Zoe and Nick got hitched and had a stunning gorgeous wedding in Charlottesville. These are the skull and driftwood centerpieces. I was stunned. Tried to capture them, and instead got @unrulyascetic the bride taking @katelynntully to the dancefloor. I followed suit. Didn't take enough pictures because I was too busy getting my life.

Zoe and Nick got hitched and had a stunning gorgeous wedding in Charlottesville. These are the skull and driftwood centerpieces. I was stunned. Tried to capture them, and instead got @unrulyascetic the bride taking @katelynntully to the dancefloor. I followed suit. Didn't take enough pictures because I was too busy getting my life.

Am I art yet?

GRIT Steely-eyed, dirt on the sleeve stick-to-it-ive-ness is essential to success in yoga (and life!). Resilience…

GRIT

Steely-eyed, dirt on the sleeve stick-to-it-ive-ness is essential to success in yoga (and life!). Resilience is precisely so valuable because of what it demands.
1) you gotta be willing to try to bite off more than you can chew. This often times means ... Failure.
2) you gotta suck it up, look at your failure and try again.
3) You must learn something from the prior experience so as not to have the exact same outcome.
4) remember that "failure" only exists if you don't try. Otherwise, it's practice. Repeat steps 2-3 until shit works out.
This means looking at life through a much longer timeline than what we "want want want" in the now.
5) you gotta celebrate your triumphs, and any comeback is a triumph! This requires big picture thinking. If youre stuck on a too-confined timeline, youre gonna suffer.
Yoga develops resilience. It hones grit. Get out there and try
...
Join me this week in the mysore room:
Mon-Fri 6-9:30 @dcashtanga at @kaliyogadc
Tues: 12-12:40, Hot Spot Dupont @hotspotdupont
Wed: 6:30-7:30p, Vida U St @vidafitnessdc
Thurs: 12-1, Vida U St @vidafitnessdc
Fri: 12-1, Balance TC @balancegym

Transitions mean change. Change is scary. I have historicaly been guiled buy the idea of the encroach of Winter. …

Transitions mean change. Change has an inheritant taste of death to it, and death is scary.
I have historicaly been guiled by the idea of the encroach of Winter. It means the death of my favorite, Summer. Bribed by Halloween and all things pumpkin, I still don't much like putting away my tank tops and finding long sleeves.
This fall, I'm trying to change my tune. We like the idea of transforming into something better/stronger/wiser-- and transformation IS change. In my life, I don't want to be averse to change, Autumn or otherwise. It's an ignorance, to think things aren't always changing. Yoga practice is designed to free up that baggage.
In the Equinox, I practiced by the pool at @vidafitnessdc on U Street where I teach two new classes. I see in the eyes of practitioners a certain kind of hesitation and dare I say distrust at this new class, in me a new teacher, to them. I get it... I teach a practice that asks of them a real attention and effort. It is precisely so potent because of that. It's also sometimes scary to get a real, sober look at the churning of the mind.
It pings me strongly, as I feel a current kind of way about the transition of seasons and see inside of them an analog to me. I want these folks who turn up to trust me, to give potent and authentic practice a real go. But I know it requires time and attention. As I told my friend @mbwould-- "You can't hatefuck someone into trusting you." What to do? I'm gonna give fall a real chance. On my end, its the same as for them. These aspirants and I have a similar working schema:
1) Show up.
2) Pay attention.
3) Be willing to feel.
4) Be willing to try.
5) Be willing to not know.
7) BE WILLING TO LAUGH.
8) Be willing to try again.
Yesterday, I tried to welcome change. I went into the old street car station in Dupont and did a gong bath with @takefivemeditation -- letting the waves wash over me. Old ideas, can't force them away, but I can soften my grip. I can show up and look where I fight change. Maybe I can see things as they are, maybe I can lead by example. Change happens. But it doesn't have to happen violently.

Warm up 🙂

A rare peek inside the mysore room. Are you interested in going further in your yoga practice? Working one-on-one with a teacher is an incomparable experience. Go further, go deeper. What do you want to work on? Reach out michael@michaeljoelhall.com

I am the light that keeps the streets on.

I am the light that keeps the streets on.

Draw me like one of your French girls.

New tights who dat

Bam.

You gotta practice. Sometimes life gets away from you-- shit happens. Today, I ended up practicing at god knows w…

You gotta practice. Sometimes life gets away from you-- shit happens. Today, I ended up practicing at god knows what hour, modifying and relishing in what was available. You do your best. (PS: it was 830p and I'm a drama queen-- practically bed time)

My friends have superpowers. Tara can will emotion through the power of her voice. Evocative. @tara_lizbeth blows me away... Consider joining the Mt Pleasant Christnas Chorus to have a space to use yours!! Spent yesterday at a fabulous Jazz and Funk flavored concert in the charming hamlet of Mt Pleasant. Thanls to Frankojazz for putting it together.