“In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.”
-Baba Dioum
Professor Phoenix is the spin-off of our beloved fiction-focused book club, The Inky Phoenix. Professor Phoenix is the educational sibling to Inky, highlighting books about yoga, spirituality, justice, as well as LGBTQ+ and BIPOC authors.
A new title is announced every 2-3 months. Once the club is ready, we gather on a Zoom meeting, where Kathryn interviews the author before opening the conversation to the club. Professor Phoenix is ideal for seasoned or aspiring teachers, or simply anyone with a thirst for knowledge and a desire to cultivate inclusivity and change.
Our Current Professor
JAYNE MATTINGLY
This Is Body Grief: Making Peace with the Loss that Comes with Living in a Body
Explore Our Previous Professors
Jivana Heyman
Jivana is the founder and director of Accessible Yoga, an organization dedicated to increasing access to the yoga teachings and supporting yoga teachers. His books, classes, and trainings offer support to yoga teachers and yoga therapists in finding ways to bring creativity and collaboration into their teaching while still respecting the ancient yoga tradition. Listen along as Kathryn, Jivana, and members of the Haus community discuss Jivana's latest book, The Teacher's Guide to Accessible Yoga: Best Practices for Sharing Yoga with Every Body, and dive deeper in topics, such as: accessible language, inclusive teaching, yoga as an ethical and spiritual practice, creating a culture of compassion, and more!
Dr. Akilah Cadet
Dr. Akilah Cadet is the Founder and CEO of Change Cadet, an organizational development consulting firm that embeds belonging into overall company culture, identity, and strategy. Dismantling white supremacy through storytelling is at the core of her work as a leader, speaker, author, creative director, producer, writer, editor, and co-owner of the Oakland Roots and Soul soccer teams. Listen along as Kathryn, Dr. Akilah, and Haus members discuss Dr. Akilah's book, White Supremacy is All Around: Notes From a Black Disabled Woman in a White World, and dive deeper into topics such as: the power of words, the correlation between capitalism and white supremacy, navigating microaggressions in the work place, how to build a soft life as a Black woman in a white world, inclusive language, and more!
Natalie Haynes
Natalie Haynes is a writer, broadcaster, and – according to The Washington Post – a "rock-star mythologist." Her new book, Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth, is a female-centered look at Olympus and the Furies, focusing on the goddesses whose prowess, passions, jealousies, and desires rival those of their male kin, including Athene, Aphrodite, Hera, Demeter, Artemis, the Muses, and Hestia. Infused with Haynes's engaging charm and irrepressible wit, Divine Might is a refreshing take on the legends and stories we thought we knew. Listen along as Kathryn, Natalie, and fellow Haus members expand on Divine Might, including topics such as female rage, muses vs. furies, myths created through the male gaze, defying marriage and societal norms, and of course, Taylor Swift. This conversation is not to be missed!
Miles Borrero
Miles is a trans-masc, genderfluid, Latinx, NYC-based yoga teacher, writer, and craniosacral therapist. Throughout his many lives, he’s been Catholic, Jewish, and a frequent guest at Krishna's house, and he has lived life as a boy, a girl, a woman, a man, and something in between. Now as a senior yoga teacher, Miles is passionate about dismantling the systems within ourselves that keep us small. In his memoir, Beautiful Monster: A Becoming, Miles takes you on his singular journey through breaching the boundaries of gender — across generations, cultures, and borders — to become his truest, most authentic self. Listen in as Kathryn, Miles, and members of the Haus family discuss Miles' exquisitely crafted memoir.
Elise Loehnen
Elise is a writer, editor, environmental activist, social justice advocate, and the host of the podcast, Pulling the Thread. She’s co-written 12 books, was the chief content officer of Goop, and the editorial projects director of Conde Nast Traveler. Elise's first novel under her own name, On Our Best Behavior, is a groundbreaking exploration of the Seven Deadly Sins — ancient ideas of morality that still control and distort women’s lives today. Listen along as Kathryn, Elise, and fellow Haus members expand on topics present in Elise's novel, including our complex relationships with pride, gluttony, envy, freedom, and more!
Indu Arora
Indu Arora is a Yoga and Ayurveda teacher, mentor, and author. She has been sharing about Yoga philosophy, Yoga Therapy, and Ayurveda for the last two decades across more than 50 cities worldwide. Her teaching style is rooted in empowering and inspiring students to awaken the inner Guru. Listen in as Indu, Kathryn, and fellow Haus members discuss Indu’s full scope of work and topics including: the many approaches to yoga, practicing devotion, the birthplace of appropriation, how to heed your calling, and the pursuit of the true self.
Kerri Kelly
Kerri Kelly is an author, wellness disruptor and activist, community organizer and mobilizer, yoga teacher, social justice advocate, and founder of CTZNWELL, a movement committed to democratizing well-being for all. Tune into our conversation with Kerri, Kathryn, and members of the Haus as we discuss Kerri's book, AMERICAN DETOX. We cover America’s toxic "wellness" culture rooted in perfectionism, whiteness, individualism, what it means to be “accountable,” and how to reduce harm.
Dr. Sundar Balasubramanian
Dr. Sundar is a cell biology researcher, certified yoga therapist, as well as the founder + pioneer researcher behind PranaScience Institute. Raised in Tamilnadu, India in a traditional Siddha medicine practicing family, Dr. Sundar learned Pranayama, yoga postures, meditation, and Kirtan practices at a very young age. Through the years, he has completed extensive research on yogic breath’s effect on human biology and has made significant discoveries. He now combines traditional wisdom with his scientific research training to make these beneficial practices accessible to all. Join Kathryn, Dr. Sundar, and members of the Haus family as we discuss and explore Dr. Sundar's studies on Pranayama breathwork, as well as his Tedx Charleston talk: The Science of Yogic Breathing. Bonus: Dr. Sundar leads us through a Pranayama exercise!
Kate Fagan
Kate Fagan is an Emmy-award winning journalist and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of WHAT MADE MADDY RUN, the heartbreaking story of college athlete Madison Holleran, whose life and death by suicide reveal the struggle of young people suffering from mental illness today. Kate has also authored THE REAPPEARING ACT (a coming-of-age memoir about coming out in college), ALL THE COLORS CAME OUT (a love letter to her father who was diagnosed with ALS), and has recently published her debut novel, THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY. In this conversation, Kate, Kathryn, and Haus members discuss and explore the intersection of Women’s sports, Title IX, and the intersection of gender and the LGBTQ+ community. Conversation is inspired by her books as well as three of her essays which are linked on the registration page.
Ryan Holiday
Ryan Holiday is a writer, philosopher, #1 New York Times bestselling author, co-owner of the independent bookstore The Painted Porch in Texas, and host of the podcast The Daily Stoic. Ryan, Kathryn, and Haus members chat about Ryan's 9th book, STILLNESS IS THE KEY. Drawing upon a wide range of history's greatest thinkers, Ryan gives readers accessible examples of how to cultivate stillness in our day-to-day. Follow along as topics addressed in Ryan's scope of work are further explored, including memento mori, amor fati, catastrophizing, foreboding joy, the act of saying "no," and more!
Jacoby Ballard
With 20 years of experience, Jacoby Ballard is a yoga teacher and social justice educator in Salt Lake City, Utah. Known for his compassionate commitment to change, Jacoby co-founded Third Root Community Health Center in Brooklyn, to work at the nexus of healing and social justice, and runs the Resonance mentorship program for certified yoga teachers to find their niche and calling. His workshops and trainings center around diversity, equity, and inclusion. He received Yoga Journal’s Game Changer Award in 2014 and Good Karma Award in 2016, and an award by Reclamation Ventures in 2021. Jacoby, Kathryn, and the Haus of Phoenix family chat about Jacoby's book, A QUEER DHARMA: YOGA AND MEDITATIONS FOR LIBERATION. Listen along as topics addressed in his book are further explored, including: the application of Buddhist teachings in our daily lives, the importance of community, Queer representation, and more.
Seane Corn
Seane Corn is an internationally acclaimed yoga teacher, public speaker, and social activist. Seane uses her platform to bring awareness to global issues including social justice, sex trafficking, HIV/AIDS awareness, generational poverty, and animal rights. She was awarded the Global Green International Environmental Leadership Award and the Humanitarian Award by the Smithsonian Institute in 2013, and continues to inspire her community both on and off the mat. Listen along as Seane, Kathryn, and members of the Haus community chat about Seane's book, REVOLUTION OF THE SOUL. Filled with deeply raw honesty and swelling with support, Seane and members of the Haus family share touching experiences related to their own growth and personal evolutions.
Jessamyn Stanley
Jessamyn Stanley is an internationally acclaimed voice in wellness, award winning social advocate, founder of The Underbelly, a streaming wellness platform, co-founder of We Go High NC, a southern Cannabis Justice organization, and author of the book, EVERY BODY YOGA: LET GO OF FEAR. GET ON THE MAT. LOVE YOUR BODY. Listen along as Kathryn and members of the Haus community chat about Jessamyn's highly anticipated second book, YOKE: MY YOGA OF SELF ACCEPTANCE. Filled with a series of deeply honest, funny, and gritty autobiographical essays, YOKE explores issues of self-love, body-positivity, race, sex, and sexuality.
PROFESSOR PHOENIX AUTHORS + TITLES
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![Jessamyn Stanley Kathryn Budig]()
JESSAMYN STANLEY
AUTHOR OF YOKE
FIND THEM ON @MYNAMEISJESSAMYN
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SEANE CORN
AUTHOR OF REVOLUTION OF THE SOUL
FIND THEM ON @SEANECORN
