AshtangaNews Ashtanga Yoga Matters (as taught by Sri K Pattabhi Jois)

[This is part of our series Practicing Mysore-Style Ashtanga in a Large Metropolitan Area. The previous installment is this site’s 6th most popular post as of August 2007, Practicing Mysore-Style Ashtanga in New York . Let me know if you want to write about Los Angeles, London or anywhere else where there are 3 or more established Mysore-Style classes - Ed.]

I was fortunate to travel to Tokyo recently, and as I always do when visiting far away lands, I went to try out the Mysore-Style studios there. Let me add that I love Japan, having lived there for two years before I had discovered Ashtanga Yoga. After reading on AshtangaNews.com about how popular this style of yoga had become there (here, here and here), I was eager to see for myself.

I found that there are 3 (Update 8/23, now 4!) main studios in Tokyo where Mysore-Style is taught:

• Ken’s place in Ogikubo
• Tarik at YoggiStudio in Shibuya
• Chama at Yoga Tokyo also in Shibuya
• Barry Silver in Yoyogi Uehara

I heard of a fifth place opening in Shinjuku, in the West part of the city. If you know about this please let me know so that I can update this list.

Tokyo is by far the largest metropolitan area I have ever been to (35 million people), and Ashtanga is booming there. My first practice was at Chama’s place in Shibuya. It’s a small space fitting maybe 12 students at a time, but very intimate and friendly. Jane, an Australian who has lived in Japan many years, was kind enough to meet me at the station and take me to the studio.

in Japan you can choose your cellphone ring and color tone

Quick aside - having the address of a place in Japan does not guarantee you will be able to find it. Even taxi driver frequently get lost. Always try to have the map to a place with you. From Wikipedia:

Street names are not used in postal addresses (except for Kyoto and some Hokkaidō cities such as Sapporo), and most Japanese streets do not have names. […] It is for this reason when giving directions to a location, most people will offer cross streets, visual landmarks and subway stations such as “at Chūō-dori and Matsuya-dori across the street from Matsuya and Ginza station,” for the Apple Store in Tokyo. In fact, many small businesses have maps on their literature and business cards. In addition, signs attached to utility poles often specify the city district name and block number, and detailed block maps of the immediate area are sometimes posted near bus stops and train station exits.

Chama often posts photos of the practice room on the studio’s blog. Here’s one:

the practice room at Yoga Tokyo

The practice room is small and cosy. If you want a lot of attention, this would be a good place to go to. The books for sale in the lobby included translations of two classics of Ashtanga Yoga literature, Ashtanga Yoga for Women and John Scott’s book. He is a superstar in Japan, and his workshops are always packed to the gills when he visits.

We had a friendly coffee afterwards with Zen, Jane and Chama.

Hanging out in Tokyo with local yogis

The first studio in Japan to offer Mysore-Style was Ken Harakuma’s and Basia Lipska’s Ashtanga Yoga Japan in Ogikubo, close to Shinjuku (but outside the Yamanote-sen, Tokyo’s Circle Line). When I visited the studio Ken and Basia were traveling to Mysore, so Barry Silver (from AYNY) was subbing. I had met him before so it was a pleasant surprise. At a soba noodle lunch afterwards he told me that he loved being in Japan, and as gaijin almost invariably do we shared our impressions of the country.

The studio itself is very close to the train station and at the top of a small building, quite spacious by Japanese standards. Space is really at a premium there, as evidenced by this poster on the right.

There were a lot of advanced practitioners and you could see Guruji’s influence in the photos, posters and practices. I had a sense of a place with a long history (by modern yoga standards!).

Tarik teaches in Shibuya like Chama, but a little closer to the station. The area around Shibuya station itself is one of the wonders of modern Japan. About 2.3 million people go through it every day, and the giant screens on the buildings make Time Square’s look amateurish.

The studio is on the fifth floor of a building in the midst of this modern whirl, with windows overlooking Shibuya square. Again, many advanced practitioners and probably more gaijin than at the other studios. I finally got to meet Tarik too, after having heard much about him. He is very tall but very gentle, which makes for an ideal combination for adjustments. When is not doing or teaching yoga, he is very busy learning Japanese. Gambatte!

Tarik and Philippe

There seems to be a boom in all things yoga in Japan. On the subway, there are a lot of posters selling healthy and stress-relieving products with models doing yoga poses. There are also a lot of yoga studios opening everywhere. Ashtanga yoga especially seems appealing to the culture, with its forms which are reminiscent of martial art katas.

All in all, Tokyo has a vibrant and growing Mysore-Style community. With so many people starting to get an interest in yoga and especially Ashtanga, it feels like it’s only the beginning. I wonder what it will be like ten years from now.

where Tarik teaches, Yoggistudio in Shibuya, Tokyo

In a previous post we talked about Lisa Hill from Chicago who is currently teaching in Tokyo. Here is an interview of some of her students and co-teachers from the Tokyo Yoga studio in Shibuya.

What do you think about yoga students in Tokyo?
It’s becoming more competitive. Everyone is too strict, too serious. Most people are doing only two things: yoga and work. They should enjoy doing some other stuff. Girls, especially, need to make time to find a boyfriend. Most serious practitioners are not even dating.

What do you get out of Ashtanga?
Makes my creativity sharp, and gives me power to work. If I don’t practice Ashtanga, I am not inspired to do anything but sleep. It is a source of energy. Sometimes physically, it makes me tired, but whenever I practice, my mind and heart get more energy. Ashtanga can make me exhausted. It’s hard to get heat. Practicing brings results, bringing self confidence.

Yoga for us: a source of energy

How is Lisa’s teaching different from yours?
I can understand her philosophy about Ashtanga, which is the same for me. I like it, because she teaches calmly. She feels very settled in my classes. Her style is traditional, not allowing people to skip what they don’t like and adjusting so frequently is hard. She has lots of experience teaching Mysore class and we can learn a lot. We are open to teachers coming in as long as it’s traditional.

How do you (Lisa) teach Mysore-style to someone who does not speak the same language? It must challenging dealing with injuries, “problem students” who push too much, new postures, etc.
That could be a whole article in and of itself. I don’t speak in American classes much, so language is not much of a problem. Japanese students are very tolerant. They never say “it hurts” as if they trying to keep feeling in. They can be not very honest in that sense. Sometimes maybe they should tell the teacher, “your adjustment is too hard”. Japanese students are too modest, so they hesitate to say “it’s not good”. Knowing this, I’ve been adjusting very gently, working with their own breath, not pushing them. I can tell if there is pain by looking at the student and how they are practicing. Sometimes I need a translator, but some teachers have decent English, so they can help with that. So far it has not been much of an issue. Pushing too hard, there are a couple, but they refused to listen long before I came into the scene.

Flyer for Lisa’s Workshop “adjasutomento no shingi” The Art of Adjustment

Are there any written materials or websites about Ashtanga practice and technique?
Yoga Mala, John Scott, Ashtanga Yoga for Women, yoga sutras websites in Japanese - there aren’t any websites for Ashtanga in Japanese. Except for Mindy’s blog, which gives them knowledge from some of the scene in Chicago.

What is the “workshop scene” like in Tokyo (or Japan)?
Very good. We have many good teachers who visit. Rolf Naujokat, David Swenson, John Scott, David Roche, Danny Paradise, Nancy Gilgoff, Govinda Kai, Mark Darby, Sharath, Petri Raisanen, Anthony Carlisi, Shankra Darby, Natalia Paison, Louisa Sears.

What are the differences you noticed between Ashtanga in Japan and the teachers who come from other parts of the world?
No difference. They just teach traditional Ashtanga system. We can learn lots of things from experienced teachers. We enjoy studying with the teachers. It’s very good to be taught by someone experienced. Sharing their experience is very good, but we are always looking for “our” Ashtanga.

Fun community: examples from a t-shirt competition

The rumours have been flying around for months, but now it’s official: Pattabhi Jois is opening a new shala on American soil, in the South of Florida, called the Ashtanga Yoga Institute USA. Here’s the announcement from the AYRI.org site:

My beloved students,

For the last 30 years I have been visiting the United States to spread my teachings. With great pleasure, I am proud to announce the opening of my new yoga center in Florida.

I would like to invite each and every one of you to join myself, my daughter Saraswathi and my grandson Sharath for the grand opening party on March 24th, followed by a 2-week workshop. This will be our only visit to the United States in 2007. I look forward to seeing you there!

Love, Guruji

Islamorada, FL
First week (5 days): March 25, 26, 27, 28, 29
Second week (5 days): April 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 (April 2nd moon day holiday)
7:00AM Led Primary Series
Fees: 5-day workshop $200, single class $50
Workshop students are invited to the opening party on March 24
Registration opens November 15

Apparently it was financed by a very dedicated student of his.

Islamorada, at the very tip of the Eastern Coast of the USA

Islamorada “purple island” is part of the Florida Keys about 2 hours drive from Miami Airport - so a little bit easier to get to for most students than Mysore. The climate should as close to Southern Indian as you can get in the continental US, and from the photos it looks like paradise (you know, the lying on the beach kind of paradise).

Someone should alert their tourist board that they are about to receive a lot more attention in the years to come!

From the way it has been presented though, it does not look as if AYIU will be a replacement for going to Mysore, especially for teaching authorization puposes (part of the criteria are 4 trips to AYRI). It seems to be more of a replacement of the annual multi-city World Tour for now. At least in 2007, the World Tour will take place at AYIU.

Perhaps in the future, the Jois family will decide to teach Mysore-Style classes in Islamorada. In any case, this is a big milestone in the development of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and we welcome it wholeheartedly!

“If you want to change things about yourself,” says Rueger, “this is the best way to get results.”

Alexis Lathem at Vermont Woman wrote a great article about Ashtanga and teacher, Christine Hoar at Bristol Yoga in Bristol, Vermont (near Burlington, Vermont, for us non-East coasters).

Alexis writes a particularly accessible description of what Ashtanga is, which I think would be something neat to share with new or non-Ashtangis - as well as a thoughtful and accurate profile of Christine and her path to becoming an Ashtanga teacher authorized by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Here’s just one little bit.

Yoga in Vermont

“It’s one of Christine’s gifts – she’s very good at connecting people,” says Tre McCarney, a studio regular. “Christine will make sure that you are introduced to the person next to you. Everyone is made to feel welcome. People who visit say how supportive this community is. It’s noticeable.”

Some other things I like about Christine are: she gives back to her community…

…in another trip to Mysore, Hoar taught yoga twice a week to a group of women who had been rescued from the sex trade. They practiced on a cement roof with no mats and no stretchy yoga clothing; Hoar spoke only a few words of their language – the words for inhale and exhale, up and down – but it was enough to get them into the postures. “They kept coming back,” says Hoar. “No one made them come, but they liked it. It made them smile.”

…and she speaks her truth:

Hoar admits that in Mysore, where a roomful of Ashtanga devotees are all practicing together, vying for the special attention of the guru, the atmosphere can get highly competitive. “People are focusing on a single aspect of yoga – the physical asana. It can border on (and cross into) self-absorption,” she reflected in a note from India.

Christine Hoar has been authorized to teach Ashtanga by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Bristol Yoga hosts many workshops by guest Ashtanga teachers and lists Christine’s travel schedule.

Christine came to my birthday dinner a couple of years ago when she visited Yoga is Youthfulness in Mountain View, California, and she’s really cool.

I visited New York recently and I tried to do a tour of all the important Mysore-style classes in Manhattan. I managed to take Ashtanga classes at 3 centers:

• Zoe Slatoff’s afternoon class at Yoga Sutra of NYC
• Guy Donahaye’s class at the Ashtanga Yoga Shala
• Eddie Stern’s class at at Ashtanga Yoga New York

Zoe Slatoff

My first experience was with Zoe Slatoff at the beautiful Yoga Sutra studio in front of Bryant park. The studio itself is on the second floor and looks stunning. Zoe has a well attended afternoon class and her students evidently love her. It was a real treat practicing in the afternoon - everything feels easier due to the increased flexiblity. I knew Zoe from when she was teaching in Berkeley at 7th Heaven, so the class was immediately familiar. This feeling increased when one of my students from Mountain View, Terence, unexpectedly walked in through the door and put his mat next to mine. What a coincidence!

I always make a point of visiting the local Ashtanga studio whenever I travel. Since the practice is the same around the world, it feels like a home away from home. No matter how exotic the places you visit, the opening mantra will be the same anywhere. Daily practice is such an intense commitment that I believe there is a bond between all practioners. The students you meet are always happy to share information, it feels like a big family. Truly a wonderful feeling.

Zoe adjusting a student during her afternoon Mysore-Style class at Yoga Sutra

My second stop was at Guy Donahaye’s Ashtanga Yoga Shala in the East Village, on Tompkins Square. The studio is located in a basement away from the beaten path. It is quite a few blocks from the nearest subway station, and for many people, that means it might as well be on the moon. I got lost while trying to find it and good thing I saw someone holding a yoga mat at a street corner; otherwise, I think I would have missed the class altogether.

Painting of Sri K Pattabhi Jois at Guy Donahaye’s studio in NYC

It was my first time meeting Guy and he gave me the sense that a tight community had emerged at the shala. Since you have to go the extra mile - literally - to get there, students at Ashtanga Yoga Shala have to have a certain dedication to come to the studio every day. From the practice room in the basement, you can see the bottom of the sidewalk. This gives the shala a real feeling of practicing in the middle of a living city; yet, the space is very much apart from the hustle and bustle of New York city. Beautiful, contemporary paintings of Guruji enhance this feeling.

Painting on wood of Guruji in Ashtavakrasana

Last, but definitely not least was Eddie Stern’s Ashtanga Yoga New York. This visit was my third in 5 years, and as with my previous visit, the layout of the shala had changed. Before, Ashtangis went to an upstairs room for the finishing postures, and now finising postures are done in an anteroom to the main practice room. That practice area is where Sharath’s new practice DVD was shot, by the way. There is also now what is the smallest and neatest “office” I have ever seen, a 4-by-4 foot space right in the corner of the building.

The corner office of Ashtanga Yoga New York

Ashtanga Yoga New York has two Mysore-style classes in the morning: 6:30-9:30 am and 11:00-12:30 pm. During peak season, up to 200 students practice there daily , which must make it one of the best attended and largest Mysore-style classes in the world. Only about 30 or so fit in the room, so when it is full (as is usually the case), students write their names on a blackboard and wait to be called. There are one or two assistants to help out with adjustments. The students are advanced - during my visit, there were more Intermediate Series than Primary Series practitioners.

With the room so full of energy, practicing at Ashtanga Yoga New York is truly uplifting. I was able to meet up with KJS who wrote 5 posts for us during Guruji’s 2006 New York leg, with Spiros of Sri Ganesha Tea Stall fame, whom I’ve been wanting to meet for years. As an additional plus Balthazar is just round the corner, one of the most authentic French brasserie in New York with a wonderful bakery. Highly recommended for breakfast, and a lot of students hang out on the benches outside of it after practice now that the chai place is gone from Eddie’s studio.

All in all, New York has one of the most diverse and high quality set of Mysore-style classes anywhere, and Ashtangis lucky enough to visit there will really be spoilt for choice with special places to practice Ashtanga.

Dersy Beach, Agonda, Goa
by Kastekephoto

A new generation of pilgrims, including Ashtangis, have been hitting India’s hippie trail according to a New York Times article today about Goa, India. (Thanks for the tip, Bala.)

The article - an entertaining read - explains how this enclave was a destination for the Haight-Ashbury crowd in the sixties and has become a destination “for the yogaphiles and Burning Man groupies of today.”

Foreigners have flocked to tiny Goa — whose statewide population of 1.4 million is about one-tenth that of Mumbai, 300 miles north — ever since the Portuguese established a Spice Route colony there in the 1500’s.

Lonely Planet kindly indicates Goa’s location
for curious Ashtangis, Burners & Hippies

Talking of yogaphiles, Goa also happens to have one of the foremost centers of Ashtanga yoga at the Purple Valley Yoga Center. The NY Times specifically mentions the Purple Valley:

Come daylight, Goa’s dedication to partying is matched by its dedication to the healing arts, the yang to the night’s yin. At Purple Valley yoga center, rejuvenation might take the form of Ashtanga poses or vinyasa flow exercises, two of the daily courses offered. The leading name on Goa’s yoga circuit, the center has brought in pretzel-limbed luminaries from the globe’s four corners, including the sometime teacher of Madonna and Sting, Danny Paradise.

Purple Valley Yoga Shala in Goa

The quality of the Ashtanga teachers who visit Purple Valley is remarkable. Here is a non-exhaustive list for 2006:

• Nancy Gilgoff
• Both of the Swenson brothers, David and Doug
• Matthew Sweeney
• R. Sharath Rangaswamy

Coming up later this year and in 2007 are Sharath Rangaswamy (again), Manju Jois and Michael Gannon.

Purple Valley Yoga Center also publishes a newsletter that we recommend.

A cow on Baga Beach in Goa
from Skinnyde at Flickr