Really, JT? A gropey robot? That's the best you've got for us in 2018? A cgi bot, basically a Wein-tron 4000, that gyrates at woman as a proxy for you, so as not to tarnish your "respectable image" ?🙅🏼‍♂️🤦🏽‍♂️ Guuurrl, you threw Britney under a bus, did Janet hella dirty, and just worked with Woody Allen. At least come through with some art, jfc.

I've been abroad for the most recent conversations regarding the changing landscape of yoga in DC. We're seeing an unbelievable rise in yoga chains in DC-- Yoga District, Yoga Works, Down Dog, The Georgetown Yoga/Shaw/Dupont Conglomo, Yoga Heights, and Corepower. What does it mean for those who are highly trained and highly skilled to have chains expanding? What does it mean for those who want access to a contemplative practices and philosophy sets that goes back a few thousand years? What does it mean for those who don't know any of that and teach fitness with curated playlists under a homophone? Meg is interested in ensuring that modern postural yoga doesn't go the way of Lombrusco.

“…I must confess that I am not afraid of the word “tension.” …there is a type of constructive nonviolent tension that is necessary for growth. Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, we must see the need of having nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in society that will help men to rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood. So, the purpose of direct action is to create a situation so crisis-packed that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation"

AS MLK WROTE IN HIS Birmingham letters, Rattling the establishment is very useful. Its true, you might find yourself a pariah, but to an unrepresented community of people, you are representation, giving voice to those that have been largely voiceless. It requires valor and bravery, as MLK later came to discover, as standing your ground may in fact become the hill that you die upon.

Much like my affinity for drag, I recognize that yoga will never truly be mainstream because it "mocks ego," as RuPaul says. Yoga is very good for marginalized people. It's goodness for the voices unspoken is directly proportionate to its threat to the establishment.

The establishment, the Man, is invested in maintaining its power, and because that power comes from a deified ego, the establishment further marginalizes those that dare question ego.

Anything that mocks ego becomes an inherent threat.

Those vested in the power that comes from the establishment, and for this I say as clearly as I can: especially ONLY from the establishment-- those people will always attempt to (at best) diminish and (at worst) silence (by any means necessary) that which shows that the emporer has no clothes. They will do it with a clear conscience as only those who have made a god out of a toothless tiger can murder guiltlessly.

The very best way to rattle the ego starts by creating tension. Without discounting your inherent value, question your worth. You can't use your privileges for good if you don't admit you have them. We all have god given rights and innate gifts. What are your gifts? Where have you struggled? You can't recognize your growth potential without a sober assesment of where you are. This will help build empathy.

Then, go out and get loud.
Rattle the establishment.
Do yoga.
Fight AIDS.

Make MLK, RuPaul, and this little yogi proud and go out there and color with all the colors in the crayon box.

Living my best rave life at 18. 16 years later, here we are.

Me in India feels.

TMZ is predatory, enabling of the dominant paradigms in insidious ways. This does not forgive or absolve-- but it gives context.

Kanye's Yeezus is getting another listen: black skinhead in particular.

Why are people using single use plastic straws, knowing full well the consequences?

We can harness our power.

Don't you wonder how to find liberation?

It comes from inside ourselves. Wim Hoff teaches people go control their nervous system-- cold, oxygen deprivation, attitude-- all Interrelated.

I love it when my friends make things.

The Gods of Indic history are known by a variety of their names based on their cycles of rebirth - I can’t help but feel affinity- I'm Mike, Skippy, Mikey, and Michael here. I feel indescribably blessed to have an overlapping and overflowing community of friends who know *me* and call me by my name. Here we are, NYC.

My Fourth of July experience was so monumental, I didn’t even get a picture— wow.

com·plic·it
kəmˈplisit
adjective
involved with others in an illegal activity or wrongdoing.

"Support of Trump makes you complicit in the dehumanization of woman. "
"Deifying Jois on Guru Purnima makes you complicit in silencing victims of sexual abuse in spiritual communities"
"Eating at chick-fil-a makes you complicit in the oppression of the LGBT community"
"Supporting India with your tourism dollars makes you complicit in radical Hinduism."

How much complicity can you stomach?

I’ve met a lot of polite bigots in my 35 years. I’ve never asked their party affiliations. I do not believe for one second every republican is purposefully engaging in the propagation of bigotry, but in 2018, every vote for a republican is a vote co-signing the continuation of institutionalized white supremacy and the denigration of those near and dear to my heart across a broad stroke of categories.

Exquisitely simple. Immediately actionable. And yet, so neccesary to hear today.

I find intention setting to be incredibly valuable. Small attainable goal conquering sets you up for big hairy audacious goals. Why not line them up so you can knock it out?