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afield since 2003 · michael joel hall
Sunday
July 26, 2026
theguardian.comThe growing vigilante movement to knock out Flock surveillance camerasA Guardian article documents a growing vigilante movement across the US targeting Flock Safety's automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, which critics view as mass surveillance tools. Individuals like "NoMark," a Minneapolis-based influencer, are physically disabling these cameras—taping lens✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Your Context Is Your Destiny
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.
Read the essay →Threads
On this day
July 26 in years past
really chill system
@mytherapistsays
used it for an article about
celebrating jump throughs
New article!
To

Sometimes the Support is the Success
I got to watch a long-time practitioner nail her first straight-leg jump-through this week. Liz has been practicing for years with my dear friend and colleague Jen Rene before joining me shortly after the pandemic. She's a gem. Right after hearing the tell tale 'swiff'…
Read the essay →apartmenttherapy
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michaeljoelhall
michaeljoelhall Are you looking for support in your
yoga practice?...
@jenreneyoga —
you're such an inspo.
XX
Let me help you establish (or re-establish!) a practice to which you are committed, with tools that are science-backed, respectful of their origins, and effective.
The Functional Ashtanga Training program is an organized collection of the most potent approaches I have found after two decades of travelling the planet, seeking out the most realized teachers I could find.
I’d like to share with you what I’ve learned.
The early bird commitment incentive ($500 off!) ends 7/31.
Link in bio, and space is limited.
@eaton.dc
Friday
7/26
6pm
CCALLE
Conor Michael Casey
2 hours ago
Heres
your
so called
fitness journey
Stolen, and presented
without comment.
Lately, he has been struggling with injury. Life is like that, ya know? @livelyogini And he went over a bunch of great tactics including #FRC over at @ashtanganation to help him get stronger.
I recognized the work they had done (Maggie and I have worked together a lot over the years), and was able to facilitate further. The truth is, André wanted to work on his tick-tok (and so did I!) but we had some more pressing issues to resolve.
Together, we explored upstream and downstream to find compensatory movement patterns that have perhaps been leading to some of the injury, and examined how to remove the pattern by introducing a new one.
If it came automatically, we’d all move perfectly. We don’t. Andre’s patience with the developmental drills and upstream/downstream modifications left him able to practice the ashtanga yoga syllabus — elegantly into the primary series.
Same-same, intermediate.
Pretty cool.
After all the slow and steady and elegant; and then transition-y, we finally got to work on the tik-tok!!
I wanted André to share with me some of his progress while he works on these things, and so i got the ball rolling with video.
Here’s one way we work to develop motor skills somewhat autonomously in the Mysore room. We went from being totally assisted, to using a chair, to using pads.
Teamwork, patience, and persistence. They go a long way.
As a young teacher, i felt as though i was sharing something very useful with people who could affect change on a much larger scale than I ever couldâ i felt subversive to be doing it right in the heart of the corporate/capitalistic machine.
Practice worksâ and it works across a broad spectrum of therapeutic modalities each with individual metrics. Spiritual health, physical well being, interpersonal relational skills, emotional balanceâ each can be touched on. When instructed well, each can be elevated. So too, Iâm sad to say, can the shadow side: further anesthetization, good old spiritual bypassing, and duration of a culture that punches down and goes to sleep.
Having seen this in local yoga studios, international finance organizations, and local community sports non-profits, its very much on my radar. But, it doesnât mean to stop. It means to care more and share better.
Teachers have a responsibility: pick your platform, and to pick it well. Keep your ethics high, and they will trickle down.
https://www.thenation.com/article/ron-parser-mcmindfulness-mindfulness-meditation-book-interview/
http://gawker.com/the-collected-quotes-of-donald-trump-on-the-blacks-1719961925
https://www.change.org/p/ask-dc-council-and-gsa-to-act-revoke-60-year-federal-lease-to-trump-international-hotel-to-trump-organization-for-the-old-post-office-building-block-bigoted-racist-businesses-from-operating-in-dc?recruiter=335914419&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=share_twitter_responsive

Don’t Be a Hater: On Selfies, Radical Self Acceptance, and Yoga on the Internet
After I was assaulted and hospitalized in 2012, I became something of a media spectacle. We needed money for my surgery (titanium plates run about 14k a pop, and I needed a few), and my community rallied around me. From yogis to drag queens, so…
Read the essay →@MichaelJoelHall Related to your Pattabhi Hulk, it seems there's a vishnuit monkey in the last planet of apes 🙂
I shoot off my mouth and have to back it up-- he doesn't get away with talking shit to me, but I'm not out to pick a fight. I don't want to get fucking stabbed.
Last night he apologized to me on my walk home from Geoff's. Weird. He thinks we run into each other too often to have animosity. I don't disagree, and appreciated the sentiment, even if I'm still scared shitless. How do you take something like that at face value?
You fucking don't.
We ran into each other once again today while I was out running errands. He asked me, "Do you wanna hook up?" "No," I replied, not into fucking those that scare me (excluding for now the empirical evidence that proves otherwise). "It doesn't have to be sexual," he countered, finally saying "Do you place chess?" I again answered no, and told him that those weren't the kind of things that I was looking for. He wished me luck on finding the things that I was looking for. I wasn't rude or standoffish-- He then hit me up for a dollar, and I gave it, pleased enough that I didn't feel as though he was an immediate threat any longer.
I say "immediate threat" without any sort of color coded Ashcroftian slant, but if there was one, I'd still say that we're on level lemon. I managed to make lemonade once, but I don't doubt that this could still end sour.
By the numbers
Writing
- 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
- Yoga ProfessionalsGood Teacher, Broke Teacher: The Business Skills Yoga Training IgnoresJul 17, 2026
- Science and TechA Beginner’s Guide to Systems TheoryJul 15, 2026
- PracticeFrom Obedience to Inquiry: When I Started Asking Why in PracticeJul 13, 2026
Digests
- 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.
- The Impossible ScrollJul 21, 2026
For two thousand years, the Herculaneum scrolls were unreadable. Carbonized by Vesuvius in 79 AD. Touch one and it crumbles. Unroll it and you destroy the only copy.…
- Kiss of the Spider Woman: Ashtanga, Authoritarianism and ArtJul 20, 2026
Michael Joel Hall recounts his visit to the Gala Theater in Columbia Heights to watch a Spanish production of ‘Kiss...
- Yoga for Anxious TeensJul 19, 2026
A Georgetown University review found that mindfulness and yoga improved mental health in anxious teens, with researchers recommending these practices be tried before medication.
The Read
theguardian.comThe growing vigilante movement to knock out Flock surveillance camerasA Guardian article documents a growing vigilante movement across the US targeting Flock Safety's automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, which critics view as mass surveillance tools. Individuals like "NoMark," a Minneapolis-based influencer, are physically disabling these cameras—taping lens✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
theguardian.comCecilia Vega of 60 Minutes says she felt pressure from CBS to add ‘political bias’Former 60 Minutes correspondent Cecilia Vega publicly stated she felt pressured by CBS News executives to incorporate political bias into her reporting, including requests to add non-existent footage and interview subjects unrelated to her stories. Her comments come amid broader concerns about edito✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
yucatanmagazine.comYucatán Opens Registry for LGBTQ+ EntrepreneursYucatán's youth secretariat (Sejuvey) has launched a state registry specifically for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs to connect them with promotional opportunities. The Padrón Estatal de Personas Emprendedoras LGBTI+ aims to increase visibility and support for queer-owned businesses across the region.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
futurism.comAI Companies Are Buying Antique Books, Ingesting Their Contents to Train Models, and Then Destroying Them at Incredible ScaleAI companies are bulk-buying physical books published before 2022, destroying them to scan and ingest their contents for training language models. This practice exploits first-sale doctrine and targets pre-LLM texts as 'clean' training data, with intermediaries like ISBNdb facilitating anonymous bul✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
highsnobiety.comSupreme Is So BackSupreme streetwear brand has experienced a major sales resurgence in 2026 after years of declining relevance, with secondary market sales up 19% and reclaiming its position as top-selling apparel brand on StockX. The turnaround is attributed to controversial releases like a $3,798 casket and strong✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50The Listen
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 · $5.50Pickings
Latest dispatches
Doodles
Unearthed
eco-conscious sustainability journey.
it’s so much easier and more rewarding than i imagined.
learn how to begin your
eco-conscious
sustainability journey.
it's so much easier and
more rewarding than i
imagined.
The full ledger
12,989 entries · 2003–2026 · filter & browse below

Your Context Is Your Destiny
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.
Read the essay →
theguardian.comThe growing vigilante movement to knock out Flock surveillance camerasA Guardian article documents a growing vigilante movement across the US targeting Flock Safety's automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, which critics view as mass surveillance tools. Individuals like "NoMark," a Minneapolis-based influencer, are physically disabling these cameras—taping lens✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
theguardian.comCecilia Vega of 60 Minutes says she felt pressure from CBS to add ‘political bias’Former 60 Minutes correspondent Cecilia Vega publicly stated she felt pressured by CBS News executives to incorporate political bias into her reporting, including requests to add non-existent footage and interview subjects unrelated to her stories. Her comments come amid broader concerns about edito✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
yucatanmagazine.comYucatán Opens Registry for LGBTQ+ EntrepreneursYucatán's youth secretariat (Sejuvey) has launched a state registry specifically for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs to connect them with promotional opportunities. The Padrón Estatal de Personas Emprendedoras LGBTI+ aims to increase visibility and support for queer-owned businesses across the region.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
futurism.comAI Companies Are Buying Antique Books, Ingesting Their Contents to Train Models, and Then Destroying Them at Incredible ScaleAI companies are bulk-buying physical books published before 2022, destroying them to scan and ingest their contents for training language models. This practice exploits first-sale doctrine and targets pre-LLM texts as 'clean' training data, with intermediaries like ISBNdb facilitating anonymous bul✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50Yoga Class
Wish Kazi Happy Birthday
New booking request
get bent
Yoga Class
Wish Kazi Happy Birthday
New booking request
get bent
Yoga Class
Wish Kazi Happy Birthday
New booking request

Teaching a Lineage I Never Fact-Checked
For years I could recite my lineage and couldn’t have told you which parts were history and which were marketing. So I ran an audit on my own values — and built the answer instead of only preaching it. Culture and Context is the humanities companion that lets you hold the source, not the paraphrase.
Read the essay →
highsnobiety.comSupreme Is So BackSupreme streetwear brand has experienced a major sales resurgence in 2026 after years of declining relevance, with secondary market sales up 19% and reclaiming its position as top-selling apparel brand on StockX. The turnaround is attributed to controversial releases like a $3,798 casket and strong✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
thisiscolossal.comFelicia Chiao’s Domestic Scenes Reflect the Emotional Structures of Daily LifeFelicia Chiao creates warm, surreal illustrations of domestic scenes using pencil, ink, and watercolor that explore emotion and mental health through layered, flower-filled compositions. Her work features stacked objects, curious characters, and ordinary household elements that reflect both timeless✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Meditation Changed DNA: Mindfulness and Cellular Aging
A 2014 study found that meditation practice produced measurable changes in gene expression related to cellular aging and inflammation.
Read the essay →Yoga Class
Wish Kazi Happy Birthday
New booking request
futurism.comGoogle’s Immense Greed Is Destroying the Open WebGoogle's AI-powered search features are drastically reducing publisher traffic by surfacing AI summaries instead of directing users to original sources. Major outlets like USA Today, Reuters, and Politico are debating whether to block Google entirely, even as doing so risks further traffic loss. The✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
bbc.co.ukScientists find building blocks of birdsong's 'spectacular diversity'French researchers analyzed over 116,000 birdsongs from 3,000+ species and identified eight fundamental sound motifs (three trills, three whistles, chaotic notes, harmonies) underlying all birdsong diversity. Environment shapes composition: tropical birds use simpler motifs to cut through dense soun✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
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
The Information Diet Is the Practice
Why a yoga teacher reads three newspapers a day, and what algorithmic feeds quietly took from all of us.
Read the essay →
The Courage to Be Vulnerable
Embracing Fear: The True Meaning of Courage Courage isn’t about being fearless.
Read the essay →
highsnobiety.comArtist Uniform: The Anti-Fashion Art Duo Who Accidentally Became Style IconsGilbert & George, a British artist duo, have worn identical tweed suits daily since the late 1960s as a 'living sculpture,' creating a stark contrast with their vibrant, kaleidoscopic artwork. Despite claiming no interest in fashion, their unchanging uniform has made them style icons, inspiring coll✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
futurism.comElon Musk Says Grok Will Generate Its Own Feature-Length Version of “The Odyssey” for People Allergic to Progressive IdeasElon Musk criticized Christopher Nolan's Odyssey adaptation for casting choices he deemed 'woke,' claiming his AI tool Grok will create a 'historically accurate' version before year's end. Despite Musk's online campaign against the film, Nolan's version opened to $264 million globally with strong re✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50Yoga Class
Wish Kazi Happy Birthday
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
The Free Thing You Skip
Todd Hargrove wrote a love letter to walking, and it made me a little defensive, which usually means it’s true.
Read the essay →
The Whole Method, No Gurus Required
The entire Ashtanga method — 81 lessons — built into one self-owned course library you operate. Not a playlist. A platform.
Read the essay →get bent
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