo effects in yoga classrooms—why our words matter so much
- The nervous system’s role in amplifying or quieting pain, and how stress or mindfulness shifts the experience
- Transitioning to inflammation: acute vs. chronic, myths about boosting the immune system, and what yoga can (and can’t) do
- The link between osteoarthritis, systemic inflammation, and lifestyle habits
- Movement as medicine: why physical activity is the best way to manage both pain and inflammation
- Clearing up wellness myths around posture, core stability, and anti-inflammatory fixes
- Closing reflections for yoga teachers on recognizing and working with pain or inflammation in class and in life
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