Themes – Michael Joel Hall

Yoga Class: A Tale of Mats, Mindfulness, and a Community Built by Accident (and on Purpose)

People are wild. They never cease to crack me up (and often find a way to drive me crazy). “Everything I Know About Animal Behavior, I Learned in Lohman’s Department Store,” written by one of America’s great humorists, Irma Bombeck, is a collection of essays that was super informative and totally perfect for the last few weeks of room arrangement. Bombeck had a way of taking the poison out of life’s realities, seeing the funny and poignent in the most mundane of human experiences… you’ll forgive me for finding mat…

Little Me Would Be So Proud: From Activist to Organizer

If little me could see who I am today, I think he’d be proud—wide-eyed and amazed at how things have turned out. He’d see someone who practices yoga, who teaches, who learns, but more importantly, someone who actively works to make things better in his community. Not just talking about change, not just shouting for it at rallies, but someone who orchestrates the very places where change begins. Growing up, I always had a sense of justice, of wanting things to be better, but the way forward was never really…

Sometimes the Support is the Success

I got to watch a long-time practitioner nail her first straight-leg jump-through this week. Liz has been practicing for years with my dear friend and colleague Jen Rene before joining me shortly after the pandemic. She’s a gem. Right after hearing the tell tale ‘swiff’ of a clean jump through, Liz and I locked eyes. “First one EVER,” she yelled. Liz had attended my bodyweight transitions workshop at the Yoga Club just a few days prior to all of this, and I told her that I was going to tell…

Scalability in Ashtanga Yoga Practice

Ashtanga Yoga, while rigorous, is designed to be a lifelong practice. Scalability in this context refers to the ability to adjust the practice to suit different stages of life, physical conditions, and personal commitments. This adaptability ensures that Ashtanga remains beneficial and sustainable for practitioners, regardless of changes in their circumstances.

From Goal-Getter to Intention-Setter: Discovering Sankalpa in Yoga

Discover the power of Sankalpa in your yoga practice. Move beyond rigid goals and embrace a more mindful, compassionate way of practicing. Let’s explore together!