What even is Mysore style Ashtanga?
A Mysore style Ashtanga Yoga class is an assisted self practice class.
In these classes all of our students are working on the same sequence of postures but their practice is tailored to where they’re each at. Students work through their own practice guided and supported by an experienced teacher.
Your teacher will suggest ways of working with the postures that are most helpful to you. They’ll also give you advice on how far through the sequence to practice for optimal benefit as well as when’s good for you to begin working on the next posture(s).
Mysore style teachers are long time Ashtanga practitioners with many years of experience of practicing those same postures and being assisted and supported by their own teachers.
What’s the practice?
In Ashtanga Yoga students practise a set sequence of postures which builds in complexity and intensity as you move through them. Each posture is laying a foundation for what comes after and is built on what comes before.
Tailored teaching
The format is always the same no matter how experienced a practitioner you are. Starting with Surya Namaskar A & B (sun salutations) gives your practice foundation. You’re working to establish breath and rhythm as well as starting to work on the building blocks which underpin the entire practice.
The standing postures help you find grounding and balance as well as developing strength and flexibility.
Primary Series seated postures build flexibility, strength, understanding of the techniques and confidence. David Keil, Yoganatomy explains:
“Anatomically, primary series emphasises external hip rotation, anterior pelvic tilt, and an increased length in the back of the body overall. Moving through the entire primary series also requires stability and strength in the shoulder girdle in order to repeat the vinyasas that come between each side of the posture and the postures themselves.”
You’re primarily working on externally rotating the hips, building awareness around the movement of the pelvis, creating space in the back of the body and developing shoulder stability/mobility all in preparation for the intensity of back bending.
You’re also recognising and undoing patterns of movement and behaviour to allow you to begin to work at a deeper level by sitting for pranayama practice and for meditation, and working the body through the deeper levels that follow in Ashtanga’s further series of postures.
And relax…
The finishing postures help calm and steady your nervous system again after all of the activity and stimulation. This gets your body and mind ready for the experience of deep relaxation at the end of your practice.
If you’d like to read more on the purpose of Primary Series here’s a couple of good articles:
What are we doing in primary series?
The Logic of the Ashtanga Yoga Asana System
Where does the name Mysore come from?
This style of class is named for the town in Southern India where Patabhi Jois studied and practised with his teacher Krishnamacharya. When Krishnamacharya left Mysore (around 1953) Patabhi Jois became the teacher of yoga at the Sanskrit College. He subsequently became a Professor of Sanskrit there and set up the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute (AYRI) where he taught until he died in 2009. It’s now the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute (KPJAYI) where his grandson Sharath Jois is the director.
Mysore Palace, South India
In the late 1960’s Belgian student André Van Lysebeth studied and practised with Patabhi Jois. He went on to write about his training in articles, even mentioning Patabhi Jois by name and address in one of his books. The first American, Norman Allen arrived in Mysore in 1973. Others followed and in 1975 Patabhi Jois gave his first workshop in the USA.
You can read more on how interest in Ashtanga Yoga spread in this great article:
How Ashtanga Yoga found its way to the West
You’ll find Rose Ann’s Morning Mysore style classes 6-8am Tuesday and Wednesday each week. We ask for Morning Mysore class you’re familiar with Ashtanga style Surya Namaskar A & B and the standing sequence of postures.
I have Evening Mysore style classes Monday & Thursday 5.30-7.30pm.
Rose Ann & Judi
Judi x
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