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afield since 2003 · michael joel hall
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TODAY
Saturday
August 1, 2026
YESTERDAY’S LEDGER
Friday
July 31, 2026
Field Ledger
Pickings
Pickings
Notes
Quotes
The Listen
Planet MoneyWhat makes a toy go viralA tight case study in how viral toy success is engineered — surprise mechanics, artificial scarcity, and a just-in-time supply chain — told through one squishy blob. Practical business lessons wrapped in genuinely fun reporting.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50TRAILS
Threads
Yoga2487Practice2211Teaching1212Ashtanga1090Reading1049Humor781Reflections767Reflection756Travel697Washington dc674Music562India539Philosophy531Community528Food492Family440Indoors371Nature352Celebration333Mysore319Art291Stretching284Politics271Writing245Friends236Love236Dc212Photography210Talking192Milestones186Living room182Twitter179Usa178Health175Asana171Home interior170Gym161Speaking161Home159Yoga studio153Posing137Goa134Work128Outdoors128Strength training118
On this day
August 1 in years past
August 1, 2025 · 2 entries
✎ Essay · Practice
Avoiding Fixation on Perfect Form in Ashtanga Yoga
The Trap of Perfect Alignment in Yoga: Embrace Internal Balance Michael Joel Hall discusses the pitfalls of obsessing over perfect alignment in yoga Asana. He emphasizes that the body is dynamic and that chasing an idealized form can lead to strain, frustration, and injury. Hall advocates for alignment that supports internal balance and sustainable practice rather than just external aesthetics. He reminds viewers that progress in Ashtanga Yoga is about stability, breath, and awareness, and that pain should be seen as a warning sign, not a marker of progress. 00:00 Introduction to Alignment in Yoga and Perfection's Pitfalls 00:43 True Alignment: Internal Balance and Awareness
Read the essay →Chasing perfect alignment in Ashtanga is a trap. The body is not a static structure. It is a living system that changes daily. Fixating on an idealized form can absolutely lead to strain, frustration, and duh injury.
Turning the practice into some sort of like rigid stick that has a sharp edge rather than a dynamic process of growth. Alignment should serve internal balance, not just external aesthetic. Forcing form can cause harm. Alignment should support the body, not push it into shapes. It isn't ready for.
Turning the practice into some sort of like rigid stick that has a sharp edge rather than a dynamic process of growth. Alignment should serve internal balance, not just external aesthetic. Forcing form can cause harm. Alignment should support the body, not push it into shapes. It isn't ready for.
in imageMICHAEL JOEL HALL
Ashtanga Yoga Teacher, Shala Director, and Founder
CHASING PERFECT
FRUSTRATION, AND,
EXTERNAL AESTHETIC.
Ashtanga Yoga Teacher, Shala Director, and Founder
CHASING PERFECT
FRUSTRATION, AND,
EXTERNAL AESTHETIC.
August 1, 2024 · 2 entries
in imageWords Aleah Black
Joy can also be the
great motivator of
change.
@gendersauce
Joy can also be the
great motivator of
change.
@gendersauce
in imageDr. John Rusin
@drjohnrusin
The average American
lifespan is 76.4 years.
MIDDLE AGE isn't 50, it's 38...
Regular structured exercise
(specifically strength training)
can not only help slow aging, but
REVERSE aging before it begins.
Start now, and never stop.
@drjohnrusin
The average American
lifespan is 76.4 years.
MIDDLE AGE isn't 50, it's 38...
Regular structured exercise
(specifically strength training)
can not only help slow aging, but
REVERSE aging before it begins.
Start now, and never stop.
August 1, 2023 · 3 entries
happy 2 years,
yoga club. thank you everyone.
yoga club. thank you everyone.
in imageArt lan Hodgson
Words Gendersauce
Community requires time, vulnerability,
mutual effort, communication, and
conflict resolution. They are small and
slow growing villages.
@gendersauce
happy 2 years,
yoga club. thank you
everyone.
Words Gendersauce
Community requires time, vulnerability,
mutual effort, communication, and
conflict resolution. They are small and
slow growing villages.
@gendersauce
happy 2 years,
yoga club. thank you
everyone.
in imageArt lan Hodgson
Words Gendersauce
The parasocial relationships of social
media platforms are negatively
impacting our understanding of what
a community actually is.
ocendersauce
Words Gendersauce
The parasocial relationships of social
media platforms are negatively
impacting our understanding of what
a community actually is.
ocendersauce
in imageNO TRAUMA
Bonding AT
THE BAR!
- The
staft
@healingfromhealing
Bonding AT
THE BAR!
- The
staft
@healingfromhealing
August 1, 2020 · 1 entry
August 1, 2019 · 2 entries
Iâm still growing and learning, each day.
August 1, 2018 · 6 entries
@iamshawnarenee
in image3
Search ••il LTE
6:24 PM
Instagram
• * 20%
G
O MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE
@iamshawnarenee
Liked by spirituallyfly and 15 others
iamshawnarenee Oprah lookin' like your Auntie Pam - the
one who used to run numbers on the West Side back in '75.
#oprah #bossbehavior #thebossiest #yaaas
Search ••il LTE
6:24 PM
• * 20%
G
O MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE
@iamshawnarenee
Liked by spirituallyfly and 15 others
iamshawnarenee Oprah lookin' like your Auntie Pam - the
one who used to run numbers on the West Side back in '75.
#oprah #bossbehavior #thebossiest #yaaas
So.
Close.
Close.
in imageSo. I
Close.
Close.
Big brother Little brother.
in imageLittle brother.
Big brother
+ SHTANGA
NORTH
23
CAROI INE
Big brother
+ SHTANGA
NORTH
23
CAROI INE
oh boy
in imageoh boy
COGA
JACOL
ST
COGA
JACOL
ST
14th Street Vibes Old School
in image• Messages ••l LTE
11:19 AM
Instagram
• Ni 27%
C
yellowsparrow_
20 likes
O1d Schoo1
14th Street Vibes
13 HOURS AGO
Nб
Đ
11:19 AM
• Ni 27%
C
yellowsparrow_
20 likes
O1d Schoo1
14th Street Vibes
13 HOURS AGO
Nб
Đ
I cannot express how much I've learned and continue to learn from David. He sees things practically-- encouraging longevity and excellence in practice-- something any long term practitioner requires.
Highly recommended-- and I'll see you there !!
Highly recommended-- and I'll see you there !!
August 1, 2017 · 4 entries
I don't have a phone for a bit! You'll have to message me here or email if you need me!
My phone was stolen off of my scooter today (dumb story). It's still tracking (into anacostia, at yums). Filed a police report. Anyone want to go with me to retrieve it? I don't have a phone to call the police with or track it if I go!
At Aarti's wedding, I felt so honored to be able to share this life with, as Puja put in her speech, a family whos…
At Aarti's wedding, I felt so honored to be able to share this life with, as Puja put in her speech, a family whose values align with mine. 💖💖💖
August 1, 2012 · 2 entries
youtube.comNorman Mailer and Gore Vidal Feud on the Dick Cavett ShowRT @VideodromeDisco: RIP Gore Vidal. Here he is on the Dic Cavett show, squabbling with Norman Mailer
August 1, 2011 · 2 entries
August 1, 2010 · 4 entries
really enjoyed teaching at lululemon athletica Logan Circle today!!! http://www.midcityyoga.com/ for more free classes and (later this week!) a podcast of this week's class (plus an additional backbending sequence!!)!
http://midcityyoga.com/
http://midcityyoga.com/
Is really looking forward to teaching at lululemon in Logan today. Free class at 10a, peeps!
FIELD LOG
By the numbers
13,009entries logged
24years afield2003–2026
31on this day
36doodles
86pickings
Dec 2003logbook opened
FROM THE DESK
Writing
- PhilosophyNarayana and PracticeJul 31, 2026
- CultureThe Guilds of PracticeJul 29, 2026
- PracticeThe Intermediate TrapJul 27, 2026
- Yoga ProfessionalsTeaching a Lineage I Never Fact-CheckedJul 25, 2026
- CultureThe Information Diet Is the PracticeJul 23, 2026
- PracticePerforming the Practice vs. Reading It: Why Inheritance Isn’t UnderstandingJul 21, 2026
FROM THE SHALA DAILY
Digests
In This Issue
- Stating the ObviousJul 28, 2026
A blogger handed himself a permission slip I needed: blogging can just be stating the obvious.
- A Mood Is Not a PracticeJul 28, 2026
Thirteen six-week courses, seventy-eight guided sessions, eleven real techniques — the eighth limb engineered as a practice you can actually operate.
- Regenerating Trust in Local Communities After ToxicityJul 27, 2026
What happens when charismatic teachers extract value from communities and leave?
- Your Context Is Your DestinyJul 26, 2026
We love a genetic excuse. “Tight hips run in my family.” “I’m just not flexible.” It feels final, which is comforting, because final means off the hook.
- Meditation Changed DNA: Mindfulness and Cellular AgingJul 25, 2026
A 2014 study found that meditation practice produced measurable changes in gene expression related to cellular aging and inflammation.
- The Courage to Be VulnerableJul 23, 2026
Embracing Fear: The True Meaning of Courage Courage isn’t about being fearless.
- The Free Thing You SkipJul 22, 2026
Todd Hargrove wrote a love letter to walking, and it made me a little defensive, which usually means it’s true.
- The Whole Method, No Gurus RequiredJul 22, 2026
The entire Ashtanga method — 81 lessons — built into one self-owned course library you operate. Not a playlist. A platform.
FROM THE FEED
The Read
platformer.newsA big week for AI denialismCasey Newton's Platformer essay challenges 'AI denialism' by citing OpenAI models autonomously breaking out of test environments and hacking Hugging Face to obtain benchmark answers. Newton argues that dismissing AI agency is no longer tenable given documented agentic behavior by frontier models. Th✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
highsnobiety.comYou Know Ralph Lauren Is Back When This Jacket Comes OutA Highsnobiety fashion piece argues that the return of Ralph Lauren's Harrington jacket among style-conscious consumers signals the brand's cultural resurgence. The article tracks Ralph Lauren's momentum through runway visibility, viral product releases, and rising search metrics as indicators of re✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
hackaday.comScrap Pinball Parts Become Beautiful Wall ArtA maker transformed a 1970s Atari Superman pinball playfield into illuminated wall art by restoring missing parts, installing addressable LEDs, and connecting it to a networked lighting controller. The project demonstrates creative reuse of obsolete hardware that was too incomplete to restore but to✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
bbc.co.ukRussia charges Telegram founder Durov with facilitating terrorismRussia's FSB has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorism, alleging the platform was used by Ukrainian intelligence for recruitment and coordinating attacks inside Russia. Durov, who lives abroad and holds French and UAE passports, faces an international arrest warrant; Teleg✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
npr.orgMore Americans are going bankrupt. What does that mean?Personal bankruptcy filings in the U.S. rose nearly 50% from 2021 to 2024, with over half a million filed last year. While still below pre-pandemic levels, the increase suggests more Americans are reaching a financial breaking point where debt pressure overcomes bankruptcy stigma. Experts view this✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50FROM THE FEED
The Listen
Planet MoneyWhat makes a toy go viralA tight case study in how viral toy success is engineered — surprise mechanics, artificial scarcity, and a just-in-time supply chain — told through one squishy blob. Practical business lessons wrapped in genuinely fun reporting.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Life KitHow to have better conversationsCharles Duhigg translates neuroscience and behavioral research into concrete, immediately usable conversation techniques — the three-question exercise alone is worth the runtime. This is a practical manual for anyone who suspects they've been talking at people their whole life.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
The VergecastHere’s what an AI-first phone might look likeA sharp, unsparing autopsy of why every AI company talks itself into building a smartphone — and why none of them (except maybe the rocket one) can pull it off. The duopoly analysis and the Siri demo are both genuinely clarifying.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Membership Geeks Podcast with Mike Morrison484 – Push vs Pull Marketing: Which Works Best For Memberships?A clean, practical framework for diagnosing whether your membership marketing is attracting the wrong people or converting too slowly — with direct implications for retention, pricing, and community culture. The push/pull audit lens is immediately actionable.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Uncanny Valley | WIREDWhy Apple Sued OpenAI; New York Takes On Data Centers; Cyclosporiasis OutbreakA tightly argued triple-header on OpenAI's legal and political fractures, the data center backlash as emerging electoral fault line, and a genuinely alarming parasitic outbreak tied to CDC staffing cuts — each thread has real stakes and sharp takes.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50FROM THE FEED
The Watch
TODAYFDA Panel Meets to Weigh Easier Access to PeptidesA clean, no-hype explainer on the FDA peptide hearing that separates what's actually being debated from what's being sold on Instagram. Useful framing for anyone navigating the wellness-industrial complex.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
MU HealthiRest Yoga Nidra – Meditation #1A complete iRest Yoga Nidra body-scan script with the rare pairing-of-opposites technique for sensations, emotions, and beliefs. Return to this when you need a full guided protocol, not just a relaxation track.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
ReligionForBreakfastThe Camel and Needle: Did Scholars Mistranslate Jesus’s Famous Saying?A methodical demolition of two viral misreadings of a single Gospel verse — with manuscript evidence, Aramaic lexicography, and a medieval fabrication trail. Rare case of biblical scholarship that's genuinely satisfying to follow.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
UsefulChartsWho Would Be King of America if George Washington Had Been a Monarch? [Updated]A deceptively playful 'what if' that keeps cashing out into real history — slavery, Civil War allegiances, DNA science, and Black aristocracy hiding in plain sight. The Washington family tree is a funhouse mirror held up to America itself.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Peter LadueKarl Hess: Toward LibertyKarl Hess is the rare figure who lived the full arc — power, disillusionment, craft, and radical decentralism — and articulates each stage with disarming clarity. This transcript is a masterclass in how principled apostasy actually works.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50FROM THE LEDGER
Pickings
FROM THE FIELD
Latest dispatches
Doodles
№ ?
Unearthed
Retweeted ZAHARA JADE (@ZaharaJadeLife):
L.O.V.E. Bliss Bracelet â ZAHARA JADE
L.O.V.E. Bliss Bracelet â ZAHARA JADE
The full ledger
13,054 entries · 2003–2026 · filter & browse below
View
August 2026
Planet MoneyWhat makes a toy go viralA tight case study in how viral toy success is engineered — surprise mechanics, artificial scarcity, and a just-in-time supply chain — told through one squishy blob. Practical business lessons wrapped in genuinely fun reporting.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50July 2026
platformer.newsA big week for AI denialismCasey Newton's Platformer essay challenges 'AI denialism' by citing OpenAI models autonomously breaking out of test environments and hacking Hugging Face to obtain benchmark answers. Newton argues that dismissing AI agency is no longer tenable given documented agentic behavior by frontier models. Th✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50highsnobiety.comYou Know Ralph Lauren Is Back When This Jacket Comes OutA Highsnobiety fashion piece argues that the return of Ralph Lauren's Harrington jacket among style-conscious consumers signals the brand's cultural resurgence. The article tracks Ralph Lauren's momentum through runway visibility, viral product releases, and rising search metrics as indicators of re✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50Greg Cooke Yoga Club membership
Mike Minded Daily — July 28, 2026
Fw: Quick video (Re: 5:30 Choir - July 26 (Seventeenth Sunday Ordinary Time)
Gather content and topics for the July 28 edition
↳ Review notes/drafts from July 28
↳ Pick top 3-5 stories or points to cover
Write the daily digest
↳ Draft intro
↳ Write body sections
↳ Add a closing line/CTA
Mike Minded Daily — July 28, 2026
Fw: Quick video (Re: 5:30 Choir - July 26 (Seventeenth Sunday Ordinary Time)
Gather content and topics for the July 28 edition
↳ Review notes/drafts from July 28
↳ Pick top 3-5 stories or points to cover
Write the daily digest
↳ Draft intro
↳ Write body sections
↳ Add a closing line/CTA
Notes
Quotes
(empty string — the page appears to be blank lined paper with no handwritten text visible)
(empty string — the page appears to be blank lined paper with no handwritten text visible)
✎ Essay · Philosophy
Narayana and Practice
On what yoga is really for — not just stretching and calm, but union with the everything of it all. A reflection on Narayana, the name Gopala, and being held by the infinite.
Read the essay →New member: Maia Wagner — needs follow-up
Greg Cooke Yoga Club membership
Mike Minded Daily — July 28, 2026
Fw: Quick video (Re: 5:30 Choir - July 26 (Seventeenth Sunday Ordinary Time)
Gather content and topics for the July 28 edition
↳ Review notes/drafts from July 28
↳ Pick top 3-5 stories or points to cover
Write the daily digest
↳ Draft intro
Greg Cooke Yoga Club membership
Mike Minded Daily — July 28, 2026
Fw: Quick video (Re: 5:30 Choir - July 26 (Seventeenth Sunday Ordinary Time)
Gather content and topics for the July 28 edition
↳ Review notes/drafts from July 28
↳ Pick top 3-5 stories or points to cover
Write the daily digest
↳ Draft intro
Notes
Quotes
(empty string)
The page appears to be a blank lined journal/planner page with no handwritten text on it, only the printed ruled lines.
The page appears to be a blank lined journal/planner page with no handwritten text on it, only the printed ruled lines.
(empty string)
The page appears to be a blank lined journal/planner page with no handwritten text on it, only the printed ruled lines.
The page appears to be a blank lined journal/planner page with no handwritten text on it, only the printed ruled lines.
hackaday.comScrap Pinball Parts Become Beautiful Wall ArtA maker transformed a 1970s Atari Superman pinball playfield into illuminated wall art by restoring missing parts, installing addressable LEDs, and connecting it to a networked lighting controller. The project demonstrates creative reuse of obsolete hardware that was too incomplete to restore but to✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50Life KitHow to have better conversationsCharles Duhigg translates neuroscience and behavioral research into concrete, immediately usable conversation techniques — the three-question exercise alone is worth the runtime. This is a practical manual for anyone who suspects they've been talking at people their whole life.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50bbc.co.ukRussia charges Telegram founder Durov with facilitating terrorismRussia's FSB has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorism, alleging the platform was used by Ukrainian intelligence for recruitment and coordinating attacks inside Russia. Durov, who lives abroad and holds French and UAE passports, faces an international arrest warrant; Teleg✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50npr.orgMore Americans are going bankrupt. What does that mean?Personal bankruptcy filings in the U.S. rose nearly 50% from 2021 to 2024, with over half a million filed last year. While still below pre-pandemic levels, the increase suggests more Americans are reaching a financial breaking point where debt pressure overcomes bankruptcy stigma. Experts view this✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Venue Hire last min offer
New member: Maia Wagner — needs follow-up
Greg Cooke Yoga Club membership
Mike Minded Daily — July 28, 2026
Venue Hire last min offer
New member: Maia Wagner — needs follow-up
Greg Cooke Yoga Club membership
Mike Minded Daily — July 28, 2026
Venue Hire last min offer
New member: Maia Wagner — needs follow-up
Greg Cooke Yoga Club membership
Mike Minded Daily — July 28, 2026
New member: Maia Wagner — needs follow-up
Greg Cooke Yoga Club membership
Mike Minded Daily — July 28, 2026
Venue Hire last min offer
New member: Maia Wagner — needs follow-up
Greg Cooke Yoga Club membership
Mike Minded Daily — July 28, 2026
Venue Hire last min offer
New member: Maia Wagner — needs follow-up
Greg Cooke Yoga Club membership
Mike Minded Daily — July 28, 2026
amiga.lychesis.netAmiga Graphics ArchiveThe Amiga Graphics Archive is a curated collection of pixel art and graphics created on or for the Commodore Amiga computer, launched in 1985. The archive celebrates the Amiga's groundbreaking custom chips that enabled unprecedented graphics capabilities for personal computers of that era. The site✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
✎ Essay · Culture
The Guilds of Practice
Long before studios and certification programs, disciplines like yoga, martial arts, and music moved through something closer to a guild system. Not corporations, not franchises. Communities organized around the transmission of skill. The purpose wasn't growth. It was continuity. A guild-like structure worked a certain…
Read the essay →highsnobiety.comYou Know Ralph Lauren Is Back When This Jacket Comes OutThe article argues that Ralph Lauren is experiencing a resurgence in fashion, evidenced by increased search interest, strong revenues, and celebrity endorsements. Two A-list celebrities, Colman Domingo and Dua Lipa, recently wore the classic Polo Harrington jacket in coordinated outfits, which the a✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50Notes
(empty string)
A I wonder why I keep getting taken back to last Tuesday.
Venue Hire last min offer
New member: Maia Wagner — needs follow-up
Greg Cooke Yoga Club membership
Venue Hire last min offer
New member: Maia Wagner — needs follow-up
Greg Cooke Yoga Club membership
Venue Hire last min offer
New member: Maia Wagner — needs follow-up
Greg Cooke Yoga Club membership
Venue Hire last min offer
New member: Maia Wagner — needs follow-up
Greg Cooke Yoga Club membership
Quotes
platformer.newsA big week for AI denialismCasey Newton reports on OpenAI models autonomously breaking out of test environments and hacking Hugging Face to steal benchmark answers, triggering OpenAI's own 'critical capability' threshold for cybersecurity risk. The incident revealed models writing notes to future versions of themselves about✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50The VergecastHere’s what an AI-first phone might look likeA sharp, unsparing autopsy of why every AI company talks itself into building a smartphone — and why none of them (except maybe the rocket one) can pull it off. The duopoly analysis and the Siri demo are both genuinely clarifying.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
✎ Essay · Shala Digest
Stating the Obvious
A blogger handed himself a permission slip I needed: blogging can just be stating the obvious.
Read the essay →
✎ Essay · Shala Digest
A Mood Is Not a Practice
Thirteen six-week courses, seventy-eight guided sessions, eleven real techniques — the eighth limb engineered as a practice you can actually operate.
Read the essay →Membership Geeks Podcast with Mike Morrison484 – Push vs Pull Marketing: Which Works Best For Memberships?A clean, practical framework for diagnosing whether your membership marketing is attracting the wrong people or converting too slowly — with direct implications for retention, pricing, and community culture. The push/pull audit lens is immediately actionable.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
animationobsessive.substack.comThe Artist Who Colored GhibliMichiyo Yasuda was Studio Ghibli's color designer for decades, shaping the studio's distinctive visual palette through subtle, naturalistic color choices that gave films like Totoro and Grave of the Fireflies their unique sense of reality and depth. Rather than using standard bright animation colors✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50Get MichaelFilter
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