gesturing

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2018
2019
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2023
deconstruct
in imageStitch coming
drnicoletruesdell
deconstruct
Being Gay and Not Queer
Recommend Reading (both Free in Guerrilla Resource Library - link in BIO):
E. PATRICK JOHNSON AND MAE G. HENDERSON's (editors) "BLACK QUEER STUDIES A CRITICAL ANTHOLOGY" (Book)
C. Riley Snorton's "BLACK ON BOTH SIDES A RACIAL HISTORY OF TRANS IDENTITY" (Book)
you can't understand the relationship between queerness
💬 Comment
2024
Are you ready to explore the hidden connections between Eastern spirituality and Western science? 🌌 In this video, Michael Johal reveals the intriguing parallels between the ancient concept of Bindu and today’s understanding of western physiology, focusing on the pineal gland and the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. 🧠✨ Discover how these connections could enhance your understanding of consciousness and spiritual experiences, potentially linked with DMT production. We delve into how Bindu relates to neuroplasticity and our brain’s ability to heal and grow, offering a fresh perspective on spirituality and science. Don't miss out on this fascinating journey into the interplay of mind, body, and spirit. Stay curious, and keep exploring with us! #Consciousness #Neuroplasticity #EasternWisdom

See the sources cited at Ashtanga.tech
in imageTHE BINDU, THAT WE
WHILE THE CHLOROID
💬 Comment
2025
Pain being misconstrued as pleasure. How often do we think the things that are hurting us are helping? Ugh. Reach out if you want some coaching.
in imageIMPURE MISCONSTRUED AS PURE
Sensory pleasures and superficial qualities are often confused with true purity. This misunderstanding drives us away from seeking meaningful fulfillment. Prioritizing ephemeral appearances over spiritual growth leads to superficial satisfaction lacking the depth necessary for genuine joy.
PAIN CONFUSED WITH PLEASURE
Many pursue temporary comforts, like junk food, mistaking them for genuine pleasure. While these habits offer short-lived enjoyment, they frequently culminate in long-term suffering, underlining the importance of deeper, sustainable sources over fleeting indulgences.
PROMOTES
NON-SELF
IMPURE MISCONSTRUED AS PURE
Sensory pleasures and superficial qualities are often confused with true purity. This misunderstanding drives us away from seeking meaningful fulfillment. Prioritizing ephemeral appearances over spiritual growth leads to superficial satisfaction lacking the depth necessary for genuine joy.
PAIN CONFUSED WITH PLEASURE
Many pursue temporary comforts, like junk food, mistaking them for genuine pleasure. While these habits offer short-lived enjoyment, they frequently culminate in long-term suffering, underlining the importance of deeper, sustainable sources of fleeting ind
PROMOTES
NON-SEL
💬 Comment
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.
in imageMICHAEL JOEL HALL
Ashtanga Yoga Teacher, Shala Director, and Founder
CHASING PERFECT
FRUSTRATION, AND,
EXTERNAL AESTHETIC.
💬 Comment
Critical Thought in Healthy Groups doesnt look like convoluted stories. Full video on YouTube.
in imageContradictory Dogma and Indoctrination
Encouraging Open Discussion
Self-doubt is encouraged
Members pressured to doubt ability
amed on evil or outside influences
Self-blame for mi r doubts
Contradictory Dogma and Indoctrination
Encouraging Open Discussion
Self-doubt is encouraged
Members pressured to doubt ability
amed on evil or outside influences
Self-blame for mi... doubts
💬 Comment
Cult Warning Sign 4: Lack of Reason and Magical Thinking. Whole video on youtube!
in imageMagical Thinking and High-Pressure Groups
Which is it?
Magical Thinking vs Reason & Evidence
Reason & Evidence
Values evidence and
Encourages dive... experiences
Emphasizes th...
Replace
unde...
Magical Thinking and High-Pressure Groups
Which is it?
Magical Thinking vs Reason & Evidence
Reason & Evidence
Values evidence and
Encourages diverse experiences
Emphasizes th
Replace
unde
Magical Thinking and High-Pressure Groups
Which is it? / Magical Thinking vs Reason & Evidence / Reason & Evidence / Values evidence and / Encourages diverse experiences / Emphasizes th / Replace unde
Magical Thinking and High-Pressure Groups
Which is it?
Magical Thinking vs Reason & Evidence
Reason & Evidence
Values evidence and
Encourages diverse experiences
Emphasizes th
Replace unde
💬 Comment
When leaders make decisions for their constituency behind closed doors without consulting said constituency, an organization is no longer designed to serve the people. This creates a sense of hierarchy, and inside of that hierarchy leaders are placed above the law.

more on YouTube!
in imageHow can you take a peek and see if their leadership is not accountable?
Accountability and Transparency
Another sign a group is high pressure called to is when leaders aren't
Are Your Leaders Accountable?
They all engage on all peer level or collaborate with outside advisors. Accountability and Transparency
How can you take a peek and see if their leadership is not accountable?
Accountability and Transparency
Another sign a group is high pressure called to is when leaders aren't
Are Your Leaders Accountable?
They all engage on all peer level or collaborate with outside advisors.
Accountability and Transparency
💬 Comment
How do charismatic leaders draw folks in? Through love bombing and cloutsharing. Its easy to miss at first. Ya gotta look for the pattern. Its why I examine the community vs commodity angle. I think you can spot a correlating variable.

That stuff works, and it leads to crazy shame for the people it works on. 🤮

More on youtube.
in imagevulnerable people who may not know better. Targeting the vulnerable with 'love-bombing' and idealistic goals Vulnerable Individuals Excessive Attention ain Trust eats
This is different from a new student requiring attention versus a seasoned
Targeting the vulnerable with 'love-bombing' and idealistic goals
Vulnerable Individuals
Excessive Attention
n Trust
If someone annoys you telling someone dislikes what you say they should be
💬 Comment
Shame is a lousy motivator. When teaching with a methodology that included gatekeeping postures, it because a place where real student-teacher friction occurred in my yoga room. It wasn’t always clean friction. Heres a story from a decade ago: at some plont that year, I had failed to speak directly to a student about a dynamic that was bothering ME.

My student was feeling stuck in a particularly sticky pose, and the friction from other places allowed for weird dynamics. i didn’t understand those dynamics yet. I see clearly now how the dynamic of keeping someone at a pose when they feel ready to move on fosters a loss of agency and fosters authoritarianism and inadvertently becomes a power move, whether you mean it like that or not. I was in my first five years, and had yet to start disassembling the pedagogy. At some points, my buttons got pushed by that students behavior. I yelled and told them to leave the room. I was sooooooooo out of line. And boy, did I owe that student an apology. It was that moment that broke my illusion: I did not like this dynamic and it felt abhorrent to the nature of Ashtanga and yet somehow also baked in. I am grateful for that students forgiveness and for our mutual respect making clear something needed to shift, and it would be my responsibility. Students shouldn’t be yelled at, most especially the devoted ones who are questioning their discipline to a dysmorphic degree.

Those dynamics needn’t exist.
in imageI'll never forget it.
Unclear finances
Punitive Punishment
Characteris...
cal Abuse
tional Abuse
nishment
Ty...
I made real changes.
Unclear finances
Punitive Punishment
Characteris[tics]
[Pu]nishment
[Physi]cal Abuse
Ty[pes]
[Emo]tional Abuse
Hu[miliation]
Sometimes I think teachers don't share what they learned because they're
Unclear finances
Punitive Punishment
Types
tional Abuse
cal Abuse
nishment
Characteris
I'll never forget it.
Unclear finances
Punitive Punishment
Characteris[tics]
[Pu]nishment
[Physi]cal Abuse
Ty[pes]
[Emo]tional Abuse
I made real changes.
Unclear finances
Punitive Punishment
Characteris...
cal Abuse
tional Abuse
nishment
Typ...
Hu...
Sometimes I think teachers don't share what they learned because they're
Unclear finances
Punitive Punishment
Types
cal Abuse
tional Abuse
nishment
Characteris
I'll never forget it. | Unclear finances | Punitive Punishment | Characteris... | nishment | cal Abuse | tional Abuse | Ty...
I made real changes.
Unclear finances
Punitive Punishment
Characteris[tics]
[Pu]nishment
[Physi]cal Abuse
Typ[es]
[Emo]tional Abuse
Hu[miliation]
Sometimes I think teachers don't share what they learned because they're
Unclear finances
Punitive Punishment
Types
cal Abuse
tional Abuse
nishment
Characteris
💬 Comment
madonna gave me letterman.
mom and dad.
in imageLetterman: "You can't...suck up to an authoritarian" — they took care of Colbert, madonna gave me letterman. mom and dad.
Letterman: "You can't...suck up to an authoritarian"
not only got rid of him, got rid of the whole franchise.
madonna gave me letterman. mom and dad.
Letterman: "You can't...suck up to an authoritarian" It's silly. It's ridiculous. madonna gave me letterman. mom and dad.
💬 Comment
Who is historically responsible for platforming bad actors? Have they made any concessions about their learning journey? Or is it all just a litttttttte too on-message?

Where is the reparation? Where is the reconciliation?

Look around at who has not taken real responsibility for the reinforcing loops of bad behavior in their systems. Especially when they want to take credit for or be a part of a balancing loop. Of course it feel inauthentic. It is.

As a community, we have a history to look at. Who didn’t blow whistles— and perhaps most importantly: Why not?

What forces are at play?
communal complicitness,
clout-protecting players, or systemic silencing?

I think its a bit of each.
in imagePeople are able to go backwards. | Women Control | Excluded from leadership | Tightly controlled | Lying to members | outsiders | Justifications | Deception is normalized; the ends always justify the means | oup aims | her the group's mission
excuse because it's like for the group's mission. | Women Control | Excluded from leadership | Tightly controlled | Lying to members | outsiders | Justifications | Deception is normalized; the ends always justify the means | oup aims | roup's mission
Unethical behavior that's used to just justify whatever the aim of the group | Women Control | Tightly controlled | Excluded from leadership | members | outsiders | Justifications | Deception is normalized; the ends always justify the means | Purpose | Further the group's mission
People are able to go backwards. | Women Control | Excluded from leadership | Tightly controlled | Lying to members | outsiders | Justifications | Deception is normalized; the ends always justify the means | oup aims | her the group's mission
excuse because it's like for the group's mission. | Women Control | Excluded from leadership | Tightly controlled | Lying to members | outsiders | Justifications | Deception is normalized; the ends always justify the means | oup aims | roup's mission
Unethical behavior that's used to just justify whatever the aim of the group | Women Control | Excluded from leadership | Tightly controlled | members | outsiders | Justifications | Deception is normalized; the ends always justify the means | Purpose | Further the group's mission
People are able to go backwards. / Women Control / Excluded from leadership / Tightly controlled / Lying to members / outsiders / Justifications / Deception is normalized; the ends always justify the means / oup aims / her the group's mission
excuse because it's like for the group's mission. | Women Control | Excluded from leadership | Tightly controlled | Lying to members | outsiders | Justifications | Deception is normalized; the ends always justify the means | oup aims | roup's mission
Unethical behavior that's used to just justify whatever the aim of the group
Women Control
Excluded from leadership
Tightly controlled
members
outsiders
Justifications
Deception is normalized; the ends always justify the means
Purpose
Further the group's mission
💬 Comment

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