grey + rainy
but I’m going
to @eaton.dc
to practice with
@yogiman_83 wanna come?
there’s time.
and valet = $3

w/ @mikeybs345 yoga foundations
and fundamentals:

Monday
7:15pm-8:15pm @eaton.dc @eaton.dc @eaton.dc w/ @abbypatersonyoga Mysore style
ashtanga yoga
for beginners:
Monday
7:15am-8:15am
w/ @mikeybs345 don’t sleep on
your chance
to get started!

practice with Lauri tomorrow
@eaton.dc
bring a friend,
on the house.
1030am

FLOW class
@eaton.dc
Friday
7/26
6pm

A member of the greater DC/NOVA yoga community, @andreharrisyoga came in to visit today at @dcashtanga . He lives in Washington (state, not DC) now, and only gets back to visit about once a year. I love seeing him!⁣
⁣
Lately, he has been struggling with injury. Life is like that, ya know? @livelyogini And he went over a bunch of great tactics including #FRC over at @ashtanganation ⁣to help him get stronger. ⁣
I recognized the work they had done (Maggie and I have worked together a lot over the years), and was able to facilitate further. The truth is, André wanted to work on his tick-tok (and so did I!) but we had some more pressing issues to resolve. ⁣
⁣
Together, we explored upstream and downstream to find compensatory movement patterns that have perhaps been leading to some of the injury, and examined how to remove the pattern by introducing a new one. ⁣
⁣
If it came automatically, we’d all move perfectly. We don’t. Andre’s patience with the developmental drills and upstream/downstream modifications left him able to practice the ashtanga yoga syllabus — elegantly into the primary series. ⁣
⁣
Same-same, intermediate. ⁣
⁣
Pretty cool. ⁣
⁣
After all the slow and steady and elegant; and then transition-y, we finally got to work on the tik-tok!!⁣
⁣
I wanted André to share with me some of his progress while he works on these things, and so i got the ball rolling with video. ⁣
⁣
Here’s one way we work to develop motor skills somewhat autonomously in the Mysore room. We went from being totally assisted, to using a chair, to using pads. ⁣
⁣
Teamwork, patience, and persistence. They go a long way.

Today I was lucky enough to get @dcashtanga ‘s own @mikestefani (@flowyogacenter ‘s evening Mysore guy!) to help me with some stuff I’ve been working on. We've done some of this together, and I needed a buddy to help me out, so we coached each other a little. ⁣
⁣
You might recognize some of it from what @yogawhitney (director of takoma @yogaheightsdc ‘s ashtanga program!!) and i were going through together. ⁣
⁣
Lots of fun, great care and patience, and boy it feels good. Maybe we should do another workshop?⁣
⁣
anyway, practice practice practice.

this is also
good yoga @somebritindc

@eaton.dc pranayama!

today: meditation @ 12
flow @ 12:15
@eaton.dc tomorrow: meditation @ 12
Ashtanga @ 12:15
pranayama breath work @ 1:15

Happy international yoga day.
The well of gratitude I have for organizations like @ashtanganation @ashtanganashville @ashtangaphiladelphia @hotspotdupont and folks like @davidgarriguesyoga @suenodevida_ecu and so many more run deep.
Blessed for the community at @dcashtanga at @eaton.dc —

BATH TUESDAY 9AM COME FOR MYSORE
STAY FOR THE SOUND BATH @EATON.DC SOUND @DCASHTANGA

come to #slaymyname tonight
at @tradebardc

Intro to Mysore, Tuesday & Wednesday, June 11 & 12.
Includes 2 weeks of Mysore at @dcashtanga — Come learn the basics in a comfortable environment with a small group.

Check link in bio.
Proudly in residence at @eaton.dc

caught ashtanga flow with @madeline.miskie at @eaton.dc practice with
@yasmikey
@verymarybeth
feeling like from
@daniidc

Wednesday:
@eaton.dc
Mysore: 7-10
Flow: 1:30-2:30
Mysore: 5:30-7 Tuesday:
@eaton.dc
Mysore: 7-10
Flow: 12-1
Mysore 5:30-7 Wednesday:
@eaton.dc .

Mysore: 7-10
Flow: 1:30-2:30
Mysore 5:30-7

make friends—
add
each
other! ps: who did
i miss?? thanks:
#eatondc
@roarborealis
@korikam
@esh421
@emerymargaret @ryanpcathcart

Sunday

10:30am

@eaton.dc
#ASHTANGA #FLOW all are
welcome

founder of @eaton.dc my spot

Yoga for Self Inquiry — honing your sacred vision— a workshop... for getting under the surface and exploring the depths of your self. ⁣
⁣
We’ll talk philosophy, meditate, journal, and vision board. Best of all: we’ll be in community. ⁣
⁣
Friday, May 24 at 7pm — @eaton.dc — eventbrite link in bio.

What do you want to manifest?

There comes a time and place where the voices inside your head shows the crack in the curtain. The place where you can see the wizard. The place where you see that the emperor had no clothes. The stuff of ancient allegory and parable. ⁣
⁣
If we're listening and looking outside and inwardly enough, patiently enough, we can catch it. How much is enough? Enough is enough. ⁣
⁣
When you are able to to divinate between the harsh inner critic and the guidance of our individual, yet universal, deep innate wisdom-speaker, then the journey inside becomes revelatory. Don't worry-- you are already enough. ⁣
⁣
For me, Running was it for a long time. Revelations upon Revelations. Yoga maybe took longer, but was sweeter to the tounge. Vipassana style mediation was the most intense, but worked the best. Turns out I really needed to not talk for about two weeks to start listening. For me, that was enough. ⁣
⁣
That last one, vipassana, actually had broad stroke applications that I was able to use everywhere. ⁣
⁣
It changed my yoga practice. It enhanced it. My enoughness grew. ⁣
⁣
I practice and teach Ashtanga yoga in manner that allows for revelation to occur in an individual way for the practitioner, while utilizing tried and true methodology that has broad stroke application to practice. ⁣
⁣
If you wanna learn to find your enoughness... If you want to learn a practice that is holistic, healing, and enjoyable....⁣
⁣
Come learn with me:⁣ @dcashtanga at @eaton.dc ⁣
M: 5-7pm⁣
T-F: 7-10am⁣
T-Th: 5-7pm⁣
⁣
Vinyasa at #eatondc⁣
T: 12p⁣
W: 1:30p⁣
Th: 1:30p⁣

In order for contemplation practice to work, we must find a place to practice where the conditions are tolerable enough that we can sit long enough to concentrate. Our space at @eaton.dc is certainly that. ⁣
⁣
The physical location of practice can provide that, sure, but more importantly, the actual posture itself must provide that.⁣
⁣
Ashtanga Yoga, taught in the Mysore style, functions very well at creating both an abode for attention and as a physically therapeutic modality for self healing. If we pick variants of foundational postures that target our specific limitations, then we have a chance to heal them. ⁣
⁣
In this way, more “advanced” postures function diagnostically— and then, later, also therapeutically. The practice of Ashtanga Yoga systematically addresses the body. ⁣
⁣
Here, #parsvakonasanab is being performed in a manner that develops internal shoulder rotation, extension, and retraction and also hip flexion in spinal rotation. This has been done to help create more mobility for postures like #pasasana and #marichyasanac ⁣
⁣
This process allows us to slowly adapt. The discomfort of growth must be manageable. It also very clearly highlights that the posture itself is a framework for development, not an end goal. ⁣
⁣
HEYAM DUHKHAM ANAGATAM (2.16)⁣
Pain that has not yet come is avoidable.

What’s that sound in the distance? Chanting. ⁣
⁣
I searched in the birthplace of Ashtanga Yoga in order to discover its most potent form, and what I found made a mess of my sensibilities. I chanted with esteemed professors of the Sanskrit college whilst banana leaves were scanned into computers for posterity. I listened to casual talk about the infinite with men who devoted their lives to the study. And i practiced under the looming and smiling visage of a now disgraced Brahmin “master” who died before I came to the fertile soil of Mysore. ⁣
⁣
What for? For an understanding of yoga, and then later for an accreditation to teach just that. The laugh of it all is that my ranking inside of the authorizing organization has been based on physical accomplishment, not my pedagogical ones. ⁣
⁣
This makes some sense when you consider the selection process... how often you turn up for practice and how deep down the syllabus you are able to dive. Progression by attrition— can you outlast the impetus to turn away. ⁣
⁣
I could. ⁣
⁣
But now, on the other side of having received “the gurus” blessing to teach, i wonder about its value. The heirarchical nature of the guru-shishya model leads to some concerns on my end. I don’t have a problem with heirarchy... i have a problem with blind faith and abuse. ⁣
⁣
For example, was i too fat? The “guru” had certainly told me to stop eating so much if i wanted to make an asana happen. I had been eating my feelings more than the rice for months at that point. No. Thank you. ⁣
⁣
I don’t have a stomach for the “vande gurunam” any longer because it’s this kind of encouraged prostration to authority that leads to the police being quietly ushered away from world tours of retired Sanskrit scholars, young woman being taken out of shalas in stretchers, and gay boys having dormant eating disorders stoked. ⁣
⁣
As director of @dcashtanga i still encourage chanting— but the chants we chant are older than the dirt of mysore’s palace. I still encourage practice in its most raw form— contemplation, breath, movement, and stillness— and I trust that the practice will become self evident of its excellence. ⁣

like ya do at work
#eatondc

Active hips for supta kurmasana:⁣ ⁣
Supta K is a big posture-- it's full of demands! Both the shoulders and hips are in positions that have roational articulations under load via body weight, making things all the more challenging.
That's ok-- if you've come this far, it’s time to work not just harder, but smarter. At @dcashtanga we’re all about finding the most efficient route — knowing that the most efficient route isn’t always the most obvious. ⁣
⁣
Last time I covered the rotational articulations for the shoulders, this time we'll cover the hips. ⁣Heres what’s happening:
⁣
🧸Get in bear sit. ⁣
1️⃣ Shift the weight into the right hip. You may have to roll in on the opposite leg to pin the knee to the ground. Really, really glue the right knee to the floor. Then begin to externaly rotate the thigh from the hip joint. Your shin will come up while the thigh stays down. Switch. Be alert for weird compensations, like the ankles trying to do the hips job. ⁣
2️⃣ now, move from external rotation to internal rotation in one of the hips. Stay active through the stable leg, driving down and externally rotating while the other internally rotated and adducts. ⁣
3️⃣ try to wedge your shoulders behind your knee joint, then flex the knee strongly to switch the weight into the hands. Keep that as you sit down. Then, try to externally rotate the hip while maintaining hip adduction (feeling the thighs squeeze to the midline). ⁣
4️⃣ externally rotate, adduct, and flex one hip while you internally rotate the other. Use the floor to facilitate strength and flexibility devopmenr by resisting the elbow and shoulder down into and off of the floor. Get the body and the thigh nice and snug. ⁣
💪use the same shoulder patterns previously offered in the last video to create some space and explore your movement potential. ⁣
5️⃣ Alternate sides patiently, working the arms more and more across the back. ⁣
⁣
🧘🏻‍♂️Be patient-- this isn't frenetic, it's meditive. ⁣
👐🏾Don't worry if you don't touch your hands while going slow-- you're developing strength and control under pressure.

@DANIIDC ACTION SHOT

Backbends this Saturday at @eaton.dc
12-1:30, anatomy for practitioners and professionals
2-3:30, Asana playground (super fun practice)

Come for one of come for both. Link in Bio.

W/UNLIMITED MEMBERSHIP A MYSORE PERK. INFRARED SAUNA @DCASHTANGA

Balancing with the Equinox (that's on the 20th!!)—⁣
⁣
The myth is that you can balance an egg on its end on the equinox-- but what about a person on one leg?⁣
⁣
This chimera of a posture is a combination of good ol’ tree pose and uthitha hasta padangusthasana.⁣
⁣
Use it to develop and research:⁣
⁣
-active mobility: try not to use your hand to put the foot into place. ⁣
-balance: watch how you have to micro adjust while changing leg positions.⁣
-irradiation: use anjali mudra to create and keep useful tension/tensile integrity in the body. ⁣
⁣
The posture facilitates neuromuscular development, end range of motion strength, and of course heightens proprioceprion. ⁣
⁣
⁣
Learn more about the Equinox in the @dcashtanga Newsletter, or come to class with @michaeljoelhall and give it a try!

UGG HER VERBAL NEWSLETTER IS @DCASHTANGA #GOALS @SHIQUEETA
ON A SUNDAY

“Look around and see if you can find a single genuinely happy person—fearless, free from inse­curities, anxieties, tensions, worries. You would be lucky if you found one in a hundred thousand. This should lead you to be suspicious of the programming and the beliefs that you and they hold in common. But you have also been programmed not to sus­pect, not to doubt, just to trust the assumptions that have been put into you by your tradition, your cul­ture, your society, your religion. And if you are not happy, you have been trained to blame yourself, not your programming, not your cultural and inherited ideas and beliefs. What makes it even worse is the fact that most people are so brainwashed that they do not even realize how unhappy they are—like the man in a dream who has no idea he is dreaming. ⁣
⁣
What are the false beliefs that block you from happiness?“ ⁣
⁣
— The Way to Love: The Last Meditations of Anthony de Mello (a Jesuit priest)⁣
⁣
—⁣
My teaching schedule is updated on the site (link in bio) and I’m teaching a backbends workshop this Saturday at @eatonworkshop In conjunction with @dcashtanga 12/23, 12-3:30 in two parts— anatomy first and practice second. ⁣
⁣
Come for either or both. Message me to sign up.

practice @dcashtanga
@eatonworkshop

So i entered a
Limbo
Competition tonight @tradebardc

@robynkonichiwa
@theanthemdc

Maha Shivaratri and Meaning Divination⁣
⁣
Once a year, in late Winter, there is a Hindu celebration called Maha Shivaratri — which means "the Great Night of Shiva." For a number of years, I was fortunate enough to be in Mysore, India for this ostensibly solemn celebration. Shiva is a yogic icon, being considered “the Lord of Yoga.”⁣
⁣
For secular practitioners of yoga like me, the celebration is one for reflecting upon the infinite yet narrow intersection between destruction and regeneration— to wit, overcoming darkness and ignorance. Siva personifies that here. ⁣
⁣
⁣
Unlike most Hindu festivals which occur during the day, this one is held at night. You spend the event remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as self-restraint, honesty, non-injury to others, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva.⁣
⁣
Whilst the vigils went all night long, what i remember when going from temple to temple was the look of sugar-wired excitement in the children’s eyes, getting to run around all night long. ⁣
⁣
Yes, as a secular observant of a sacred celebration, my memory banks were hard-codes with the pure joy and trouble and fun and exhaustion. ⁣
⁣
—-⁣
During the Vigil Night of Shiva, Mahashivaratri, ⁣
we are brought to the moment of interval ⁣
between destruction and regeneration; ⁣
it symbolizes the night ⁣
when we must contemplate on that which ⁣
watches the growth out of the decay. ⁣
During Mahashivaratri we have to be alone ⁣
with our sword, the Shiva in us. ⁣
We have to look behind and before, ⁣
to see what evil needs eradicating from our heart, ⁣
what growth of virtue we need to encourage.⁣
Shiva is not only outside of us but within us. ⁣
To unite ourselves with the One Self ⁣
is to recognize the Shiva in us.⁣
⁣
—The Theosophical Movement, Volume 72[⁣
—-⁣
⁣
On the dawn of Maha Shivaratri, @dcashtanga has our first day at the @eatonworkshop —⁣
Mon-Fri: 7-10a⁣
Mon-Thur: 5:30-7p. ⁣
Doors are 1/2 hour ahead. ⁣
⁣
Schedule:⁣
Mon 12:45-1:30 Ashtanga Lite @balancegym⁣
Tue 12:00-1:00 Flow/Vinyasa - Eaton
Wed 1:30-2:30. Flow/Vinyasa - Eaton ⁣
Thu 1:30-2:30 Flow/Vinyasa - Eaton
Fri 12-1 Atheltes Yoga - Balance

If you ain’t growin’, you dyin’
It’s the last week of residency for @dcashtanga at @yogadragons — a place we are truly proud to have In our blood.
We shift to @eatonworkshop on March 4.
My teaching schedule this week:
**Mysore at @dcashtanga Wed-Fri
Wednesday & Thursday:
@eatonworkshop at 1:30
Friday:
@balancegym At 12.

⁣”You have to match their impedence,” @berylbenderbirch so elegantly mused. My ears perked up. As an athlete, I felt seen and heard when ms Birch spoke of facilitating a person like me’s practice of yoga—that being an active, sometimes social individual’s —on The Yoga Talks Podcast with @jbrownyoga . So often the physical aspect of practice gets derided as “low” or something— and in fact it’s through my bodily connection (or lack there of) that I’m able to access interior mind states. That my impedance. ⁣
⁣
She knows a little something about matching impendence— she’s helped thousands upon thousands of runners pick up a long lasting and sustainable yoga practice by offering yoga classes to the New York Road Runners. ⁣
⁣
For a lot of folks, this brings to mind helping overtaxed runners stretch out some achy calves— and it very much is. But, and this is where it gets so deliciously subversive — teaching a class called “Yoga for Runners” doesn’t mean simply teaching calf stretches to marathoners— it means helping them learn how to use a really enjoyable and therapeutic sequence of body positioning to develop deeper states of attention. ⁣
⁣
It’s from those deeper states of attention that the really juicey stuff starts to happen— like when meditation states start to spontaneously blossom out of those deep concentration states. And god, are runners able to concentrate on their poor aches legs. ⁣
⁣
⁣
I’m one of the ones that was reached by finding *that* yoga teacher and *that* yoga class at my gym. ⁣
⁣
Come see me at @balancegym on Friday’s at 12. I’m back March 1.

What are you willing to put your neck on the line for? Is it justice for all? Are you a Social Justice Warrior?⁣
⁣
It’s Black History Month in the states, and I see and hear very few white people celebrating/ commemorating/ commenting on the past of our black brothers and sisters. ⁣in the Ashtanga Yoga world, I have seen very few of my seniors taking up the sword for feminism, queer rights, or the empowerment of the disenfranchised. Heck, who has spoken up for sexual assault victims in our own community? ⁣
⁣
Why not? ⁣
⁣
Regular yoga practice begins to tear down the boundaries between “you” and “me” and “them” and “us”. It also emboldens and empowers the practitioner to make choices that lead to less long term suffering— as deeply entrenched as some of our own pain pain inducing habits and patterns are — and how precious the illusions seem. ⁣
⁣
Combine the two, the feeling of oneness between creatures and the desire for liberation from bondage and pain, and you almost can’t help but become an ally to those who are marginalized in a society in which you have sway. In fact, to not use your voice to elevate is an act of rite cowardice. ⁣
⁣
I love the term Social Justice Warrior. Take a look at this excerpt from the Bhagavad Gita and tell me if you can see why: ⁣
⁣
O Arjuna, the Atma that dwells in the body of all (beings) is eternally indestructible. Therefore, you should not mourn for any body. (2.30)⁣
⁣
Considering also your duty as a warrior you should not waver. Because there is nothing more auspicious for a warrior than a righteous war. (2.31)⁣
⁣
Only the fortunate warriors, O Arjuna, get such an opportunity for an unsought war that is like an open door to heaven. (2.32)⁣
⁣
If you will not fight this righteous war, then you will fail in your duty, lose your reputation, and incur sin. (2.33)⁣
⁣
People will talk about your disgrace forever. To the honored, dishonor is worse than death. (2.34)⁣ —

Join me at the @eatonworkshop this March for led classes and Mysore with @dcashtanga — hit me up for more info.

“Old is Gold,” Maria said approvingly of my decision to rent a scooter from the same gentleman as the last few years.

My land lady, in her gruffly-sing-song voice repeated herself "Old is gold,” as we eyed two uneven stacks of plastic chairs. Both were low enough to sit upon, though one was a good foot taller than the other.
Maria, being a solid foot shorter than me, took the lower stack, hefting her weight without concern.. Fearful I would break my stack (and consequently my ass and ego), I removed a single chair from the top and set it next to hers.

Here we are six years later.
The thing i love most about being both a student and a teacher in the ashtanga yoga tradition is the very same thing i love most about the human experience — developing relationship.

She shoulda told me to move the chair.
Join me and @dcashtanga at the @eatonworkshop starting March 4th.

brainstorming @eatonworkshop @dcashtanga

In some of the weirder corners of the yoga world, practice is said to create Amrita bindu— a sweet nectar that collects to bring about immortality. ⁣
⁣
According to tantric texts, it develops in the bindu chakra, found just under the cowlick. When awakened, this elixir of youth begins to drip down our throats. ⁣
⁣
As the great swedish chantuese @robynkonichiwa might say “come get your honey.” As we enter into 2019, I am filled with a great deal of excitement. It is time for growth— it is time for the Amrita to flow. ⁣
⁣
You know what they say... no mud, no lotus? Don’t you feel like 2018 has prepared us (well) to blossom?⁣
⁣
@dcashtanga shifts to the @eatonworkshop this March. ⁣
⁣
High potency practice, individualized. Wanna know more? Comment below ⤵️

Values Over Rules⁣
⁣
When I first started teaching Ashtanga Yoga in the Mysore style, I took a trusted counselors advice and established boundaries around my student - teacher relationships that were as close to water tight as i could get. I wanted a total lack of porousness to ensure I was acting from an ethical and honest place. ⁣
⁣
Like many things, this served me well until it didn’t. My first apprentice’s Shala turns two this year— and I am oh so very proud of her. As i understand it, my highest aim as a teacher is to watch my student grow until one day they eclipse me. And well, ol’ girl is giving me one heckuva run for my money!⁣
⁣
As @livelyogini has grown, she has inspired a higher excellence in me, just as I have hoped to do for her. The symbiosis of the relationship is one of my greatest personal and professional joys. ⁣
⁣
Part of that includes a necessary shift in hierarchical overtones— she is my dear friend and trusted counsel now. In the grand scheme of things, it means that rules have to change as paradigms shift— and because none of this is Permanent, it is highly anticipatable that rules absolutely will. ⁣
⁣
No, rules don’t last forever. ⁣
⁣
But values might. Like love, compassion, valor, integrity, and friendliness. But hierarchies? They’re meant to crumble. ⁣
⁣
In @dcashtanga ’s most recent newsletter (are you signed up??) i shared a bit about how flowers have a capacity to hear bees, and how yoga relates. The truth is, some days youre the flower and some days you’re the bee— and we’re all just participating in making honey. ⁣
⁣
@ashtanganation is one heckuva hive— ⁣
⁣
Amrita Bindu Upanishad⁣
⁣
18. After studying the Vedas (that is recorded knowledge) the intelligent person who is solely intent on acquiring knowledge and realization should discard the Vedas altogether, like the man who discards husk to obtain rice?⁣
⁣
19. The milk is always white even though cows are of diverse colures. The intelligent person regards Jnana (learning) as the milk and the many branched Vedas as the cows.⁣
⁣
20. Like butter hidden in milk, pure consciousness resides in every being. That ought to be constantly churned out by the churning rod of the mind

merry christmas
omg ho ho ho
#filamenasdc

I wish I could give out Ashtanga Yoga merit badges— today’s would be “I was kind to myself. ”
Practicing yoga with a contented mindset matters a great deal— really, what we’re doing on our mats is exploring our inside world to find a place where we can be self-satisfied. Cause you know, there isn’t any person out there that can satisfy you except you.
.
In order to do that work, we’ve also gotta maintain enthusiasm and heat around practice. Balancing that with our own self-satisfaction is hard— how are we to want to improve while also feeling like we’re golden just as we are?
.
By identifying the kind of satisfaction and the kind of work that makes us feel more and more free. The kind that doesn’t make us suffer more. The kind that helps feel satisfied and enthusiastic not just in practice but in our life.
.
In DC, a lot of folks take a push-hard get-results mentality to their work and their personal lives. They’re so miserable and don’t know why. They don’t want to be. So they push harder in all the ways— including on their mat. Maybe it’s not just dc.
.
What’s sort of funny/poignant/ironic to me is that the place in which folks could stand to push extra hard is that whole “being kind to yourself” angle. Laying off from pushing so damn hard is actually way harder than literally pushing hard— and it builds a ton more heat and breeds a ton more joy, contentment, and cleanliness of mindstates.
.
But doing the less “hard” thing (even when it brings them all the deep goods folks want way down inside) is so impossible that people push-push-push until they break. And then they wear their wounds as though they were honorifics on a sash. What if we could bring that same intensity to our self-compassion?

more legs
than a bucket
of chicken #eatonworkshopdc

Why the shapes, and how does that lead to self realization?
We construct shapes and patterns with our bodies to hone in on the ever-shifting nature of the mind.
Because somewhere inside of each of us is something unmoving and infinite. And only by watching that which shifts can we begin to hone in on that which doesn’t.
It is with these bodies (and brave, tenacious wills) that we create a sacred space for internalization— for observing the profoundly wild inner landscape — and take a stab at making sense of it all, and finding stillness in it.
So how do we find that which doesn’t change? We use our resources: a body that feels, a mind that discerns, and a heart that senses the abode of that unmoving, unchanging thing— infinite and luminous.
Our true self.

The paradox of course, is that as brightly as our god-like infinite, unlimited self shines, we are incapable of looking directly at it... a reminder of the great sense of humor the universe possesses.
And so, we find mirrors. In our friends, our spouses, our teachers, and that very nice cashier lady at Whole Foods. And, of course, our Postural practice. ..
** Drop in classes at the Eaton Workshop, 1201 K St NW
Tues 12pm- Wed 1:30 -Thur 130
**
Workshops this weekend at @mindthemat **
Mysore daily with @dcashtanga at @yogadragons

Not DC

Fam. Sundays at @dcashtanga

Kapotasana: Two Ways

Here are two different ways of approaching Kaptoasana, both with my student Madeline. In the first part, I'm functioning as a support structure both physically and mentally for her. I’m a big ole prop. Because Kapo was relatively new for her, working hands on together was super helpful, as sometimes going to scary places is easier with a friend.
In the second, Madeline is going about Kapo in a hands-off way, using a prop set-up (we use all kinds of different setups at @dcashtanga). Over the last few months, Madeline has become more confident and capable, so she can feel where she really is more effectively. She’s learned how to work on her own and it shows.
Modern postural yoga uses the body as a reference point for understanding the deeper dimensions of insight practice-- like the ability to internalize the sense and focus, allowing for meditation to come on line. An effective posture builds strength and flexibility-- so that you can work in a non harming way; it calms the nervous system-- building distress tolerance; it also works systematically with other postures to unlock certain understandings-- like a physical crossword puzzle keeping the mind and the body sharp.

The thing with these "bigger postures" is that  everyone has their own set of limitations-- both real and perceived-- and working with a good assist or prop setup helps us move from the unreal to the real. That is gooooood yoga, right there.

In the Mysore room, we teach yoga that allows for autonomy and agency. Teachers aren't put on pedestals, and theres no heirachy-- everyone can practice, and even better, folks learn how to practice on their own.

This November, I'm teaching a workshop series on assisting. Over the course of this series, we'll go over the philosophical and the practical of assisting in a yoga room. Participants will learn how see bodies and construct an approach that teaches using voice, intention, and touch. A good assist can offer guidance, make corrections, and sometimes even help with adjustments that a practitioner may not be able to make on their own-- so that they may learn how to *do it on their own!* The link's in the bio.

@daniidc

yes,
we use props
@dcashtanga

Hip Articulation!

You don’t need to know the names of every potential movement a joint can make in scientific terms to be a good yoga teacher — but it can definitely help.
In Tuesday’s anatomy class, we covered possible hip articulations: -extension
-flexion
-abduction
-adduction
-internal rotation
-external rotation

We also covered active and passive flexibility as well as open chain and closed chain strength building.
As though that weren’t enough, we also covered which muscles dowhat in order to make these different positions possible. Does this stuff interest you?

Hit me up in the Mysore room @dcashtanga or check out my anatomy courses. Link in bio!

Don't see one near you? Hit me up and I'll bring em your way 😉

@compassrose_dc

Wanna become a more effective and efficient practitioner and professional?

Join me for my course on Applied Anatomy for Yoga -- This four week course is every Tuesday, beginning October 2nd at @kaliyogadc in DC.
According to the International Association of Yoga Therapists, the two main causes of injury in yoga come from “excessive student effort” and “inadequate teacher training.” By learning how to practice in a manner that is built on a solid foundation of movement science, course members will learn how to practice smarter, not harder— taking the excess out of the effort.

We’ll cover major landmarks, joints, and articulations, weed out misconceptions and incongruences, and have a lot of fun along the way.

Checkout the link in my bio for more info!

Last month I was interviewed by the one and only Chris Parkison for the DC Yoga Podcast. We dug into:
--the changing landscape of the yoga industrial complex; why teachers can't make a living, why studios fail, and how to circumvent the traps inherent in the mainstream yoga world.
--my journey into teaching; ashrams, India, the corporate world, and combating appropriation
-- we also chewed the fat like bros do.
I hope you'll go listen and tell me what you think!! Link in bio!

Last month I was interviewed by the one and only Chris Parkison for the DC Yoga Podcast. We dug into:
--the changing landscape of the yoga industrial complex; why teachers can't make a living, why studios fail, and how to circumvent the traps inherent in the mainstream yoga world.
--my journey into teaching; ashrams, India, the corporate world, and combating appropriation
-- we also chewed the fat like bros do.
I hope you'll go listen and tell me what you think!! Link in bio!

@sospesodc

good morning, dc

dexa body scan @compid_dc

DC Pride 2018.

when the burpees leave a DC Ashtanga stamp:

@dc9club
@djmattbailer

New toys for the
supple leopards
at @dcashtanga

#funkparade
#dcasfunk
@adatravels

#funkparade #dcasfunk

At @kaliyogadc @dcashtanga is proudly in residency

Backbends, decoded:

In order to develop a supple spine, we need to identify the parts supporting it (and address their intrinsic needs!) ___________________
1️⃣First things first, Identify the parts: shoulders, hips, spine.
Shoulders: 👉🏽right side flexed, externally rotated, upwardly rotated, tilted, protracted.
Hips: 👉🏽Right extended, left flexing
Spine: 👉🏽Extending, focusing on thorasic extension especially. Neutral cervical, resisting the focus only on lumbar.
____________________
🔢Got it? If you're confused by these terms, hit me up for a one-on-one (yoga teachers should know this stuff especially!) or come see me in the mysore room at @dcashtanga ..: or join me for a supple spine workshop. Link in bio 👆🏼
_________
I can help you piece it together... And show you how to address specific limitations that may be hindering your practice. Hit me up.

What do you think of when you try to imagine the most ideal circumstances for practice? Perfectly even floors? Temperature just right? Body totally on point? Supportive teacher by your side? I think those are pretty common. 🤷🏻‍♂️🤔 I, for one, hate practicing in the cold, and don’t like practicing in a stuffy room (gimmie that air flow!). ❄️☃️ This year, many of my students took up home practice while I was studying with my teacher. From a business perspective, this is scary... what if they don’t come back? For the sub, it’s disheartening (why don’t they like me???). Not to worry-- from my own experience, this is one of the great joys (and dare I say essential factors) in cultivating a personal relationship with practice: the ability and desire to just go do the damn thing. You can do it anywhere, anytime. Not when, ya know, everything's perfect... (It helps to visit a bestie in miami tho 💁🏼‍♂️ ). My teacher, Rolf, is about a foot shorter than me. To help me help him, and to help me help myself, he's equipped me with ways to work on things that allow me to learn and work independently.
At @dcashtanga we teach one-on-one in a group setting on a daily basis, empowering people with the skills to execute a physical contemplative practice with safety, skill, and longevity. 😍

For those who live just a bit (or a lot) too far, I like to travel on occasion and bring techniques and ideas that may be fresh or useful or different so as to help them develop a functional toolkit-- so they can practice anywhere. 🔧

Just like with my time away, where conditions can be near perfect, it's nice to work on the hard scary stuff in a supportive environment with clear direction -- but it's also great to develop the ability to work solo.
After all, yoga is a journey from the self to the self through the self. So, don't be afraid to work with what you've got... Like a palm tree between your legs. If you'd like to explore the backbending and hand balancing techniques going on here, join me at @mindthemat March 29 (click the link in bio to join me for a supple spine workshop 😉

Caught "Parrallel Universe" at @artechouse -- DC's first dedicated space for showcasing experiential and large scale immersive installations using the medium of technology for art. 🖼
Played with #ekapadarajakapotasana -- a posture that requires strong grounding⬇️ combined with a sense of creating forward momentum ⬅️-- and from these two qualities, an inevitable sense of moving from down to up ↕️and from forwards to back.↔️

Hips, man, they get such a bad rap. Everyone wants 'em open, but the actual effort can seem crazy daunting. Your hips want to be happy! They're a ball and socket joint -- lending themselves to a vast array of possibilities. Let's get in there and play!!! 🍑

On Satutday, March 10, @kaliyogadc I'll be teaching a workshop from 2-4 all about exploring the hope. We're going to look at how to access areas inside ourselves that have been blocked off and forgotten -- letting them be felt, seen, heard, and given the healthy attention they deserve. Just like anything, once we do that, a dialouge can happen. 👋🏼 Healthy dialouge builds strength. This is one of the pieces we'll play with... And if it's not available, you'll learn how to look, listen, and ask there right questions to find your way!
🎶: @leatherandsushi

💪🏻💀The body is a phenomenal tool for understanding the phenomenal world. Just as gravity and relativity help us explain and predict, so too can our bodies do the same for our individual relationship with the here and now. 🤸‍♀️💪🏻Am I breathing? How am I balancing? 🥗I shared falafel with three French woman this evening -- strangers. Each over 50, and world-wise. 🌅They asked me questions about the overlap and intersection of Shankaracharya and Hatha yoga.
Its a topic I find fascinating -- and so do they. The conversation, like the falafel, was excellent and nourishing. I can't wait to come home and continue to share. "Parampara!" said one of the ladies, as I dodged a question's straight answer. I'm so grateful for this stream of knowledge.
I teach my first public class on the subject of hips and explicit directive @kaliyogadc on March 10, in DC. See ya there.

🚥What should be abolished must first be cherished. —Tao Te Ching chapter 36 🚥

Before I left to study with my teacher in Goa, a student of mine at @dcashtanga asked me what to do when practice begins to feel like a chore.
Ugggh. Anyone who's practiced anything for a long freaking time knows this kind of feeling, I think.
The truth is, practicing with very firm attention to detail creates a solid foundation -- bio-mechanically and spiritually. It's necessary. And when it comes to deliberate practice, you are not promised entertainment. You're promised skill development....
But sometimes it sure does get snooze-aroo. 🙄

Here's what's dope: Arjuna says that "yoga is skill in action" in the gita. This is where yoga is forged -- and it's from this very same foundation that one can begin to let go and create -- moving from the explicit to the implicit. Aka: "don't think, go. "🏃 And so I say: go have some fun! Play isn't practice, but don't forget to make sure your practice let's you play. Life isn't meant for supporting practice... Practice is to support your life! 😉

The great irony (oh, how I love the universe's sense of humor) is just how much thinking is needed until we can stop... And go. 🚦

This fall, I'll be teaching a variety of workshops on how to work methodically, and also how to find the play-- Things that I've seen work over and over again. We'll also talk about what doesn't always seem to work so great. 🏋🏻🤸🏻‍♂️ Interested? I'll be announcing my schedule soon 🙂

🔮Ready for some woo-woo??? 🔮

I have a few friends from DC visiting an #ashtanga retreat center in Goa. Taking a visit to #arambol (a bit of a hike from the retreatcenter) they took a 🎥of this rad #tightrope walker -- thinking of me and my love for the weird, they posted the clip on the internet and tagged me. Guess what?? I had just done the same thing, but hadn't posted! A few minutes later, we ran smack into each other... Just next to the performer!!🎪
🔮I felt conjured by white magic. 🔮
In New Orleans, as in Arambol, there are performers everywhere. The unwritten rule of ettiquiette is that you are free to watch, but taking pictures should lead to 💰💰💰
The age of the performer and the vibe of the older gal collecting the money gave me the heeby-jeebies. She was young and the lady was very gruff... Do. Not. Like. And I love throwing money at drag queens, strippers, and circus performers-- yikes!😳
Stair was the owner of the yoga studio that housed and incubated me as I became a #mysore style #ashtanga #yoga teacher. Thank god she was kinder to me than that scary old lady. 👵🏾👵🏾👵🏾
I try not to doubt the power of the universe to give stage direction, and this was just one more chance to see it in action. There is magic everywhere (especially NoLa and Goa) I think yoga helps us listen and hear for the cues, and our seniors can either really help us with that-- to see and feel the magic... 🎩
... Or they can stiffle and silence and take advantage -- something akin to labor violations. Allowing for beauty and growth and magic doesn't mean not seeing the ugly, the oppression, and the macabre.
✊🏻
Yoga's not all rainbows and kittens.

I’m ok with this!

Formal wear, yoga videos, and hardcore ridiculousness. Perfect. #bestnine2017

At #DCAshtanga, we value cultural exchange, and denounce bigotry and oppression of all stripes. Here I️ am doing forest yoga, not to be confused with Forrest Yoga. Did you know we have the best landlady— @gratefulweirdo who owns and operates @kaliyog…

At #DCAshtanga, we value cultural exchange, and denounce bigotry, appropriation, and oppression of all stripes. Here 👁 am doing forest yoga, not to be confused with Forrest Yoga.
You’ll note I’m doing my Ashtanga practice in the forest (which is not Mysore style, it’s just ashtanga, since Mysore is what you call it when it’s taught like it was/is taught in a specific place). That said, 👁 do sometimes do Mysore style Ashtanga yoga in the forest, when I️ practice with my teacher... who teaches in the forest (and isn’t Ana Forrest ;)). Forest yoga isn’t necessarily Forrest yoga, and ashtanga isn’t necessarily Mysore. I’m being a bit glib... but the drill down here highlights difference between appropriation and exchange, something we take seriously at #DCAshtanga. Check out a class with @gratefulweirdo in the Forrest tradition at @kaliyogadc and of course you can stick around to learn Ashtanga, Mysore style, with me, or one of our incredible teachers, who learned from someone who studied the method in Mysore (me!).

Caught my last dawn of 2017 in DC.

My #wcw is also my #blackandwhitephotochallenge #failedit -- @suenodevida_ecu who taught me to see the art inside of the yoga asana. Now she's creating a place where people can learn the art of conciously and sustainably inhabiting this planet at an eco retreat center in Ecuador. 📸2012 @taniradove @laminezdclifestyle

Ashtanga yoga's primary series, as counted by Sharath Jois, can be completed in an unhurried manner at about the same rate as a full reading of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras in Sanskrit.
Today at @dcashtanga we practiced as Monorama (available on Spotify!) chanted to us. There are so many different layers to practice, I remain fascinated by what pierces through allowing me to be of this world and also internalized.
Humorously? Early on I heard "vrittayah pancatayah klishta aklishta" --1.5 Those gross and subtle thought patterns (vrittis) fall into five varieties, of which some are colored (klishta) and others are uncolored (aklishta). -- later? "shabda artha pratyaya itaretara adhyasat samkara tat pravibhaga samyama sarva bhuta ruta jnana" -- The name associated with an object, the object itself implied by that name, and the conceptual existence of the object, all three usually interpenetrate or commingle with one another. By samyama on the distinction between these three, the meaning of the sounds made by all beings becomes available.

GRIT

Steely-eyed, dirt on the sleeve stick-to-it-ive-ness is essential to success in yoga (and life!). Resilience is precisely so valuable because of what it demands.
1) you gotta be willing to try to bite off more than you can chew. This often times means ... Failure.
2) you gotta suck it up, look at your failure and try again.
3) You must learn something from the prior experience so as not to have the exact same outcome.
4) remember that "failure" only exists if you don't try. Otherwise, it's practice. Repeat steps 2-3 until shit works out.
This means looking at life through a much longer timeline than what we "want want want" in the now.
5) you gotta celebrate your triumphs, and any comeback is a triumph! This requires big picture thinking. If youre stuck on a too-confined timeline, youre gonna suffer.
Yoga develops resilience. It hones grit. Get out there and try
...
Join me this week in the mysore room:
Mon-Fri 6-9:30 @dcashtanga at @kaliyogadc
Tues: 12-12:40, Hot Spot Dupont @hotspotdupont
Wed: 6:30-7:30p, Vida U St @vidafitnessdc
Thurs: 12-1, Vida U St @vidafitnessdc
Fri: 12-1, Balance TC @balancegym

Transitions mean change. Change has an inheritant taste of death to it, and death is scary.
I have historicaly been guiled by the idea of the encroach of Winter. It means the death of my favorite, Summer. Bribed by Halloween and all things pumpkin, I still don't much like putting away my tank tops and finding long sleeves.
This fall, I'm trying to change my tune. We like the idea of transforming into something better/stronger/wiser-- and transformation IS change. In my life, I don't want to be averse to change, Autumn or otherwise. It's an ignorance, to think things aren't always changing. Yoga practice is designed to free up that baggage.
In the Equinox, I practiced by the pool at @vidafitnessdc on U Street where I teach two new classes. I see in the eyes of practitioners a certain kind of hesitation and dare I say distrust at this new class, in me a new teacher, to them. I get it... I teach a practice that asks of them a real attention and effort. It is precisely so potent because of that. It's also sometimes scary to get a real, sober look at the churning of the mind.
It pings me strongly, as I feel a current kind of way about the transition of seasons and see inside of them an analog to me. I want these folks who turn up to trust me, to give potent and authentic practice a real go. But I know it requires time and attention. As I told my friend @mbwould-- "You can't hatefuck someone into trusting you." What to do? I'm gonna give fall a real chance. On my end, its the same as for them. These aspirants and I have a similar working schema:
1) Show up.
2) Pay attention.
3) Be willing to feel.
4) Be willing to try.
5) Be willing to not know.
7) BE WILLING TO LAUGH.
8) Be willing to try again.
Yesterday, I tried to welcome change. I went into the old street car station in Dupont and did a gong bath with @takefivemeditation -- letting the waves wash over me. Old ideas, can't force them away, but I can soften my grip. I can show up and look where I fight change. Maybe I can see things as they are, maybe I can lead by example. Change happens. But it doesn't have to happen violently.

#Reposting @craze202 with @instarepost_app -- #loveisgreat #happypride #dcpride #dclife #ilovedc

#Reposting @stuiestyle_yoga with @instarepost_app -- Thank you for Mixtape @djmattbailer and @sheavanhorn. You guys are the best! ❤️💛💚💙💜 #capitalpride #washingtondc #mixtape #930club #rainbow

I didn't take any pictures cause I was too busy living! @craze202 helped remind me of how great this city is (as though I need reminding)-- Kiki on the bus, helped me find my pride beverage containers, and cane and held it down. #Reposting @craze202 with @instarepost_app -- Pride parade!!
#happypride #dcpride #ilovedc

Charlie's kinda wondering why I skipped happy hour.
After a day of teaching, my singing lesson, cleans, deadlifts, and stabilizing accessory work, I got in a really great practice... Clocking in around 40 minutes, and really just a bit of primary.
At @dcashtanga -- our moon day is tomorrow. I'm stoked. The planets have had a crazy strong pull-- this Gemini is feeeeeeling it.
Am I too late for 1/2 price mussels??

The Ashtanga Yoga practice, as taught to me by my teachers in the tradition of Sri K Pattabhi Jois, is incredibly powerful.
It is a spiritual practice, in so far as it helps you find the best of what's inside of you... and brings it out. Your spirit. Who you are on the inside-- your natural, beautiful self. Your god stuff.
Are you interested in - developing physical fitness: strength, flexibility, and grace?
-Establishing mental and emotional fortitude, leading to: resilience, distress tolerance, and general stability of attitude - healthy relationships-- with others as well as with yourself. - brining clarity to your natural rhythms and cycles.
Taught one one one in a group setting, students are free to come and go at their leisure.
Join us M-Thurs, 6-9:30 at @kaliyogadc
Fridays, 6:15-7:45 (led primary)
Sunday 8-10a (open practice)
I'm also available for private sessions. -- Here I am with Whitney Paterson @yogawhitney -- a phenomenal student and trusted apprentice/assistant. She's made two trips to Mysore to study with one of my teachers, Sharath Jois (the director of the ashtanga yoga institute). She's a kind hearted woman, a gifted ayuevrdic consultant/practitioner, and has dutifully co-taught with me.
Next month, she'll be starting the @dcashtanga afternoon sessions. M-W, 4:30-630!

What do you do when it starts to rain after sun salutations? Do you curse the salutations for not delivering on their promise?
At @dcashtanga -- we laugh a lot. It's all such serious business this yoga stuff, it's good to develop a predilection for good humor. After all, the universe has a sense of one, and it's often a bit dark.
Practice and all is coming 😉 We're open on:
Thursday 'till 1, and
Friday is led primary at 6:15

In the practice of Ashtanga yoga, concentration on the subtle perceptions of the body leads to stability and tranquility. We get better over time at managing the teeny tiny shifts that keep us calm and collected... Which doesn't mean things dont go off balance. They do-- we just dont panic, stay cool, and do our best to get back to the sweet spot. A really useful skill.
Come practice with me at @dcashtanga
3423 14th St NW (hosted by @kaliyogadc )

Wed 6:30-9:30,
Thurs 6:30-1
Fri 6:15-7:45 (led primary)

Such a wonderful way to spend a Saturday-- mysore style ashtanga yoga with a rich and diverse community of kindhearted practitioners! @livelyogini and @mhendric1 at @ashtanganation do such a wonderful job of teaching and holding space. I encourage all of my @dcashtanga brethren who are looking to practice in community on Saturdays to check them out, 8:30-11.

Good morning, DC! My people are on the water, but soon I'll be in the air!

Me and the little bear getting back to our bliss at #dcashtanga 😉

Jason and I have known each other since we were 18/19.
We closed down bars together, and eventually he opened one.
We are the people of DC. We ain't got no box to be put in.
We watched Annie Hall together on the national mall. We've had conversations about the literal sound of farting in yoga versus the not-flatulance-fart noise. I didn't know he was here... But I was not dead shocked to cross paths.
You can't make old friends.

I'm hearing these horror stories about manatees in red hats descending on my city, demanding fish and fried mayonnaise balls. You know what that hat days, eh? @carterstevens
Somehow they've learned English enough to harangue the queers and POC with micro & macro aggressions.
My past:
Most of my early 20s was spent in straight dive bars after work at the DC Improv. I got in a lot of fights -- Drunk guys felt like they could get away with not-so-subtle digs...and I had no problem using my words and my arms to defend myself. It didn't take much to set me off.
I also generally had a surly tits-drunk crew of straight-bros that got excited to talk shit back. They're great men. Typically, things diffused before it got too real. Turns out, most of these bigots were chicken shit.
Things were different then-- both the cultural acceptance of belittling gay folk, and the shortness of my fuse. Sure, I'm not at bars till last call much anymore, but I think it's more than that.
We can't go back. I'm not saying fight these folks with fists, tho, I wonder if maybe I wasn't doing my yoga, which of the bamas would be dead. jokes.
Seriously: Don't be a door mat. Call a bigot a bigot. Don't let the physical manifestation of privilege and patriarchy intimidate you. And, if you are afraid, feel your feelings and if you can speak up: do it. "Tell 'em boy bye. Middle fingers up."

Sunday's are often my rest day (heh: Saturday's, too) -- but when you're feeling like a pretty peacock on the beach, maybe you just gotta shake yo' tailfeather.
I saw @harmony_ashtanga and @waldenjessica talking about "being curious about what is possible" -- and ohhhh man-- doesn't the potential of limitless potential just make you wide-eyed, giddy, and wonderful? Doesn't the curiosity tickle your heart strings?

Tomorrow it's back to practice with community, so maybe I'll slow down on the beach videos.
The truth is, I rarely see my postures this way. At #DCAshtanga we have a "no cameras in the Shala" rule that has exceptions for kids & animals... and occasionally as a learning tool. I stick to it pretty strongly personally, too. Heck, Rolf doesn't even want us to bring our phone to the shala (and probably doesn't like that I've been talking about him on here...). Thanks for sharing some play time on the beach with me. Maybe I'll share more?

Fun fact: I packed everything for this trip into a carry-on. 🏊👙(count the short-shorts)

At @dcashtanga we've been taking pics of our mats when we practice away from the Shala. I have a week off from practice with my teacher, Rolf, so now I get to play along, too. #dcashtanga #kapotasana #ashtangay #ashtanga #kpjayi

Check out the ass on that one (also: that DC looks familiar)

One of my students gave me this little guy. He's modeling Triangle at the DC Inspection Station.

Can you spot Ganesh? This is my little alter at @dcashtanga ... From the darkness before daybreak 'till dawns early light, his shadow spreads wide-- the shadows of his ears becoming the wings of an angel.
His presence is harder to spot by the time the city begins its bustle, unless you know where to look.
I really love early morning practice, even when it's truncated so as to both support my community and to maintain healthy sleep... But man, catching the auspicious hour sure does reveal things that can't be found in the light.

They come together to support each other with love. They care very dearly about the well being of others. They take their civic duties seriously. I am so very grateful to each and every person with whom I have shared open arms and hearts, especially those @dcashtanga

The grand opening of @oceanprimedc exceeded imagination. The lobster tails were prepared perfectly. Kazi's steak got mouthful raves.
Can't wait to come back and try more.

Reppin' the home team. DC Ashtanga. A unicorn in a room full of horses. Heeeeeey.
Shirts are in.

I'm excited for these new DC Ashtanga tanks. Want one and can't grab it in person? HMU!

Want a DC Ashtanga t, and can't grab one in person? HMU

Yesterday's wonderful potluck!!
#looking forward to another season with the crew of @dcashtanga

A guy sped up at me in the crosswalk. Honked. Yelled. Called me a faggot. Threatened to kill me. I stood my ground. Didn't cuss-- switched into teacher mode and made him say he was sorry. He's a DC firefighter with MD plates. Anyone got any ideas how to inform his employer? Take it away, Facebook!

I love: family, friends, DC, and my queer brothers & sisters.

Making shapes. I'm a one legged crow -- #ekapadabakasana -- aaaand I forgot to take off my IMF BADGE. #dcproblems

Occasionally, exceptions are made to the "no pictures in the Shala" policy at @dcashtanga -- most often for children and dogs.

(This was before I landed on him exiting #viparitasalabhasana b -- oops! arf! 🐶🙈😬😆)