Old Shala Mysore Style

When I first traveled to Mysore, the experience was intimate and intense. Guruji Pattabhi Jois was in his prime and Sharath was his young apprentice. That small room in  the Laxmipuram district of Mysore,now called the “Old Shala” was where Guruji had been teaching Ashtanga classes for over 60 years. The room was small, only large enough for 12 students at one time and the atmosphere was dynamic with Guruji and Sharath adjusting nearly every pose.

This was a special time in my practice. Now with my teaching partner Heleen, I am seeking to recreate this atmosphere in Taipei. We will offer twice weekly Semi Private Mysore classes in the tradition of the Old Shala.

~ Adarsh Williams

About Adarsh

Adarsh Williams teaches a contemplative style of yoga that embraces both modern innovation and traditional wisdom. Since 1995, Adarsh has been engaged in the field of natural healing and has received certifications in therapeutic massage and active isolated stretching. He continues as a student of Ashtanga Yoga and its sister studies of Sanskrit, Ayurveda, and Bhakti.

As an Authorized Ashtanga teacher, Adarsh has continuously traveled to Asia since 2001 for study and pilgrimage. Adarsh strives to pass on the precise method of Ashtanga as taught to him by his late Guruji, Shri. K Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, India. Believing that the best teacher is one who inspires students to "practice, practice, practice", his approach is individualized, compassionate, and respectful, allowing each practitioner to receive the appropriate attention without any one person getting lost in the crowd of students. He maintains the exact method of counting vinyasa, dristhi, pranayama, asana, and bandha which form the core techniques of Ashtanga.

Through in-depth study of human anatomy and physiology and formal training as a massage therapist, Adarsh is highly regarded for his sensitive yet deep adjusting style. He has experience working with a wide variety of students of diverse abilities, ages, and backgrounds. With a deeply held belief that anyone can develop a personal yoga practice, Adarsh is an energetic teacher who infuses his enthusiasm for practice and hard work in his students.

About Heleen

Living in the Netherlands, my home country, a friend took me to her yoga class when I was 21. Yoga wasn’t very popular yet and I was the youngest in the group feeling quite bored until we arrived in Savasana. The teacher said “relax your toes” and I didn’t understand how you could feel your toes, let alone relax them. The realization I didn’t know how to feel parts of my body hit me like a lightning bolt and it was the beginning of me falling in love with Yoga.

After completing my BA in Cultural and Social Education, I moved to Germany and spent 4 years practicing Sivananda Yoga, eventually doing their teacher training course in upstate New York in 1999. Shortly after, I decided to move to London to pursue life as a yoga teacher which in turn led me to a position of General Manager at one of London's best known dance and holistic centers.

In London I started Ashtanga Yoga with Liz Lark and John Scott who inspired me to go to Mysore, India to study with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. I did for the first time in 2002 and feel blessed to have been able to practice under his guidance many more times before he passed away. My gratitude goes to him and other great teachers who have taught and inspired me and continue to do so.

I have taught Yoga since 2000, always with the intention of giving the students the same moment of awe that I had in my first Yoga class. Yoga doesn’t just take place on the mat, it’s in every action, in every day life. I aim towards conveying this to the students in teaching Ashtanga as well as Restorative Yoga.

Price

	Semi-private Mysore	Semi-private Mysore
Time	Every Mon/Wed 09:15 – 10:45	Every Tue/Thur 09:15 – 10:45
Session	20 classes	20 classes
Tuition	NT$15,600	NT$15,600

• Semi-private classes are offered as a 3-month, 20-class package. Each class is 90 minutes long and cannot be registered individually.
• Class time is fixed. There will not be makeup classes or refunds for missed classes.
• The classes in the two series are not interchangeable. Students may only attend the series she/he is registered for.
• Minimum of ten attendees must be met for a semi-private session to start. Twelve attendees is the maximum number allowed for any one session.

Please contact SPACE An-Ho or Tien-Mu or
email teachertraining@withinspace.com for more details.