Culture
15 entries in 2024 · oldest first
Echoes from the Forest: Insights for a Thriving Mysore Community
Today’s post intertwines the wisdom of my mentor, Kristen Krash, with my work as a mysore style Ashtanga Yoga teacher. Kristen, an inspiring figure in both my life and in her groundbreaking work regenerating a cloud forest in Ecuador, offers profound insights into the interconnectedness…
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The Glitter and the Grind: Drag Queens, Yogis, and the Price of Dissent
RuPaul's Drag Race has had an incredible impact on the queer community in the United States, turning hardworking performance artists into household names with niche celebrity status. comes inevitable scrutiny and challenges.This dynamic reminds me of the issues within the Ashtanga yoga system, particularly around authorization, certification, and the balance between a marketplace driven by profit and power versus being a learning organization.
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What Yoga Teachers Can Learn About Business from Strippers
The first time I realized that I had something to learn from pole dancers was when I was teaching contortion at a pole dancing studio in exchange for private lessons on the Lyra (aerial hoop-- it went fine). Some students I knew were nursing sore…
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A New Path Forward for the Yoga Industry
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep flaws in the yoga industry, from unsustainable business models to the growing commercialization of the practice. This collection of essays explores the rise, collapse, and potential rebirth of the industry, offering solutions focused on sustainability, equity, and community. By addressing long-standing challenges, we have the chance to rebuild an industry that honors yoga’s spiritual roots while supporting teachers, students, and studios alike.
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The Impact of COVID-19 on the Yoga Industry: Opportunities and Setbacks
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to nearly every industry, and the yoga world was no exception. Almost overnight, yoga studios were forced to close their doors, and teachers and students alike had to adapt to new ways of practicing. The pandemic accelerated changes in how yoga is taught and consumed, from the rapid rise of online classes to the reimagining of yoga spaces and teaching models. While the setbacks were significant—particularly for independent teachers and studios—the post-pandemic landscape also presents opportunities for transformation and growth.
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The Decline of Community-Based Yoga Studios: What Went Wrong
When I started practicing in 2002, there wasnt a yoga studio on every corner. Yoga hadn't quite hit the granola standard yet (when its not just for hippies anymore). Practice in general was still counterculture, with lineage-based yoga studios having been established for a decade…
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The Commercialization of Yoga: Challenges, Ethics, and Competition
As yoga continues to grow in popularity, it has transformed from a deeply personal and spiritual practice into a commercialized industry. This shift has introduced a series of ethical dilemmas for teachers, students, and studio owners alike. At the same time, the rise of competition…
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Financial Equity for Yoga Teachers: Building Sustainable Business Models
Lets define equity, shall we? The financial challenges that many yoga teachers face have been an enduring issue within the industry. For years, teachers have struggled to earn livable wages, often working long hours with little job security, no benefits, and limited opportunities for growth.…
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The Employee vs. Contractor Debate in the Yoga Industry
In the United States, the debate over whether yoga teachers should be classified as employees or independent contractors is complex and fraught with challenges. The truth is, the role of a yoga teacher often aligns more closely with the responsibilities and characteristics of a contractor…
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Yoga Class: A Tale of Mats, Mindfulness, and a Community Built by Accident (and on Purpose)
People are wild. They never cease to crack me up (and often find a way to drive me crazy). “Everything I Know About Animal Behavior, I Learned in Lohman’s Department Store,” written by one of America’s great humorists, Irma Bombeck, is a collection of essays…
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Creating a Yoga Guild: The Case for Unionizing Yoga Teachers
I wanna start this essay by saying that I have come to this essay as the inevitable conclusion of the work that I have been doing in my market analysis of the yoga industrial complex (system). Like many things that I spent months researching inside…
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What I Mean When I Say “More Equitable Models“
To maintain equity for yoga teachers, compensation should vary based on whether the teacher is classified as an employee or an independent contractor, taking into account the responsibilities, expectations, and benefits associated with each role: 1. Employee Compensation Model Base Salary or Hourly Pay: Teachers…
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Spiritual Rot Caused By Gated Communities and Wealth (and how to avoid it)
In his compelling article, “Plutocrat Archipelagos” in MacGuffin Magazine, Jack Self offers an unflinching look into the secluded, fortified worlds of the ultra-wealthy. Through vivid descriptions of razor-wire fences, bodyguards, and gated communities, Self explores how these enclaves of extreme wealth serve as both physical…
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Teaching in the Face of Competition and Cooperation
In the world of yoga, and particularly within the Ashtanga community, there is often an unspoken undercurrent of competition. Whether it's between teachers vying for students or different schools of yoga positioning themselves as superior, this competitive mindset can create division within a practice that…
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🌴 Escape to Playa del Carmen: Mini Yoga Retreats with Michael Joel Hall 🌴
🌴 Escape to Playa del Carmen: Mini Yoga Retreats with Michael Joel Hall 🌴 Need a quick getaway that lets you focus on practice, disconnect from screens, and enjoy the perfect blend of beach and cosmo-urban vibes? Join me in Playa del Carmen, my second…
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