Until end of June, almost every Sunday, there will be an ashtanga yoga Mysore style class at The Looking Glass Studio at Feldbergstrasse 1 in Basel. Gabi, Jill and I share the responsibility of teaching.
Time:
8-10am
Pricing:
30 CHF regular / 20 CHF student
Dates:
12.4. - Gabi
19.4. - Tanja
3.5. - Tanja
17.5. - Gabi
31.5. - Jill
7.6. - Jill
21.6. - Tanja
28.6. - Jill
What is ashtanga yoga?
Ashtanga yoga is eight-limbed yoga. It’s a style of hatha yoga where breath and movement are synchronized and linked together in 6 set sequences. It’s traditionally practiced in the morning, 5-6 days of the week (individual modifications to this are possible if needed). During the practice there is a gazing point (drishti) for each position. You also focus on breathing with sound, solely through your nose, as well as engaging energy locks in the lower abdomen and pelvic region (uddiyana and mula bandha). Breath, bandha and drishti together are called tristhana. Using tristhana following a set sequence of asanas (postures) that you learn by heart allows to build focus, heat and meditation.
Asana is one of the 8 limbs and you usually start there. There are also yama (abstinences), niyama (observances), pranayama (breath control), prathyahara (sense withdrawal), dharana (sense withdrawal), dhyana (concentration) and samadhi (absorption, “enlightenment”).
What is a “Mysore style” class?
Essentially, it’s one on one teaching in a group setting. The name comes from the Indian city Mysuru (Mysore), where the tradition of ashtanga yoga comes from. There is no music being played and each participant practices their sequence at their own rhythm of breathing. This means you only hear the meditative layers of different people’s breath and steps on the mat. Verbal or hands on adjustments are given by the teacher, going from student to student. If you have an injury or don’t want to receive hands-on adjustments, please inform the teacher.
Can I come as a beginner?
Yes, but please reach out to me beforehand, if you go to Gabi or Jill, ask them if they accept beginners. Know that I will be explaining you how to breathe and be showing you the two different surya namaskara (sun salutations) of ashtanga yoga, 4-8 standing postures and 3 seated postures and no more than that. You can take these learnings and try to repeat them 2-4x per week until you come to class again.
What’s the history of ashtanga yoga?
The general principles outlined for practice are said to be ancient and have been given from teacher (guru) to student (shishyah) for a long time. This is called parampara.
We know that the basis for ashtanga yoga has been laid out approximately 2’000 years ago with the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali, but this text doesn’t mention asana. Krishnamacharya learned many asanas from his teacher R. Brahmacharya and he also referenced a text called Yoga Korunta. The manuscript had been eaten by insects, but recently, there has been a discovery of a text that could be the Yoga Korunta. It’s currently dated to be from the 18th century and it mentions things such as jump throughs and jump backs, which are essential components of ashtanga yoga.
The practice as we know it today has originated in Mysore during the 20th century, when K. Pattabhi Jois put what he learned from his teacher, T. Krishnamacharya, into 6 sequences. Krishnamacharya is also called “the grandfather of modern yoga”, as many of his students went on to share their teachings with the world, e.g. BKS Iyengar shared Iyengar yoga. Many styles such as vinyasa, jivamukti, power yoga and so on are “descendants” of ashtanga yoga, so it’s had a huge influence on how yoga is practiced today.
Pattabhi Jois (1915-2009) went on to teach what he learned and compiled into the ashtanga yoga series to his children Saraswathi (my teacher) and Manju Jois (also a senior teacher), many students from all over the world, as well as his grandson Sharath Jois.
Sharath was the head teacher until November 2024 when he unexpectedly passed away. There have been some upsetting posthumous revelations about Pattabhi Jois committing sexual misconduct upon some female students, e.g. touching between legs, buttocks and breasts during adjustments. There can be a tendency of people not questioning someone (a teacher, their community’s beliefs and actions) or something (a system of practice) if they have had very life changing, positive experiences from it. Some people have turned a blind eye to this darker aspect of the ashtanga yoga history for a long time. It’s important to me that this part of history is known.
Personally, this practice has been absolutely life changing for me and one of the best things for my health, both mental, spiritual and physical. I have been sad and upset for a while and rejected the whole system and community for 4 years due to the misconduct. I came back to practice though, because the method itself works well for me (it doesn’t work for everyone, maybe there is something else that is more helpful for you). In my rational mind it sounds silly, but for me, there really is something magical about practicing in Mysore, India, for example. This practice is the only way I can get in touch with spirituality in an agnostic way. It also helps me be more compassionate, empathetic and organized. I have built some wonderful friendships too through this practice. I hope I can teach ashtanga to you in a way that feels liberating, not overwhelming.