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afield since 2003 · michael joel hall
Sunday
August 30, 2026
TODAYMeet the Couple Behind Panda ExpressA rare look at the Cherngs' unsentimental, clear-eyed philosophy on building an empire — immigrant grit meets shrewd business candor. The orange chicken origin and their unapologetic 'American Chinese food' framing alone make this worth returning to.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
StarTalkHow The Brain Perceives Time, with David EaglemanEagleman dismantles the brain's greatest myths — that memory records, that senses are fixed, that slow-motion fear is real — with experiments wild enough to match the claims. The dream-as-real-estate-defense theory alone is worth the price of admission.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
The Sticky Moment
Why the hardest part of Ashtanga isn’t a pose, but the quiet shift from following instructions to actually inhabiting the practice.
Read the essay →
Fifty-Two Percent No Longer Had PTSD
After 10 weeks of trauma-informed yoga, 52% of women with chronic treatment-resistant PTSD no longer met diagnostic criteria, versus 21% in the control group.
Read the essay →Threads
On this day
August 30 in years past
Bless her—I have been sharing my videos with her like *that* little boy dying to tell you all about dinosaurs
C
Smichaeljoelhall (my model for this
deep cut joke) is having some
seriously SMART conversations these
days.
authoritarianism and ashtanga
When youre new to led class + the teacher says
TRYANGMUKHAEKAPADAPASCHIMATTANASANA
SUPTA!!
* you just go with it even though
you're PRETry SURE
they made
that name up.
@unrulyascetic
I admire my friends art.
Bless her-I have been
sharing my videos with
her like *that* little boy
dying to tell you all about
dinosaurs

Dismantling Authoritarianism with Ashtanga Yoga: Power, Practice, Justice
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
Read the essay →More over on my youtube.
• Emphasis on internal experience over external instruction
• Talking vs. Doing
• Understanding through practice
THIS ALL ENL
TRUMPS LYING ABOV
WHEN ENOUG
DISTRACT
OF US SAY
NV
*
*
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@claudiajonesschool and freedcproject
Saturday after Mysore
Newsletter went out today
Sunrise Yoga starts on Tuesday
UM THESE TEACHINGS
coryyoga and birminghamyoga
friends. @dcmagazine Got
this one *so* right!
vS
versusequity, smashigram and nikkibraden
DYNAMIC
WASHINGTON
versusequity We are so proud to be featured in @dcmagazine's
2024 Dynamic Women
Nikki Braden and Ashleigh Payne e..
Sped up 9x
A for effort, right? 🤣🤣🤣 @michaeljoelhall
LET'S ROLL
A for effort, right? 🤣🤣🤣
@michaeljoelhall
On other note, I was tired, flustered, and running on empty this morning. I didn't think I could even start my practice. But I was there. Then I had a chat with my teacher who taught me to let the routine guide me. Then we chanted. Then I started at "One". Then I kept going. I let the routine guide my practice.
DARE shirt when she played Maria
Snarapova Toemerty Dand Tof
doping) and i am here. for. it.
Petty LaBelle!!!
SCREAMING
Don't get it twisted.
I'm def not here for DARE
and will TED talk you about
my
*maybe* nuanced thoughts
on optimization via
experimental and
experiential disco-
pharmacology.
but I am here for the
petty. Oh. And:
Petty LaBelle!
Y'all out here eating this
up like it's a slice of
Patty's Pie.
holly.yogs.lightly 3h
IF YOU THINK THE DARE SHIRT
WAS RUBBING SALT IN A WOUND
GO AHEAD AND GOOGLE WHAT
MARIA SHARAPOVA SAID ABOUT
SERENA WILLIAMS IN HER
AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
HINT: IT PERPETUATES
RACIST TROPES.
Hat tip to Mr. Serena
Williams who may or
may not have co-
founded Reddit
X
I'm def not here for DARE and will TED talk you about my *maybe* nuanced thoughts on optimization via experimental and experiential disco-pharmacology. ... but I am here for the petty. Oh. And:
I'm def not here for DARE
and will TED talk you about
my *maybe* nuanced thoughts
on optimization via
experimental and
experiential disco-
pharmacology.
... but I am here for the
petty. Oh. And:
I love you @holly.yogs.lightly
I love you
@holly.yogs.lightly
holly.yogs.lightly 3h
First Round
• S. Williams USA
Sharapova RUs
Also I'm late to this petty party but
Serena William's husband wore a
DARE shirt when she played Maria
Sharapova (formerly banned for
doping) and 1 am here. for. it.

“Blackberry Picking” — Seamus Heany
Seamus Heany passed away. Sparked into a flush of memory by a friend’s lament towards the end of summer, I was coated in the thick stain of Heaney’s lingering words: A extra juicy reading of the poem can be found here, at good ol’ NPR. Blackberry Picking –…
Read the essay →I won't wax epicurian for terribly long, but the whole chunk chicken with the kickin' mango dressing, tossed with fresh pineapple, mango, and mandarin oranges made for a sweet summery treat. I'm glad I coupled it with the half sandwhich, in hindsight, because while tasty in its own right, I can see myself being disappointed with the actual heft of the salad. The Cali Club panini made it a well rounded occasion, and with all the extra dressing they politely put on the side, I was blessed with a sweet dipping sauce for the sometimes too dry panini.
So. Fucking. Good. Get yourself to an Einstein's while they last!
I've been catching up on Firefly over the past few days. Its been more and more enjoyable as its gone on, less cliched, and the characters seeming a touch more human. It gets the motor runnin' a little, knowing that there is a big budget flick to follow, and I think its a shame it was put to pasture early. Then again, maybe the flick will provide a fitting end. I'm in no real position to make such guesses, though, since I'm only like 5 episodes in. Thats less than half. I'm pacing out my episodes now so that I can watch the last two I have right before the newest repeat on Sci Fi.
In regards to television, I have Rome tivo'd but haven't watched it yet. I'm hoping its good-- I've been bombarded by some sort of urban viral marketing campaign for it all through my neighborhood. They've hung up flyers saying "Ever City Has Its Secrets" with a tear-off number for you to dial, much like a room for rent posting would have. When you call, it gives you some low-grade moviephone bullshit playing the opening sequence. It sounds just like that stupid friend of yours' voicemail when they play 50's "Candy Shop" or some such nonsense. Good campaign, lousy pay off. I hope the end product makes up for the thirty eight seconds of hell before I hung up.
We shall see.
I took Pam to her first Hookabar yesterday after Geoff, Tara, Pam, and I went to Asylum for 25 cent Tacos and Beer night. Mondays are good for the Tacos, and good for the 2 dollar Shiner Boch. Yum-o. Pam and I mellowed out over Double Apple Shisha and just kinda rapped to each other about all the bullshit swirling around in our heads. Satisfying, if not productive. But, the shisha high was fabulous, and I'm glad to know that there is a place to smoke some good tasties right in Adams Morgan. I really need to track down Omar.
By the numbers
Writing
- PracticeThe Sticky MomentAug 30, 2026
- PhilosophyParadise Is Just Having EnoughAug 28, 2026
- CultureTime Capsule Treasure HuntAug 26, 2026
- Yoga ProfessionalsThe $636 Rent Subsidy That Built My Yoga Career (And Won’t Build Yours)Aug 24, 2026
- PracticeYou’re Practicing the Picture, Not the PoseAug 22, 2026
- PhilosophyWho Is Your Honesty For?Aug 20, 2026
Digests
- Fifty-Two Percent No Longer Had PTSDAug 30, 2026
After 10 weeks of trauma-informed yoga, 52% of women with chronic treatment-resistant PTSD no longer met diagnostic criteria, versus 21% in the control group.
- Shrinking the Fear CenterAug 29, 2026
A study of over 15,000 people found that meditation and yoga practitioners had smaller right amygdala volume, the brain region tied to fear and negative emotions.
- The Staircase, Not the WallAug 27, 2026
Anyone can preach consistency. Instead I built it: one pose added each week, deep-linked to a Practice Recorder that logs what you actually did — and that you…
- The Brains of Long-Term YogisAug 22, 2026
Female yogis over 60 had thicker prefrontal cortexes than non-practitioners, suggesting long-term practice may protect against cognitive aging.
- Yoga Nidra in Veterans HospitalsAug 16, 2026
The iRest Yoga Nidra program has expanded to 35 VA Centers and 6 Department of Defense sites after its success treating PTSD and trauma in military populations.
- Ten Minutes, Better MoodAug 15, 2026
Just 10 minutes of low-intensity yoga improved mood across six measures and boosted cognitive function in sedentary young men, while rest alone did nothing.
- Understanding From Day OneAug 15, 2026
Most beginners get poses and a promise that meaning comes later. Praxis gives you a designed sequence and real tools to run your own practice from day one.
- When They Know You’re VulnerableAug 10, 2026
The system doesn't just sort and price. It times — finding you at your most vulnerable.
The Read
lionsroar.comThe Metta of Mister RogersGayathri Narayanan's Lion's Roar essay examines Fred Rogers' television work as an embodied practice of metta (loving-kindness), emphasizing his consistent, unconditional acceptance of children and his capacity to see inherent goodness in everyone. Rogers' approach—slow, patient, direct address, rad✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
s-config.comStopping the smart TV from being used against youThe article argues that smart TVs, particularly LG models, exploit users by installing unwanted software (malware) through HDMI connections via the EDID protocol. When connected to a Windows laptop, LG's 'driver' installs bloatware like McAfee without explicit consent, turning the device against its✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
arstechnica.comAnthropic's new hardware standard lets AI agents control the physical worldAnthropic has introduced the Model Hardware Standard (MHS), a set of standardized drivers that allow AI agents to interface with and control physical devices. Initially targeting scientific research, MHS provides a common interface for disparate equipment to communicate, potentially reducing experim✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
themarginalian.orgThe Moving Letter James Baldwin Received from His Childhood Teacher at the Peak of His Fame and His HeartbreakMaria Popova recounts how Orilla Miller, a young drama teacher at PS 24 in Harlem, recognized ten-year-old James Baldwin's brilliance and gave him books and theater outings despite his preacher father's disapproval. Seventeen years later, after Baldwin had become a famous writer, she attended his 19✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50The Listen
The Watch
TODAYMeet the Couple Behind Panda ExpressA rare look at the Cherngs' unsentimental, clear-eyed philosophy on building an empire — immigrant grit meets shrewd business candor. The orange chicken origin and their unapologetic 'American Chinese food' framing alone make this worth returning to.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
StarTalkHow The Brain Perceives Time, with David EaglemanEagleman dismantles the brain's greatest myths — that memory records, that senses are fixed, that slow-motion fear is real — with experiments wild enough to match the claims. The dream-as-real-estate-defense theory alone is worth the price of admission.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Tale FoundryThe Book of Dead FairiesA genuinely weird artifact — pressed fairy corpses as Victorian psychosexual metaphor — that earns its darkness and lands a quietly profound point about preserved imagination and the shame of looking back at who you were.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
David @ Tablet Tech**New** Boox Tab & Note Devices in 6″ 8″ 10″ and 13″ SizesEarly insider leak of four simultaneous Boox releases across every major size category — rare breadth for the brand. The Note Mini C and Tab Elite X naming analysis alone makes this worth revisiting when specs drop.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Megaprojects3D Printed Homes Were a Lie Anyway.A methodical takedown of 3D-printed construction hype, grounded in a rigorous 2024 cost study that exposes the full project economics — not just the flattering construction-phase numbers. The prefab comparison gives the argument real teeth.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50Pickings
Latest dispatches
Doodles
The full ledger
13,162 entries · 2003–2026 · filter & browse below

The Sticky Moment
Why the hardest part of Ashtanga isn’t a pose, but the quiet shift from following instructions to actually inhabiting the practice.
Read the essay →
TODAYMeet the Couple Behind Panda ExpressA rare look at the Cherngs' unsentimental, clear-eyed philosophy on building an empire — immigrant grit meets shrewd business candor. The orange chicken origin and their unapologetic 'American Chinese food' framing alone make this worth returning to.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
StarTalkHow The Brain Perceives Time, with David EaglemanEagleman dismantles the brain's greatest myths — that memory records, that senses are fixed, that slow-motion fear is real — with experiments wild enough to match the claims. The dream-as-real-estate-defense theory alone is worth the price of admission.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Fifty-Two Percent No Longer Had PTSD
After 10 weeks of trauma-informed yoga, 52% of women with chronic treatment-resistant PTSD no longer met diagnostic criteria, versus 21% in the control group.
Read the essay →
Shrinking the Fear Center
A study of over 15,000 people found that meditation and yoga practitioners had smaller right amygdala volume, the brain region tied to fear and negative emotions.
Read the essay →
lionsroar.comThe Metta of Mister RogersGayathri Narayanan's Lion's Roar essay examines Fred Rogers' television work as an embodied practice of metta (loving-kindness), emphasizing his consistent, unconditional acceptance of children and his capacity to see inherent goodness in everyone. Rogers' approach—slow, patient, direct address, rad✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
s-config.comStopping the smart TV from being used against youThe article argues that smart TVs, particularly LG models, exploit users by installing unwanted software (malware) through HDMI connections via the EDID protocol. When connected to a Windows laptop, LG's 'driver' installs bloatware like McAfee without explicit consent, turning the device against its✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Paradise Is Just Having Enough
What if paradise isn’t abundance or success, but the quiet shock of realizing you only need a small, specific enough?
Read the essay →
arstechnica.comAnthropic's new hardware standard lets AI agents control the physical worldAnthropic has introduced the Model Hardware Standard (MHS), a set of standardized drivers that allow AI agents to interface with and control physical devices. Initially targeting scientific research, MHS provides a common interface for disparate equipment to communicate, potentially reducing experim✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
The Staircase, Not the Wall
Anyone can preach consistency. Instead I built it: one pose added each week, deep-linked to a Practice Recorder that logs what you actually did — and that you actually own.
Read the essay →
themarginalian.orgThe Moving Letter James Baldwin Received from His Childhood Teacher at the Peak of His Fame and His HeartbreakMaria Popova recounts how Orilla Miller, a young drama teacher at PS 24 in Harlem, recognized ten-year-old James Baldwin's brilliance and gave him books and theater outings despite his preacher father's disapproval. Seventeen years later, after Baldwin had become a famous writer, she attended his 19✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
defector.comOur Favorite Dolly Parton PerformancesA Defector tribute to Dolly Parton featuring three writers reflecting on their favorite performances: 'High Sierra' (collaborative harmonies with Ronstadt and Harris), 'Down From Dover' (a gut-wrenching ballad about unwanted pregnancy), and '9 to 5' (the working-class anthem). The throughline is Par✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50Grows and changes just as I do.
Fast forward doesn't work well in red aloud
Madonna at 67 is five years older with Confessions 2, both creating pop masterpieces at hitting creative highs.
I hope Madge gets a grandslam in her late 70s as Dolly did with Rockstar.
(empty string)
Madonna at 67 is five years older with Confessions 2, both creating pop masterpieces at hitting creative highs.
I hope Madge gets a grandslam in her late 70s as Dolly did with Rockstar.
(empty string)

Time Capsule Treasure Hunt
In the summer of 1996, my cousins and I buried a time capsule in my parents' backyard. My mother is the oldest of seven sisters. Five of those six sisters got pregnant within about a year of each other. I was the only boy in…
Read the essay →
washingtonian.comSweetgreen Opens its First DC Area Drive-ThroughSweetgreen, the fast-casual salad chain founded in DC, opened its first East Coast drive-through in McLean, Virginia. The 'Sweetlane' is a mobile pickup system where customers order online and collect their bowls at a window, adapting the urban fast-casual model for car-dependent suburban markets.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
henryaj.substack.comThe Sloppification of PeptidesThe article examines how AI-generated content is creating fake review sites and forums to manipulate peptide buyers. An entire website (CompoundTalk) was built with AI-generated posts, fake user histories, and coordinated domain registrations—designed not for human readers but to be ingested by LLMs✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
thecancunsun.comWhy September Is The Cheapest Month To Fly To Cancun (And The Best Hubs For Sub-$250 Fares)September is the cheapest month to fly to Cancun, with average one-way fares around $217, driven by ultra-low-cost carrier competition and off-peak demand. Major hubs across the U.S. are seeing sub-$250 round-trip deals, and travelers can double savings by pairing cheap flights with heavily discount✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
goodereader.comLithuania has an e-book piracy issueLithuania has an e-book piracy problem significantly worse than the EU average, with popular titles appearing on illegal platforms within hours of release. A 2024 study found that while 60% of digital readers use only legal sources, 20% are uncertain about their sources' legality, and one piracy sit✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50sure my ♡
will go on,
actually. I'm
gutted.
heres an old trope about
every gay boy getting
one special DIVA who
will be with them
for life. Mine was
Dolly. I wore her
shirt today, yelling "I beg
Your Pardon" at my
students as they practice
"I'm real where it counts."
"A country girl's idea of glamor." :-
—
↑ Dolly Parton's America.
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