Sharath Rangaswamy, grandson to the late Sri K Pattabhi Jois, led a buzzing week-long ashtanga yoga intensive in London last week. Emma Hicks, roving reporter and ashtanga teacher was there.
Yoga Shalas buzzed with anticipation last week as students prepared their Ashtanga
Yoga Practice for the welcome of Sharath to London.
This visit was very eagerly anticipated by all who turned out to practice from not just the UK but all over Europe.
Dedicated students of this popular style of hatha yoga were ready to hone their morning practice under the guide of this much talked about Yogi.
Sharath, who is grandson to the late Sri K Pattabhi Jois, carries the original lineage of this style of yoga and is rarely in the UK, so by any yoga standards ,this was a big occasion.
Sharath still honored these workshop dates even when his world tour stopped short this May as his famous grandfather sadly passed away.
The Mysore Style Led Practice Workshops took place from Sunday August 23 to Friday August 28 at The Camden Centre, Bidborough Street WC1. ‘
Hamish Hendry and Anna Wise from Ashtanga Yoga London played host to this long-awaited week of Ashtanga workshops.
With official door men and uniformed ushers it was a very well organized event and executed with almost military precision.
The Primary Series led Practice started at 6.30am and Second Series was from 8.30am; both practices started and finished on the dot, which left time for remaining students to chat or take photos with Sharath.
The cost per person for the whole six days morning practice was £170. This was for one 90 minute practice each morning and a Wed evening Q&A conference with Sharath. Drop-in was available at £35 a class.
The Camden Centre is a cavernous period hall with massive high corniced ceilings. The floor had old wooden floorboards with a large stage at the front and huge doors to the rear.
The enormous cavernous space resembled an old school assembly hall with nearly two hundred students practicing Primary each day and around fifty practicing Second Series.
Sharath calmly led the practice, executing the count with expert precision and in plenty of time for all to keep up. However, the practice count and vinyasas were much slower than most were used to and some students who practiced the whole week did find it tough.
All students were allowed to finish the series with no one picked out or asked to stop which made for a relaxed and non competitive vibe.
Although the venue was impressive the room was slow to heat up as the ceilings were so high.
Part of the joy of ashtanga is the deep sweat and detox it brings out, so many missed that sweaty detox feeling and left the hall still dry.
Although some said they preferred this new venue for the space and atmosphere a few students missed the old venue on Brick Lane which really kept the heat in.
It was on the whole a great experience with a surprising calm energy considering the numbers - practicing with so many people in one space does give an unforgettable uplifting experience.
The week culminated on Friday where everyone in Primary and Second Series stayed in the same room to practice Primary together. The heat was good as there was over two hundred students that morning!
After the final practice there was a farewell and dedication in honor of Sri K Pattabhi Jois. Students brought flowers, photos and gifts to the make shift altar set up on stage.
Everyone took the opportunity to thank the spirit of Gurgii (Jois) for his lifelong dedication and generous knowledge of ashtanga yoga, and to thank and support Sharath as he continues the lineage of this Mysore Style ashtanga.
It was a very spontaneous and a heartfelt last morning. The week turned out a fine experience that would certainly signpost any keen ashtangi to Sharath in Mysore.
Review by Emma Hicks - www.ashtangayogauk.co.uk
First image shows Emma with Sharath
_0.jpg "Dancer Pose: Nataraja")
