Video: Yoga with MJH
This is an introduction to the Functional Ashtanga Yoga Training Program
This is an introduction to the Functional Ashtanga Yoga Training Program
One of the most brilliant aspects of the ashtanga vinyasa yoga physical practice lies in its adaptability. Not unlike the swiss army knife housing a blade, a toothpick, and a bottle opener, the ashtanga yoga practice works effectively across a spectrum of applications. Not confined to being solely a central axis meditation, one could also consider the vinyasa practice a kind of physical therapy. After all, Guruji referred to the primary series of ashtanga yoga as “yoga therapy” — yoga chitiksa. The premise here is that this practice, when done correctly, heals the body. What needs healing, one might ask? To my mind, its an easing of chronic pain, the kind that subsist long after trauma has been healed. The other is acute pain, the…
In the United States, the debate over whether yoga teachers should be classified as employees or independent contractors is complex and fraught with challenges. The truth is, the role of a yoga teacher often aligns more closely with the responsibilities and characteristics of a contractor rather than an employee. Flexibility and Autonomy One of the main reasons why being a contractor is a more accurate classification is the nature of the work itself. Yoga teachers generally enjoy a significant degree of flexibility and autonomy in how they operate. As independent contractors, teachers have the freedom to choose where, when, and how often they teach. They can work for multiple studios, offer private lessons, lead workshops, or teach online, building a diverse portfolio that aligns with…
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…
The financial challenges that many yoga teachers face have been an enduring issue within the industry. For years, teachers have struggled to earn livable wages, often working long hours with little job security, no benefits, and limited opportunities for growth. The COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated the yoga industry and shuttered studios worldwide, exposed just how precarious this financial situation was. Many teachers were left without income, unprepared to weather such a crisis. It has become increasingly clear that financial equity for yoga teachers is not just a matter of fair wages—it’s about creating sustainable business models that can withstand future disruptions. In my work, I have become passionate about addressing this issue, with the hope of helping yoga teachers learn how to create financial stability…
adapted from the DC Ashtanga Newsletter for April Ashtanga yoga is practiced six days a week. So, when is it okay to take a day off from yoga… and when should we reconsider canceling? Inertia is a funny thing. Objects at rest tend to stay at rest. Objects in motion, when in a straight path with nothing slowing them down, tend to stay in motion. With this little bit o’ physics, we can say that getting up and doing your practice can become its own perpetual motion machine, right? Yoga + Science = Win! (?) Not so fast. When is it appropriate to take off a day from practice? Saturday. Maybe do an oil bath. We have a six day a week practice, right? Saturday is a great…
If you’ve made it this far, you already know that yoga is an ancient practice that has been around for centuries and is beloved by many for its physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. But did you know that there is a special type of yoga that is even more advanced and powerful? It’s called the yoga of synthesis and it is a unique approach that combines a variety of yogic traditions to provide a holistic experience. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at what the yoga of synthesis is, as well as how it differs from other types of yoga. We’ll explore how this approach can help to bring peace, balance, and well-being into your life. Lastly, we’ll provide some tips on how…