Father of Ashtanga Yoga Has Passed

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Ya know, every time you see someone doing Power Yoga, Vinyasa Flow, or any of the athletic variations of modern yoga, you can pretty much bank on its origins tracing back to the tradition of Pattabhi Jois—the founder of Ashtanga Yoga.

He lived and taught in Mysore, India for the majority of his life.

I visited his not-so-humble home and ashram combo a couple years back, and appreciated the “Abundant Yogi” example that he was.

Ashtanga Yoga has never been my primary practice, but its more playful and spontaneous cousin, Vinyasa Flow, is the root of Trikaya.

I have to wonder if I’d be standing where I am today

…teaching yoga (and yoga-influenced lifestyle design courses) and living a pinch-myself-each-day kind of dream life—if it weren’t for this man’s never-failing drive and determination.

He made a choice, got up every morning in his dusty Indian village, and taught whoever was there to learn and practice.

I’ve been told that, in the old days, there were just a few loyal students. Maybe a dozen at most. They’d turn up for a 5 A.M. practice.

When I last visited,

there were closer to 200 bending bodies squishing into his home studio like sardines. And at 90 years old, he was still helping everyone with their drop-backs and pressing them perfectly flat in forward folds.

He was still busting out the morning chant with a big booming voice.

Jois lived a simple, yet incredibly powerful life.

His influence has been felt all over the world.

A yoga practice—-much like LIFE—-is an ever-growing and evolving thing. It’s pretty amazing when one guy and his tradition remain firmly rooted throughout it all.