It is with great sadness that I share the news of Sharath Jois’s passing. At 53, Sharath’s passing is quite sudden. He is considered by many to be responsible for upholding the Mysore style of ashtanga yoga’s lineage. As such, for many in the Ashtanga community, Sharath’s teachings and presence became central to their (our) practice, and his loss will be deeply felt
To maintain equity for yoga teachers, compensation should vary based on whether the teacher is classified as an employee or an independent contractor, taking into account the responsibilities, expectations, and benefits associated with each role: 1. Employee Compensation Model 2. Independent Contractor Compensation Model 3. Additional Considerations to Ensure Equity 4. Hybrid Compensation Models Maintaining equity in compensation ultimately means recognizing the different responsibilities and benefits associated with each role—employee or contractor—and adjusting pay accordingly to ensure teachers are supported, valued, and able to sustain their livelihood. It also requires open communication and transparency so that teachers understand what they are being compensated for and have the opportunity to advocate for fair treatment.
I wanna start this essay by saying that I have come to this essay as the inevitable conclusion of the work that I have been doing in my market analysis of the yoga industrial complex (system). Like many things that I spent months researching inside tgis system, the conclusions were clear: because Yoga is inherently steeped in values like compassion, social responsibility, and friendliness, the production of yoga requires so many intangible stocks that the industry is a nonlinear system. This means we have to use behavior analysis to forecast trends as opposed to basic input output data. Thats the hard kind of systems theory. When I was 17 years old, the Navy wanted me to join their nuclear program and would have provided me…
@hokiesuzi ilu raise him better than you raised me 😉
They came and marched. and now theyre raising a new generation. May we all be well.
The commodification of yoga doesn’t just dilute its spiritual and personal dimensions—it also leads to exploitative behaviors within studios. I’ve seen studio owners adopt practices that undermine both the integrity of yoga and the well-being of their teachers. I’ve been lucky enough to watch my newsletter get unfollowed by two local studio owners, and I’ve…
A love letter to my muse: Ron started digging into yoga asana with me around 65 or so. He started digging into the yoga philosophy around 80 or so. I am at my most inspired, right now, in 2024 in no small part to this man. I have a feeling of reverence for my brother,…
this is so real.
A colleauge of mine feels overwhelemed and uninspired in their teaching, and feeling sore, sluggish, and resetful of their ashtanga practice . Sound familiar? I’ve sure as fuck been there. When the well is dry, it’s dry. No creativity, more irritation, and a creeping sense of burnout. Sure, our practice can help refill the cup, but one of its greatest gifts is its ability to alert us to imbalances before we hit empty. We might first notice it in outsized reactions to small annoyances—like my mom being more pissed at traffic than her own cancer. It’s a classic sign that something deeper is off, and it’s not just about the traffic. In our own system, when we’re flipping out over something inconsequential, it’s often because…