There’s something odd about a Mysore room. No blaring playlists. No teacher on a headset shouting “FIND YOUR INNER FIRE!” Just a bunch of sweaty people breathing like Darth Vader and bending like origami — all in near silence. It looks calm. It’s not. Underneath that still surface? Pure chaos, transformation, and the occasional emotional meltdown masked as a backbend. And weirdest of all? When one person has a breakthrough — sticks a jump-back, drops into kapo, or finally breathes through their existential dread in supta kurmasana — it somehow lifts everyone. Welcome to the group project you didn’t know you signed up for: The Collective Energy Field™ — where your personal practice is apparently everybody’s business. I. The Science of Collective Energy (or, Why…

Honoring Roots, Dismantling Barriers Yoga is a practice of liberation — of body, mind, and spirit. But when we look closely at the modern global yoga scene, especially in the West, we find a paradox: a practice rooted in freedom that is often taught, consumed, and structured within systems of oppression, exclusion, and commodification. To decolonize yoga is not to reject tradition, nor is it to Westernize or secularize it further. Rather, decolonizing yoga means taking a deep, honest look at the power dynamics, cultural appropriations, and hierarchical structures that have shaped modern yoga — and actively working to shift them. It’s a call to return yoga to its essence: a path of liberation, unity, and transformation. I. Understanding the Colonial Context of Modern Yoga…

In every Mysore room, behind every counted vinyasa, and underneath every cue to “fold forward,” there’s an unspoken question humming through the breath and bodies: How do we honor the roots of yoga while making it relevant and accessible in today’s world? This isn’t just a philosophical musing for teachers and practitioners alike — it’s a daily decision. Every adjustment, every modification (or refusal to give one), every moment of silence or explanation is a subtle vote: for the past, the present, and the future of yoga. We live in a time where preserving sacred tradition and dismantling oppressive systems are happening simultaneously — sometimes uncomfortably so. That tension is real, and if you’re feeling it, you’re not alone. The Value of Tradition Let’s start…

Introduction For nearly two decades, I’ve witnessed the profound impact that leadership styles have on yoga communities. As both student and teacher in the Ashtanga tradition, I’ve experienced firsthand how the decisions, behaviors, and communication patterns of those in positions of authority shape not just the technical transmission of the practice, but the very culture in which we learn and grow. When I first began teaching Ashtanga yoga over 10 years ago, I consciously and unconsciously replicated the leadership models I had experienced. Some of these served our community well; others perpetuated patterns that limited growth and authentic connection. Like many teachers, I found myself caught between reverence for tradition and the practical reality that our understanding of both human movement and effective teaching continues…