On the Pranayama for Emotion Regulation with Leslie Kaminoff

On the Pranayama for Emotion Regulation with Leslie Kaminoff
In today’s episode, I sat down with Leslie Kaminoff, to talk about the evolution of yoga and the power of breath in emotion regulation.

Leslie is a yoga educator inspired by the tradition of T.K.V. Desikachar, and for five decades has been leading workshops and trainings in the fields of yoga, breath anatomy and bodywork. He also is the co-author of the book Yoga Anatomy which has sold over a million copies, and is a staple on the bookshelf of many yoga teachers worldwide.

In the episode today, Leslie shares about his journey into yoga, learning from his father, becoming a Swami in India, then a householder in New York.

We also unpack:

  • the role of lineages and teachers in yoga,
  • the trap of the ego and siddhis,
  • the value of experiential learning over academic credentials,
  • the power of the breath in self-enquiry and changing our emotional state,
  • why he has no problem with things like goat yoga and hot naked yoga, and
  • why Leslie believes it’s important to practice kriyas like kapalabhati before we practice pranayama.

And stay right to the end to hear about Leslie’s personal practice these days, and how it’s evolved over the years.

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May 27, 2025

Dr Lauren Tober

Dr Lauren Tober (she/her) is a Clinical Psychologist, Yoga Teacher, founder of the Yoga Psychology Institute, host of the A Grateful Life podcast and author of Mental Health Aware Yoga: A Guide for Yoga Teachers.

Lauren developed the Mental Health Aware Yoga training to help yoga teachers make their classes safe, nourishing and transformative for all.

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