About: Brooks Hall
Posts by Brooks Hall:
In Support of Slutwalk (My Burlesque Debut), and Yogathon.by Brooks Hall on Sep 23, 2012 In the spirit of Slutwalk, I am not ashamed of my body as expressed in a burlesque performance. There is also an opportunity to benefit Rape Victim advocates by doing yoga! 763 views |
Proud To Be Vaginamerican.by Brooks Hall on Jul 7, 2012 I in no way want to suggest that all Americans with vaginas (or appearing female) are the same. In fact I believe that all individuals, including people with all unique features and characteristics of body, have a birthright to discover and define themselves for themselves. 757 views |
A Vagina Manifesto For Males & Females.by Brooks Hall on Jun 21, 2012 Frankly, I want to include men and every unique expression of gender in my vision for an awesome planet of loving-sexy-beautiful relations. 1,640 views |
Queering My Sexuality.by Brooks Hall on Jun 11, 2012 I see two key elements of queering sexuality from the book. The first one is “the idea of coming out of the closet as enjoying sex on our own terms.” The second is “about being a sexual person whose wants and needs are self-defined.” 816 views |
Gimme the Divine Boy with the Sacred Boobs.by Brooks Hall on Jun 4, 2012 To put the divine feminine solely on females and the sacred masculine on people with male-sexed bodies only (as a couple of recent articles on elephant have done) is an extremely limited perception, as I see it. 667 views |
A Revelation About Massaging My Vagina.by Brooks Hall on May 29, 2012 First attempting this massage was a bit like “poking around” down there. It was almost as if the finger was like a stick, and the places accessible inside the vagina were also hardened or softer, depending on where I touched. 33,139 views |
Sexy, Cultish Power, Yoga & Healing.by Brooks Hall on Mar 3, 2012 When I first heard about the scandal concerning John Friend, I was completely stunned. It was hard for me to believe, at first. 3,744 views |
The Science of Yoga: from Ritual Sex to Yogic Hypersexuality.by Brooks Hall on Jan 23, 2012 ‘The Science of Yoga: The Risks and Rewards’ is a fascinating chronology containing data from scientific inquiry, and further postulations of author, William J. Broad, senior science writer for The New York Times and yoga practitioner since 1970. 3,488 views |
Yoga and Pelvic What? …You Know, “Down There.”by Brooks Hall on Jan 4, 2012 Some of my friends have drawn a blank when it comes to yoga and the pelvic floor. “What’s that?” they might ask, or “Why?” is another question that sometimes comes up. 1,209 views |
On Writing Yoga, Honoring Teachers, and Having Fun on the Path.by Brooks Hall on Oct 25, 2011 I am so grateful for everything that took place so that I could have the experience of first resisting, and then reading this wonderful book… 545 views |
Is Rape Culture Darwin’s Fault?by Brooks Hall on Sep 26, 2011 I’ve found myself questioning the values of the culture I’m living in. It’s a culture that tends to look the other way when many people are raped. Why? 2,886 views |
Grabbable Buns, Media, Glitz and Yoga on the 103rd floor.by Brooks Hall on Aug 14, 2011 We were directed to “squeeze the glutes! Because, you know what they say… If we don’t squeeze the glutes then nobody else is going to want to squeeze them for us.” 907 views |
The Magic Mountain of Freedom, Love and Deathby Brooks Hall on Aug 7, 2011 We dream anonymously and communally, though each in his own way. The great soul, of which we are just a little piece, dreams through us so to speak, dreams in our many different ways its own eternal, secret dream—about its youth its hope its joy, its peace, and its bloody feast. 551 views |
Slathering Yoga-Infused Love all over Björk’s Crystalline.by Brooks Hall on Jul 19, 2011 I’ve been listening (rather obsessively) to Björk’s new single, Crystalline, and have been enjoying yoga-infused inspirations and visions from the lyrics. 680 views |
Yoga Blogging Chronicles of Brooks Hallby Brooks Hall on Jul 14, 2011 When I say, “I am a yoga blogger,” I consider this statement to align a bit closer to the statement “I have an obsession/addiction/guilty pleasure” than “I matter” or “I am on the cutting edge.” 1,179 views |
Open to a Radical Acceptance of Life, including Death and Suicidal Thoughts.by Brooks Hall on Jun 11, 2011 Every year, worldwide, an estimated three-quarters of a million people take their own life, making suicide and attempted suicide subjects we need to explore with much more creativity and interest. ~Michael Stone 699 views |
SlutWalk Chicago.by Brooks Hall on Jun 4, 2011 Somehow I just really believe that we should live in a more permissive society. 2,125 views |
Suicidal Education. How Thinking on Death Might Help.by Brooks Hall on May 31, 2011 There are times when people we know might want to die, and we might also catch ourselves wishing for death at times. Might it hold meaning for us? 896 views |
Midnight in Paris explores a deeper sense of time.by Brooks Hall on May 29, 2011 I walked into the movie feeling blue and came out feeling uplifted and new! And isn’t that enough. 706 views |
How are you wearing your asana?by Brooks Hall on May 14, 2011 “…gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart and these body-clothes…” 1,094 views |
We Might All Be Mothers: Wild Feminine and Starship Uterusby Brooks Hall on May 7, 2011 Internal sexual anatomy offers resources to help us in life beyond their reproductive powers. 993 views |
The Yoga of Earth Day: try Warrior Pose.by Brooks Hall on Apr 16, 2011 Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. ~Khalil Gibran Feet broaden to embrace the ground under them; earth returns the affection. Legs are strong, pulling the stability up from the center of the world. The arms and bent leg thigh are in [...] 1,097 views |
The movie ‘Limitless’ is somewhat limited.by Brooks Hall on Mar 19, 2011 Limitless is well acted and visually interesting. In terms of filmic technique, the story—such as it was—is well told. I think that what this movie lacks for me is soul. It starts out with the main character comparing himself to a bum; his hair’s a mess and he’s in a slump. Then he takes a [...] 934 views |
Should Lululemon be talkin’ about my “muffin”?by Brooks Hall on Mar 15, 2011 This language seems a bit presumptuous for a pair of pants… 1,433 views |
More human than humans?by Brooks Hall on Mar 6, 2011 Of great virility and enthusiasm, good looking, courageous, learned in scriptures, studious, sane of mind, not melancholy, keeping young, regular in food, with his senses under control, free from fear, clean, skillful, generous, helpful to all, firm, intelligent, independent, forgiving, of good character, of gentle speech and worshipping his Guru, such is a supreme seeker, [...] 1,293 views |
Pelvic Floor Goddess, Leslie Howard Creates Magical Space.by Brooks Hall on Feb 27, 2011 * Love your pelvis. * 1,072 views |
Feelin’ like doo doo? Pigs like it…by Brooks Hall on Feb 22, 2011 Yogis = Happy always? Naaa. 493 views |
The Sex of Yoga & the Joy of Everyday Life.by Brooks Hall on Feb 13, 2011 I don’t want a sexually cleansed life. 2,705 views |
On Becoming a Shelter, and Getting off the Duff to Serve Others.by Brooks Hall on Jan 19, 2011 Karuna is not merely showing pity or compassion and shedding tears of despair for the misery (duhkha) of others. It is compassion coupled with devoted action to relieve the misery of the afflicted. The yogi uses all his resources—physical, economic, mental or moral—to alleviate the pain and suffering of others. He shares his strength with [...] 522 views |
Jealous of a Flower? No Way!by Brooks Hall on Jan 12, 2011 Mudita is a feeling of delight at the good work (punya) done by another, even though he may be a rival. Through mudita, the yogi saves himself from much heart-burning by not showing anger, hatred or jealousy for another who has reached the desired goal which he himself has failed to achieve. ~B.K.S. Iyengar, Light [...] 420 views |
Yoga with the Vagina, Hoo-ha, Coochie?by Brooks Hall on Jan 4, 2011 Whether you are a woman or a man, I think that we could all probably do a better job of integrating the wonderful, intelligent va-jay-jay into our lives. Even though the book, What’s Up Down There? by Lissa Rankin, M.D. isn’t about yoga per se, the effect of reading the book is that of more [...] 3,352 views |
I’m in haiku heaven with #reverb10.by Brooks Hall on Dec 19, 2010 Writing a response in the form of a haiku for the prompts from #reverb10 every day in December so far has been so fun. #reverb10 is an online event to reflect on this year and manifest what’s next. Here are some of my responses from Yogic Muse: 19 – Healing Renewable. My mind and body [...] 297 views |
 How about some peace and happiness with a side of potatoes for the holidays?by Brooks Hall on Dec 15, 2010 Man’s condition. Inconstancy, boredom, anxiety. ~ Blaise Pascal It is a sign of health and sanity to seek happiness. ~ Georg Feuerstein Do people still want happiness? Do we believe in it? Or has happiness become like one of those ubiquitous tchotchkes, that we might consider, and enjoy lightly from time to time, but not really [...] 361 views |
Yogi is free like a happy tree!by Brooks Hall on Dec 5, 2010 I like to think of myself as a tree. As a tree I am connected to the essential elements of existence. Through the roots I connect down deep into the earth, and through leaves I take in the sun’s energy. I flourish as a tree. As a tree I turn inward to experience my internal [...] 406 views |
Moo-Laah(bandha)! Aaah. Growing on Trees?by Brooks Hall on Nov 22, 2010 I went on the Magical Mulabandha (moo-laah-Bunn-dhaah) and Book Tour for The Mirror of Yoga with Richard Freeman in Chicago. And I’m flying high on mulabandha! But maybe I should back up a little… The weekend started with a talk and book signing on Friday night with Richard Freeman at Yogaview. Seemingly not one for [...] 1,300 views |
The Downside of Favoring Only the Upside.by Brooks Hall on Nov 14, 2010 Guilt = the gap between values and behavior. ~Diana Alstad This was some of the groundwork offered in a recent talk by Joel Kramer and Diana Alstad. They shared that from their worldview, they feel that it is unhealthy to have unattainable goals, because they just make us feel bad about ourselves. And to truly [...] 812 views |
How Transcendent Ideals Might Limit Us.by Brooks Hall on Nov 7, 2010 Joel and Diana are cool. This past weekend I went to five talks given by Joel Kramer and Diana Alstad at Yogaview in Chicago. They are coauthors of The Passionate Mind Revisited: Expanding Personal and Social Awareness and The Guru Papers: Masks of Authoritarian Power. You might guess from the titles of their books that [...] 1,565 views |
Eating to Pooping, and Other Unintended Effects.by Brooks Hall on Nov 4, 2010 As I move through life, I am sloughing off skin, constantly. I don’t intend to do this, but it is helpful to loose this layer of dead cells, revealing fresh skin. If I weren’t doing this well enough, my skin would appear nasty and I would start to itch. I’d have to get the old [...] 1,103 views |
Empowered Fall Yoga Celebration at Kripalu with Jay Winston and Seane Corn.by Brooks Hall on Oct 26, 2010 Last weekend I attended the Empower Flow Yoga program with Seane Corn at Kripalu. It was extra-fun because I also met Elephant columnist (and long-time Internet friend), Jay Winston for the weekend. The first night just felt like such a celebration of flowing yoga—facilitated by Seane Corn—practicing right next to Jay! It was like an [...] 1,175 views |
Rescued Rabbit and Surprising Shameby Brooks Hall on Oct 19, 2010 Fritter, the bunny, was rescued after abandonment. His under-side was completely matted. The vet said that it was because he had been confined in a wet cage. Fritter was a trooper! When he came to me he still had some matting around his private areas, even though my friends who took him in first had [...] 468 views |
Yoga Porn? Or Boundless Expression.by Brooks Hall on Oct 13, 2010 When I found myself going to yoga after work practically every day and on the weekends, I suspected I was hooked—like, seriously interested in yoga. I remember sometimes justifying the expense of doing yoga frequently by telling myself that eating out would cost about that much (or more), and I wouldn’t be eating out because [...] 3,948 views |
Trees About to Get Naked and Maybe I Should Join Them.by Brooks Hall on Oct 7, 2010 I’m a little jealous of the way the trees can show off like that—blasting color on their way to shedding the accumulation of this year’s leaves. If it were only that easy with my personality and personal effects… But these things seem to cling to me like peanut butter sticks in a dry mouth. “Just [...] 572 views |
The Lonely Side of The Social Network.by Brooks Hall on Oct 4, 2010 The movie, ‘The Social Network’ features the birth of Facebook inside the milieu of partying college kids. For the video trailer of The Social Network (plus two parodies), click here. The Mark Zuckerberg character, played by Jesse Eisenberg, coded Facebook in a state of lonely ambition. He had recently been dumped. He worked hard. He [...] 681 views |
Beginner’s Guide: there is No Wrong Path in Yoga.by Brooks Hall on Sep 20, 2010 …one doesn’t want to end up in the middle of something that doesn’t have anything to do with you. (Although I am a long-time user of the internet and am well aware of the way discussions evolve and devolve around here. That I get.) Nonetheless, the questions I’m asking feel ill-timed, if nothing else. ~Anonymous [...] 1,009 views |
“Still Walking Around the Temple” by Suzanne Clores.by Brooks Hall on Sep 15, 2010 The Rabbi said, “This is a book for freaks and outcasts.” He hadn’t read it, of course… Ten years ago, I published a memoir that enraged a famous Rabbi because it legitimized the personal quest for spirit. On the public television panel, the Rabbi said, “This is a book for freaks and outcasts.” He hadn’t [...] 962 views |
Kathryn and Tara: I’m a fan!by Brooks Hall on Sep 9, 2010 I Like Kathryn Budig. I like Tara Stiles. I don’t know them personally, but I’m fascinated by them. At the beginning of George W. Bush’s presidency, I remember being fascinated by his daughters. I really enjoyed the story of them getting carded for margaritas at a Mexican restaurant with their secret service people just outside. [...] 1,341 views |
Slim Sexy Savvy and Yoga-sexby Brooks Hall on Sep 6, 2010 Tara Stiles’ new book Slim Calm Sexy Yoga speaks to the pressures of our times, offers compassionate help, and sends mixed messages—including a message of hope for a big change in how we think. Slim Calm Sexy Yoga offers some helpful thoughts—like focusing on the breath in yoga, but its emphasis on sex and skinniness [...] 5,167 views |
Power to the Pubis! Accepting the fullness of feminity along with our strength!by Brooks Hall on Aug 22, 2010 On Kathryn Budig, Toesox, Lululemon…and the Powerful Female Pelvis. The recent letter written by Judith Hanson Lasater that was published in Yoga Journal has received a lot of attention. For me, it reawakened a deep dream. It was as if a deep well containing my dream (that had been plugged up by years of not [...] 4,779 views |
Slim, Sexy Yogini + Car, and what the heck are we sayin’ here at Elephant?by Brooks Hall on Aug 14, 2010 What’s good about this Nissan car ad with Tara Stiles is that it communicates about a car that has the potential to cause less harm to the environment, and it gets yoga to the eyes of a mainstream audience. But it makes mistakes in message, too. There is a big pull-out centerfold advertisement in the [...] 4,917 views |
Calling for Empowering Visions from Advertisers of Yoga Products.by Brooks Hall on Aug 10, 2010 How should yoga be represented in advertising? Is nudity appropriate? There has been much discussion about nudity in advertising when the subject is yoga, thanks to a letter written by Judith Hanson Lasater to Yoga Journal. I am so grateful to her for writing the letter, and I am thankful to Yoga Journal for publishing [...] 651 views |
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