Video: Ashtanga Vinyasa Inspired Flow

In this video, Michael Joel Hall discusses the ongoing debate within the Ashtanga yoga community about incorporating complementary exercises, such as swimming, running, and strength training, into their routines. He addresses how these activities can enhance cardiovascular endurance, joint stability, and overall strength without detracting from the primary yoga practice. Michael emphasizes the importance of integrating these exercises mindfully to prevent repetitive strain injuries and maintain a sustainable yoga practice over a lifetime.

00:00 Introduction to Ashtanga Yoga
00:10 The Need for Cross Training
00:30 Benefits of Cross Training
01:04 Integration and Balance
01:18 Conclusion: Sustaining a Lifelong Practice

Michael Joel Hall offers a different approach to Ashtanga Yoga grounded in humanist values, personal agency, and inclusivity, rather than dogma or hierarchy. Inspired by Dr. Anastasia Somerville Wong’s work on non-religious pastoral support, Hall emphasizes creating a supportive community that encourages critical thinking, personal experience, and mutual care. Hall outlines signs of high-pressure, cult-like communities, such as suppression of critical thought, encouragement of self-doubt, prevalence of magical thinking, authoritarian leadership, non-accountability, excessive and intrusive rules, and financial and sexual exploitation. He contrasts these with healthy community traits like open discussion, personal autonomy, and ethical integrity. Hall’s philosophy aims to decentralize power, foster critical thinking, and honor each practitioner’s unique journey.

00:00 Introduction and Setup
01:44 Critical Thought in Healthy Groups
04:20 Encouraging Self-Esteem
05:42 Magical Thinking in Cults
07:26 Reason and Evidence-Based Approach
07:56 Charismatic Leaders and Special Knowledge
10:38 Authoritarian Leadership
11:46 Accountable vs. Authoritarian Leaders
13:11 Leaders Above the Law
14:25 Draconian and Intrusive Rules
17:08 Censorship and Control of Information
18:23 Elitism and Inner Circles
19:31 Threats to Those Who Leave
19:48 Financial and Physical Penalties
20:28 Respect vs. Shunning
21:33 Slander and Vilification of Outsiders
21:45 Us vs. Them Mentality in Yoga Communities
22:26 Spotting Negative Group Dynamics
23:13 Isolation from Outside Relationships
24:20 Group Identity vs. Individual Identity
26:05 Secrecy and Elitism in Groups
26:51 Negative Group Rituals and Punishment
27:23 Transparency vs. Secrecy
27:34 Mind-Altering Practices and Conformity
28:22 Managing Expectations and Consent
29:38 Shame, Guilt, and Fear in Group Control
30:31 Supportive vs. Controlling Environments
30:51 Obsessive Loyalty and Critical Thinking
32:30 Recruitment and Growth Obsession
33:55 Genuine Community vs. Aggressive Recruitment
34:55 Love Bombing and Idealistic Goals
36:42 Financial Exploitation in Groups
39:16 Punitive Punishment and Abuse
41:56 Sexual Exploitation in High-Pressure Groups
44:03 Gender Equality vs. Gender Control
45:29 Gossip and Community Safety
46:15 Normalization of Deception
46:40 Justifying Bad Behavior for Group’s Sake
47:03 Real Integrity and Ethical Standards
47:17 Values and Honesty in Tough Times
47:27 Maintaining High Ethical Standards

What happens when charismatic teachers extract value from communities and leave? How do we rebuild after the damage is done?

This is about the hard work of regeneration—in yoga communities, in local spaces, and in ourselves. It’s about the difference between extraction and cultivation, between building a following and building an ecosystem.

In this video:
• Why charismatic “dirt bags” wreck communities and leave others to clean up the mess
• The downstream effects of toxic yoga culture and multi-level marketing dynamics
• What it means to commit to place and do the unglamorous work of regeneration
• How my teacher turned barren land in Ecuador into a thriving cacao forest—and what that teaches us about community building
• The difference between systems thinking and linear thinking when addressing harm
• Why local matters: serving the same community for years instead of chasing platforms
• What real success looks like (hint: it’s not follower counts)
• A note about anger—and why channeling rage into regenerative work matters

This isn’t abstract philosophy. It’s documentation of how to build communities that survive extraction, drawn from years of teaching Ashtanga yoga in Washington DC and watching what happens when authority figures abuse their power and leave.

If you’re tired of watching charismatic individuals burn through communities, if you’re doing the quiet work of tending your local space, if you’re angry about extraction being rewarded while regeneration goes unnoticed—this is for you.

The work is slower. Quieter. Less glamorous. And it’s worth it.

Based on concepts from my book “Collider” about building resilient yoga communities through systems thinking.

YogaCommunity #AshtangaYoga #CommunityBuilding #SystemsThinking #RegenerativeWork #YogaTeacher #LocalMatters #YogaCulture

00:00 Regenerating Land After Charismatic Dirt Bags
00:57 The Problem: Charismatic Dirt Bags Wreck the Land
02:37 The Downstream Effect
05:08 Local Matters
07:06 The Cacao: Why It Matters
07:58 Building the Ecosystem
09:27 Surviving Extraction
10:12 Systems Thinking
11:02 The Risks and Rewards
12:12 What Success Looks Like
12:36 A Note About Anger
14:02 Channeling Rage Towards Regeneration

In this video, we unbox the concept of decolonizing your yoga practice by removing authoritarianism and emphasizing self-study. This episode covers the cultural context of Ashtanga Yoga, the impact of colonialism and capitalism in shaping Western yoga practices, and the need for open-source teaching. Michael discusses historical gender biases, the guru-student power dynamic, and the issues of gatekeeping and groupthink in yoga communities. Learn about the importance of making yoga accessible and fostering community-centered approaches while balancing tradition with the evolution of Ashtanga Yoga. Discover how decommodification and recognizing inner intelligence can lead to true liberation in your practice.

00:00 Dismantling Authoritarianism with Ashtanga Yoga: Power, Practice, Justice
00:01 Introduction to Decolonizing Yoga
00:15 Historical Context and Cultural Impact
01:12 Examining Patriarchal Elements
02:14 Power Dynamics and Gatekeeping
03:37 Cultural Imperialism in Teaching
04:50 Appropriation vs. Appreciation
06:43 Open Source Teaching as Solution
08:12 Making Yoga Accessible
10:12 Balancing Tradition with Evolution
11:49 Self-Education and Awareness
14:05 Conclusion: Path to Liberation

In this video, yoga instructor Michael Joel Hall discusses the profound interconnectedness experienced through yoga practice. He shares insights from his 15 years of teaching, highlighting how individual efforts on the mat create a collective energy that enhances the practice for everyone. Michael explains how synchronization of breath and movement among practitioners creates a palpable atmosphere of presence. He delves into the ripple effect of individual breakthroughs and how they uplift the entire room. The video also covers practical approaches to harnessing this interconnectedness, such as collective breathing, shared energy, and mindful transitions. Ultimately, Michael emphasizes that yoga is about recognizing and nurturing the deeper connections that unite us all, transcending time, space, and individual experiences.

00:00 Introduction: The Power of Interconnectedness in Yoga
00:36 The Ripple Effect of Practice
01:26 Beyond Time and Space: Infinite Interconnectedness
02:17 Practical Applications of Interconnectedness
02:55 The Bigger Picture: Interconnectedness in Life and Yoga
03:41 Conclusion: Embracing the Infinite Connection

Michael Joel Hall recounts his visit to the Gala Theater in Columbia Heights to watch a Spanish production of ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman.’ He reflects on the themes of deception, honesty, and betrayal within the play and draws parallels to his experiences in the federal government, nonprofits, and his Ashtanga yoga community. Hall discusses the damaging impact of small betrayals by well-meaning but mediocre people in positions of power and stresses the importance of radical honesty as a countermeasure to authoritarian tendencies. He concludes by highlighting the importance of integrity in maintaining the spiritual health of a community.

00:00 Kiss of the Spider Woman
00:21 The Play: Kiss of the Spider Woman
00:43 Themes of Deception and Betrayal
03:25 Personal Reflections and Broader Implications
06:56 Conclusion: Honesty and Community