Recently a student asked about the identity of the people in the pictures at Kentucky Street and what is their connection to Yoga East and Ashtanga Yoga?
At the front of the main practice room are two large photos of Swami Muktananda (1908-1982) and Swami Chidvilasananda (Gurumayi). The photos belong to Yoga East and have been hanging in the studios since I began taking classes with Maja Trigg, Yoga East's founder, in 1990. Muktananda was Maja's guru. A mediation teaching certificate given to Maja and signed by Swami Muktananda hangs in the small practice room. While a student of Maja's in 1991, I met Gurumayi and continue to be her student. Gurumayi no longer makes public appearances, but people can study her teachings through her books and recordings. She still has an active organization.
Siddha Yoga has no connection to Ashtanga Yoga of K. Pattabhi Jois other than both being traditional yoga teaching traditions from India. Mr. Jois did not speak of himself as a spiritual teacher, but rather as a student and teacher of Ashtanga Yoga as it was taught to him by his teacher, T. Krishnamacharya. Siddha Yoga is a meditation and philosophy tradition and Ashtanga Yoga is an asana tradition. Both traditions have been meaningful for me and contributed to my understanding and practice of yoga in immeasurable ways.
At the front of the main practice room are two large photos of Swami Muktananda (1908-1982) and Swami Chidvilasananda (Gurumayi). The photos belong to Yoga East and have been hanging in the studios since I began taking classes with Maja Trigg, Yoga East's founder, in 1990. Muktananda was Maja's guru. A mediation teaching certificate given to Maja and signed by Swami Muktananda hangs in the small practice room. While a student of Maja's in 1991, I met Gurumayi and continue to be her student. Gurumayi no longer makes public appearances, but people can study her teachings through her books and recordings. She still has an active organization.
Siddha Yoga has no connection to Ashtanga Yoga of K. Pattabhi Jois other than both being traditional yoga teaching traditions from India. Mr. Jois did not speak of himself as a spiritual teacher, but rather as a student and teacher of Ashtanga Yoga as it was taught to him by his teacher, T. Krishnamacharya. Siddha Yoga is a meditation and philosophy tradition and Ashtanga Yoga is an asana tradition. Both traditions have been meaningful for me and contributed to my understanding and practice of yoga in immeasurable ways.
