162: The Purpose of Asana Part Two With Cecily Milne
Before this recent solo episode, The Purpose of Asana Ep 159, was even released my friend Cecily Milne reached out to say she was so excited to listen to it and chat about it! We decided to record our conversation for all of you, so today we have Part Two!
In this episode, Cecily and I dive into what makes asana unique compared to other movement practices, we discuss the nuances of teaching with specificity, and tackle the evolving role of the yoga teacher in today’s landscape.
We also unpack how our approaches to asana practice and teaching have transformed over time, the importance of intentionality versus invitation in cueing, and how to empower both educators and students to understand their why for every cue and pose.
In this episode ,you’ll hear:
how Cecily defines specificity not as rigid alignment but as purposeful decision-making
how safety and empowerment come not from removing structure, but from offering clear, intentional containers within which students have agency and choice
the importance of movement education — understanding anatomy, joint actions, and functional progression
the dangers of both overly dogmatic cueing and “anything goes” teaching styles
practical tips for teachers on knowing the “why” behind each pose and cue
Cecily Milne (she/her) has been teaching yoga and movement since 2009. When teaching became her full-time job, the lack of variety in her practice resulted in repetitive strain injuries. These injuries led Cecily to seek guidance from outside the yoga community. She dove headfirst into education, becoming a FRCms and Functional Range Assessment provider. Cecily spent a year studying with Dr. Guy Voyer DO to complete his Somatraining program and become certified in ELDOA levels 1-3. She has also trained with Ido Portal and Gymnastic Bodies, and credits her strength training approach to the years spent learning from coach Lovedeep Dhunna, whose primary influences included Paul Chek and Charles Poliquin. In 2015, Cecily created Yoga Detour—a bridge between yoga and the other movement modalities our bodies need. She shares Yoga Detour with a global audience through online courses, a virtual studio, and in-person events that have taken place all over the world.
Learn More From Cecily:
This episode is brought to you by OfferingTree, an easy-to-use, all-in-one online platform for yoga teachers that provides a personal website, booking, payment, blogging, and many other great features. If you sign up at www.offeringtree.com/mentor, you’ll get 50% off your first three months (or 15% off any annual plan)!
Recent Podcast Episodes
Before this recent solo episode, The Purpose of Asana Ep 159, was even released my friend Cecily Milne reached out to say she was so excited to listen to it and chat about it! We decided to record our conversation for all of you, so today we have Part Two!
In this episode Cecily and I dive into what makes asana unique compared to other movement practices, we discuss the nuances of teaching with specificity, and tackle the evolving role of the yoga teacher in today’s landscape.
We also unpack how our approaches to asana practice and teaching have transformed over time, the importance of intentionality versus invitation in cueing, and how to empower both educators and students to understand their why for every cue and pose.