Ashtanga Authorisation 1980 - Present. Includes first ONLINE teaching list (Ashtanga.com 2004) and first AYRI teachers list (2008).

This post will become a permanent page at the top of the blog, a work in progress attempt to chart the development of the Ashtanga Authorisation process alongside my other pages on Ashtanga Vinyasa History.

1980

"Guruji gathered us together for one final meeting.  At this gathering he told us which westerners he felt were qualified to teach.  It was a fairly short list—David, Brad, Nancy, Gary, and a few others.  Since Brad had decided to move to Maui, he wanted me to take over his school in Encinitas.  He asked Guruji, “What about Tim?”  Guruji looked perplexed and said, “Who?” “Tim,” Brad repeated,  and pointed at me.  “Oh, that man,” Guruji replied, and studied me for a moment.  “Yes, that man is some better, okay.” 

And so, on the magical island of Maui in December of 1980, Guruji reluctantly granted me permission to teach.  One stipulation was that I was to send him Guru Dakshina (one tenth of my earnings as a yoga teacher) every month.  It seemed a small price to pay for his blessing". 
Tim Miller 'Dust'.

2016

"This past Sunday during the final panel discussion of the 2016 Ashtanga Yoga Confluence, a question was asked about the concept of Parampara and how it is interpreted in the Ashtanga tradition. David Swenson reminded all of us that Guruji’s own eldest son, Manju, was present in the room, and if anyone could be considered the true lineage holder it would be him. Everyone in the room stood up and gave Manju an ovation. It was a very moving moment. I looked over at Dena and saw her eyes welling up with tears just like mine. Manju was very gracious and said that as far as he was concerned, all of us sharing the stage with him and countless other teachers throughout the world are all part of the Parampara.

He explained that his father was very generous with his teachings—that his primary concern was with the practice spreading throughout the world because of his firm conviction that Ashtanga Yoga is the very best thing one can do to insure physical, mental, and spiritual health." 
Tuesdays with Timji

*

This from KPJAYI Certified Ashtanga teacher Mark Robberds on fb today addressed to the Yoga community

"Dear yoga community, 

This is my Certification from KPJAYI or AYRI as it was called back then. I'm not sure if you are aware of this, but this is the only institute in the world that can 'Certify' Ashtanga teachers in the lineage of Sri K Pattabhi Jois. I am writing this because I've noticed that there are a lot of people selling Ashtanga Teacher Trainings to unknowing students out there. I have devoted the greater part of the last 20 years to this practice and tradition, for more than 15 years almost every dollar that I have earned I have put into my continuing education and study with my teachers. I am not alone in this: I have seen thousands of dedicated practitioners pouring their heart and soul into this practice day after day and year after year. 

     I am by no means a perfect human being, so I cannot throw the first stone - but I feel a need to voice my opinion about this since I've noticed that there are students going to Mysore and practicing with Sharath, and then going and running these Ashtanga Teacher Trainings. First of all, there are so many long time students that I know who could not get into the shala this year because it was too full - so those people are taking the place of others that are actually students of Sharath, and not just going to Mysore to get their photo taken outside of the shala, and then claiming to be Ashtanga teachers. Secondly, by 'Certifying' students you are making the word 'Certified' a joke, and you are lying to the students who are paying you. 

     Call it something else - Hatha, Vinyasa, Power, or clarify that you are teaching Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga philosophy, but don't mislead people by calling it an Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training. 

     I know there is a want and need for people to deepen their studies, so I would recommend you to go to the teachers who have been teaching for 20 years or more, like Richard Freeman, Tim Miller, Dena Kingsberg to name just a few. Don't go to these opportunists who are running a business out of the trainings - because no one can teach you to be an Ashtanga teacher overnight. It takes more than that. You need to be a student first and practice at the source or with teachers connected the lineage".


If you are a friend of Mark's on fb he includes a very cool photo of his certification that looks more 1970 than 2010. 


I am very much in agreement with Mark's last paragraph but while I too feel that what characterises our practice of Ashtanga vinyasa is a dedicated daily practice over a period of years I do not feel that KPJAYI should have sole authority to Authorise teachers on behalf of the Ashtanga community ,which is the subject of my post below.

*

In the next few days/weeks I intend to include quotes by the early teachers, from different sources, relating to how they first received blessing to teach directly from Pattabhi Jois (beginning with the quote at the top of the post from Tim Miller).

Around the time of Pattabhi Jois' passing all teachers of Ashtanga were requested to send in their Authorisation letters or those letters by Pattabhi Jois giving his blessing to teach to have them replaced with new Authorisation letters on the new letterhead

"All authorised teachers are requested to send their original authorisation letters to AYRI in exchange for official authorisation letters on AYRI letterhead. AYRI will then notify Ashtanga.com of the teachers' names that can be re-listed on Ashtanga.com". 

This was perhaps the first souring of the Ashtanga teacher authorisation process. It may go back further however, to the move from a general letter of blessing from Pattabhi Jois to a more formal Authorisation  from the institute in the late 90s

"In addition to receiving certification or authorisation to teach, you are required to teach Ashtanga Yoga in the TRADITIONAL FORMAT. The traditional format consists of daily classes in the Mysore style in correct sequential order and without deviation from the traditional form of the asanas as taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, South India. The traditional format includes the practices outlined in the Yoga Mala, Astanga Yoga by Lino Miele, and Ashtanga Yoga by John Scott. Explicitly indicate on your website and brochures that such traditional Ashtanga Yoga is offered". 2004

Currently I'm hearing unofficially that Authorisation follows a minimum of three extended visits to Mysore and a cost of more than a $1000 dollars paid to the institute for an authorisation letter which will expire after 2 years? I've heard Certification costs between $2000 and $4000. 

There seems to be a growing consensus of opinion among many that there needs to be a reevaluation of the Ashtanga Authorisation process.


The first AYRI ONLINE teachers list (2004) has 133 teachers mentioned

The current (2016) KPJAYI  list has 547 teachers mentioned
(Africa -2, Asia-113, Australia and NZ- 40, Central and South America-26, Europe-131, North America-235)

( I'm hoping that under a promise of anonymity some recently authorised teachers may get in touch with me to reveal the ACTUAL cost of authorisation and certification to give a more up-to-date accurate figure as well as the cost of renewal, is it $1000 to renew your letter of authorisation each year, if so KPJAYI would supposedly be raking in $250,000 a year in renewal fees and growing all the time.)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ashtanga.com picked up on the dramatic increase in teacher authorisation between 2002 and 2006

see http://ashtanganews.com/2008/08/14/changes-in-ashtanga-teacher-standards/

"Here we take a close look at the trend in Ashtanga yoga teachers during the past four years. It looks like the number of Ashtanga yoga teachers, authorized or certified by the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute grew by 179% from February 2002 to December 2006 (which means that we underestimated student growth earlier).

Not only that, but it also seems that the rate of teacher authorizations is increasing.

Number of teachers authorized or certified by AYRIDo you detect a trend?

This data comes from Ashtanga.com’s monthly newsletters which publishes new teachers’ names every month – we looked at all the newsletters from March 2002 until December 2006.

The total number of authorized Ashtanga teachers was 176 (including 34 certified teachers) as of December 29, 2006. Since early 2002, a total of 113 new teacher authorizations have been announced on Ashtanga.com".

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My personal feeling is that the KPJAYI can no longer claim that only authorisation by the institute is valid.

"The list on this website constitutes the official record of teachers approved by the KPJAYI, which is the only authority able to authorise or certify individuals to teach the ashtanga yoga method as taught by Shri K. Pattabhi Jois and R. Sharath. There are no teacher training programs approved by this Institute under any name (e.g., Ashtanga Teacher Intensive); teachers that are listed on this website are experienced practitioners and dedicated students who have shown a considerable degree of proficiency and appreciation of ashtanga yoga in its traditional form and who continue to study regularly at the KPJAYI."

KPJAYI's authorisation should be recognised as a letter of approval by THAT institute to teach on THEIR behalf rather than the only authority to grant authorisation, similar institutes, schools and programs of excellence around the world, led by senior teachers should perhaps be instigating their own programs of teacher training, mentoring and teacher development leading to approval to teach in their name that carries equal standing ( in many ways this is happening already).

I lean towards returning to the criteria and values represented by the Ashtanga.com referral teachers listing this was the list originally employed by AYRI until around 2007 

Referral Teacher Listings on Ashtanga.com

"To obtain a teacher directory listing on Ashtanga.com, you must be referred by a senior Ashtanga yoga teacher who is listed on Ashtanga.com.

The determination of whether a person may be considered a "senior Ashtanga yoga teacher," for the limited purpose of referring junior teachers to the Ashtanga.com teacher list, is based on multiple factors, including: the number of years of consistent Ashtanga yoga practice and study with a teacher; which teacher (e.g., Sri K. Pattabhi Jois); special certifications within the lineage; number of years teaching Ashtanga yoga; works created (e.g., articles, books, videos, CDs and other instructional aids, yoga schools); and general standing within the yoga community. - full criteria HERE

The current Ashtanga.com list can be found here http://ashtanga.com/html/classes.html

But perhaps David Swenson had a better idea. At this years (2016) Ashtanga Yoga Confluence he (perhaps only half jokingly) suggested that rather, all students should be sent on a certification course to recognise good teachers rather than trusting in a piece of paper of authorisation.

*

One suggestion

Bring together all the members of the Ashtanga Yoga Confluence panel from the last few years, forming a panel of trustees for a nonprofit International Ashtanga Federation. Approval to teach is given by the federation (for a nominal administration fee) to those who have practiced Ashtanga for a significant period and shown, perhaps through assisting, mentorship, or apprenticeship programs or course or past teaching experience that that they can pass on the practice safely and with integrity.  

Other senior teachers will be encouraged to join the federation recommending perhaps students of their own who have already been through such a period of apprenticeship of have perhaps already been teaching.

Supposedly Lino Miele had the same idea a few years back and tried to set up a Federation of Ashtanga Centres.

"In 1993, he (Lino Miele) created the Federation of Astanga Yoga Centres with a few other dedicated students". http://www.linomiele.com/?pagina=aboutlino.php

Unfortunately he set a fee of 100-150 US$ to be affiliated per year and the idea never took off.

I feel it's important that any future federation be nonprofit with free affiliation (sell T-Shirts to cover administration if necessary) and with a board of respected trustees to remove any suggestion of centralisation.

*

NOTE: I'm just a home practitioner  (9 yrs this month) and blogger living in rural Japan with no particular desire or intention to formally teach Ashtanga vinyasa, either now or in the future. I look forward however to more informed debate and discussion on the topic from others more qualified than I to do so.

“I get it. Working this system is like counting dog years. 7 years of human practice = 1 ashtanga year.” Stanka Kordic

So my nine years is like a year and a bit in Ashtanga years, which puts it in perspective.

*

*

APPENDIX

1. First ONLINE mention of the cost of studying at AYRI - Dec 2001

2. First mention ONLINE of Authorisation process - Ashtanga.com - Jan 2004

Includes request for all teachers to sent in their Authorization letters to be replaced/renewed

"Starting in January 2003, the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute will issue NEW official authorization letters to authorized Ashtanga Yoga teachers. All authorized teachers are requested to send their original authorization letters to AYRI in exchange for official authorization letters on AYRI letterhead. AYRI will then notify Ashtanga.com of the teachers' names that can be re-listed on Ashtanga.com. Failure to turn in your original authorization letter may result in removal from the teachers' list."

3. First ONLINE List of teachers - Ashtanga.com Jan 2004

(basis of the AYRI list)

4. First AYRI Authorisation details mentioned on AYRI website - May 2007

5. First AYRI ONLINE Authorised/Certified List - 22 Aug 08 

*

1. Ashtanga Yoga Nilayam 15 dec 01

If you'd like to attend classes at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore please write to:
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois
876/1 First Cross
Laxmipuram, 570004 Mysore
 Karnataka, India
Please include your full name, home address, arrival date, and duration of your stay.
The class fees are $350 US per month, with a $200 registration fee the first month. Please allow for a minimum stay of one month, however three months are recommended in order to have time to learn the practice properly. Food and lodging are not provided, but there are good hotels and restaurants nearby.

***

2. Authorized Teachers 
Teachers' Listings on Ashtanga.com updated January  2004

The procedure for obtaining a teacher's listing on Ashtanga.com is outlined below. Only Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and Sharath Rangaswamy of the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute (AYRI) can issue teaching authorizations and certifications for Ashtanga Yoga. Inquiries about teachers' qualifications should be directed to the individual teachers. Teachers are responsible for verifying the accuracy of the information in their listings. Ashtanga.com and its creators, producers, and deliverers assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the class listings on this site. The teachers' listings on the Classes pages are approved by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.

1. Starting in January 2003, the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute will issue NEW official authorization letters to authorized Ashtanga Yoga teachers. All authorized teachers are requested to send their original authorization letters to AYRI in exchange for official authorization letters on AYRI letterhead. AYRI will then notify Ashtanga.com of the teachers' names that can be re-listed on Ashtanga.com. Failure to turn in your original authorization letter may result in removal from the teachers' list.

2. "Certified" Teachers: Contact betty@ashtanga.com to send a photocopy of the official government certificate via email (scanned image of certificate), fax, or post in order to be listed on Ashtanga.com.

3. Verbally Authorized Teachers should write to AYRI to request the new official authorization letter. Please enclose a photograph of yourself with your correspondence.

4. Class Schedule Requirement: In addition to receiving certification or authorization to teach, you are required to teach Ashtanga Yoga in the TRADITIONAL FORMAT. The traditional format consists of daily classes in the Mysore style in correct sequential order and without deviation from the traditional form of the asanas as taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, South India. The traditional format includes the practices outlined in the Yoga Mala, Astanga Yoga by Lino Miele, and Ashtanga Yoga by John Scott. Explicitly indicate on your website and brochures that such traditional Ashtanga Yoga is offered.

5. Omissions from the List: Teachers' names may be omitted from the list if they are on hiatus or are not currently offering classes in the style or quantity required for a listing.

Please send all AYRI correspondence regarding authorization letters to:

R. Sharath
Gokulam, Mysore 570002
Karnataka, India

***

3. Teachers LIST Jan 2004 Ashtanga.com 

( this list was clearly used as the basis for the later AYRI list)

Note: 87 teachers mentioned on this list

United States | Africa | Asia | Australia & NZ | Canada | Europe | South America | Traveling Teachers

United States


California

Louise Ellis Certified


Ashtanga Yoga Center


Fayetteville, AR 


Northern California



John Berlinsky


Lea Watkins 
YogaStudio - Mill Valley, CA 

Leigha Nicole 

YogaStudio - Larkspur Landing CA 

Vance Selover


Zoe Slatoff


7th Heaven Yoga
Berkeley, CA 

Clayton Horton


Greenpath Yoga Studio
San Francisco, 



Manju Jois Certified


(son of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois)


Leucadia, CA 92024


Tim Miller Certified


Astanga Yoga Center
Encinitas, CA 

Mary Jo Mulligan


San Diego, CA


Maty Ezraty


Chuck Miller Certified


Yoga Works Montana


Santa Monica, 

Kimberly Flynn Williams


Noah Williams Certified


Ashtanga Yoga Shala


Los Angeles, 


Jorgen Christiansson


LA Yoga Center
Los Angeles, CA 



Steve Dwelley


Ashtanga Yoga Shala


Santa Barbara, CA 

David Miliotis


Andrea Werner Miliotis


Santa Barbara Yoga Center




Colorado

Richard Freeman Certified


The Yoga Workshop
Boulder, CO 


Annie (Grover) Pace Certified


Crestone, CO 

Gary Damsky


Telluride, CO




Wisconsin

David Ingalls


Ashtanga Yoga Center


Wisconsin Washington, D.C.

Florida

Keith Moore

Florida



Wayne Krassner


Miami Beach, FL

Hawaii



Nancy Gilgoff


House of Yoga and Zen
Makawao, Maui, HI 

Bhavani Maki


Ashtanga Yoga Kaua'i


Cathy Louise Broda


Purple Yoga Hawaii
Honolulu, HI 

Nicki Doane


Eddie Modestini


Maya Yoga
Paia, HI 

Norman Allen


Kona, HI



David Williams


Maui Fitness Plus 
Kihei, Maui, Hawaii


Illinois

Amy Beth Treciokas


YogaNow
Chicago, 

Louisiana

Melanie Fawer Certified
The Yoga Room
New Orleans, LA 

Michigan

Matthew Darling

New York



Guy Donahaye


Ashtanga Yoga Shala



New York, NY 

Govinda Kai


New York, NY 

James Butkevich


Texas



David Swenson


Ashtanga Yoga Productions


Houston, TX 

Seattle


David Garrigues Certified
 

Catherine Garrigues Certified


The Ashtanga Yoga School
Seattle, WA 98122


Carola Schmid


The Practice Space


Seattle WA 

Africa - Authorized Teachers

Egypt

Charlie Taylor-Rugman


Ashtanga Yoga Cairo
 

Zamalek, Cairo


Australia & New Zealand - Authorized Teachers

Australia

Eileen Hall Certified


Paul Frechtling


Ashtanga Yoga Moves
Paddington, NSW




Dena Kingsberg Certified


Centre of Balance
 Byron Bay 2481 NSW



Iain Clark Certified


Ashtanga Yoga Shala




Monica Gauci


Gregor Maehle


8 Limbs Ashtanga Yoga 

Leederville, Western Australia

Graeme Northfield Certified


Leonie Northfield


Absolute Astanga 

Yoga
 Cooroy  QLD



David Roche Certified


St. Peters, South Australia 5069


New Zealand

Peter Nilsson
Jude Hynes



Mike Berghan


Victoria Grouden
Te Aro Astanga Yoga


Wellington, Aotearoa
 

Canada - Authorized Teachers

Ron Reid


Downward Dog Yoga Centre


Toronto, Ontario 



Mark Darby Certified


Joanne Darby Certified


Ashtanga Yoga Studio


Montreal, Quebec 

Fiona Stang


City Yoga
Vancouver, BC 

Europe - Authorized Teachers


Denmark | Finland | France | Greece | Italy | Spain | Sweden | United Kingdom

Denmark

Gwendoline Hunt


Astanga Yoga Skole 

København
Copenhagen


Finland

Juha Javanainen


Petri Räisänen


Monna Gronlund


Astanga Yoga School of Helsinki 


Helsinki, Finland


Anne Nuotio


Helsinki, Finland


France

Caroline Boulinguez


Ana Maria Magalhaes
 

Paris 


Brigitte Deroses Certified


Calais

Philippe Mons Certified


St. Andre



Odile Morcrette Certified
 

Lille

Greece

Radha Warrell


Pierre Seghir


Yoga Plus
Crete

Kristina Karitinos Ireland


Yoga Practice in Mani Greece


Maria Papaioannou


Aerodromio Mykonos 

Italy

Lino Miele Certified


Tina Pizzimenti 

Certified
 Ashtanga Yoga School Roma


Spain

Tomas Zorzo Certified


Astanga Yoga
 Oviedo, Spain

Camino Diez
 

Lanzarote, Spain


Sweden

Charlotte Lindstrom


United Kingdom

Michael Taylor


Elisabeth Wilson


Astanga Vinyasa Yoga in the North


Todmorden,Lancs, 


John Scott Certified


Lucy Crawford Scott


The Yoga Studio


Newlyn, Penzance, Cornwall 




Hamish Hendry Certified


Anna Wise 


Astanga Yoga London 
 NW1 London


R. Alexander Medin 

Certified
Yoga Place E2
Bethnal Green Road, London 

Tracy West


Birmingham 

South America - Authorized Teachers

Chile

Gustavo Ponce


Yogashala


M. Sanchez 
Las Condes, Santiago, Chile


*

Traveling Teachers - Authorized


Ashtanga Yoga teachers who are always on-the-go. See Workshops for individual workshop locations and details.

Joseph Dunham


Anthony Carlisi


Rolf Naujokat (Certified)


Kirsten Berg


Dominic Corigliano (Certified)

Saisha Stephanie Petersen


Michael Gannon


Randy Parrish


The current Ashtanga.com list can be found here

http://ashtanga.com/html/classes.html

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. AYRI.org

Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, Mysore, India

(Now KPJAYI)

May 2007

1. How do I become an authorized/certified Ashtanga Yoga teacher?

You must receive an official Authorization Letter or Certification Certificate through the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute (AYRI) located at #235, 8th Cross, 3rd Stage, Gokulam, Mysore 570002, Karnataka, India. Only the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute issues valid teaching authorizations and certifications for Ashtanga Yoga. Participation in the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois workshop tours and trips to AYRI locations outside of Mysore do not count towards authorization or certification.

NOTE: A student should by no means visit AYRI in Mysore for the sole purpose of getting authorized. Their visit should primarily be for their own education of the lineage to further their own practice under correct guidance of Pattabhi Jois.

2. What is the difference between Authorization and Certification?

There are two categories of teachers, "authorized" and "certified." Both types of teachers receive documents from the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute indicating their teaching status. Authorized teachers generally are permitted to teach only the Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series and generally have made at least four trips to AYRI Mysore of 3+ months. The student must also demonstrate appropriate attitude, devotion to the practice, and proficiency in the Primary Series (and usually at least half of the Second Series) as determined by the directors of AYRI. Certified teachers have completed at least the first three series of Ashtanga Yoga and must demonstrate an appropriate level of proficiency in these series as determined by the directors of AYRI. These students generally have made 8 or more annual trips to AYRI Mysore and have at least 8-10 years of daily Ashtanga Yoga practice.

NOTE: AUTHORIZATION SHOULD NOT BE REQUESTED BUT GIVEN. The decision to give authorization or certification to teach is by no means solely dependent on the number of times a student has visited Mysore. It is based upon Guruji and Sharath’s evaluation of the person, his/her commitment and full respect of the lineage of the practice. Authorization is given with the trust that an AYRI student will teach as he/she has been taught in Mysore by Guruji and Sharath.

These guidelines are subject to change and do not constitute an official published policy of the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India. Please use these guidelines for your personal information only.

5. First AYRI ONLINE Authorised/Certified List

22 Aug 08 

Asia | Australia & New Zealand | Central & South America Europe | North America (Canada & USA 

* Certified

ASIA

India

Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, Director

K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute, Mysore

www.kpjayi.org

Shri R. Sharath, Assistant Director

K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute, Mysore

Saraswathi Rangaswamy *

K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute, Mysore

www.saraswathiashtanga.com

Sharmila Mahesh

K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute, Bangalore

Rolf Naujokat *

Goa, India

Louise Ellis *

Rishikesh, India

Maya Rao

Mumbai

Monica Marinoni

Ashtanga Yoga Auroville

Gabriella Pascoli

Ashtanga Goa

China

R. Alexander Medin *

The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong

Hortario Perez

Oriental Spa, Hong Kong

Japan

Govinda Kai * 

Mae Yoshikawa

Fukuoka

Ken Harakuma

Ashtanga Yoga Japan, Tokyo

Barry Silver

Ashtanga Yoyogi, Tokyo

Kranti

Under the Light, Tokyo

Singapore

James Figueira

The Yoga Shala, Singapore

Taiwan

Russell Altice Case 

Sally Evans

Ashanga Sangha, Taipei

Huang Chih Jo (Gladys Huang)

Space Yoga, Taipei

Thailand

Kirsten Berg  

S Mitchell Gold

Ashtanga Yoga Koh Phangan

Koh Phangan, Thailand

 Australia & New Zealand 

Aus - New South Wales

Eileen Hall *

YogaMoves, Bondi Junction

Dena Kingsberg *

Centre of Balance, Byron Bay

Nikki Fulford

Yogamat, Bondi Junction

Aus - Queensland

Iain Clark *

Ashtanga Yoga Shala, Paddington

Graeme Northfield *

Absolute Astanga Yoga, Cooroy

Aus - South Australia

David Roche *

Have Yoga - Will Travel, St. Peters

Aus - Victoria

Karyn Grenfell

Melbourne - Western Australia

Rob Schütze  

Jean Byrne

The Yoga Space, West Perth

New Zealand

John Scott *

Stillpoint Yoga, Nelson

Michael Norman Berghan

Te Aro Astanga Yoga, Wellington

Central & South America 

Brazil

Praça Santos Dumont,

 Rio de Janeiro - RJ, Brazil

Fábio Sayão

Ashtanga Yoga São Paulo

Ana Maria Magalhaes

Via Corpo, Salvador-Bahia

Sara Dubois

Ashtanga Yoga Atibaia

Chile

M. Sanchez Fontecilla,  S

antiago, Chile

Loreto Cortés

Ashtanga Yoga Chile, Santiago

Costa Rica

Mariela Cruz

Namasté Ashtanga Yoga Studio, San José

Europe

Austria

Horst Rinnerberger

Pure Yoga - Ashtanga Yoga Vienna

Belgium

Anne Pinette Meadows 

Brussels

Denmark

Susanna Finocchi & Jens Bache

Astanga Yoga School of Copenhagen

Finland

Juha Javanainen

Astanga Yoga School Helsinki

France

Brigitte Deroses *

Calais

Odile Morcette *

Lille

Germany

Bettina Anner

Köln, Germany

Heike Katharina Schmidt

Dvipada Studio, Cologne

Greece

Limni Evias 

Greece

Italy

Lino Miele * 

Tina Pizzimenti *

Scuola di Ashtanga Yoga, Roma

Norway

Taran Bhattal

Puro Yoga, Oslo

Poland

Basia j Lipska

 Wroclaw, Poland

Portugal

Casa Vinyasa,

  Lisbon, Portugal

Russia

Mikhail Konstantinov

Ashtanga Yoga Center, Moscow

Spain

Tomas Zorzo *

Centro de Yoga Ashtanga, Oviedo

Katia Garcia

Ashtanga Yoga Sadhana, Oviedo

Camino Diez

Centro de Yoga Ashtanga, Lanzarote

C Juanelo  

Madrid, Spain

Paseo Isabel 

Barcelona, Spain

Calle Pelayo 

Barcelona, Spain

Nick Evans

Yoga Studio, Barcelona

Eva Oller Ribosa

Estudio de Yoga, Barcelona

Sweden

Charlotte Lindstrom

Ashtangayoga.nu, Stockholm

Maria Boox

Yogashala Stockholm

Bill Brundell

Planet Ashtanga Yoga, Stockholm

Switzerland

Brett Prozio

Zurich

United Kingdom

Hamish Hendry * 

Anna Wise

Astanga Yoga London

Roberta Giannotti

Astanga Yoga London

Katie Heller

Astanga Yoga London

Lynne Pinette

West London Ashtanga Yoga, London

Cary Perkins

Yoga Place, London

Sarai Harvey-Smith

London

Beverley Sowerby

Ashtanga Yoga Bath

Simon Chandler

Ashtanga Yoga Bath

 North America (Canada & USA )

* Certified

Canada

Mark Darby *

Joanne Darby *

Sattva Yoga Shala, Montreal

Paul Gold 

Rachelle Gold

Ashtanga Yoga Shala, Toronto

David Robson

Ashtanga Yoga Centre of Toronto

Jeff Lichty

Harmony Lichty

Living Breathing Yoga

USA 

Arizona

Lisa Schrempp

Tucson, 

JB Linsky

USA - Northern California

Vance Selover

Ashtanga Yoga Berkeley

Heidi Lender & John Wilhelm

Ashtanga Yoga San Francisco

Adarsh Williams

Ashtanga Yoga Palo Alto

USA - Southern California

Manju Jois *

Leucadia

Tim Miller *

The Ashtanga Yoga Center, Carlsbad

Maia C. Heiss *

Ashtanga Yoga Malibu

James Butkevich

Ashtanga Yoga Los Angeles

Diana Christinson

Pacific Ashtanga Yoga Shala, Dana Point

Steve Dwelley

Ashtanga Yoga Shala, Santa Barbara

USA - Colorado

Richard Freeman *

The Yoga Workshop, Boulder

Annie Pace *

Shakti Sharanam, Crestone

Leigha Nicole

Splendid Yoga, Crestone

USA - District of Columbia

Keith Moore

Ashtanga Yoga Center DC

Faith Scimecca

Woodley Park Yoga, Washington DC

USA - Florida

Kino MacGregor *

Miami Life Center, Miami Beach

Tim Feldmann

Miami Life Center, Miami Beach

Greg Nardi

Miami Life Center, Miami Beach

USA - Hawaii

Noah Williams *

Pahoa, Hawaii

Anthony "Prem" Carlisi *

Chuck Miller *

Honokaa, Hawaii

Pamela Luther

Simply Ashtanga, Maui

Kimberly Flynn

Pahoa

Eagle

Pineapple Yoga, Kauai

USA - Illinois

Amy Ananda, 

Chicago

USA - Kentucky

Laura Spaulding

Yoga East, Inc., Louisville

USA - Louisiana

Melanie Fawer *

Asthanga Yoga Room, New Orleans

Jessica Blanchard

Balance Yoga & Wellness, New Orleans

Jill Ainsworth

Mysore New Orleans

USA - Massachusetts

Dominic Corigliano *

George Whiteside & Jean Cho

Cambridge, MA 

USA - New Mexico

Mary Jo Mulligan

Santa Fe, New Mexico

USA - New York

Eddie Stern *

Broome Street  New York NY

Sarah Plumer

Broome Street #2 New York NY 10013 

Karri Jinkins

Broome Street #2 New York NY 

Barbara Verrochi

The Shala Yoga House, New York

Matt Corigliano

New York

Stacey Platt

Tapovana, Sag Harbor

USA - Oregon

Olaf Kalfas *

Portland, OR 97214

Anne Finstad

 Portland

Kevin Kimple

Eugene, OR

David Miliotis 

Andrea Werner Miliotis

Bend, OR 

Stacey Lee

Bend, OR 97701

USA - Pennsylvania

Mary Flinn

Yoga Sutra School, Philadelphia

USA - Texas

Shelley Washington

Austin

USA - Vermont

Christine Hoar

Bristol Yoga, Bristol

USA - Washington

David Garrigues *

Catherine Garrigues *

Ashtanga Yoga School, Seattle

The current KPJAYI Authorisation list can be found here

http://kpjayi.org/teachers-directory/asia/

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A KPJAYI Authorised Ashtanga teacher's response to my recent posts on Authorisation, Parampara, Lineage, The Source etc. Also Sharath's full conference in Stockholm

It was nice to get a measured response this week to my recent posts on Ashtanga Authorisation, lineage, parampara and The Source from a recently Authorised KPJAYI teacher. The reader of my posts provides up to date information and perspective on The institute, Lineage, Authorisation, Parampara, Conference notes, Rigidityand the growing numbers of visitors to the institute

If my perspective is from the outside then this response is perhaps from 'the inside'...and up to date.

Relates to these posts.

On Authorisation:  There is no 'official' Ashtanga (sequence).

The Rubbish question regarding Ashtanga authorisation,certification, ownership of yoga, lineage holders, the source and parampara.

I've also added the recent video of one of Sharath's conferences presented in Stockholm last year. 

Sharath's Stockholm conference 2015 http://www.yogashalastockholm.se/
full video below.

Hi Anthony

Like you, I feel  that the value of authorisation / certification is a worthy subject for debate. I've seen it being discussed before. Full disclosure: I am authorised in the KPJAYI sense of the word. I love my job. I help other students with their asana practice, and that help is guided by my experience assisting and practicing at KPJAYI. Personally I think this is what authorisation means. You're a student in direct and regular contact with KPJAYI. It implies a certain approach to teaching. Is it a better approach than that of Richard Freeman or John Scott? I doubt it. Is it a better approach than a crash course in "ashtanga" so that you can add it to your multi discipline portfolio? I'd like to think so.

I think that what gets most people into a tizzy about authorisation is the idea that you can't teach without it. You obviously can, loads of people do. Two of the biggest Mysore program's outside AYL in London are run by non authorised teachers.  I don't think Sharath is bothered by non authorised teaching. I don't think KPJAYI will ever chase after a non authorised teacher with lawsuits alla Bikram Choudhury.

Then there are the rules, and the risk of having it all taken away. It seems to be a rare event. So far a couple of people have lost authorisation because they ran teacher training courses. I'd argue: If you're so famous (and so sure of yourself ) that you want to run TT and if people come to you for TT, and you make a good living from TT, why are you bothered about being authorised by KPJAYI anymore? It's like saying "I believe in one kind of teaching method but I'm going to pretend I adhere to another one just to cover all my bases". It's weird.

I've assisted Sharath in Mysore in the past a wonderful, hilarious experience (he has, as you note, a great sense of humour). When I read your post I thought you might like to read my take on some of what you raised, based on my most recent contact with the Shala.

Conference notes :
These are not banned. Last winter Sharath asked people not to take notes or videos on their devices during conference. He asked people to wait until their time in Mysore was over before disseminating what they were seeing / hearing. He believes taking notes means you're not present. He believes you should digest information slowly  like a good meal before sharing it. The conferences are not lectures or seminars, they are a conversation. That said, conference notes are reappearing again this year. Maybe he hasn't said anything for a while. Maybe people forget or (more likely) are ignoring him.

The institute and the lineage:
Sharath still refers to the Shala as a research institute despite the name change, which was made to honour Guruji after his death.  I don't know why they dropped the R from the new name...maybe they thought it was too long winded.

I've never heard Sharath call himself the lineage holder. He's director of the research institute. That's not a hereditary title, he earned it over 23 years of assisting Guruji. Every day. At 43 years old He's well aware there are people who've been practicing longer than him.

He wants people to visit no matter how long they've been practicing, to continue taking part in the research. I think it disappoints him that some older students have chosen to stop going, for that reason alone.

Tradition/Parampara:
The Shala is not some great altar of tradition. I think a lot of people want it to be that way.  Little tweaks and changes to the asana system happen all the time, and if you're one of his authorised or certified people you're supposed to show up as and when you can to experience all this. That's the Parampara, in as much as I understand it. The asanas change, the yoga doesn't...people can't change yoga,  yoga changes people.

He has said, possibly in jest, that he doesn't want his children to end up teaching. He wants them to find their own path.  In the past two years the foreign and local students alike  are being encouraged to assist. You can write to the Shala and ask to assist when you get a place there. Last time he was in London he said assisting is the best form of research.

Rigidity :
The sequences we call primary, intermediate etc are not rigid. There is of course an average type of body - mind that can learn (and greatly benefit from) the standardised primary and / or intermediate series without too many obstacles but I got to see first hand how many variations there are, especially when he's working with someone local who he can help all year round. And, increasingly, he gets authorised students to work with him on such projects....it breaks a whole bunch of what most people would call "the rules".

Pranayama:
is being added earlier than it used to. Students of primary series are introduced to nadi shodan first.

The Madonna effect:
I think Madge putting her leg behind her head had a negligible impact on the popularity of astanga compared to, say, the recent phenomenon of Kino MacGregor online. Madonna, as far as I'm aware, referenced astanga but never spoke about Mysore. Kino exhorts her followers to head for "the source".

The recent swell in numbers trying to get to "the source" is probably going to bring about more big changes. At the moment the Shala is caught between a rock and a hard place. To continue with Guruji's open door policy or to formalise it into a system more like Iyengar's with wait lists etc? To take the heat off Sharath by letting some certified teachers train and possibly authorise ? Who knows....

Cheers

-----------------------------

I was going to add my long 'chatty' response to the mail above but decided I have rambled on enough in the posts this mail responds to. However here is a nice extended comment/response to the original post from a non authorised but experienced Ashtanga teacher  from the comments section of that post.

---------------------------

"Such a great discussion/overview of this subject, Anthony. Thanks for this.

It's my belief that a good teacher of this practice does something that goes beyond accurately sharing the series as it has been codified, or providing good physical assists, or great technical pointers.

There are teachers, and then there are TEACHERS.

There's that lovely saying in the Ashtanga world - I first read it on Angela Jamison's blog - "Holding the space." I feel strongly that the key to good teaching lies in this concept. Holding the space means the teacher is fully present, grounded in their own practice, and yet, egoless in the way they share the practice with students. They share the practice - the one they have done for a long time - as it has been taught to them by their teacher, with an intent to meet each student where they are that day, and serve that student, kindly and wisely.

With this intention, I teach. And I am not authorized. But, I think of myself as a facilitator, or even, servant of the student. My first Ashtanga teacher, Beryl Bender Birch, and in fact, all of the teachers I have studied with who have really resonated with me as TEACHERS (Nancy, Tim) share this quality. They serve, without ego, but with wisdom and kindness.

Teaching as an act of service to those who chose to study the practice with my help brings my own ego into check. I become a clearer conduit for the knowledge that has been shared with me, and facilitate the student's exploration and self-discovery of pramana - right knowledge.

And, speaking of right knowledge, there's that great sutra - 1.7 - which applies here, methinks -

प्रत्यक्षानुमानाअगमाः प्रमाणानि ॥७॥

pratyakṣa-anumāna-āgamāḥ pramāṇāni ॥7॥

"Of these five, there are three ways of gaining correct knowledge (pramana): 1) perception, 2) inference, and 3) testimony or verbal communication from others who have knowledge.
(pratyaksha anumana agamah pramanani)

pratyaksha = direct perception or cognition
anumana = inference, reasoning, deduction
agamah = authority, testimony, validation, competent evidence
pramanani = valid means of knowing, proofs, sources of correct knowing

I think of this Sutra when I read or hear "words of authority", coming on down from on high (although, ofttimes, these words have been filtered - I think that's why Sharath has said lately, "No more conference notes." It's like the telephone game!)

Note, that the best form of pramana/right knowledge has all three elements: our own experience or perception, logic, and the direct words of a figure of authority.

Still, the best of these three is the first: our OWN experience, OUR perceptions! (Patanjali tended to put the most important or crucial element first in his tendency to list things in the Sutras.) Logic may erroneously be based on false assumptions. And figures of authority may not turn out to be figures of authority, but the misinformed - or worse, charlatans (for more on this, we can all google, "guru, sex scandal"

I've always been a bit of a rebel or outlier, so I believe respectfully questioning authority, when your own experience tells you otherwise, is a sign of a healthy and active mind and spirit. The Ashtanga practice fosters this trait, as it produces a healthy and active mind and spirit, too, when done for a long time".

***

A note on the above conference video.

I happen to find the video frustrating at times, Sharath is clearly referring to Mark Singleton's book Yoga Body at the beginning of the conference, he dismisses the book by saying that anybody can write a book (Mark's book was based on his Phd thesis) and is dismissive of 'some University' (Mark discipline is Philology and Ethnography , his PHD is from the ancient Department of Divinity at Cambridge). Sharath stresses the importance of actual practice (not realizing perhaps that Mark has practised Ashtanga for many years).  

As it happens, I'm not convinced by some of Mark's arguments in Yoga Body either, however I value the contribution he and his colleagues are making in moving towards a better understanding of yoga's past and present, how the theory and practice of yoga has been and is currently being transmitted. We can see perhaps in my recent posts and the response above the constant, ongoing, layering and rewriting of interpretation by teachers, students, scholars and the media.

It's unholy mess and can be a distraction, informed practice with discernment is best, which is I think what Sharath really wants to say.

The conference gets better after this shaky beginning.

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There is no 'official' Ashtanga (sequence).

I have never been to Mysore and the KPJAYI (Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute) and only occasionally, and briefly at that, considered going to Mysore in the past. Having begun ( March 2007) and developed my Ashtanga vinyasa practice alone at home, with the books and videos of senior teachers of the practice, I've never been that attracted or inclined to practise in a room shared by 80 other pairs of lungs. This is perhaps also why KPJAYI carries no more import to me than Boulder, Encintas, Hawaii or my wherever I happen to place my mat for my mornings practice. 

That said I do in fact respect the institution and the dedication to teaching and practice it represents and consider it a bulwark and perhaps antidote to much of how yoga is being practiced and taught in the west.

One may still question the institution however...

The current head of KPJAYI, Sharath, has an oft repeated 'sutra',

"Nobody owns Yoga"

Actually he seems to have an endless supply of them...

"No pain, no gain"

"No fear, no fun"

but it's the Nobody owns Yoga 'sutra' I'm interested in for this post.


Not only does nobody own yoga but I'm assuming he also means...

Nobody owns Ashtanga 

and

Nobody owns the Vinyasa Krama... 

commonly called Ashtanga Vinyasa or just Ashtanga as taught by Sharath's grandfather Pattabhi Jois.

Early Posters

If nobody owns Ashtanga Vinyasa then nobody has any proprietary rights over it, there can be no official version that can be authorised (lawyers feel free to help me out here).

What we do have is association, an approach to practice associated with the personage Sri K. Pattabhi Jois who taught a particular Vinyasa Krama methodology referred to here as Ashtanga Vinyasa.

The Ashtanga Vinyasa of Pattabhi Jois as taught at the Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga (research*) Institute KPJAY(R)I

* 'Research' was later dropped

The institute approves teachers through Authorisation certificates, baring the name of the institute, to teach one or more sequences in a manner approved by the Institute.

R. Sharath Jois is the current head of the institute and decides who is and isn't approved for authorisation by the institute and who's name remains on (or is removed from) the official list of the institutes approved teachers.

David Williams Comple Ashtanga poster

So, an 'Authorised' or 'Certified' Ashtanga teacher is somebody approved by the institute to teach in association with their name.

But nobody owns Yoga or Ashtanga Vinyasa as Sharath reminds us.

Nobody can prevent you then from teaching Ashtanga Vinyasa as approved by any other institute or body.

Nor can anyone prevent you from claiming to teach Ashtanga Vinyasa as taught to you by Pattabhi Jois directly if you were indeed taught by Pattabhi Jois and teach a practice he taught you

Nor can anyone prevent you from claiming to teach Ashtanga Vinyasa as taught to you by a student of Pattabhi Jois if you teach in the manner in which they taught you.

Indeed, Sharath was a student of his Grandfather and teaches as he was taught by his Grandfather

Saraswati teaches as she was taught by her father

Manju Jois also teaches as he was taught by his father.

Pattabhi Jois taught the sequence and approach to the sequence slightly differently throughout his life (and it is questionable to what extent Pattabhi Jois practiced any or all of these sequences himself as he presented them in his teaching - see THIS post).

There are slight differences between how he first taught in the 40s 

...how he taught his son Manju and Saraswati in the 50s

....how he taught the early Western students who came to Mysore in the 70s and 80s, Norman Allan, David Williams, Nancy Gilgoff, Tim Miller, Richard Freeman, David Swenson.... and so on and so on in that wonderful list of early students who, in turn,  became (and continue to be) teachers of the practice in the manner in which they were taught and explored the practice.

And also of course how he taught his grandson Sharath in the 90s as well as the later direct students.

Original Syllabus

We can see evidence perhaps of the slight differences in Pattabhi Jois' teaching, the original list of asana perhaps from the 50s, the slight differences in how Manju communicates the practice, the full Vinyasa of the early students now teachers themselves, the number of breaths taken in asana, the changes in the number of drishti points, we can see much of this in the early practice sheets and outlined in the interviews collected for the Guruji book.

Link

Likewise we can see minor differences in how Sharath has taught over the last few years.

The differences are slight*, mostly minor perhaps, it's the same practice, key elements remain, a difference in detail only.

*I would argue that only significant difference was in Pattabhi Jois' failure to carry over the kumbhaka indicated by his teacher Krishnamacharya.

The sequence and how it is taught, if it does indeed differ slightly reflecting the period in which it was taught, is no less or for that matter more official, more authorised, if taught by Sharath in Mysore, by Tim Miller in Encinitas or Richard Freeman in Boulder, by Nancy Gilgoff or David Williams or Noman Allan in Hawaii or by Manju wherever he happens to be teaching around the world.

Remember, Ashtanga Authorisation as we currently understand it is only through association with the institute and the esteem in which it is held. Before Pattabhi Jois was encouraged to introduce authorisation it was more a case of him giving a personal blessing to teach an approach to practice in association with his name.

*

The practice is not rocket science, it's painting by numbers, the asana methodology Pattabhi Jois presented can fit on a poster, on a double sided laminated A4 card along with perhaps a handful of guidelines, it is I would argue the dedicated practise of that practice over a long period of time that is significant.

Early Posters

The methodology consists of a basic practice consisting of Sun salutations, some Standing asana, a Primary sequence of mostly seated postures and a finishing sequence consisting of inversions and lotus postures. An Intermediate or advanced sequences can be substituted for the Primary sequence (Pattabhi Jois supposedly stressed that the Primary series was for everybody, the Intermediate sequence for teachers and the Advanced series, merely for demonstration).

"To begin the practice of yoga, an aspirant should first do the Surya Namaskara [Sun Salutations], and then proceed to the asanas. The Surya Namaskara and asanas must be practiced in the correct sequence and follow the method of vinyasa". Pattabhi Jois - Yoga Mala

These sequences of asana, postures were linked together by a vinyasa, a linking of the movements to and from a posture to inhalations and exhalations. Basically, in most instances,  you inhale as you move up and exhale as you move down.

The inhalation and exhalation are directed to be of the same duration.

Focal points called drishti are indicated, Pattabhi Jois' original instructions following his teacher was to look between the eyebrows when inhaling and look to the tip of the nose when exhaling, latter a few other focal points were introduced especially for beginners. Pattabhi Jois' son Manju mentioned that you might also close your eyes while practicing.

"This is the method for the first Surya Namaskara, which is often practiced while chanting mantras. For this, meditation is very important, as are the drishti, or gazing places, which include: nasagra drishti [the gaze on the tip of the nose] for samasthiti; broomadhya drishti [the gaze between the eyebrows] for the 1st vinyasa; nasagra dristri for the 2nd vinyasa; the gaze between the eyebrows for the 3rd vinyasa—in other words, for the odd-numbered vinyasas, the gaze should be focused between the eyebrows and, for the even-numbered ones, the gaze should be on the tip of the nose. In addition, for the even- numbered vinyasas, rechaka should be performed and, for the odd, one should do puraka. On the whole, the method for doing rechaka and puraka is the same for all the vinyasas and asanas ahead. A sadhaka [spiritual aspirant] should learn it with patience". Pattabhi Jois - Yoga mala

There are also bandhas to be engaged, rarely described the same by two teachers twice  

"Mula bandha [mula root : bandha lock] means lifting the anus up toward the navel; uddiyana bandha [uddiyana flying up : bandha lock], also known as the stomach lock, means lifting the core muscles four inches below the navel; jalandhara bandha means the throat lock". Pattabhi Jois Yoga Mala

Because of the internal nature of this activation of bandhas it can't perhaps be taught but rather, discovered through practice.

And that is basically it.

The practice is learned one posture at a time, each posture added on to the next as the body becomes stronger and more flexible. Occasionally a teacher my help you work towards a posture, demonstrate it perhaps but mostly you're left to your own devices and a laminated card or poser on the wall.

We aren't so much taught the practice as we discover it for ourselves whether in the shala, studio or at home alone.

A teacher is advised, encouraged even especially in the beginning but ultimately unnecessary, once exposed to the sequence in whatever manner, a teacher, a video, book, laminated cards or a list of postures, we appropriate the practice, internalise it through practising it.

The practice (and perhaps Yoga) arises within us through dedicated practise.

Early Posters

The authorisation process of the KPJAYI is useful, it lays out a current standardised version of the sequence(s) Pattabhi Jois first codified from his teacher Krishnamacharya's list of groups of asana; Primary, Middle and Proficient as well as the teaching methodology or guidelines. It gives you something that you can walk into most Led classes around the world and no become too confused or lost.

The current presentation of the sequence is however not any more or less right than the one taught to you by a student of a teacher who studied with Pattabhi Jois decades before.

For that matter there there were many old and ancient descriptions and pictorial/sculptural depictions of a posture as well as names for the same asana - there are no CORRECT asana - although perhaps incorrect (unsafe) approaches to them.

The KPJAYI authorisation indicates that your authorised teacher has been practising, internalising, this practice for a number of years. It doesn't insure that they are necessarily a good or competent teacher or communicator of the practice (although they may well be) or that they have ever opened an anatomy book for more than the odd glance, it doesn't insure that they are competent at adjusting or assisting or indeed that they carry insurance should something go amiss.

Word of mouth reputation still carries more value perhaps than a certificate on a wall. An unauthorised teacher of Ashtanga vinyasa who has never been to Mysore or come into contact with Pattabhi Jois, Manju or Sharath or indeed any of their students may well be more competent to pass on the practice through their own internalisation and exploration of the practice, they may be a better communicator, more aware anatomically, more skilful in their adjustments or assists (should you feel you require or would like them.... rather than waiting for your body to become naturally more flexible) they also may be more inspiring to you to explore other aspects (limbs) of yoga, to go more deeply into your practice.

The institute only gets to say who can teach in their name, who can offer training (currently only Sharath) in their name and that anyone else offering training in Ashtanga is not approved by the institute. The Institute, because it doesn't own the practice and have any proprietary rights can't stop anyone from offering Ashtanga vinyasa training and there are many teachers and schools who can offer excellent training to those who wish to teach the practice. 

All the institute can do is control it's own list of approved teachers and remove anyone going against the wishes of the institute from their approval list.

Any authority the institute has comes from it's reputation, association, convention and control of the list of teacher sit approves.

There is no official Ashtanga, just hermeneutics.

Ultimately all there is, is practice.

My favourite photo of Pattabhi Jois in the old shala,
I would have come Mysore to practice here in this samll room.

"Practice alone is the path to atma labhah [gaining the Self]".

Pattabhi Jois - Yoga Mala

*

See also perhaps this related post on 

Authorisation and the tyranny of terminology

and this response

A KPJAYI Authorised Ashtanga teacher's response to my recent posts on Authorisation, Parampara, Lineage, The Source etc.


*

Appendix

Should you wish to begin a home practice of Ashtanga I personally recommend.

Most strongly recommended in bold.

*

Ashtanga Practice Manual - David Swenson

Contains preparatory variations for all postures

*

Ashtanga short forms DVD - David Swenson

Contains shorter versions of the practice

*

Ashtanga Primary Series - Mark Darby

A nice focus on safe practice plus some beginner options.

*

Ashtanga Primary Series - Sharath

Full practice without fuss or flourish

*

Yoga Mala - Pattabhi Jois

*

Primary and Intermediate series book and DVD (primary series only) - Manju Jois
Names of asana and count call and response throughout also chanting peace chants

*

Ashtanga Primary series with Drums - David Robson

The only dvd that practices slowly, five seconds each for every inhalation and exhalation on the beat of a drum.

*

Yoga Makaranda pdf -Krishnamacharya

Pattabhi Jois' teacher.

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