Thursday
October 9, 2025
Autumn · 25 entries
@evanrosskatz
To fill in the gaps that institutions and
power structures of dominant culture
overlook or deliberately avoid:
• TRUTH when there are lies or silence
* CARE where there is neglect
* RADICAL IMAGINATION where there is
stagnation, dead ends, and repitition of
oppression
• LIBERATION where there is oppression
• CONNECTIVITY where there is isolation
& HOPE where there is despair
* SALVE for wounds
* ACKNOWLEDGEMENT for those who feel unseen
Üü-
YUMI SAKUGAWA
@yumisakugawa
eoens
A high school started
offering hikes instead
of detention. Teachers
are seeing results.
(Leslie Trundy)
@washingtonpost
Notes on Physical Assists
https://dcashtanga.com/portal/course/decentralized-ashtanga/lessons/assisting-as-spiritual-practice/view https://dcashtanga.com/portal/course/scope-of-practice/lessons/strength-conditioning-best-practices-for-yogis-copy-1759266519/view https://dcashtanga.com/portal/course/scope-of-practice/lessons/strength-conditioning-best-practices-for-yogis-copy-1759266519/view https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6chi4KadlO8&pp=ygUbTWljaGFlbCBqb2VsIGhhbGwgYXNzaXN0aW5n https://ashtanga.tech/portal/course/teaching-arts/lessons/asana-adjustment-assisting-guidelines/view https://michaeljoelhall.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=14789&action=edit
Read the essay →Reimagining Ashtanga Community Leadership
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…
Read the essay →Creating Safe Spaces for Practice
“Creating safe spaces isn’t about perfection – it’s about consistent commitment to embodying the respect we claim to value.” Introduction: The Sacred Vulnerability of Practice Every time someone steps on a yoga mat, they bring their entire being with them — heart, body, history, hope.…
Read the essay →Peer Support as a Living System: Tending the Roots of Practice
In the ecosystem of Ashtanga Yoga, peer support isn’t a side dish. It’s the mycelium under the forest floor — the network of connection, communication, and shared resilience that keeps the whole thing alive. When done with intention, peer support can shift the dynamics of…
Read the essay →Balance Between Tradition and Evolution in 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…
Read the essay →Decolonizing Yoga Practice
Honoring Roots, Dismantling BarriersYoga 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…
Read the essay →Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Individual Breakthroughs Impact Collective Energy
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…
Read the essay →The Yamas and Niyamas in Modern Practice
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…
Read the essay →Body Awareness and Alignment in Yoga Teaching
The Art of Saying It So They Actually Feel ItIf you've ever stood in front of a room full of yogis and said something like “engage your core,” only to be met with blank stares or wildly different interpretations (someone holds their breath, another tenses…
Read the essay →Adapting Poses for Individual Needs
Adapting Poses for Individual Needs You know that moment when you cue “step your right foot forward between your hands,” and someone’s foot ends up somewhere between left field and the front row? That’s not failure — that’s anatomy doing its thing. Welcome to the…
Read the essay →Fostering Self-Awareness Through Yoga
Introduction The unique intersection of physical and mental in yoga practice Thesis: Yoga offers a powerful mirror for self-discovery by revealing how physical patterns reflect deeper mental models I. The Body as a Messenger How physical sensations carry deeper information Quote: “The body never lies…
Read the essay →Three Radical Shifts as You Grow in Yoga
Three Radical Shifts as You Grow in Yoga There’s a moment—somewhere between your second Utkatasana and your fourth sun salutation—when you realize yoga is working on more than just your hamstrings. Sure, you came to class for the promise of better posture or to finally…
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Balancing the Scales: Subjectivity versus Objectivity in Ashtanga Yoga Practitioner Development
IntroductionThere’s a certain push-and-pull that lives at the heart of every serious Ashtanga practice. On one side, there’s the deeply personal, lived experience—the hum of your own breath, the way your body feels in Kapotasana today compared to last Tuesday, the private territory only you…
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The Fine Line of Humor: Navigating Wit and Wisdom in Comedy
Punching down gets laughs. It's no shocker: being mean and hurtful can be incredibly funny. There’s almost nothing funnier than a perfectly crafted savage takedown. Ask any queer kid 'round these parts-- they'll tell you that read (is what?!) fundamental. Reading is the perfectly crafted…
Read the essay →Kathy Griffin: Evolution Through Trials and Triumphs
Dive into the intertwined memoirs of Jennifer Lewis and Kathy Griffin for a captivating exploration of a comedian's evolution. Uncover how Griffin's journey, from a near-fatal low to her empowering embrace of a sober community, reveals the complexities of life behind the laughs. This blog delves into the raw, unfiltered narrative of Griffin's career, challenging the norms of feminism in comedy, and highlighting the satisfying connections found between celebrity stories. Join us in unraveling the tapestry of trials, transformations, and resilience that defines the ever-evolving world of a comedian.
Read the essay →The Five Obstacles to Yoga
The Five Obstacles to Yoga Introduction Every yogi, whether fresh-faced on the mat or seasoned from years of practice, eventually bumps into... something. A wall, a plateau, a discomfort, or an inexplicable resistance. In yoga philosophy, these aren’t random speed bumps — they are known,…
Read the essay →The Evolution of an Ashtanga Teacher
The Evolution of an Ashtanga Teacher Introduction Change and iteration? I'm good with those. I started out verbose—talking too much, explaining every little thing. Then I swung the pendulum toward the stereotypical Ashtanga script: minimal instruction, no props, traditional cues only. But ultimately, I came…
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Spiritual Rot Caused By Siloing and Wealth (and how to avoid it)
In his compelling article, “Plutocrat Archipelagos” in MacGuffin Magazine, Jack Self offers an unflinching look into the secluded, fortified worlds of the ultra-wealthy. Through vivid descriptions of razor-wire fences, bodyguards, and gated communities, Self explores how these enclaves of extreme wealth serve as both physical…
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