B😍E kasana

2018 be like

Uttitha Trikonasana b

Uttitha Trikonasana a

when I dip you did we dip

🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🤷🏻‍♂️

(flossing my diaphram) gut smash

10 handstands --
3 times. ↖️Last ones

getting after it

A boy loves his home.

@melrockas
@kayemjay1000

@melrockas @kayemjay1000 thx Belinda!

Philadelphia

Y'all still ain't
ready to boycott? K, just checkin'. FYI: You look stupid
in your redskin/cowboy shit.

✅ 🛵
✅ 🏋🏽
✅ 🤸🏻‍♂️

35

when the burpees leave a DC Ashtanga stamp:

post birthday couching

Post workout.
Pre happy hour. (new hat who dat) 🍍

@dc9club
@djmattbailer

Nailed it.

So easily distracted

tonight's agenda.

@holly.yogs.lightly 's bishnu intermediate

Houston:
we found the weak side (still not a bad side ;))

Increasing anterior hip strength and mobility Maintaining healthy shoulder rotation werkin dem obliques

New toys for the
supple leopards
at @dcashtanga

#funkparade
#dcasfunk
@adatravels

#funkparade #dcasfunk

the commute.

#dadbod?

#ashtanga @livelyogini

dynamic sounds like dynamite. 💣 Dynamite goes boom 💥

I got stuck

1. Organize Yourself:
Spine braced.
Shoulders packed.
Knees drive out. 2. Control Yourself:
Lateral Movements.

Intersections. #pasasana
#pistolsquat

Pistol squat progression ?

Pistol squat progressions

Kettlebell↙️

Resistance band↙️ #pasasana

Deep core.
Rehabbing imbalance.
Establishing motor control for functional movements.

Camera shy 😂 ? too much yoga?

@balancegym

Pistol crawl Jump through progression ?

Pistol squat progression Marichyasana setup position?

Sivasana

@jeminemma

@barbellsntacos

How I protect myself for giving supta kurmasana assists #prehab

1. Organize yourself 2. Control Yourself

4. Lay that thing down flip it and reverse it. "ti plif nwod gniht that yal"

3. See Step 2

2. Control Yourself

1. Organize Yourself

There are only so many foundational postures and set up positions that we utilize in yoga practice-- but their applications are broad!

The more comfortable and capable you get with the foundations, the more opportunities you get to explore their broad applications.
What foundational postures do you see here?

2. Control Your Movement

1: Organize yourself

Literally my favorite props

evening practice like

mood:

mood:

At @kaliyogadc @dcashtanga is proudly in residency

MY TYPICAL MORNING
🛵
🐘
🤸🏻‍♂️

trying on my new #spectacles

Baaaby Chuckles Kai

HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
CHARLIE!!

Burpee handstands

Thanks @lorenzo_inversus for this great drill!

PLANK @ 45

Psoas/quad stretch @ :30

1 MIN HOLLOWBACK

HERES HOW IM GETTING RID OF MY SWAY BACK

der dey go

out with fam

@sadhanainthecity

Which witch is which?

So many of my friends follow the moon and the stars and set intentions and play with crystals and read tarot cards and cast spells. 🔮Confession: I love it.
The overlap of yoga and mysticism doesn't surprise me. It's in the attention to subtle details— many in fact-- all at once! --that allows us to hear the universe’s stage direction. While some might divinate using cards, rocks, or tea leaves, I’m in the business of letting the body help me hear divinely. It’s this kind of subtle (yet ultimately gross) form of listening that lets these kinds of complex poses come out to play.
Sometimes these postures look like they've been forged via witchcraft... or like alchemy.... but naaaahhhhh. 👁Hate to spoil it, but there is no eye of newt required. It’s just yoga 🦎

We’re building this shape and more today at @mindthemat In Del Rey. Come play at 1!

@anacostiaphouse Caught rs45 at

B4

B4

#tbt to July 31, 2007 — In honor of my quick trip to Miami this past weekend.
My first trip Miami with my bestie @pamelaxing followed by some shots of me and a sneaky one of yet another bestie @bibliophile1800 before a handbalance clinic.

#tbt to July 31, 2007 — In honor of my quick trip to Miami this past weekend.
My first trip Miami with my bestie @pamelaxing followed by some shots of me and a sneaky one of yet another bestie @bibliophile1800 before a handbalance clinic.

#tbt to July 31, 2007 — In honor of my quick trip to Miami this past weekend.
My first trip Miami with my bestie @pamelaxing followed by some shots of me and a sneaky one of yet another bestie @bibliophile1800 before a handbalance clinic.

#tbt to July 31, 2007 — In honor of my quick trip to Miami this past weekend.
My first trip Miami with my bestie @pamelaxing followed by some shots of me and a sneaky one of yet another bestie @bibliophile1800 before a handbalance clinic.

#tbt to July 31, 2007 — In honor of my quick trip to Miami this past weekend.
My first trip Miami with my bestie @pamelaxing followed by some shots of me and a sneaky one of yet another bestie @bibliophile1800 before a handbalance clinic.

#tbt to July 31, 2007 — In honor of my quick trip to Miami this past weekend.
My first trip Miami with my bestie @pamelaxing followed by some shots of me and a sneaky one of yet another bestie @bibliophile1800 before a handbalance clinic.

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 😉

THE TRUTH IS HARD TO SWALLOW WHEN YOU'RE CHOKING ON YOUR PRIDE

A pretty bold sentiment-- but, at the core of yoga is an aim to see the world as it actually is: unfettered by illusions and delusions. Raw. Real. Sometimes we want to cling to our precious illusions because we like them. Those can be the hard ones to give up. 🙈

In this pic I'm working with @davidgarriguesyoga -- I wanted so badly to have already found what I was looking for -- more extension in my throasic spine-- that I felt at a stalemate. Like, I wanted to already have it so badly, I got in the way of my own getting it. Somehow, I short circuited my own ingenuity and enjoyment. 📷I like this picture, because I remember the feelings from receiving THIS VERY assistance. It was an a-ha. I knew for sure I had not found yet what I was looking for, but I knew for sure it was there waiting to be found. AND I HAD FELT WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!
There is a great joy in knowing you don't know but also sensing that with determination, you can find out. Getting a second set of eyes that you trust is invaluable.
Available to each of us is an infinite state of contemplative poise-- and if we weren't kinda in our own way, we'd have it all the time. So, what do we do? We practice at the contemplation and the poise, taking in the truth as best we can. Getting a taste for these feelings, a familiarity.
It's a bold thing to be a seeker of truth. Find me at my workshops at the link in the bio or join my teacher for a RARE local weekend workshop the weekend of April 6 at @ashtanganation In Northern Virginia.

“WHAT DO I DO WHEN I’M NOT ENJOYING PRACTICE?”☝🏽 You are not guaranteed to enjoy practice as a general rule, but enjoyment of practice is so important. Here’s the thing: you’re responsible for your own joy. 💓 💟Be curious! Ignite the inner detective and see if you can find something interesting inside of yourself to explore!
💟Do more... but differently! See if you can find something in your practice you haven’t explored in a while, and bring some fresh energy to it. You never know! It might be so engrossing that you’re stoked to get back on the may tomorrow!
💟Do a little less! Back off just a bit and get the lay of the land. 💟Share with a buddy! Yoga is inherently an internal process... but maybe talking to a friend... or just practicing with them or near them will get you amped again. 💟 fuck around a little... it’s fun. Practice isn’t necessarily fun— but it can be. Don’t be afraid to combat miasma with mirth. —
Interested in bringing fresh eyes to your practice? I’ve got a supple spine workshop coming up at @mindthemat on Saturday, 3/31. Link in bio💪🏻

Me and Nicki are super excited to spend two hours getting into those oh-so tight hips today at Kali.

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

Mayurasana: the posture named for the peacock.

This one doesn't get its title from the full plume of the birds tail feathers, but because your elbows dig so deeply into a soft tummy, it's said to give the yogi the digestive power of the beautiful bird. 😱

I came home from my trip wishing I had those powers. 🤢

Peacocks are able to eat venomous snakes and be totally a-ok. Watch out, Taylor Swift! (Please don't come for me, Swifties!! It's a joke!! 🐍

On a less gross 💩 note, how useful would it be if you could digest the toxicity of something in order to ultimately find nourishment? It'd prolly make eating a salad in Goa a little easier 😉

One form or ignorance that's super common is a misidentification of pain as pleasure-- so how do we heal? The snake is only poisonous to those susceptible to its venom.

The sun is setting. 🌅
Said my good byes. 👋🏼
"Easy come, easy go," says Rolf. "Easy come, easy Goa," I say.

The sun is setting. 🌅
Said my good byes. 👋🏼
"Easy come, easy go," says Rolf. "Easy come, easy Goa," I say.

The sun is setting. 🌅
Said my good byes. 👋🏼
"Easy come, easy go," says Rolf. "Easy come, easy Goa," I say.

💪🏻💀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.

My teacher's buddy carved this ages ago. The water has smoothed it a bit, and it looks almost as though it was formed via the laping of waves. 🌊
The beach is covered in shacks now-- many advertising the rock, capitalizing on its beauty. On one hands, so nice to see the entrepreneurial spirit, on the other, a shame to lose the natural purity and rich beauty of an as-yet undiscovered gem. 💸
If not for the seekers, mystics, artists, and entrepreneurs I wouldn't be here. 🌅
Rememberance is necessary for the development of grit and resilience (and for faith!) but it can also lead to abiding suffering. 🤷‍♂️
Imma just be up here doing a dodgey dancer and let the rupees fall where they may. 🙂

Mostly, I hate you psy-trance... But when in Goa...

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Goa Carnival-- Arambol!

Keep Goa Weird.

Psst: new yoga rugs & hand towels... Coming soon. Sign up for the newetter at michaeljoelhall.com to get the scoop about merch & workshops

Jo lives without a smartphone. She doesn't text. In fact, she checks her emails to coordinate plans.
For the last five years, weve just happened to bump into each other-- every year.

Manisha told me to "sit down!" as she went to grab the larger pliers. "Big project!" The cost of gold. 22kt life.

Each of us has a perspective that is informed by where we are at any given time. Here, quite literally, the golden hour looks different than it does in America. The light hits the earth in a different kind of way... Colors take on a different vibrancy. Scattered everywhere throughout India are places of worship. In Goa, a former Portuguese colony, the places of worship are more Christian, but in Mysire, they're strongly Hindu. So similar but also so different. It makes me think about how the same we all are, but how much we are shaped by our past. How can you describe a sunset without taking into account these things? What about God? How can anyone ever think they truly know anything?

Back in Panjim, after the shortest visit with @livelyogini -- but a total adventure.
I had almost forgotten quite how amazing dusty ol' Mysore is. Kingfisher is 70 rupees for a big bottle strong in Goa. It's like 215 there. Funny, no?

I was reminded that Shankrathi was coming up by this beautiful lady.
Shankranthi is a harvest festival, one of the highlights being the adorned cows.

Oh boy.
Panjim >> Mysore

Stretching.

Fridays in Goa

Scenes from last night.

Word.

I’m ok with this!

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