Why Mysore?

Hi City Yogi’s and Yogini’s,

Mysore is the second biggest City in the State of Karnataka in southern India. Mysore still has an old world charm which has not given way to modern amenities. It is a city of palaces, gardens, shady avenues and sacred temples. Mysore is also the home of the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute. Sri K. Pattabhi Jois has been teaching the method of Asthanga Vinyasa Yoga here as taught to him by his teacher T Krishnamacharya since 1937. Like other methods of teaching yoga asana, Ashtanga Vinyasa emphasizes physical health as the way to reach true self understanding. Jois teaches yoga asana in the method that was taught to him by his teacher; where student learns directly from teacher and where the teacher helps the student progress at the ideal individual pace. This method of teaching Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga has come to be called “mysore style”, named simply after the home of Pattabhi Jois.

For most of us, yoga is a great physical workout, if you’ve been practicing for a while you might have already noticed that you are stronger, that you’ve toned muscles, that you’ve become more flexible and that you may have even lost those few extra pounds that you’ve wanted to loose. You might have also noticed relief from certain aches and pains that could be from an old car accident or nagging lower back pain. Your body has begun to feel better you have begun to want to treat it better. You find yourself making better food choices or choosing to forgo that last glass of wine in order to get more sleep etc… In short you have begun to feel the benefits of yoga moving off of your mat and into the rest of your life.

In yoga, however, one size does not fit all. Yoga for children focuses on growth: physical, mental, psychological and emotional to gain strength, flexibility and to sharpen the mind. Healthy young adults who do not yet have families might be introduced to yoga where precision and exact practice is emphasized to teach proper techniques. Yoga can also be taught with a focus on maintenance of health, relief of stress, and rejuvenation which is ideal for most adults with families and busy social and professional lives. Yoga can also be taught to deepen and nourish our spiritual side. And finally yoga can focus on the healing of physical, mental, emotional, or psychological unease or dis/ease.

If you were to travel to Mysore to study yoga with Pattabhi Jois you would not find a western style yoga class where teacher is standing in the front instructing the students. Instead you would see each individuals moving through the series of poses most appropriate for their age, their time limit and their faculties and you would see the teacher moving around the room assisting individuals by way of hand’s on adjustments, or verbal cues and explanations. You would see beginning students performing a few asanas next to long time practitioners moving through asana after asana. In this setting the teacher has the opportunity to work directly with the individual student. Teaching in a studio that has predominantly all “led” classes, I can tell you what a gift it is to be able to work with someone in this way.

So… I am happy to say that 2007 is bringing two Mysore Ashtanga classes to City Yoga on Wednesday nights from 5:30-7:20pm and on Friday mornings from 6:00-8:00am. Attending these classes gives you the flexibility to arrive when you want allotting yourself the amount of time you need for your practice. If you are a beginner you will have the opportunity to discover yoga in the way that is best for your individual needs. As an advanced practitioner you will be able to explore your breath, your pranayama practices, or maybe your second series poses in both cases without trying to conform to the pace of the rest of the class.

I hope you all take advantage of these classes and enjoy them as much as I enjoy offering them.

Much love,
Katie