Because of the yoga challenge, asana dominates my #bestnine2015 -- along with my authorization from #kpjayi , playing at @humblebeastcf and an engagement photo with my now former domestic partner. What I really love is a the different places the asanas are shot! #wmata - @kaliyogadc - @aysphiladelphia - @flowyogacenter

"The brighter the light of a candle, the greater the circumference of darkness." -- Albert Einstein

Bye, 2015. I hate you. I love you. Thanks for everything. Having a full spectrum of human emotions is a gift in and of itself.
Now get the fuck out.

If you thought my feet from #sunburn2015 were filthy, get a load of @helenethao 's top.

Post festival feet.

Like Mom said, "Hello from the other side." -- sorry, Adele. I've done much healing.

New friends, festival mates. #sunburn2015 #goa #day3

I have literally no idea what he's selling, but omg his walk struggle.

That sign gets it.

Welcome to paradise.

#nofilter 😉

I put on everyone's accessories for this group shot.

That time i found myself next door to Asia's largest music festival and said "oh fuck it, I'm going" and did.

I agree, homie.

Can you see the lights from the #sunburngoa festival? Asia's largest music festival is happening over the next 3 days. Gotta get passes.

#todaysmandala #mandala

The view from vagator.

A visual representation of my healthy eating ways.

When facebook's ad game is just TOO strong #freakedout #machineelves #skynet #artificialintelligence #facebook #beafraid

My first mandala from the book @livelyogini gave me earlier this year. #todaysmandala #mandala

Christmas brunch.

My Christmas tree.

A little before midnight mass.

Had to leave the state of Goa for Maharastra in order to find a deserted beach and a Durga/Kali temple.

Climbing to the top of a smoking mountain with a new friend.

Lagoon in #Arambol.

Things are just okay.

The shmanciest house I've ever seen.

Just visiting.

Arambol; note the day moon

Beach shacks. Turkish belly dancing. Trouble.

#untilifindyou #goa

Scooter adventures with @dzanr ! His Honda Activa is no Piaggio. Neither is my Hero Maestro, but I got to take the day off from driving.

GOA! When you accidentally end up in a parade. Like you do. Good job, FC GOA!

I am winning at Christmas.

Gem shopping. Like you do.

A look inside my life right now. #beanmeup #vagator

Then like stop. DAD!

Moonday smooches.

We gotta try harder, #DCPS

Repost: @jrene01 snapped this from the #DGinDC standing postures workshop. "Prioritize your foundations," @davidgarriguesyoga told me a few months ago. Thanks, Boss. #dcashtanga #ashtangadispatch #uthithaparsvokonasanab

"Everywhere looking, only God seeing." ~~ Pattabhi Jois

Eyes.

My boys.

What do you do for fun? So many ways to manage ones emotions. Happy Moonday! @humblebeastcf

Holiday fun-run! #runbucks

"Makara"
#tourof2nd
Makara is the name of my kayak. I love being out on the river, playing pirate.
Makara is a fierce sea-creature in Hindu mythology. The front half of this beast is a land based animal, often an elephant, crocodile, stag or deer. His hind part is depicted as an aquatic animal, in the form of a fish or seal tail. Sometimes, even a peacock tail is depicted.

#karandavasana might be a Himalayan goose, sure, but to me she is a chimera named Makara.
Picture the image of the body as a rickety ship, sailing across the sea of suffering to the oasis of true nature, called bliss. It, as @davidgarriguesyoga says, is unseaworthy-- takes in water-- may just sink.
But, if you fear so much you never start the trip, you're sure do die in the depths of the fear. So you sail-- and with enough faith and courage, you may just make it.
The alternative is that you die right where you are, and as @rupaulofficial says, "none of us are making it out alive." None of us are making it without takin' on some water, so you might as well sail.
For me, makara cum karanda has helped me to love the adventure, see the sacred geometries, and fall on my face many times. You just get back up. 🐥🔥💦🐋 Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

"Foundations"
#tourof2nd
#ardhasirsasana
aka: #halfbend
In the sacred text portion of today's intensive @davidgarriguesyoga told us the story of Siva's blue neck.
As a kind of poison was choking the earth, Siva came to action and took the poison from the sky and found himself in a pickle: he could not swallow the poison, nor could he spit it back out.
So he sat with it, the poison safely in his neck. From this, his color changed.
Have you heard the opening chant for the Ashtanga yoga practice? The halalas mentioned are the poisons for which practice is the answer.
In small ways, we learn to sit with things as they actually are, not rejecting, projecting, or justifying.
When that skill gets stronger, we up the ante. So, perhaps you can see what I'm getting at here? 💡💎🔦
Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

That time Charlie met a hedgehog.

"Busy"
#tourof2nd
#pinchamayurasana

Forgive the delay, I've been busy getting ready for @davidgarriguesyoga Primary series intensive at @aysphiladelphia -- I've worked with David a few times a year for a bit now, and I am realizing just how much of an influence he has on me. I could not as for a better mentor.
He has so many considerations for every asana-- and yet also allows autonomy. I get a new perspective on how he works every time I study with him-- just so many layers and strategies. And fun 🙂 This time I'm a fly on the wall and a designated footholder. So much to learn.
This is feathered peacock pose-- with a little liberty taken. Maybe I'll gets big fancy feather for my quill to make the samyana portion exciting 😉 we were asked to make a few promises to ourselves this go round: the third & final? Enjoy yourself.
Yes sir. 🎉🎢
Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

"One Wing at a Time"
#tittibhasana
in the primary series you hatch A chicken from the embryo of shoulder pressure. What if you could construct the wings of a firefly from the sails of your boat? 🐜🔥🐝
Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

Art from my mom.

Art from my mom, now on walls.

"Snuggle"
#tourof2nd
#yoginidrasana
So very snug,
like a bug in a rug.
Legs, use 'em both
To get a hug.
Sleep yogi sleep
Nuzzle in deep
Ankles, pillows...
Don't be crude!
Tho this pose misconstrued
Could make a man
Be both lewd & rude.
##🌻🐓🙈🙊🌈 Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

"Ego"
#tourof2nd
#ekapadasirsasana
Put your leg behind your neck and pray it doesn't take your head off with it.
This posture is not without risk and for so many is an extreme challenge, with all its moving parts. Maybe this is the point?

Ahamkara, the I-maker, is born of buddhi, the intellect. This posture challenges the seat of intellect.
Avidya, aka Ignorance, is the biggest obstacle to yoga. With regards to this posture, I can spot two ways ignorance (and ultimately suffering) arise: misidentification of pain as pleasure and false identification of self as not self.
So! A) Don't hurt yourself, and B) Don't confuse your true nature with the tools of perception. You are so much more than this posture!

Don't suffer! ----👻💀👀--- Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

"SOMEWHAT SERIOUS"
#tourof2nd
This posture is named for Matseyendrath who is said to have founded Hatha Yoga, so it is VERY auspicious.
That said, it's "ardha," meaning half... So really, it's only KINDA auspicious. 😌😋😇 Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

"Behind the Scenes"
#tourof2nd
#bharadvajasana
Generally, these clips are not taken from my daily practice. I do them later, because setting up my camera is likely just me creating kleshas in my practice-- obstacles. Most often aversion, but sometimes craving.
The poses we like are as tricky as the poses we hate-- they both get in the way of the yoga happening. 😍=😟 Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

"Not Correct"
#tourof2nd
#bakasana

Rolf poked me in the tummy and said "not strong" -- then I was to pike to handstand and land bakasana.
Because i needed strength.
It was prescriptive for me. I land the posture differently now, but things shifted.
Now I just like to play-- and I've been trying to give handstands back for a long time 😡 🏀🏈🏉🙈 Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

"Strength"
#tourof2nd
They are all strength poses. Strength on strength makes length.
Flexibility and no strength becomes breakable.
Strength and softness? Functional flexibility.
Cultivate tenacity, openness, and curiosity.
It will serve you well.
Don't be afraid to stand strong and push back-- Don't be a pushover.
While we're at it, don't be a dick, and be sure to leave space for mystery.
We're all infinitely strong and infinitely resilient. Perseverance, friends.
Sometimes you really do have to push! But remember to get out of your own way. 🌸--- Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

Well, now he's super soft and cuddly because he's had a bath. And he won't come near the bathroom.

“Sex Sells”

#tourof2nd

About three years ago, my dear friend @suenodevida_ecu me to do some nude modeling with her for an exhibit. This was done by Lamine http://LHARTEK.com in the renaissance style.

Kristen’s about 5’3, and I’m about 6’3. She’s full of fluidity and strength, and I thought we’d pair nicely together. I was intrigued at what the artist would create.
The exhibit went well. This #ustrasana is from that exhibit.

Don’t let the nudity fool you— I’m not selling sex, nor am I selling yoga: I’m selling art. I see very attractive people selling yoga products also.

When you see sexed up asana photos or fancy circus tricks, does it give you pause?
Ask yourself: what are they selling? Is it a branded practice of some kind designed to ensure that they make money from multilevel marketing?
Is it themselves? Do they need to sell themselves as a product to you?
Is it material? Do you like the cute shorts they’ve got for sale? (if so, buy them!) Is it their expertise?

Is it yoga? Are they using sex to sell yoga?
Yoga is not to be sold. Use sex to sell shorts, magazines, or (gasp) more sex. But don’t use sex to sell yoga, it doesn’t need it.
When do we begin to use use yoga to sell sex? Like fancy asana to sell celebrity?
When does it become pornography? The pimping out of yoga?
Is this healthy?
You are not a market nor a commodity!
That said, do support your local artist! And go make Art (digital self portraits!). Don’t create an environment of institutionalized prostitution amongst skilled laborers teaching mindfulness techniques, and be wary of their pimps.

Me, I’m selling magazines. And I believe in it's value. -- http://ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine
*5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01
##yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

Blowing off steam at @humblebeastcf -- train hard. stay humble.

Hair today, gone tomorrow.

My hands are callused from kayaking and barbells. I like them a little weathered, it reminds me of my Dad's hands.
He gave it to me years ago. Did I not like it so much?
Now it makes me feel like a superhero. Is that an "M" or an "H"? My, how tastes change. Love you, Dad!

"Head and Heart Games"
#tourof2nd
#Dhanurasana , a posture which demands you cling for dear life and literally kick your heart open.
Bear in mind a few things when dragging your heart open, kicking and screaming. Perhaps the best advice comes from my folks on this subject:
Make like prom night and keep your knees closed while you're crackin' that heart. 😉

Don't underestimate the great load your shoulders will bear while you kick to infinity -- if you don't get strong and stable shoulders, the load will hurt you over time. Sounds an awful lot like love, eh?

Lastly, use your head!... I played with the head position a bit to explore the movement of energy & muscular recruiting patterns. 😏 --- Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

Gravelly point by kayak.

So glad for one last day on #makara #seaeaglekayak -- glad @lybra20 got to be a #potomacpirate - #latergram

"A Plague of Locusts"
#tourof2nd
What if you had to hold this posture forever? What would you do?
Would you shift the dristi to stay fresh and curious? Would you just settle in and relax, letting it unfurl?

Is there a middle way? --- Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @michaeljoelhall and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

"Weddings"
#tourof2nd
Saturday is a rest day for a lot of folks.. But I often take Sundays off. Today I have a wedding to attend-- there is nothing better than spending time with your very best friends. -- Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
Of course, you will substitute @ashtangadispatch for yourself above. But this way, you can just copy and paste at the end of your posts to make it easy.
I think this one is going to do really well, btw. 🙂

“Monkey Paw”
#tourof2nd

@Pegmulqueen and I met when I was in my early twenties. She had a blog, and I wrote essays. I got shy.

Down the line, we were both @lululemon ambassadors and found ourselves in Vancouver the first ambassador’s summit. 
There, we connected, honestly and openly. She convinced me to do what my Iyengar teacher had told me to do: go practice Mysore. She held my hand for my first day. Really, she mentored me in a lot of ways.

The ambassador’s summit made me take hard looks at the commercialization of yoga. We were asked to goalset and brainstorm, and in the picture you see here, I’m wearing my shirt from the ambassadors summit. It says “I will be on the cover of Yoga Journal by May, 2013”

I wanted to be told I was pretty, to be told I was good enough. I wanted to be a celebrity. To have some “respected” publication tell me feed those needs.
Fuck that noise.

I got in. Instead of getting into the magazine because I was pretty, I got into the magazine because some dudes beat the shit out of me. I was hospitalized and needed money because my insurance lapsed while I was in India, and my community rallied around me. I had helped people, and then they helped me. It’s unbelievable to me to this day.
So @yogajournal wanted to do an article. Who should write that article, you might wonder? Duh. Peggy. She’s an incredible writer, as you may know.

But celebrity and adulation for aesthetic is as much a trap as wanting too much. Do you want to be known or do you want to do good? You can have it both ways, but if you ask for the former, you’ll not get the latter.
You couldn’t have told me that, then.
#Pasasana is called noose pose, and it will strangle you to death.

You better be willing to surrender your constructed beliefs of self and let the practice work its magic. What do you covet? It’s all a god damned trap.

Becareful what you ask for, you just might get it.

Maybe I want to be on the cover of @ashtangadispatch now 😉 --
Host: @jrene01
sponsor: @ashtangadispatch -
#yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

"Living Traditions"
#tourof2nd

I hear stories of this guy named Derick Ireland. He passed away a few years ago, but taught on the beaches of Goa and Greece. He wasn’t so much, on the surface, into the “spiritual” side of things. He wore ankle weights, practiced in less than a speedo, and sold a valid practice off the back of his own gorgeous aesthetic.  I’m told that Guruji had him bind his arms as you might see in an american flow style class. I imagine it was to accommodate his big ol’ biceps.
Funny, that. Remarkably, his legacy is such that he is remembered as a pioneer. He inspired practice in people who are now certified, and have legacies all their own. The John Scotts, The Petri’s, they all met a man who helped spark passion and practice.

Anyway. Bind your arm or leave your palm up. You do you.
--
❤️❤️❤️Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @michaeljoelhall and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter
#yogadudes #ashtangay #menofyoga

"Contentment and Sacrifice"
#tourof2nd

What are you willing to give up for practice?
The first thing that I did for the last time was marathon running. The recovery time was just too much. Then, it was the extracurricular american style flows. “I have enough to work on,” I thought.

At conference, on my first trip the KPJ Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore, South India, I asked Sharath if I would have to give up sports. He said that at some point, if I wished to progress, I would.
So I did. I sacrificed the olympic lifting, the CrossFit, and the sprints to the fire of asceticism. I thought it would help my kapotasana. I thought it would make bakasana easier on my wrists.
Really, I thought I was sacrificing for practice. I spent three years begrudging the decision.

I was confused… I thought that success in asana was success in yoga.
But, contentment is the first of our niyamas, and I was certainly in a place of malcontent. Strong people are useful! And picking up heavy shit makes me happy. Putting it down does too. Racing, playing, jumping— I enjoyed all of them.
As it turns out, in the sacrificing of my own joy, to the benefit of no one, I was getting in my own way. Could I have sacrificed low quality fuel to the fire?
So I made a choice to make myself happy, and risk losing postures. Risk sliding backwards.

Guess what? Practice, and all is coming. (but please don’t tell Sharath ;-)) Thanks to @nopantspartydude for the personal training and @humblebeastcf for a community whose motto is "train hard. Stay humble." And also @davidgarriguesyoga for helping me get back to the fundamentals, like #trikonasana --
Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter #ashtangay #yogadudes #menofyoga

"Updog & Infinity"
#tourof2nd
Beginning in samasthithi, I am a ray of light: infinite, interminable energy.
I begin the sun salutations by reaching to the sky, daring the energy to upwardly rise- then sealing it with the hands.

Containing the energy inwardly and plugging to the earth comes with the second position:  allowing the energy to move from sky to earth, and harnessing it in the middle, at the thorax and pelvis.

With the hands so strong, and the energy sealed into the body, the this vinyasa arrives with an inhalation to head up. Somehow now the legs are light, the hands are strong, and I begin to enter into relationship with gravity.  Over intellectualizing mass, strength and orbit hinder the sheer bliss of moving energy at will.

To arrive at the fourth vinyasa, my hands root into the earth, drawing the rest of me up from the ground. Defying gravity, there is an identification that this energy has no real beginning point and no real end, either. In chatturanga, I allow the body to become a tight vessel for compressing energy.
Here, I try to feel all of the domes of my body aligning and lifting— the dome at the arch of the foot, the pelvic floor, the heart, and the soft pallette. if I have skill in my action, all of those whirling circles will line up for one ephemeral, evanescent moment of exhalation, becoming strong as a staff (and yes, some wizards walk with gnarled staves). With all of this potential energy bottled up in the vessel of the flesh, I  take the fifth vinyasa into upward facing dog. Aha! It is here that I trust my heart to direct the energy up and over. No head in the way, here. The legs shoot energy back infinitely, and my heart beams ahead, perhaps even back up to the sky.
Finally, I find the center of the center, and I let it yoke me back into a contained position, sealing off the energy, and letting it whirl around as I recharge for five exalted exhalations. Then, I reverse course, returning to a singular pillar of light— even standing. A place from which anything is possible. -

Host: @jrene01
Sponsor: @ashtangadispatch

“Four to the Floor”
#tourof2nd #day2

In the early 2000’s, I was a young queer kid cutting his teeth dancing on boxes (shirtless). When that familiar 4/4 beat of a good house groove came on, everyone would book it to the dancedloor-- answering the siren’s call of “four to the floor!” This, you could say, was our mantra.
The Sanskrit word mantra consists of the root man- “to think”, or perhaps mamas as in “mind," and the suffix -tra, meaning “tools or instruments.” So, mantra is an instrument of thought.
Ashtanga yoga is a counted method, and keeping track of what that count is can be tricky. When I first started practicing alone, I could never remember if I had done both sides. Here’s a way to get started memorizing the count, and also make sure you get both sides: remember “four the floor”. Why? Because chatturanga dandasana, four limbed staff pose, is the fourth vinyasa of the Surya Namaskara A. In the Surya Namaskara B, it comes at 4, 8, and 12.
Notice that they’re all divisible by 4. If you can remember the mantra “four to the floor”, then you always know when to do Chatturanga Dandasana in the sun salutations.

Richard Freeman talks about any mantra being a good mantra so long as it works. Eventually, if we repeat the mantra over and over enough, it has power but no meaning— it just devolves back into its root sounds, it seeds. These seeds are powerful. This is one of th reasons I enjoy the sanskrit count so very much. It gets out of languaging I’m familiar with and lets the breath-movement-count become a chimera, greater than the sum of its parts.

That being said,  perhaps the sanskrit is too obtuse or feels like cultural appropriation. Maybe its good to know that I use a great deal of mantras in my practice that come from popular culture and have also thoroughly lost there meaning... except in the way that they hone my focus.
So, when you can remember “four to the floor,” you might also want to remember that chatturanga is "light as a feather and stiff as a board"— and also that "tight is light.” --
Visit @ashtangadispatch & @jrene01 4 more.
#yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration
#gayyoga #ashtanga #menofyoga

"Trini & Tristhana"
#tourof2nd #day1

The Ashtanga yoga practice as taught by Jois is a moving meditation, and for there to be a meditation there must be an object upon which the meditator meditates.
The looking place, the breath patternings, and the observation of balance are three facets of a singular jewel, and this jewel is called "tristhana". The tristhana is the object of meditation for the Ashtanga yoga practice.
The third vinyasa of the surya namaskara is done on an inhalation, and my teacher cues it by saying "trini! -- head up!" during led class.
Vinyasa means "to place in a special way", and since we're doing a breath and movement practice, we call linked breath and movements "vinyasa"

Memorizing the vinyasa count lets the mind settle and drop into attention on the bodies relationship with gravity.
Having a looking place settles the senses. I look at my nose in this posture, as it keeps me from wrinkling my forehead. I'm scared botox will mess up my third eye, so this is the dristi for me! Ha! ---
Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
And visit @ashtangadispatch and @jrene01 for more practice ideas!
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter #Tourof2nd

What's better than being next to a beautiful stranger at a masquerade? #gobigorgoholmes

On my way to the Mayflower for the #gobigorgoholmes reception.

Stopped by the @dcimprov last night and peeked at my old locker-- all my stickers are still there!
The lineup there for November is awesome!

November is creeping up.
Wanna make some shapes with me, @jrene01 , and @ashtangadispatch ??? Share your pic, your thoughts, and your perspective all this month.
The Ashtanga yoga method is so much more than the shapes we make with our bodies-- there's the community, the teachers, and a technique for fostering insight.
As Oscar Wilde said "life is too important to be taken seriously" -- so let's have some fun! -- Find the entire Intermediate Series (and more) in the latest Ashtanga Dispatch —> visit ashtangadispatch.com/themagazine. *5% of all proceeds go to @eaglemountboz, a small charity making a BIG difference by providing outdoor adventures for kids with disabilities.
#yogagivesback #makeadifference #yogachallenge #ashtangadispatch #yogainspiration #intermediateseries #practicedaily #ashtanga #kidsmatter

My fellow Americans, I am so excited for the soon to be formerly Miss Lively! @livelyogini #gobigorgoholmes

Got to tell @shirleymansom of @garbage that I got an empowered self identification label via "queer". All of my love. I hope to pay it forward.

Repost: A few highlights from yesterday's sold-out workshop at @littleriveryoga by @dcashtanga's own @michaeljoelhall! Get tall, dig deep! #ashtangayoga #dcashtanga #mindfulness #breathe #breath #mulabandha #twists #binds #yogalove #dcyoga #mysorestyle #mysoreasana #primaryseries #workshop #practice #deepen

Annabelle Lee

Muppet Joel Hall has big Saturday plans.

Rays of light. Love the process.

Wanna take a #tourof2nd ?? @ashtangadispatch is sponsoring the curation of thoughts and images surrounding the second series of Ashtanga yoga-- called bum-bum-bum, "Intermediate Series.
Join @jrene01 and me @michaeljoelhall for a new posture every day in November!

Use #tourof2nd . . . And get posting!

4⃣ lucky winners a 🆓 copy of our 2nd series Dispatch!
. . .

These posture can be challenging, daunting, and incredibly informative to how we're doing on the mat and off. They also come with lots of stories, filled with animals, dieties, and adventure!
Come play. . . .

Follow and tag all 3⃣ for tips and ideas for practice. Our hope is to make 2nd series less of a challenge 💕 through our challenge! 🌟 share 🌟 follow 🌟 tag 🌟 and of course ... #practiceeverydamnday 🌟 . . . 📷 by @meghanreuck

Sriracha, to go.

We're not in Mysore anymore.

My autobiography's title is already taken. Fuck.

A 5am Haiku:

Off to the shala,
A world away, but same-same.
A brisk morning scoot!

#ashtangapoetry #dcscooter

Thanks Richard! My new scoot is a beaut!

The second best table. #11isjust2number1s #thomasmckanmashup

My oasis is a barbershop.

Go @shelbsthomcat !!
Go @mroike !!

I really just don't know what to wear.

I know it's Putin, but I see @theonlydetox

Early mornings be like.

Afternoons be like

Real talk from @britneyspears -- be the best you you can be!

Want to learn the exotic transitions found in primary and secondary? Trying to identify why they matter? Get a long form look at @mindthemat on Oct 4. http://michaeljoelhall.com/workshops

Before #madonna #latergram

#kingsdominion #spooky

My life in a nutshell.

"Checking your form?"
"No, making an Instagram video. Duh!"

fuck. Fuck. fuck.
FINE.

@jrene01 snapped this picture, and shared this caption: "All that he can do now is hug his blanky. Thanks #DG for schooling us.
#ashtangadispatch #ashtangabitchslapped"

This is my kinda place, @aysphiladelphia --Thank you, @davidgarriguesyoga -- you're a gem and I love learning from you.

Makara on the Potomac at night. Above, @kennedycenter . Below, #seaeagle370 #seaeagle #seaeaglekayak

Twinkle lights as I wait for the light to change. I love 'em. The solar power lasts 'till brahmamuhurtha

You could take all this, take it away
I'd still have it all
'Cause I've climbed the tree of life
And that is why, no longer scared if I fall

When I get lost in space
I can return to this place
'Cause, you're the one

Nothing fails
No more fears
Nothing fails
You washed away my tears
Nothing fails
No more fears
Nothing fails
Nothing fails

I'm not religious
But I feel so moved
Makes me want to pray
Pray you'll always be here

I heard you be the block, but I'm the light that keeps the streets on... And we're all made of star stuff.

Don't call it a comeback.

My new solar powered lights. 1 inch crystal balls.

WHY DOES YOGA AT WORK *work*? $300 billion a year is lost to burn out. $1 trillion in distraction.$ 100k for low back pain over the span of employment.ive been teaching yoga at federal agencies, Fortune 500 companies, NGOs, for the last 8 years. Folks just don't skip work on their yoga day... and it helps with chronic back pain -- chronic back pain being the second most common complaint a physician hears about next to the common cold. Catch me on Cox TV tonight talking with @jackiefell about yoga subsidies within the federal government. FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON WELLNESS A BUSINESS SAVES $3.

"Protect your heART" #streetart as seen on 14th Street, where artists used to live.

Look at those ducks in a row.

The best prison is the one in which the prisoner believes he is free. Nihlisa-frank.tumblr.com

New phone background. Tiger lilies are a favorite. Stinker photobombed.

Spectacle is the sun never sets over the empire of modern passivity.

How I got ready for #rebelheart love you @madonna

Saturday snuggles.

Courtesy of...

Kayak adventure that almost wasn't.

"Keep your eyes on the horizon," read the guide to paddling.

Fuck. Winters coming.

Caught stretching by @mroike -- the funny thing about paying attention to sensations in the body is that you actually start to feel your body. A paradox arises where pain tolerance goes up, but also one's ability to sense that very same pain. From this paradox comes the ability to end suffering in two ways: letting go of a need to fix which is unfixable and taking action upon that which is.
Sounds familiar.

One for Abuela. One for Uncle Tommy. One for the happiness of all those in relations with others. Not bad for $3. #GiulinosSayIdo

Feeling suave before Geoff & @daniidc got hitched. #latergram@#GiulinosSayIdo

Gumby & Pokey both turn up to @humblebeastcf -- yes, even Gumby lifts. Don't skip leg day, gentleman.

A wonderful Labor Day on the roof of the Embassy Row hotel celebrating a friends birthday.

We kayaked all the way to gravelly point, with the planes landing and taking off right over our heads. Too awe-struck to even get a picture. 4 miles!

Life on the #potomac #makara #seaeagle #wmata #dcasfuck

Progressive? Regressive? Egalitarian? #merman at #tabardinn #GiulinosSayIdo

Fell out of triangle today. #GiulinosSayIdo

Considering a new helmet.

Here we go. #GiulinosSayIDo

One of us didn't try hard enough.

I cannot wait. Give me that album, Janet!

New haircut courtesy of Elsie at @barberofhellsbottom

Urban hammock. Logan circle. #bighairdontcare

Second day product. I need a cut.

Sunset. #seaeagle @mroike #washingtondc #lincolnmemorial

Out for sunset on Makara.

What should the new kayak be named? I've got the my bicycle, the MichaelCycle; the car, Mushika (named for Ganesh's vehicle); and now the #SeaEagle 370 needs a proper name.

Sunset at #westmorelandstatepark -- #latergram

Friendship! With #adventuresofpigpup #charliegram and @ladyhawkzuzu

Beating the heat out on the Potomac with #charliegram and @mroike -- #latergram

Practicing post teaching. Because puppies.

Kayaking. Enjoying the Potomac at sunset with @mroike and #charliegram.

#FDR with @mroike

"Make a career of humanity, commit yourself to the noble struggle of equal rights. you will make her greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in District of Columbia 1959

My life right now.

Last little bit of beach time. Until next time, #westmorelandstatepark

Licking his lips, chomping at bits. 😹😼 #westmorelandstatepark

#westmorelandstatepark #gonecamping

#westmorelandstatepark #gonecamping

I love #westmorelandstatepark. #shakeitoff

-- Charlie's finally starting to carry his own weight around here. #serviceanimal #atyourserviceanimal #didyouseewhatididthere.
・・・
Charlie the pack mule. #hiking #camping #charliegram #puppylove @michaeljoelhall

"Gone Campin'"

There is a seemingly never ending cycle of freezing, forgetting, and re- remembering that happens in this life.
If you make it in this world long enough, it all looks the same. Harder, faster, more gives way to the "thank god I'm still alive and have lungs to breathe." The hard truth is that if you make it long enough, all your old friends will be dead.
You've got to be ready to give it all back, or you'll just cry and cry and cry. Your best friend, your beautiful face, your Instagram identity.
I'll tell you a secret: 12 years ago, thoroughly off the deep end of grief, at the bottom of a drug fueled haze, I saw that the universe was made of love. I had lost my best friend in a tragic accident. I couldn't hold that much pain in my heart.
That was a long time ago now, I reckon. Heartbreakingly, in that span of time, I had forgotten her exact voice

Not so long ago, on a shamanic journey, my dead best friend came to me and told me to let go of all this sadness and pain. "nothing ever really dies," she said. "That's not how it works." I had already learned that lesson once. I can hear hear her voice again. "I push myself up through the dirt and shake my petals free. I'm resolved to being born again, and so resigned to bravery." -- Dar Williams

lazy

Saw #verucasalt in concert tonight with one of my oldest and bestest friends, after a visit to my parents. Feeling like a king, no cage. Sorry Ken.

Some of the weird stuff I've been up to with @nopantspartydude -- learning to find my explosiveness, getting balanced, and having f-u-n.

The thing about this video is that it's sped up. Incredibly so. This is a 2 1/2 minute kapo. As I get stronger, as I do more with my body, the poses don't come as easily. So I wait. And I work. And I breathe. I remind myself that this is not how I'll die. Not here. Not like this.

As seen outside humble beast crossfit -- @humblebeastcf -- in DuPont Circle.

DC chillin.

How can we remove Trump's lease from the Old Post Office? This has long been one of my favorite places in the city, and it disgusts me to have his name on it.

At the DC goodwill. Oh man.

#tbt with @conman3500

Hot time, summer in the city!

Charlie the beach bear!

I guess we are too!

Charlie is livin' for Rehoboth!

Charliena Grande.

Current Mood. #streetart #shaw

What do you do post-prax? Cartwheels. Duh. @jrene01

Pretty much.

Thanks for the shot @_xingxing_ @pamelaxing

Ruff life.

As night fell.

The view from the fire escape.

A wonderful weekend.

Ready for a beach weekend?

3 great events in beautiful Lewes, DE! All at the convenient Dimitria Yoga!

Led primary, Transitions, and Mysore-- $100 for all 3, or $40 each!

Sign up: http://goo.gl/h68bHz or http://dimitrayoga.com/workshops

Backbending Workshop @LittleRiverYoga -- Saturday, July 25. 1:30p. Sign up! https://goo.gl/3pkJze

Sebastian and Me.
Photo courtesy of @made_by_mara

Yesterday's post prax selfie with @jrene01

Family day in the District.

Taking it all in.

The moon

Cut it all off or nah?

We shifted the moon! Open Wednesday, 7/1! Closed Sunday, 7/3!

Playtime on Kailash with Karuna

I had a wonderful time at the ashram cohosting a retreat with my first beloved yoga teacher. This beautiful mandala was outside the LOTUS (light of the universal shrine) interfaith strike at the satchidananda ashram. It was with Karuna's guidance that I found myself at the Sivananda ashram deepening my yoga studies in 2008. #todayspattern

From the mud comes beauty.

Trucking.