Ashtanga Yoga is more than just the physical practice of the asanas. It encompasses an ancient philosphy and describes a way of life which is meant to keep the body and mind healthy.

This tradition has been rejuvenated in the 20th century in Mysore, India. Sri K. Pattabhi Jois was so fascinated by the practice of yoga that he set out to be taught by the famous Sri T. Krichnamacharya at the place of Mysore at the age of 12. Studying yoga at the time meant daily practice of asanas and the study of the ancient Sanskrit texts, such as the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali or the Bhagavad Gita.  

In 1937 Sri K. Pattabhi Jois was announced Professor for Yoga at the Sanskrit-College of the Maharaja of Mysore. Later on in 1948 he founded the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore which has later become popular among people in the West. He dedicated himself to the practice of yoga.  

He passed his knowledge of the practice on to his daughter Saraswathi Rangaswamy and his grandchildren Sharmila Mahesh and Sharath Jois. Sharathji, in particular, has stepped into the footsteps of his grandfather - he started practicing Ashtanga yoga at an early age and has been passing on the knowledge of this ancient, healing method to thousands of students around the world after his grandfather died in 2008. "As a master teacher and the director of the Sharath Yoga Centre in Mysuru, Sharath Jois became one of the most respected and influential yoga instructors of his generation. Over the course of three decades, he taught thousands of students from all over the world, sharing not just the technical aspects of Ashtanga yoga but also its deeper philosophical and spiritual dimensions. His teachings were marked by a deep sense of humility, discipline, and a commitment to preserving the integrity of the practice". Unfortunately he passed away on 11.11.2024 

Christina has been to Mysore regularly for 10 years to learn from Sharathji and feels very connected to the Mysore lineage. Miriam and Katharina, the founders of the shala, have been to Sharath's European tours and Mysore as well. In 2015 we had the honor to welcome Saraswathi Rangaswamy, the daughter of Pattabhi Jois and Sharath's mother, to Freiburg. We were honored by her visit and hope that we will be able to keep the connection to the roots of Ashtanga Yoga in the future to deepen our practice and our work in the studio.