This is Ashtanga Yoga Tech Support. Real questions from the yoga community, answered. The Question Hi everyone! I’m fairly new to yoga, (had my first class a few years ago and had been doing it very on and off for until a few months back when I started going more regularly) so I don’t exactly know what is “standard practice” in different classes and how the teacher should/can behave – which is why I was hoping to get some thoughts on this. Recently I went to my first yin yoga class – we were doing the (what I gathered) standard yin yoga elements, so very relaxed, mostly on the ground with eye.

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Read more: https://ashtanga.tech/tech-support/teacher-on-her-phone-during-yin-yoga-am-i-overreacting/
All content: https://mjh.yoga

#ashtanga #yoga #ashtangayoga #techsupport #ashtangatech

This is Ashtanga Yoga Tech Support. Real questions from the yoga community, answered. The Question I’ve been practicing Ashtanga for about 3–4 years now, usually 5 days a week. During practice I often do the asanas with my eyes closed or with a very soft minimal gaze. My drishti is usually intensely around the third eye area, and the navel and at the tip of the nose depending on the posture. After practice I often experience a very intense, laser-like focus. It almost feels like a powerful, concentrated energy.

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Read more: https://ashtanga.tech/tech-support/intense-focus-after-ashtanga-practice-and-difficulty-with-eye-contact-anyone-else-experienced-this/
All content: https://mjh.yoga

#ashtanga #yoga #ashtangayoga #techsupport #ashtangatech

Financial equity for yoga teachers means building diversified income streams, learning financial literacy, and valuing your labor enough to set boundaries.

In Oate’s piece, Connie is fifteen, suburban, and already fluent in the art of self-division. One version of herself for the house, one for the world outside it. Her mother sees the home version and finds her lacking. The outside version — the one that moves through malls and drive-ins with confidence — that one she keeps to herself. The split feels like survival. It is actually a trap. One Sunday the family clears out and she’s alone with the radio. A gold jalopy pulls in. The driver calls himself Arnold Friend.

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Read the full article: https://theyoga.club/yoga-teachers-deserve-financial-stability/
Original source: https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cofc.edu/dist/d/1041/files/2021/01/Where_Are_You_Going_Where_Have_You_Been.pdf
All content: https://mjh.yoga

Concepts: Svadhyaya · Aparigraha · Dharma · Tapas

#ashtanga #yoga #ashtangayoga #yogapractice #theyogaclub

Surrendering to an external count transforms your breath into the breath—and that’s where the practice deepens.

There’s a led count for Intermediate Series on YouTube that I’ve been using for years. Not because it’s perfect. Not because it solves all my problems. But because sometimes you need someone else to decide when five breaths is actually five breaths. You know how this goes. You’re in a bind. Your breath is shallow. You start negotiating. Maybe six breaths today. Maybe seven. The count says five and you move, even though your hip flexor is staging a protest and your mind is writing a strongly worded letter about fairness. That’s the thing about a led class. The decision is made for you.

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Read the full article: https://theyoga.club/the-count-is-the-practice/
Original source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myk53CzOdQ8
All content: https://mjh.yoga

Concepts: Tapas · Vinyasa · Drishti · Pranayama

#ashtanga #yoga #ashtangayoga #yogapractice #theyogaclub

Becoming a teacher isn’t just about mastering postures—it’s about something harder to measure.

In this episode, MJH delves into the methods of qualification for an Ashtanga Yoga teacher, contrasting traditional practices with modern approaches. Hall discusses the historical context of authorization by Patabi the current certification processes. He highlights issues with evaluation models, explaining the benefits of a non-linear understanding of system dynamics over linear assessments. Hall shares personal experiences, including conflicts in teaching methods, and emphasizes the importance of ethical frameworks and personal growth for both teachers and students in Ashtanga Yoga.

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Read the full article: https://theyoga.club/who-gets-to-say-youre-ready/
Original source: https://michaeljoelhall.com/video-ashtanga-teacher-qualifications-uh-oh/
All content: https://mjh.yoga

Concepts: Svadhyaya · Dharma · Tapas · Ethics

#ashtanga #yoga #ashtangayoga #yogapractice #theyogaclub

When you destroy cultural infrastructure, you don’t just lose buildings — you lose the pathways that connect one generation of artists to the next.

The Kennedy Center is closing, and with it, an entire ecosystem of artists and pathways will scatter. From The Kennedy Center's Unnecessary Immolation on thebulwark.com

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Read the full article: https://theyoga.club/im-worried-about-more-than-kennedy-center/
Original source: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/kennedy-center-unnecessary-immolation
All content: https://mjh.yoga

Concepts: Dharma · Karma Yoga · Ahimsa · Tapas

#ashtanga #yoga #ashtangayoga #yogapractice #theyogaclub

This is Ashtanga Yoga Tech Support. Real questions from the yoga community, answered. The Question Hi all, I'm new to ashtanga and I want to start building a realistic home practice with a long-term vision. Where do I start and how do I keep going? I've been going to led classes 2x a week for a few months now with a great teacher. At the same time, don't want to be dogmatic about Ashtanga. Is this possible? I'm still a relative beginner with yoga in general and love exploring different styles, but so far ashtanga has touched me the most. submitted by /u/philosop…

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Read more: https://ashtanga.tech/tech-support/how-to-start-a-realistic-home-practice-as-a-beginner/
All content: https://mjh.yoga

#ashtanga #yoga #ashtangayoga #techsupport #ashtangatech

Every week, Michael Joel Hall weaves together questions about transformation and who gets to authorize it — from Ashtanga yoga teacher-authorization to AI consciousness, eco-death marketing, and the power of the count.

What happens when charismatic teachers extract value from communities and leave? This is about the hard work of regeneration — in yoga communities, in local spaces, and in ourselves.

This is just a little bit about me, Michael Joel Hall. I posted this as part of my welcome letter at DC Ashtanga. Join the community at DCashtanga.com to take free courses on Decentralizing Ashtanga, built proudly in Washington, DC.