How does one become a Mysore Ashtanga Teacher? When I was in Mysore in 1999, Pattabhi Jois told us in conference that he wanted to have a teacher training class in which he would pass on the Ashtanga Yoga tradition, but it would be by invitation only to experienced teachers. My heart fell at hearing those words because I was still an Ashtanga "baby"... I had only been practicing for five years and could barely make it through primary series. Back then, I could not have ever imagined that I would be invited to that class!
In Ashtanga Yoga, no teacher trainings are recognized (with the exception of those given by Sharath). One becomes a teacher by practicing in this tradition for a long period of time, and one day one is recognized to be ready to teach. This is the traditional system of yoga. You cannot declare yourself to be a teacher; you can only be made a teacher by your teacher.
My mother had taught me Padmasana when I very young (nine?). I taught myself headstand by practicing it in my bedroom after learning that it was a yoga pose. I picked up a few poses here and there from various sources along the way, but I did not have a yoga book until I was about 19 or 20 years old. I practiced a few poses with great difficulty (I was very stiff) from age 15 until I moved to Louisville and met Maja Trigg, founder of Yoga East in 1990. When she retired in 1994, I studied Iyengar Yoga with Judi Rice for a while and then fell into Ashtanga Yoga by finding a video of Richard Freeman, then a book on Ashtanga by Lino Miele. In 1998 I met David Swenson. In 1999 I met Tim Miller and he told me to go to Mysore. When I arrived in Mysore in August 1999, I had practiced full primary series about 10 times. By the time I left Mysore I could finish primary series, but it was not easy for me.
I would have given up Ashtanga Yoga except that I saw Pattabhi Jois in New York in 2000 and 2001 and each time he encouraged me to return to Mysore to study with him. It always astounded me because I was such a raw beginner. From the time I began to steadily practice Ashtanga Yoga it took me ten years to complete primary series. In those years I always felt uncomfortable taking students to Mysore who would introduce themselves to Pattabhi Jois as "Laura's student". I knew that I had not yet met the formal criteria for teaching, but Guruji would always smile at me so I knew it was somehow okay. In 2004 Guruji gave me his authorization to teach.
In 2009, my ten year anniversary of studying in Mysore, I first stood up from a backbend - which qualified me to begin Intermediate series. I was honored to be invited to the first Ashtanga Teacher Training class - the one in which Guruji envisioned that he would pass on the tradition. Sadly, Guruji himself passed away one month before the class was to have begun, but Sharath taught the class and told us that he was passing on the tradition in just the way he had been given it by his grandfather.
It was a powerful and empowering experience to teach Ashtanga with Sharath watching and critiquing us. I felt so blessed during the entire experience, knowing that this was Guruji's intention for us. Ten years ago, I never could have imagined myself as being in that class.
To teach Ashtanga, one must imbibe Ashtanga - to drink it in. It has to become part of you. For me, my morning practice is my offering to God, Lord Shiva, who has guided my steps along this path which has brought me so many blessings.
May I offer these blessings to you, the students.
In Ashtanga Yoga, no teacher trainings are recognized (with the exception of those given by Sharath). One becomes a teacher by practicing in this tradition for a long period of time, and one day one is recognized to be ready to teach. This is the traditional system of yoga. You cannot declare yourself to be a teacher; you can only be made a teacher by your teacher.
My mother had taught me Padmasana when I very young (nine?). I taught myself headstand by practicing it in my bedroom after learning that it was a yoga pose. I picked up a few poses here and there from various sources along the way, but I did not have a yoga book until I was about 19 or 20 years old. I practiced a few poses with great difficulty (I was very stiff) from age 15 until I moved to Louisville and met Maja Trigg, founder of Yoga East in 1990. When she retired in 1994, I studied Iyengar Yoga with Judi Rice for a while and then fell into Ashtanga Yoga by finding a video of Richard Freeman, then a book on Ashtanga by Lino Miele. In 1998 I met David Swenson. In 1999 I met Tim Miller and he told me to go to Mysore. When I arrived in Mysore in August 1999, I had practiced full primary series about 10 times. By the time I left Mysore I could finish primary series, but it was not easy for me.
I would have given up Ashtanga Yoga except that I saw Pattabhi Jois in New York in 2000 and 2001 and each time he encouraged me to return to Mysore to study with him. It always astounded me because I was such a raw beginner. From the time I began to steadily practice Ashtanga Yoga it took me ten years to complete primary series. In those years I always felt uncomfortable taking students to Mysore who would introduce themselves to Pattabhi Jois as "Laura's student". I knew that I had not yet met the formal criteria for teaching, but Guruji would always smile at me so I knew it was somehow okay. In 2004 Guruji gave me his authorization to teach.
In 2009, my ten year anniversary of studying in Mysore, I first stood up from a backbend - which qualified me to begin Intermediate series. I was honored to be invited to the first Ashtanga Teacher Training class - the one in which Guruji envisioned that he would pass on the tradition. Sadly, Guruji himself passed away one month before the class was to have begun, but Sharath taught the class and told us that he was passing on the tradition in just the way he had been given it by his grandfather.
It was a powerful and empowering experience to teach Ashtanga with Sharath watching and critiquing us. I felt so blessed during the entire experience, knowing that this was Guruji's intention for us. Ten years ago, I never could have imagined myself as being in that class.
To teach Ashtanga, one must imbibe Ashtanga - to drink it in. It has to become part of you. For me, my morning practice is my offering to God, Lord Shiva, who has guided my steps along this path which has brought me so many blessings.
May I offer these blessings to you, the students.
