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TODAY
Friday
July 17, 2026
YESTERDAY’S LEDGER
Thursday
July 16, 2026
Field Ledger
Notes
Quotes
The Read
experimental-history.comHow to be less awkwardThe article argues that awkwardness has three layers—social clumsiness (doing the wrong thing), social anxiety (fear of judgment), and liking gap (underestimating how much others like you). Research shows most people believe they're more awkward than they are, yet no industry exists to help people g✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50TRAILS
Threads
Yoga2487Practice2211Teaching1212Ashtanga1090Reading1049Humor781Reflections767Reflection756Travel697Washington dc674Music562India539Philosophy531Community528Food492Family440Indoors371Nature352Celebration333Mysore319Art291Stretching284Politics271Writing245Friends236Love236Dc212Photography210Talking192Milestones186Living room182Twitter179Usa178Health175Asana171Home interior170Gym161Speaking161Home159Yoga studio153Posing137Goa134Work128Outdoors128Strength training118
On this day
July 17 in years past
July 17, 2025 · 9 entries
✎ Essay · Practice
Ashtanga Vinyasa Inspired Flow
75 Minutes 6:12:12:6 grower pranayama Touch & Go Standing Intermediate A Advanced A Primary Marichi Maitri Meditation
Read the essay →
yoga at 5:15
@theyoga.club
@theyoga.club
in imageyoga at 5:15
Stheyoga.club
Stheyoga.club
in imageAshtanga
Vinyasa:
Tuesday-
Wednesday-
Thursday
5:15-6:30p
Assisting
Weekend:
July 26-27
@michaeljoelhall
Vinyasa:
Tuesday-
Wednesday-
Thursday
5:15-6:30p
Assisting
Weekend:
July 26-27
@michaeljoelhall
“they”
in imagedeepfates •(
S
@deepfates
the peptides people are even wilder than the
psychedelics people. they have molecules that can
make you tan, skinny, horny, give you a fat ass and
perfect skin, or boil you alive in your own metabolic
heat. truly the age of biohacking is upon us
15:54 • 16/07/25 • 268K Views
•
74
{] 190
04.2k
Д 17K
I
"they"
S
@deepfates
the peptides people are even wilder than the
psychedelics people. they have molecules that can
make you tan, skinny, horny, give you a fat ass and
perfect skin, or boil you alive in your own metabolic
heat. truly the age of biohacking is upon us
15:54 • 16/07/25 • 268K Views
•
74
{] 190
04.2k
Д 17K
I
"they"
If you can quit ashtanga, you never started.
This implies that the asana and sequence are what make it authentic— get a grip. Authenticity in Ashtanga Yoga isn’t owned by a family’s sequence.
This is an indigenous insight practice.
It’s a living system.
Held up by people all over the world.
Taught in basements, bedrooms, clubs, and community halls.
Passed down not just by bloodline, but by commitment.
Yes—social media can flatten it, can turn philosophy into posture.
But it can also connect, educate, expand access.
It’s not the platform.
It’s how we use it.
I don’t have to code switch to belong here.
Queer, white, scrappy, tall, vain, neurospicy—I practice.
That’s the thread.
Study. Integrity. Self-reflection. Daily tools.
They make us easier to be around.
That’s the real flex.
And that’s what keeps Ashtanga alive.
#ashtangayoga #authenticyoga #mysorestyle #livingtradition #yogaphilosophy #yogaispractice #systemsnotstyles
This implies that the asana and sequence are what make it authentic— get a grip. Authenticity in Ashtanga Yoga isn’t owned by a family’s sequence.
This is an indigenous insight practice.
It’s a living system.
Held up by people all over the world.
Taught in basements, bedrooms, clubs, and community halls.
Passed down not just by bloodline, but by commitment.
Yes—social media can flatten it, can turn philosophy into posture.
But it can also connect, educate, expand access.
It’s not the platform.
It’s how we use it.
I don’t have to code switch to belong here.
Queer, white, scrappy, tall, vain, neurospicy—I practice.
That’s the thread.
Study. Integrity. Self-reflection. Daily tools.
They make us easier to be around.
That’s the real flex.
And that’s what keeps Ashtanga alive.
#ashtangayoga #authenticyoga #mysorestyle #livingtradition #yogaphilosophy #yogaispractice #systemsnotstyles
in imageCultural resilience is a positive indicator.
IT'S, WHEN I USE
WHO LOOKS LIKE ME
IT'S, WHEN I USE
WHO LOOKS LIKE ME
seated
row
row
single arm rear delt fly
in imageWestfall Partners
Business Improv(ed)
Improv For Business
Leaders Workshop
Led by: Shawn Westfall & Kathy Baird
Wednesday, July 30 | 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
NOBODY
(address to be provided
upon attendance confirmation)
instasize
@shawnwestfall
Business Improv(ed)
Improv For Business
Leaders Workshop
Led by: Shawn Westfall & Kathy Baird
Wednesday, July 30 | 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
NOBODY
(address to be provided
upon attendance confirmation)
instasize
@shawnwestfall
in imageCommercialization and Image Focus Related to Ashtanga Yoga
PATIENCE, AND AN
Real talk about Ashtanga Yoga with @MichaelJoelHall Amazing teacher and a true forever student of the practice
MICHAEL JOEL HALL
Ashtanga Yoga Teacher, Shala Director, and Founder
AND YET, I JUST RAN
Real talk about Ashtanga Yoga with @MichaelJoelHall amazing teacher and a true forever student of the practice
PATIENCE, AND AN
Real talk about Ashtanga Yoga with @MichaelJoelHall Amazing teacher and a true forever student of the practice
MICHAEL JOEL HALL
Ashtanga Yoga Teacher, Shala Director, and Founder
AND YET, I JUST RAN
Real talk about Ashtanga Yoga with @MichaelJoelHall amazing teacher and a true forever student of the practice
July 17, 2024 · 3 entries
in imageUH BUT IT
Cumulative strength
UM AND IT ALSO MENTIONS
Cumulative strength
Cumulative strength
UM AND IT ALSO MENTIONS
Cumulative strength
so good
in imageThe Economics of Higher Purpose:
Eight Counterintuitive Steps for Cre...
by Robert E. Quinn
3 hrs 28 mins left
THE ECONOMICS
of
HIGHER PURPOSE
Eight Counterintuitive
Steps for Creating a
Purpose-Driven
Organization
Robert E. Quinn and Anjan V. Thakor
+
Bookmark
1x
Paused
Chapter 10 of 19
AA AA
1 1-
so good
Eight Counterintuitive Steps for Cre...
by Robert E. Quinn
3 hrs 28 mins left
THE ECONOMICS
of
HIGHER PURPOSE
Eight Counterintuitive
Steps for Creating a
Purpose-Driven
Organization
Robert E. Quinn and Anjan V. Thakor
+
Bookmark
1x
Paused
Chapter 10 of 19
AA AA
1 1-
so good
✎ Essay · Practice
cumulative strength: how a casual approach to chanting helped me appreciate my practice more
When my brother passed, I felt blindsided. It hadn't occurred to me that such a thing would happen, even though looking back I can see that with that kind of drinking, it was inevitably going to happen. You can't drink like that and not die…
Read the essay →July 17, 2023 · 2 entries
July 17, 2022 · 1 entry
@michaelgeovanni @pujaloveit
July 17, 2021 · 2 entries
NEW TO BALANCE?
RETURNING??
RETURNING??
in imagebalancegym
LOCATION: BALANCE THOMAS CIRCLE
TIME: 5:30PM
WEDNESDAY
EVENING YOGA
WTTH MUH IS BACK
SHOW ANY FITNESS
CONSULTANT A SCREENCAP
OF THIS STORY FOR $50 OFF
YOUR FIRST MONTH OF
MEMBERSHIP!
NEW TO BALANCE?
RETURNING??
LOCATION: BALANCE THOMAS CIRCLE
TIME: 5:30PM
WEDNESDAY
EVENING YOGA
WTTH MUH IS BACK
SHOW ANY FITNESS
CONSULTANT A SCREENCAP
OF THIS STORY FOR $50 OFF
YOUR FIRST MONTH OF
MEMBERSHIP!
NEW TO BALANCE?
RETURNING??
SATURDAY MYSORE:
7-11
@THEYOGA.CLUB
7-11
@THEYOGA.CLUB
July 17, 2020 · 1 entry
Here we go.
An unprecedented opportunity to learn Ashtanga Yoga, Functional Anatomy, Meditation, and Pranayama.
225+ Lessons, 1250+ Videos. Group classes. Offices hours.
Our inaugural cohort begins Sept 7. Early bird ends very soon.
An unprecedented opportunity to learn Ashtanga Yoga, Functional Anatomy, Meditation, and Pranayama.
225+ Lessons, 1250+ Videos. Group classes. Offices hours.
Our inaugural cohort begins Sept 7. Early bird ends very soon.
July 17, 2019 · 3 entries
@eaton.dc pranayama!
in imageCATON
WELLNESS
WEDNESDAY
FLOW
645
AM
x1215
&OPM
MYSORE YOGA
1AM
BREATH WORK FOR
BALANCEDENERGY 115PM
SOUND BATH 7PM
RELAXING RESTORATIVE
YOGA
715|
PM
pranayama!
Ceaton.dc
WELLNESS
WEDNESDAY
FLOW
645
AM
x1215
&OPM
MYSORE YOGA
1AM
BREATH WORK FOR
BALANCEDENERGY 115PM
SOUND BATH 7PM
RELAXING RESTORATIVE
YOGA
715|
PM
pranayama!
Ceaton.dc
in imagegrimes ADIDAS: Tell us about ur training regiment ?
GRIMES: My training is a 360 approach. I first maintain a
healthy cellular routine where I maximize the function of my
mitochondria with supplements such as NAD+, Acetyl L-
Carnitine, Magnesium, etc. This helps promote ATP and it's
incredibly visceral. From that point | spend 2-4 hours in my
deprivation tank, this allows me to "astro-glide" to other
dimensions - past, present, and future.
In the afternoons I do a 1-2 hour sword fighting session
with my trainer, James Lew, we go over the fundamentals
that work the obliques, core stabilizes, and triceps as well
as a few tricks. To wind down from this I spend 30-45
minutes on an inclined hike at roughly 4-4.5 miles per hour,
arguably the most efficient workout.
I then spend 45 minutes stretching before heading into the
studio where my mind and body are functioning at peak
level, with a neuroplastic goal between 57.5 and 71.5
AphC's (which is my preferred range for my blood type).
l've outfitted my studio with the highest grade of red light.
It is pretty much 1000 sqf IR Sauna.
Hana then comes over and we do a screaming session for
20-25 minutes while | slow boil the honey tea that
maximizes vocal proficiency.
I have also eliminated all blue light from my vision through
an experimental surgery that removes the top film of my
eyeball and replaces it with an orange ultra-flex polymer
that my friend and I made in the lab this past winter as a
means to cure seasonal depression.
I go to bed with a humidifier on.
D
CR
#asmc #adidasparley #createdwithadidas #gentrifymordor
GRIMES: My training is a 360 approach. I first maintain a
healthy cellular routine where I maximize the function of my
mitochondria with supplements such as NAD+, Acetyl L-
Carnitine, Magnesium, etc. This helps promote ATP and it's
incredibly visceral. From that point | spend 2-4 hours in my
deprivation tank, this allows me to "astro-glide" to other
dimensions - past, present, and future.
In the afternoons I do a 1-2 hour sword fighting session
with my trainer, James Lew, we go over the fundamentals
that work the obliques, core stabilizes, and triceps as well
as a few tricks. To wind down from this I spend 30-45
minutes on an inclined hike at roughly 4-4.5 miles per hour,
arguably the most efficient workout.
I then spend 45 minutes stretching before heading into the
studio where my mind and body are functioning at peak
level, with a neuroplastic goal between 57.5 and 71.5
AphC's (which is my preferred range for my blood type).
l've outfitted my studio with the highest grade of red light.
It is pretty much 1000 sqf IR Sauna.
Hana then comes over and we do a screaming session for
20-25 minutes while | slow boil the honey tea that
maximizes vocal proficiency.
I have also eliminated all blue light from my vision through
an experimental surgery that removes the top film of my
eyeball and replaces it with an orange ultra-flex polymer
that my friend and I made in the lab this past winter as a
means to cure seasonal depression.
I go to bed with a humidifier on.
D
CR
#asmc #adidasparley #createdwithadidas #gentrifymordor
July 17, 2018 · 4 entries
in imageK Search «ll LTE
9:49 PM
Instagram
roll_hard_or_roll_home
® $ 6%
C
4
When someone asks why I'm in such
a good mood
IT'S CALLED
DAY DRINKING
CHARLIE BROWN.
Liked by barbellsntacos and 24 others
Add a comment...
1 DAY AGO
+
9:49 PM
roll_hard_or_roll_home
® $ 6%
C
4
When someone asks why I'm in such
a good mood
IT'S CALLED
DAY DRINKING
CHARLIE BROWN.
Liked by barbellsntacos and 24 others
Add a comment...
1 DAY AGO
+
I thought we called them hipsters now. 🤷🏻♂️
in imageINE
.99
BUY BIG,
SAVE
BIG
BUY 6 BOTTLES
OF WINE (OR MORE)
ALTERNATIVE WHITES
SPAIN
CLINE
A CREMA
1 CREMA
gyster Bay
I thought we called them
hipsters now. ige
.99
BUY BIG,
SAVE
BIG
BUY 6 BOTTLES
OF WINE (OR MORE)
ALTERNATIVE WHITES
SPAIN
CLINE
A CREMA
1 CREMA
gyster Bay
I thought we called them
hipsters now. ige
in imageWaiting..
Waiting
Waiting
target receipt practice receipt
in imagepractice receipt
target receipt
target receipt
July 17, 2012 · 3 entries
Hm. â@earth2LL: not what you eat, who you eat with. @rawsungoddess -Friends' Weight Influences Our Own: Study
â@earth2LL: not what you eat, you're who you eat with@rawsungoddess Friends' Weight Influences Our Own: Study
July 17, 2010 · 1 entry
Is exhausted from the metro dash + pool party.
FIELD LOG
By the numbers
12,918entries logged
24years afield2003–2026
39on this day
34doodles
61pickings
Dec 2003logbook opened
FROM THE DESK
Writing
- Science and TechA Beginner’s Guide to Systems TheoryJul 15, 2026
- PracticeFrom Obedience to Inquiry: When I Started Asking Why in PracticeJul 13, 2026
- CultureThe Future of Yoga EconomiesJul 11, 2026
- PracticePracticing Without the Teacher’s Count: Making the Sequence My OwnJul 9, 2026
- CultureThe Architecture of GenerosityJul 7, 2026
- PracticeMy Teaching Journey — Ashtanga TechJul 5, 2026
FROM THE SHALA DAILY
Digests
In This Issue
- Not All Sand Is Yoga SandJul 16, 2026
It’s about how the world runs on tiny grains we ignore—and why the “easy” stuff (like desert sand, or shortcuts) doesn’t actually hold.
- Drive Your Own Nervous SystemJul 16, 2026
Eight six-week courses, ~54 guided audio sessions — every classical breath up to the full Ashtanga Pranayama Sequence, engineered to start dead simple.
- Afternoon Yoga ClubJul 15, 2026
Aging bodies matter, sure—but the real yoga win is the stuff you can’t measure: community, confidence, and a nervous system that finally unclenches.
- The Yoga Contractor Trade-OffJul 14, 2026
Most yoga jobs in the US are 1099. That's the default, not a choice you opted into. Here's the math that determines whether it's actually worth it.
- Stop Making Ashtanga a Cult! Part 2: StrategiesJul 13, 2026
Michael Joel Hall discusses his intervention strategies to address unhealthy group dynamics in Ashtanga Yoga practice.
- Cheap Fruit, Expensive PeopleJul 12, 2026
It’s about legal guest workers on U.S. farms—and how “doing it right” costs more than the market wants to admit.
- Interoceptive Awareness Protects Against StressJul 11, 2026
A 2017 study found that interoceptive awareness, the ability to sense internal body signals, is linked to greater stress resilience. Yoga trains this capacity directly.
- Name It. Move On.Jul 10, 2026
It’s about telling the truth about your mood without turning it into a lifelong identity—or a daily beatdown.
FROM THE FEED
The Read
experimental-history.comHow to be less awkwardThe article argues that awkwardness has three layers—social clumsiness (doing the wrong thing), social anxiety (fear of judgment), and liking gap (underestimating how much others like you). Research shows most people believe they're more awkward than they are, yet no industry exists to help people g✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
highsnobiety.comThe Best Summer Accessory Is a Shaved HeadA fashion writer argues that shaving one's head is the most practical summer style choice, combining functional cooling (removing hair's insulating properties) with aesthetic edge. The buzzcut requires minimal maintenance, complements various clothing styles, and appeared prominently in Spring/Summe✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
wtop.comThese Numbers Suggest the K-Shaped Economy Has Finally Begun to Close Its GapBank of America data shows consumer card spending grew 5.1% year-over-year in May 2026, the strongest in nearly four years, with discretionary categories like travel and dining leading. The spending gap between income brackets (the 'K-shaped economy') narrowed to its lowest level since June 2025, th✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50FROM THE FEED
The Listen
The DailyThe Onion’s Latest Joke: Taking Over InfowarsA genuinely strange and consequential media story: The Onion buying InfoWars out of bankruptcy to parody it, return proceeds to Sandy Hook families, and 'retrain people's brains' on what the brand means. Ben Collins and Tim Heidecker are unusually clear-eyed about what they're doing and why.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
The VergecastWe finally have a Trump Phone | The Vergecast LivestreamA hands-on autopsy of a phone that shouldn't exist, revealing what modern smartphone hardware actually costs to build right — and why branding alone can't fake it. The Trump phone becomes a perfect accidental case study.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Life KitElevate group conversations with a ‘magical question’Priya Parker reframes small talk as a learnable craft, offering a precise framework for questions that reveal character without demanding agreement. The concrete examples and the host's own vulnerability make the theory immediately usable.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
The Economics of Everyday Things53. Food TrucksA clean, reported breakdown of why food trucks are harder than they look — permits, margins, weather, and the grinding math of 177 burritos netting $300. Useful whenever the 'low overhead' myth comes up.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50FROM THE FEED
The Watch
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 · $5.50
Kit Betts-MastersThe Viral Tiny E-Reader Just Got SeriousA low-key but persuasive case for buying back your reading habit with a $99 e-ink device — useful both as a product note and as a reminder of why deliberate friction matters. The habit argument is the real payload.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Cercle RecordsArodes Ft. Yo Trane – Something SpecialA slow-burn vocal house track that earns its intimacy — the lyrics build from quiet longing into full declaration without ever overselling it. The restraint is the point.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50FROM THE LEDGER
Pickings
FROM THE FIELD
Latest dispatches
Doodles
№ ?
Unearthed
and Sebastian Cole Hall are taking a leisurely stroll to Java House for freshly roasted coffee beans.
The full ledger
12,928 entries · 2003–2026 · filter & browse below
View
July 2026
experimental-history.comHow to be less awkwardThe article argues that awkwardness has three layers—social clumsiness (doing the wrong thing), social anxiety (fear of judgment), and liking gap (underestimating how much others like you). Research shows most people believe they're more awkward than they are, yet no industry exists to help people g✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50highsnobiety.comThe Best Summer Accessory Is a Shaved HeadA fashion writer argues that shaving one's head is the most practical summer style choice, combining functional cooling (removing hair's insulating properties) with aesthetic edge. The buzzcut requires minimal maintenance, complements various clothing styles, and appeared prominently in Spring/Summe✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50wtop.comThese Numbers Suggest the K-Shaped Economy Has Finally Begun to Close Its GapBank of America data shows consumer card spending grew 5.1% year-over-year in May 2026, the strongest in nearly four years, with discretionary categories like travel and dining leading. The spending gap between income brackets (the 'K-shaped economy') narrowed to its lowest level since June 2025, th✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
wtop.comTrump is expected to make election conspiracies a focus of his national addressPresident Trump plans a primetime national address focused on election machines and voting integrity, revisiting unproven claims about the 2020 election. Democrats warn he's attempting to delegitimize the 2026 midterms, while Republicans distance themselves from relitigating past elections. The spee✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
thecancunsun.comThe Unwritten Rules Of Claiming A Pool Chair At A Cancun All-Inclusive ResortThe article describes the competitive morning ritual at Cancun all-inclusive resorts where guests arrive at dawn to claim prime poolside chairs, treating it as a tactical operation with unwritten social rules and territorial behaviors.✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50...........................................................
tore..................................................
se be explore mile minded
ge Explore mile minded
fulne
Write about ultima online
...........................................................
tore..................................................
se be explore mile minded
ge Explore mile minded
fulne
Write about ultima online
tual honesty — secular humanism, reason and
empathy without the supernatural overlay
(Chapter 6). A regrounding of “insight” itself,
from a private event in your skull to something
that emerges through relationship, learned from
epistemologies older and wiser than my own
(Chapter 7).
Prompt: Describe an experience in your own life that resists language—something ineffable that nonetheless felt like knowledge. Attempt the impossible description anyway, and reflect on what is gained and lost in the act of trying to name it.
tore..................................................
se be explore mile minded
ge Explore mile minded
fulne
Write about ultima online
...........................................................
tore..................................................
se be explore mile minded
ge Explore mile minded
fulne
Write about ultima online
tual honesty — secular humanism, reason and
empathy without the supernatural overlay
(Chapter 6). A regrounding of “insight” itself,
from a private event in your skull to something
that emerges through relationship, learned from
epistemologies older and wiser than my own
(Chapter 7).
Prompt: Describe an experience in your own life that resists language—something ineffable that nonetheless felt like knowledge. Attempt the impossible description anyway, and reflect on what is gained and lost in the act of trying to name it.
Notes
✎ Essay · Shala Digest
Not All Sand Is Yoga Sand
It’s about how the world runs on tiny grains we ignore—and why the “easy” stuff (like desert sand, or shortcuts) doesn’t actually hold.
Read the essay →
✎ Essay · Shala Digest
Drive Your Own Nervous System
Eight six-week courses, ~54 guided audio sessions — every classical breath up to the full Ashtanga Pranayama Sequence, engineered to start dead simple.
Read the essay →
nautil.usThe Fight Against Colony Collapse Disorder Started 19 Years Ago TodayColony Collapse Disorder (CCD) emerged in 2006-2007, killing 30-90% of some honeybee hives and threatening pollination of one-third of U.S. crops. Nearly 20 years later, despite federal action and research identifying multiple causes—varroa mites, pathogens, pesticides, transport stress, poor nutrit✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
✎ Essay · Science and Tech
A Beginner’s Guide to Systems Theory
What is systems thinking? Let's dive into systems theory, exploring interconnectedness, feedback loops, and emergent properties. We'll untangle this complex web together and maybe learn to think bigger in the process! #systemstheory #interconnectedness #feedbackloops
Read the essay →
✎ Essay · Shala Digest
Afternoon Yoga Club
Aging bodies matter, sure—but the real yoga win is the stuff you can’t measure: community, confidence, and a nervous system that finally unclenches.
Read the essay →
✎ Essay · Shala Digest
The Yoga Contractor Trade-Off
Most yoga jobs in the US are 1099. That's the default, not a choice you opted into. Here's the math that determines whether it's actually worth it.
Read the essay →
dazeddigital.comCould Brazilian jiu-jitsu cure your body dysmorphia?The article explores how Brazilian jiu-jitsu disrupts the common female experience of treating the body as an aesthetic project requiring constant management. By engaging in grappling-based martial arts, practitioners shift from viewing their body as something to be presented and managed to experien✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
theguardian.comMexico to file criminal complaints over migrants killed by ICE in USMexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced criminal complaints in US courts over deaths of 17 Mexican migrants since Trump's crackdown—14 in detention, 3 killed during operations. The move follows the shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston, whom authorities claim weaponized his vehicle des✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Francisco de Zurbarán, Hercules and Cerberus, 1634, oil on canvas, 132 cm x 151 cm. © Photographic Archive Museo Nacional del Prado
Notes
✎ Essay · Practice
From Obedience to Inquiry: When I Started Asking Why in Practice
The values audit behind Foundations of Praxis: I kept teaching that beginners deserve to understand from day one — then I stopped talking about it and built the on-ramp. Designed sequence, guided audio, count videos, a Practice Recorder you own.
Read the essay →
✎ Essay · Shala Digest
Stop Making Ashtanga a Cult! Part 2: Strategies
Michael Joel Hall discusses his intervention strategies to address unhealthy group dynamics in Ashtanga Yoga practice.
Read the essay →
theparisreview.orgClearly Fake: Zurbarán’s Uncanny RealismAn essay on Francisco de Zurbarán's 17th-century religious paintings explores how hyper-realistic detail coexists with total implausibility, creating images meant to compel belief rather than merely depict. The author draws parallels between Counter-Reformation visual propaganda and today's AI-gener✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
futurism.com-trillion-trees-stopEcologist Thomas Crowther, who sparked the trillion-tree planting movement in 2019, now urges leaders to stop mass tree planting. He warns that such campaigns enable greenwashing, stifle biodiversity, and distract from cutting emissions, arguing instead for preserving and naturally expanding existin✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
Notes
✎ Essay · Shala Digest
Cheap Fruit, Expensive People
It’s about legal guest workers on U.S. farms—and how “doing it right” costs more than the market wants to admit.
Read the essay →
futurism.comAI Is Pushing Older Employees Straight Out of the Workforce, New Report FindsA Boston College study found that after ChatGPT's 2022 release, workers 55+ in AI-exposed white-collar jobs (coding, tax prep, accounting) are leaving the workforce at significantly higher rates—often into unemployment rather than retirement. This contradicts the narrative that AI primarily threaten✦ Read ad free and get the full MichaelFilter · $5.50
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Quotes
"You look like you
were carved from
Marble"
"You win best
body in here, for sure"
—The Boys
"I wish I had
put on more muscle
during this bring
phase"
— Me
Note to Self: Ask Yourself
this: What are you
doing it for?
were carved from
Marble"
"You win best
body in here, for sure"
—The Boys
"I wish I had
put on more muscle
during this bring
phase"
— Me
Note to Self: Ask Yourself
this: What are you
doing it for?
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