Charlie the Hippo

My heart broke into far too many pieces to count. My apathy swelled. My sorrow stole my voice. And, still, I prayed.
These past five years I've prayed for bravery.
The practice of Ashtanga Yoga healed the dark part at the back of my heart. It purified my voice. And, it brought the richness of courage to my doorstep, asking only that I keep praying, until bravery became it's own resignation: no other choice to make, because there is more work to be done, and I want to do is work more.

Charlie and me doing what we do.

best
uttana padasana
in the game.

Day 1

🧘‍♂️Exploring Time Delays in #AshtangaYoga 🕰️

Did you see my article (link in bio)

🔄 I intertwine the practice of yoga with systems theory, emphasizing that the fruits of yoga bloom subtly and gradually, embodying a crucial time delay between practice and noticeable benefits.

🌱 It’s like a garden, little changes are a big deal over time— consistent practice nurtures physical strength, flexibility, and mental focus, forming a continuous cycle of growth and discovery. You can’t rush the crop.

🔄 Practice becomes a holistic exploration, intertwining physical, mental, and emotional spheres.

🚶‍♂️ Navigating through the complexities and time delays in yoga involves embracing vulnerability, seeking personalized guidance, and cultivating patience and compassion.

📝 Strategies like maintaining a practice journal and engaging in community practice are highlighted as vital in navigating through the subtle, continuous progress that unfolds over time.

🌟 Remember: The journey through Ashtanga Yoga is not merely about mastering poses but a holistic exploration that unfolds patiently and subtly over time.

🔗 Link to the full in bio

#YogaJourney #Ashtanga #YogaPractice #HolisticGrowth #Patience #Consistency #YogaLife #YogaCommunity #Mindfulness #MentalHealth #PhysicalHealth #EmotionalHealth #SustainableProgress #YogaBenefits #SystemsTheory #TimeDelay #YogaMastery #YogaPhilosophy #YogaWisdom #YogaForLife #YogaEveryday

sometimes

best part

Join me for more astute political commentary My thoughts on weirdos.

Colonizers gonna colonize.
Oppressors going to oppress.
Its your body, its your choice.

These aphorisms help push back against self-reinforcing loops of domination—social, cultural, political, even spiritual. It’s a systems insight dressed in streetwise wisdom. Could I be any more explicit? Hello!

In Systems Thinking, Donella Meadows would call this a reinforcing feedback loop—where the outputs of a system feed back into it and amplify its behavior. Oppression, like colonization, is often maintained not by a single decision or act, but by persistent patterns, institutions, and narratives that replicate themselves over time.

This is why practices like Ashtanga Yoga can be quietly revolutionary. When practiced with awareness, they cultivate true inner freedom—and the ability to see, question, and ultimately disrupt these harmful loops. But yoga divorced from its roots—or co-opted by the very systems of oppression it seeks to dissolve—can also become just another tool of colonization. Which is why the how and why of practice matter as much as the what.

Discipline matters, but independent thinking, high conscientiousness and empowered agency should be the emergent properties from practice.

In reclaiming bodily autonomy, ethical clarity, and collective responsibility, you’re not just doing yoga—you’re decolonizing it.