Mysore Class

St. Paul. Mondays with Ellie and Wednesdays with Vaughn. Doors at 6 and 6:30am. Pre-registration required.

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Mysore-style Ashtanga is like a private lesson within the context of a group class. Contact me here if you would like to join us! Read the FAQ below if you’d like to know a bit more about the experience of Mysore. This class is for all practitioners of any level including total beginner; we meet you where you are.

Limited drop-ins available for travelers or locals WITH an existing practice: click here to register.

 
 

FAQ

What is a Mysore class?

Most drop in yoga classes involve the “led” format; that is, the teacher tells you what to do as you’re doing it, and the class moves together as a group. In a Mysore class, folks may arrive at different times, start and finish their practice at different times, and practice for different lengths of time. Walk in to a Mysore room and every student in the room is on a different pose. Each student memorizes a sequence, starting with Sun Salutations, standing poses, and on to the Primary Series, with support and instruction from the teacher.

Can I drop in?

If you have an existing Ashtanga practice (you know part of the primary series (or more) by heart and are accustomed to practicing it without being led through the poses), you are welcome to drop in if there is space. Register at this link. Drop-ins are intended for out of town visitors or locals who are considering practicing in this class regularly. All students who are new to Ashtanga (or new to the Mysore-style format where you memorize the practice) must commit to one month.

Who the class is for:

  • Regular practitioners who need weekly support in order to keep their practice dynamic-- how to know when to move forward in the series, how to modify when an injury arises, and who want energetic support from — and to energetically support— a community of folks who understand the difficulty (and joy) of a daily practice.

  • New students who are ready to learn, willing to make the commitment of coming to practice every week and the discipline to self-practice at least twice a week OUTSIDE of Mysore class. There is no barrier to entry other than this. We start where you are and build from there.

  • Visitors from out of town: I love sharing space with practitioners from all over the world. When you visit, tell me what you’re hoping to enjoy here, whether it’s simply a nice warm place to practice with some Minnesotan yogis, or you want to pick my brain about Marichyasana D. I respect the work of my colleagues in the Mysore-teaching world and as such, I won’t assume that you want me to overhaul anything unless you specifically ask, but I’m happy to offer guidance when appropriate.

What a new student will experience:

I’ll teach you the series from the beginning-- starting with the sun salutations and closing poses (beginning and end = a complete practice on your first day). After that we’ll fill in, pose-by-pose, at a pace that works for you. Your first practice will be 30-ish minutes. This will get longer-- 60 to 90 minutes is not uncommon maybe six months into practice, but the growth is individual and varies greatly. You’ll get a lot of attention at first-- verbal instruction, demonstration, etc-- and in time you’ll need less of that and I can instead observe what you do and offer suggestions when needed. After your first day, you’ll have a sequence that you can (and should!) practice at home a few more times over the next week. If you’re interested, contact me sooner rather than later— I stagger beginners so you can have lots of attention from me when you need it the most, so you may have to wait a few weeks.

Why do I need to commit to coming every week?

Working with students who are really jazzed to jump in and do the work is my JAM. When I see you every week, we have a relationship-- you feel comfortable asking me questions, I can see the work you’re doing at home on your own, and practice develops in a safe and beneficial way. If you’re new to the practice and you come once and then I don’t see you for a month, all the work you did in the first class is out the window, and I don’t have accountability for what I’ve taught you because I have no idea if you’re doing it or not. Led classes are ok to drop in-- the format is more conducive to trying once (as long as you have a sense of humor about it all) and you aren’t expected to remember everything you did. 

OF COURSE if you are sick, please stay home. Do also let me know if you will be traveling, so I can plan for a drop-in spot to be available.

If you have questions about any of this, feel free to ask.