Burning karma, one year at a time. Next!

Scooting through Mysore with boy is equal parts romantic & terrifying. Sounds about right.

Stretching my groins.

"Well, eventually ya gotta carry some orphans on a bike." Christmas at Ashadayaka.org with dancin & singin & scooting

Talked to Mom & Dad for an hour-- best gift a boy could ask for. Sounds really sappy, but it's the truth. Connection is better than wrapping paper.

No material expectations, just gratitude. Burn it to the ground, and with each ash know God. Bedtime, Christmas Eve. Mysore.

The end of the world is in like 5 hours? See ya if I see ya! Love ya, Michael!

Older man watching his grandson in the barber's chair, me, and a business man reading the paper sitting respectively. This memory's a keeper.

Shins. #asanatalk #catching

I'm such a simple creature.

In the middle of a hippy-in-India stereotype. Nirvana works across multiple nationalities. Music trumps puns.

"The Hobbit" shoulda been called "Bye, Bitches!" Now I need a Valium (or summa Gandalf's pipe). Phew!

You know you can follow me on twitter & Instagram, right? Both are MichaelJoelHall 🙂

Don't be the salmon.

"Well, at least you're in the Land of Computers" -- Zoë Ward-- If you're gonna need tech support...

Apple notebook fell last night. Won't boot-- hangs at check catalog in verbose mode. Checked HD connection w/out opening whole case. Help?

Hot shower after practice, kind landlord, Kapo first try. Masala dosa brekkie, grocery shopping. Visit to Dr Jag later. Life is simple & good.

"Yoga isn't about criticism, it's about transformation. Self-transformation. You
change yourself, you change the world." -- Sharathji

It's 7:15am and I just watched a tutorial on the booty pop. I need to look more closely at my life choices.

Home sweet home. Back in my apartment from last season. Oh, so happy.

Brr! Chilly this mornin'! Gonna go warm up to the Boss's count. TGIP (thank god it's primary), everyone.

14/Pst Friends: The blogs are all over Taylor Gourmet opening something under the moniker "Sauced 1418 LLC" at the former Mid City Deli... And, yet, I've heard nothing about when my apartment will be habitable again. Help?

Rain. Chai. Lovely, peace.

Rupees: Win some, lose some. Lost some today.

Contemplating a five day coconut fast.

I ate the gobi. The gobi ate my bandhas. Hmf.

stalling.

"It startles me sometimes, that glow emanating from the faces and bodies around me...how did it get there? Does it take from my own? ...no, that light is so full, so diffuse, so slippery it slides over and illuminates all. It is my responsibility and choice to stand clear of the shadows, not only to encourage the light to come out, but also to let it in." -- Kristen Krash, I love you.

And all of a sudden, the tune of that Gotye track started playing in my head. The bastardized lyrics "You're just the body that I used to know" remained from the time I started to reach back in the last of my postures to the time I got off that mat.

fraying/
bleeding/
cloth o'er stone/
soap under nail/
fraying/
colors bleeding/
fraying/
fraying clean

No matter how you cut it, 3:05am as a wakeup time is really, truly, the middle of the night. And, I love it.

Mysore Thanksgiving was a total treat. To my friends back home, embrace the attitude of gratitude... I know you'll forgive the platitude.

Oh, Mother India, I missed you deeply. Thanks for welcoming me home.

"Live light, travel light, spread the light, be the light! Miss you already! " -- Tova Steiner

If I never get out of bed, I never have to leave. *burrows deeper under the covers*

Rocket Yoga: "Is it really ashtanga with... spirit fingers?" -- Lisa Kaneff by way of Julia Crantz. Come find out at Flow Yoga Center on Saturday at @ 2:30. Last time teaching 'til after India!

Shhh... I may or may not have been playing hooky from practice all week. Wow, I'm sure glad I got that off my chest!

"But I'll push myself up through the dirt
And shake my petals free
I'm resolved to being born
And so resigned to bravery "

At 29 there is still little else that brings me joy like a lesbian dance party. Unf!

Yay-merica!!

Sleeping alone. Practice in the morning. The only constant is change.

"This is my thing. This is what I love. I love you. [thank you for being here & being part of it]"

I was attacked and hospitalized this year for being gay. My partner was refused from the hospital. He spent the night alone scared *I* might die alone. I did, too. This election year, there is a gentleman asking for your vote who believes we do not deserve equal rights-- including being together in the hospital. In the ever-after. Nor fiscally. I ask you to please not think of your wallets at the ballot, but of your hearts. Could you let your husband die alone? Mitt Romney would say that I deserve to die that way-- and I can't elect him. I hope that you cannot either. If you love me (or love your spouse) I ask that you pause and reflect on morals and compassion. I have never been so scared in my entire life as I was in that night-- alone. Please know that your vote goes beyond laissez-faire notions of capitalism and concerns of modified socialism and hits me directly at home. A vote for Mitt Romney will bolster an opportunity to strip me of civil rights, and I pray that your heart won't allow that. If you can in good conscience and faith elect an official who will allow me to die alone with a catheter but no solace, may peace be with you. I cannot. There is no tax break worth my humanity or my husband's tears. I pray that the reality of that notion means that you cannot either. If it doesn't, however, I wish you a moment of reckoning. Again, may peace be with you.

L

Today I took a tumble in the last pose of my practice. "The highest sadhana (spiritual practice)? Bear insult, bear injury." -- Swami Sivananda

Happy Anniversary to my partner in crime, best friend, and favorite. xo.

New Class! Get a quick modified primary at 5pm over at Yoga District on 14th!

Signs you're getting old: opted for a nap instead of going to a music fest.

Got questions about Mysore? Join Jen René, Peg Mulqueen, and I at Flow Yoga Center for a little Q&A after practice about mysore style ashtanga practice. 10am.

"what would YOU want to ask? (please post or "like" the questions you have)"

Welcome back, dropbacks. I really missed you.

Woke up early to help Michael get to work. Teaching led primary at 10. If you didn't get to Tova at AYSDC, come visit me on H Street.

Wanna get some practice in? Saturday's are for Rocket-- come get it in at Flow Yoga Center-- 2:30-4. Sunday is for ashtanga (full led primary!) at Yoga District H Street -- 10:00-11:30am. You come!

Roike's got his passport, I got my shala confirmation... India 2.0 is go-go-go!

RT @toneens: @daydreamingmel @yogicaroline an oldie but a goodie 😉 #kapotasana

So much love. Xo. “@ConfluCntdwn: For @MichaelJoelHall & @pegmulqueen --

RT @washwellbeing: There's a nice update on @MichaelJoelHall's recovery in the @washingtonpost today.

RT @PranaPT: In Defense of Introverts via @thatpaleoguy - We're not antisocial, we just need quiet time to thrive & be creative

Teaching Rocket at 2:30p. Flow 🙂

Last week, my iphone synced with my icloud, deleting all of my contacts and a great deal of my content. iBlown. With luck, I'll have my phone restored in the next few days. Sorry if you've felt neglected. I <3 you!

RT @padartha: Shock findings in new GMO study: Rats fed lifetime of GM corn grow horrifying tumors, 70% of females die early

RT @pegmulqueen: just another day at the office with @MichaelJoelHall @flowyogacenter

What an absolutely wonderful day. Sharing time with people I love while doing what I love. Just the absolute best. Thank you 🙂

RT @BarackObama: 49 days until Election Day—if you’re not registered yet, start here:

Full Primary. (finally!)

RT @asmith83: Even other countries add -gate after scandals: coalgate in India.

RT @ConfluCntdwn: Q&A on #pranayama with Ashtanga's Tim Miller.

Who can provide me with a prescription for a service dog? (serious)

RT @TheFix: David Maraniss on Bill Clinton. Just read it.

@toneens back row, 2nd from left

Take me home.

Begin: Noble Speech

"Finally, students should note that their progress in Vipassana depends solely on their good qualities and personal development..."

RT @TBD: The $34 million makeover to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is almost complete.

I cannot remember the last time I travelled without my yoga mat... 10 days in silent meditation, coming up.

“@scissorsisters: Let's Have A (Muppet) #KIKI @BarManMichael

RT @washingtonpost: Military suicides last month: 38 Army, 26 National Guard (active), 12 National Guard (inactive), 8 Marines

RT @washingtonpost: The U.S. Army logged 38 suicides last month -- twice the number of troops killed in Afghanistan this month.

“@torianddean: Check out the amazing airbrush nail art that @psimadethis introduced me to! @amayanaomi

RT @PoPville: Protein Bar Opening Aug. 22nd in Penn Quarter

India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. -Mark Twain-- Happy Independence Day, Ma India!

RT @HuffPostDC: '"Path to Prosperity?" For Many Senior Citizens, VP Pick Ryan's Plan Would Be Path to the Poorhouse' @wendellpotter

Sarswathi sits down for #interview!! RT @dylanrobertson1 Saraswathi Jois & Sharmila Mahesh - #Ashtanga #Vinyasa #Yoga

RT @ChristopherFTL: #PaulRyan voted to Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC.

Tempting! “@AYC_Confluence: Ashtanga Yoga Confluence 2013 Schedule Online registration to open early October 2012.

RT @Yoga_Journal: It may be harder to make friends as an adult, but yoga has brought true friends into Neal Pollack's life. @nealpollack

One Day I Woke Up Different

RT @ashtangacharlie: Nice piece by Lululemon's Emma on Yoga is Community @MichaelJoelHall

RT @georgetownyoga: sweet pic Hadji Jones! a & o

we always keep it cool“@ashtangacharlie Rain actually kept things cool for @MichaelJoelHall Return - thx @jmgraglia

RT @McGrillZ: The hippie things we do to support @michaeljoelhall

RT @lizandra311: Here we are as a #dc #yoga community! We live u. @michaeljoelhall!! @ Yoga in the Park

I love Michael Roike... (we'll see if he does any sun salutes today at Michael Hall - Yoga Community Donation Class)

Truth: I miss practice. I want to grab my heels again 🙁 crave kapo? huh. #ashtanga #gettingbeatenupdoeskindasuck

RT @VideodromeDisco: RIP Gore Vidal. Here he is on the Dic Cavett show, squabbling with Norman Mailer

Bye, bye stitches. Ha! By Doctors orders: no laughing. Sorry, Doc...

I've never been so excited for a Doctor's appointment. Fingers X'd for good luck!!

@BarManMichael

I'm thankful for my teachers in all of their forms for awakening me to the insight of the happiness of pure Being. A place without the poison of conditioned existence, the poisons of prejudice and hate. I'm thankful for my teachers, who provided the antidote (like a jungle physician). That antidote: be yourself. No hate. No prejudice. Just joy. Just love. Vande Gurunam.

Hm. “@earth2LL: not what you eat, who you eat with. @rawsungoddess -Friends' Weight Influences Our Own: Study

“@earth2LL: not what you eat, you're who you eat with@rawsungoddess Friends' Weight Influences Our Own: Study

oh yeah, how do I get in on this? “@earth2LL: @kinomacgregor @ClaudiaYoga I'd like to review it!

Tonight Only: Rocket 3 at Flow Yoga Center-- call your friends, walk the dog. We're blasting off at 8!

Hey @Jogini_ ! Check it! “@ZenYogaDubai: KATHRYN BUDIG in Dubai: at The Change...

RT @HuffPostDC: Meet @CapitalFringe founder Julianne Brienza

Camping with my man!

You know I teach Ashtanga, mysore style, at Flow Yoga Center from 6:15am 'till 8:30am. Wednesday-Thursday. Hope to see y'all tomorrow!

Slowly it deepens,
the hilt closer to my skin.
Change is a fierce blade.

TRUTH! “@yogadistrict: What better way to celebrate independence than on your mat? Check the schedule!

RT @yogaactivist: Dear friends, consider donating today in celebration of #IndependenceDay to help others find independence through yoga

Yoga: The Discipline of Freedom. 4th of July: Celebration of Freedom. xo!

RT @washingtonpost: The 'Magic Mike' conundrum: If it's OK for women to ogle, do men get a pass? @SheThePeople

@Jakeshears -- please? “@Popjustice: Can Scissor Sisters cover this for the Olympics please

RT @YogaBear: Alec Baldwin Weds Yoga Instructor Hilaria Thomas

In Mysore, all yoga was hot yoga. Get on the Rocket at Flow Yoga Center-- 2:30p.

Hey District Ashtangis! Whats the interest in an afternoon mysore? Tue-Thursday? 4-6? $10 drop ins? Yours truly and Yoga District want to know!

"Beauty & The Beat-- “@BarManMichael: This is hilarious! Welcome to our neighborhood!" #eckington #love

Best (only!) comment in the box!

RT @castlehill_yoga: NEW: #Ashtanga #Mysore Traditional Morning Program w/Juan starts July 1st ...

RT @ABQMysore Must-read on practice and beyond by Authorized teacher Angela Jamison #ashtanga

I will hold back tears-- I will face my fears-- to move in the right direction.