Yoga District senior teacher Claudia is an expert Mysore teacher who shares a video, student testimonials, and basic info about this transformative yoga tradition. Check it out!
Thoughts on Mysore Yoga from Claudia
Mysore is the traditional way to learn Ashtanga as taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the guru of Ashtanga Yoga, since the beginning. The word Mysore comes from the city of India where he lived, taught, and founded the KPJAYI (Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute). Today, the teachings are transmitted in Mysore, India by his grandson Sri Sharath Jois.
Mysore is an individualized class within a group setting. The class is not “led” (no teacher is calling out posture cues to the whole class at the same time) and offers the student the opportunity to practice and progress at his/her own pace. It is open to all levels, from complete beginners to more advanced practitioners. As you continue to practice you gain stamina, flexibility, strength, and focus, allowing the teacher to add poses to your sequence. Here at Yoga District, we offer morning Mysore (at the H Street studio) and evening Mysore (at the 14th Street studio), giving the student the flexibility to practice at his/her own convenience. As the leading teacher of the Evening Mysore Program and regular Mysore practitioner, I truly believe that Mysore is an excellent way of learning Ashtanga Yoga and yoga in general. With continued practice and as a regular Mysore student, one feels the positive changes to one’s life brought by this amazing self-practice technique. As a Mysore teacher at Yoga District, i am passionate about this class setting, and honored to be offering Mysore to our community. Below is a video of some of the advanced practitioners in my Mysore classes at Yoga District as well as testimonials from some of my students. Enjoy, and I hope to see you in class soon!
Student testimonial from Marina D.
I began my Mysore practice at 14th Street Studio on July 6th with the intention to build a daily routine over the summer, to improve my strength and flexibility. I didn’t know what to expect, and I was nervous. But the moment I walked into the door, Claudia made me feel welcome and supported. I fell in love with her calm energy and impeccable body awareness. She knew instantly how to assist me to maximize my practice. I believe this knowledge comes from her background in Thai Yoga Massage. Claudia is encouraging, and challenges me everyday, giving me something to work on. Mysore has transformed my practice, and also my life. Beyond the physical intentions I had set for myself, I grew so much spiritually and emotionally. With Claudia’s commitment and daily guidance in the Mysore room, I have learned much more in these short 5 months than I had in the two years prior practicing yoga. Mysore has become a huge part of my life that I would not want to miss, and I love the community Claudia is building in the 14th Street Studio. I especially love the one on one attention, which has allowed me to grow so much in my practice. Claudia is very sensitive to each student’s need, and seems to have eyes everywhere in the room. She meets each student where he or she is at, and challenges him or her, supporting him or her optimally to progress in the practice. The daily practice allows me to build a special relationship with my teacher, and Claudia is always eager to lend an open ear before or after practice to any additional needs a student might have. I cannot recommend Claudia enough. She is an excellent, experienced, well-rounded teacher whom I trust fully.
Student testimonial from Joe G.
I’ve been practicing various styles of yoga for 4 or 5 years, but it wasn’t until I began practicing Ashtanga with Claudia this year that my practice gained significant focus and integrity. Claudia has a keen eye for alignment and takes great care to ensure that the body is moving in a healthy way. Ashtanga is a very physically demanding practice, but Claudia encourages me as a student never to sacrificeform for athleticism. A 5-day per week practice with Claudia has allowed me to discover openness in my body, mind, and heart that has taken me by surprise. The most important thing I’ve learned from Claudia and from a regular Ashtanga practice is that yoga isn’t about the poses – the body presents us with new challenges every day, and the best way to manage those is just to show up on the mat.
