The ashtanga yoga world is today mourning the loss of its leader, Pattabhi Jois , who died yesterday at the age of 93.
Jois, also known as Guruji, passed away at his home in India after a spell of illness. Unconfirmed reports say his grandson and student Sharath Rangaswamy will take over as head of the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India.
Many will view Jois' passing as the end of an era; many avid ashtanga teachers and practitioners travelled to Mysore every year to study under Jois.
Under his influence, ashtanga vinyasa - a dynamic, flowing and challenging style of yoga - has become one of the most popular styles, practiced by millions worldwide.
Jois was one of a trio of hugely influential practitioners turned teachers - the others were BKS Iyengar and TKV Desikachar - who studied under Krishnamacharya, often referred to as the father of modern yoga.
Pattabhi Joi famously stated that ashtanga is 1% theory and 99% practice. He authored one book, Yoga Mala.
'If we practice the science of yoga, which is useful to the entire human community, and which yields happiness both here and hereafter - if we practice it without fail, we will then attain physical, mental and spiritual happiness, and our minds will flood towards the Self.'
We are collecting tributes to Pattabhi Jois - if you spent time practising under him, or knew him personally, do drop me a line at: editor at yoga-abode.com (replacing 'at' with @).
Postscript: A couple of years ago, Robert Wilkins, film maker and ashtanga practitioner, made a film, Guru The Movie, on Pattabhi Jois and the 'Mysore experience' (my quotes). You can read the exclusive interview with Wilkins here.
Lucia Cockcroft, editor
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