How did you first come into contact with Ashtanga yoga, and what was it that really resonated with you in the beginning?

THE BEGINNING OF THE PATH

Usha on Discovering Ashtanga Yoga, Moving to Mysore, and Meeting Sharath Ji

From the very first time I met Sharath Ji, I felt a deep resonance with his simplicity and presence

My first connection with Ashtanga yoga happened in early 2006, when I was living in Bangalore with my teacher and godmother, Jyothi, while studying Montessori education and child psychology.

She was a deeply sincere spiritual seeker with extraordinary knowledge of yogic and spiritual traditions. During the year I lived with her, she spent countless hours teaching me about different philosophies, spiritual paths, and yogic systems. She also introduced me to Yoga Nidra and guided me through those practices regularly.

One day, she began speaking to me about Pattabhi Jois Guruji and Sharath Ji’s Ashtanga yoga tradition.

Because her grandparents were originally from Mysore, she had spent much of her childhood there. Their home was near the old Lakshmipuram Shala, where Pattabhi Jois Guruji taught before moving to Gokulam. She had always been fascinated by Ashtanga yoga — especially Surya Namaskara as taught by Guruji.

Although she herself had always wanted to study with him, life never quite created the opportunity.

So when I was finishing my Montessori studies and beginning to receive placement opportunities from different schools, something important happened.

I received an interview call from a Montessori school in Mysore.

Immediately, my teacher told me:

Usha, if you want to go deeper into yoga, go to Mysore. Learn from Pattabhi Jois Guruji and Sharath Ji.

The moment she said those words, something awakened very strongly inside me.

Without hesitation, I decided that no matter what happened, I would accept the position in Mysore and move there — not only for work, but to study yoga with the Jois family.

Searching for the Shala

Every evening I walked through Mysore searching for KPJAYI

In early 2007, I moved from Bangalore to Mysore.

I began working at the Montessori school while simultaneously trying to find KPJAYI and join the yoga classes.

At that time, things were very different from today. We did not have smartphones, Google Maps, or easy navigation. Every evening after work, I would walk through different parts of Mysore searching for the Shala.

Eventually, through one of the parents from the Montessori school, I finally received the address of the KPJAYI Shala in Gokulam.

Soon after, by God’s grace, I received admission and began practicing there.

At that time, Pattabhi Jois Guruji, Saraswati Amma, and Sharath Ji were all teaching together in the evening classes.

Alongside my work at the Montessori school, I was also pursuing Master’s degrees in English and Hindi Literature while practicing yoga daily in the evening batch from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Life became completely immersed in study, work, and practice.

Meeting Sharath Ji

I realized very quickly that this path was not about exercise or certificates.

From the very first moment I met Sharath Ji in the Gokulam Shala, I strongly resonated to his simplicity

The way he carried himself.
His beautiful pure smile.
And his unique yet powerful way of teachings.

Very quickly, through being close to him and observing him carefully, I began to understand something much deeper about Ashtanga yoga.

I realized that this tradition was never meant to be merely physical exercise, performance, or certification.

It was a path intended to transform you into a genuine spiritual seeker.

A real yogi.

A path to attain higher levels of consciousness.

That understanding became the foundation of my strong unbroken connection and faith to Ashtanga yoga and eventually transformed my entire life into a yogic life.

This path was not simply something I practiced — it became the way I lived.

You spoke about your strong connection with Sharath Ji and his way of teaching — what was it in his approach that shaped you the most as a practitioner?

LEARNIG THROUGH SIMPLICITY

Usha on Sharath Ji’s Teaching, Independence, and the Inner Journey of Practice

Finding both a genuine practitioner and an exceptional teacher in one person is very rare

In life, we sometimes meet people who are excellent practitioners.

And sometimes we meet people who are gifted teachers.

But finding both qualities embodied fully in the same person is rare.

For me, Sharath Guruji was one of those amazing souls.

He was completely committed — both to his own practice and to what he preached to others. I always saw that his way of teachings make students independent and build patience on their path. He used to teach what is necessary and sufficient in a simple, humble manner. This approach helped me to stay grounded, not comparing, not calculating my state or progress on the spiritual path. Ever since I have been exploring this transformative journey inward, which made my practice and teachings natural on the mat and beyond.

You began practicing with Sharath Ji at a time when he was gradually taking on a more prominent role in teaching, and later continued carrying the paramparā forward. From your perspective, did you notice any changes or evolution in his way of teaching over the years?

EVOLVING WITHOUT LOSING THE ESSENCE

Usha on Sharath Ji’s Growth as a Teacher and the Preservation of the Paramparā

He evolved with time, but he never compromised the essence of yoga

After Pattabhi Jois Guruji passed away in 2009, Sharath Ji took on the immense responsibility of carrying the paramparā forward.

At that time, the Mysore community was still relatively small compared to what it later became. We were handling physical paper applications, and usually there were around 100 to 120 students practicing in the Shala.

But around 2011–2012, something changed dramatically.

Ashtanga yoga began spreading throughout the world at an incredible pace and in unbelievable way.

Suddenly, instead of a little over one hundred students, more than four hundred practitioners began arriving in Mysore. Applications increased into the thousands, and eventually the Shala introduced online applications so students from all over the world could apply more easily.

Everything expanded very quickly.

In some ways, it was overwhelming.

But Sharath Guruji handled that period with remarkable balance.

A Changing Yoga World

As time changes, people’s minds, intentions, and approaches also change

Over the years, I could clearly observe how the global yoga community itself was evolving.

More and more young practitioners began arriving — many already physically strong, flexible, and highly capable because of backgrounds in gymnastics, sports, dance, or other yoga systems.

Naturally, the intentions students carried also became more varied.

Earlier, many people came simply to practice sincerely and quietly. Later, I began noticing increasing interest in authorizations, certifications, teacher trainings, and external recognition.

But regardless of the intentions students arrived with, Sharath Ji remained deeply rooted in the way he himself had learned from his masters and passed it to the students.

He never abandoned the core principles that had transformed him personally.

That was one of the most remarkable things about him.

Adapting the Method Without Losing the Core

Every student is different, so naturally his approach evolved

Of course, over time Sharath Ji’s approach evolved.

It had to.

Every student is unique, and as the community changed, he adjusted the way he communicated, guided, and understood practitioners from different cultures and backgrounds.

But even while adapting externally, he never distorted the essence of yoga itself.

He never encouraged superficial understanding.
He never promoted wrong intentions.
And he never allowed yoga to become disconnected from genuine inner transformation.

Everything he taught remained rooted in healing and growth — physical, mental, and spiritual.

That foundation never changed.

Rooted in Simplicity

Even as he became a Paramaguru, he remained deeply humble

As the years passed, Sharath Ji naturally grew into a much larger role within the global yoga community.

Eventually, many people began seeing him as a Paramaguru.

But despite that expansion, he remained remarkably simple.

Grounded.
Rooted.
Humble.

He evolved with time — but always for the right reasons.

And no matter how much the outer world changed around him, he protected the essence of the parampara with great integrity.

He changed with time, but he never changed the heart of the practice

Over the years, I’ve personally seen how much you contributed to the functioning of the shala — how did it come about that, alongside your daily practice, you also took on such a significant role in the administration? What were your responsibilities during that time?

A LIFE IN SERVICE

Usha on Becoming Sharath Ji’s Secretary, Assisting in the Shala, and Devoting Her Life to Practice

It was never about position or authorization for me. It was simply sadhana, surrender, and service

When I first moved to Mysore in 2007, my life looked very different from what it later became.

At that time, I was working in a Montessori school while also pursuing Master’s degrees in English and Hindi Literature at Mysore University. Alongside all this, I had also started practicing yoga and attending yoga classes.

For the first few months, life moved quietly between study, work, and practice.

Then one day Sharath Ji asked me a very simple question.

He asked whether I was giving tuition classes to children. I told him no — my schedule was already quite full between teaching at the Montessori school, university studies, and yoga practice. But I also told him that if he ever needed any help, I would gladly do whatever I could.

He then asked me if I could tutor his daughter, Shraddha.

Of course, I immediately said yes.

And so, for almost 3 years, my days settled into a very disciplined rhythm. I would work at the Montessori school until the afternoon, practice yoga in the afternoon, and afterward go upstairs in the Gokulam Shala house to teach Shraddha until 9pm, while somehow also continuing my university studies in between.

At that point, I had no idea that this simple beginning would slowly transform my entire life.

The Moment Everything Changed

When Sharath Ji asked me to work for him, I never had a second thought

Around 2009, after Guruji Sri K. Pattabhi Jois passed away, my life reached an important crossroads.

By then, I had completed my Master’s degree and had received a very good job opportunity in Gujarat(North India) as a Montessori department headmaster. I had already resigned from my position in Mysore and was preparing to relocate.

A few days after Guruji’s passing, I went to Sharath Ji and informed him that I would soon be leaving Mysore and therefore would no longer be able to continue tutoring Shraddha.

He looked at me quietly and asked:

Why are you leaving?

Then he said something that completely changed my life:

I am looking for a secretary. I was even thinking of announcing it in the newspaper. Why don’t you work for the Shala and for me personally — and continue your practice?

I had never imagined such a possibility.

It felt like an enormous honor.

As I mentioned before, I had always deeply admired Sharath Ji. I respected him tremendously and already carried devotion toward him in my heart. So when he made that offer, there was no inner debate, no hesitation.

Immediately, I gave up the opportunity in Gujarat and decided to stay in Mysore.

That decision changed the direction of my entire life.

Shortly afterward, I officially began working for the KPJAYI and later for the SYC.

The Early Years of the Shala

When I first started working in the office in 2009, the Shala functioned very differently from today.

Applications still arrived physically by post. Students came directly to the Shala for admissions. Confirmations were handled manually. Eventually websites, online applications, emails, and digital systems slowly became part of the process, but in those early years everything was still very personal and labor-intensive.

At the same time, the number of students coming to Mysore was rapidly increasing every year.

The work expanded continuously.

During the periods when Sharath Ji traveled abroad to teach, I still remained connected to Montessori education. I trained school teachers in Montessori methods across Bangalore, Siruguppa, and other parts of India. I conducted workshops while travelling through India.

For some time, I tried to balance both worlds — yoga and Montessori.

But eventually the responsibilities became overwhelming.

I was maintaining my own practice, working as Sharath Ji’s secretary, helping manage the growing Shala administration, and managing drastically increased number of students in the Shala. Alongside with all the responsibilities and my work in Montessori education, it became too much

At one point I had to honestly ask myself:

Usha — yoga or Montessori?

I loved both deeply.

But when it came to choosing between the two, yoga came first.

Slowly, I stepped away from Montessori work and dedicated myself more completely to practice, service, and the Shala.

Living Entirely Inside the Practice

From that point onward, my whole life became yoga sadhana

After making that decision, my life became fully centered around practice and service.

My days began around 2:30 in the morning.

By 3:15 or 3:30 I would already be at the Gokulam Shala preparing for the first batch starting at 3:40 a.m. I practiced in the earliest morning session and usually finished around 6:00 a.m.

After practice, I would often travel long distances across Mysore to teach private yoga classes to VIP students and their families — politicians, district commissioners, IG officers, and other well-known families whom Sharath Ji personally asked me to teach. Many of these homes were far from the Shala, sometimes requiring long travel both ways.

After finishing private classes around 9:00 a.m., I would quickly return home, shower, eat something small, and rush back to the Shala before 10:00 a.m. to continue office work while Sharath Ji was still teaching until 11:30-12:00.

The work never really stopped.

Admissions.
Emails.
Phone calls.
Online applications.
Registration lines.
Group divisions.
Fee collection.
Banking work.
Shop management.
Stock ordering.
Authorization paperwork.

Almost everything passed through my hands at some point.

And in the afternoons, I would often return again to help teach Indian students alongside Sharath Ji.

Assisting Sharath Ji

Eventually, Sharath Ji also began allowing me to assist him directly in the Shala.

Later he invited me to travel with him to China and assist him during international teaching trips as well.

At that time, authorization was never something I thought about personally. My focus was simply service and practice.

In fact, when Sharath Ji first suggested preparing an authorization document for me, only because it would help with visa paperwork for travel abroad. I remember laughing because I had already written hundreds of authorization letters for other students over the years.

I told him:

Sharath Ji, it feels strange to write my own authorization. Please, you write it for me

And he did.

For me, everything unfolded naturally through sadhana, surrender, and trust.

Even before authorization, he had already made me assist him daily in the Shala for long stretches of the season — sometimes six to eight months continuously.

I never asked when it would end.
And he never asked me to stop.

So I simply continued.

The Cost of Dedication

It was physically exhausting, but spiritually deeply fulfilling

Of course, sustaining such a life came with consequences.

There were sleepless nights, physical exhaustion, hunger, sciatic pain, cramps, and other health struggles. Balancing intense personal practice with nonstop administrative work and teaching responsibilities was incredibly demanding.

Many times Sharath Ji himself would notice the pressure I was under.

Sometimes he would tell me:

The work is too much for you. Find someone to help you a little

Other times he would simply say:

Take some rest, then continue

And I would.

But despite all the difficulty, I experienced something very beautiful through that life.

A deep sense of meaning.

A sense of karma yoga.

Serving the Shala, serving students, serving my teacher — all of it became part of my spiritual practice.

Even small things, like helping Sharath Ji with personal errands or shopping, never felt separate from practice to me. It was all another form of service, another expression of devotion.

Looking back now, I feel nothing but gratitude for those years.

They were difficult.
But they were also profoundly beautiful.

You described a very intense period where your personal practice, the running of the shala, and supporting Sharath ji were all present at the same time. How were you able to sustain this balance over the long term, and what helped you through the more challenging periods? Was there anything that helped you to recharge or find rest during that time?

RESPONSIBILITY AS PRACTICE

Usha on Service, Sharath Ji, Physical Struggle, and the Deeper Meaning of Yoga

The more responsibilities I handled, the stronger I became

There was a period in my life when everything happened simultaneously. I was maintaining my personal practice while also working closely with Sharath Ji — serving as his secretary, assisting him in class, helping students, managing admissions, and organizing private one-on-one sessions for VIP students and different families. At one point, I was handling four or five families continuously, back to back, while also working daily in the Shala.

At the same time, I still had my own family responsibilities, personal commitments, and everyday life to take care of. My sleep, food, practice, work — everything overlapped.

Of course, it was incredibly difficult.

But over time, I realized something very important: the more responsibility we open ourselves to, the more strength life gives us in return.

Most of us never discover our true capacity because we hesitate to take on bigger responsibilities. Sometimes life places us in situations where we must handle many difficult things simultaneously, every single day, for years. Sustaining that is not easy. But through that process, I discovered an instinctive inner strength.

And above all, surrendering to my master — Sharath Ji — gave me tremendous stability and lightness of mind.

The more responsibilities I carried, the stronger I became.

Strength Already Exists Within Us

All the strength, abilities, blessings, and qualities we seek are already within us

I eventually understood that this is true not only for me, but for everyone.

All the strength, skills, blessings, and positive qualities we seek already exist within us. But unless we remain open to opportunity — unless we empty ourselves enough for transformation to happen — that potential remains hidden.

We have to allow the process.
We have to allow the miracle.
We have to allow the magic.

That is what happened in my life.

I have always tried to keep life simple. Simplicity helps me stay connected — to people, to work, and to practice.

Even before coming to Mysore and working for Sharath Ji, I served in a Vedic gurukula in Bangalore. Since childhood, whether in school, college, family life, or work, my principle has always been the same:

If a responsibility is given to me, and if I already know the work I put my whole heart and soul into it. If I do not know the work I was given, I still remain open, learn sincerely, and still give my complete effort to get better.

I never worried too much about whether I had enough qualifications, skills, or capabilities. In many places where I served — in gurukulas, yoga shala, or companies — responsibilities were simply entrusted to me without anyone asking whether I already knew how to do them.

And I loved that.

Sometimes it felt completely outside my comfort zone, but I never thought: “This is not for me.”

If life placed something in front of me, I felt it meant I was capable of growing into it.

Surrender to the Guru

Being with Sharath Ji was my greatest strength

Having this attitude from childhood made many difficult things possible.

But beyond that, my complete surrender and devotion to Sharath Ji transformed me deeply.

I admired him. I loved him. I trusted him completely.

When you truly surrender to your master, his grace, energy, experiences, and presence begin to support you in invisible ways. Simply being around him constantly — in all kinds of work and situations — gave me enormous instinctive strength.

I am deeply grateful for those opportunities and for the destiny that allowed me to live through such beautiful experiences.

Being with Sharath Ji became my greatest source of strength.

That is why I felt capable of handling anything.

Physical Pain and the Reality Behind Service

Of course, physical pain was also part of that period.

Handling so many responsibilities eventually affected my body. I developed sciatica and chronic shoulder pain. I also struggled with hormonal imbalance and menstrual irregularities for many years, which caused excessive bleeding, mood swings, inflammation, and heaviness in the body.

All of this deeply affected my asana practice.

There was a time when Primary Series and more than half of Intermediate Series felt relatively accessible to me. But suddenly postures like Padmasana variations, Marichasana C and D, Garbha Pindasana, Kurmasana, and Supta Kurmasana became extremely difficult.

At first, it was very hard to accept.

One day I spoke honestly with Sharath Ji about it. I told him:

I have the incredible blessing and unique opportunity of practicing with you through all seasons, but my asana practice does not seem to be progressing the way I expected. Please tell me where I am going wrong

He smiled and jokingly told me:

Maybe reduce your white rice and eat more ragi millet — then you may feel lighter

And honestly, there was truth in that too. Because of my hormonal imbalance and inflammation, my body had become heavier, though not necessarily overweight.

But eventually I realized something much deeper.

When Yoga Opens Beyond the Physical

Yoga was no longer limited to the physical for me

There came a point when I had to sit quietly and reflect deeply.

I understood that if I gave up because of my physical struggles, I would be giving up my entire path. And I could not do that. Practice was my life, and I had been blessed with such a great master.

Then I started seeing clearly:

Yes, my asana practice had become more difficult.
But at the same time, other dimensions of yoga were naturally opening within me.

Yama.
Niyama.
Breath awareness.
Pratyahara.
Dharana.
Dhyana.

The real essence of yoga began revealing itself more and more deeply.

That was the true blessing.

Yoga was no longer limited to physical postures for me. It never truly had been — but now that understanding became deeply rooted inside me.

Choosing Service Over Personal Achievement

I also began seeing the impact of service itself.

Every year, students from all over the world came to the Shala. I witnessed transformation in them. Many students would come to me privately to share their fears, sadness, struggles, emotional blockages, and experiences. Some were even afraid to speak directly with Sharath Ji, so they felt more comfortable opening up to me.

I never expected my service to help people in that way.

At some point I realized I had a choice:

I could leave my responsibilities, focus only on rest and physical training, and perhaps improve my asana practice more quickly.

Or…

I could continue serving my teacher, the Shala, and the students.

I chose service.

And during the off-seasons, when the Shala closed, I would finally rest properly, travel, and reconnect with my own personal sadhana. That recovery would naturally help my body, and my asana practice would improve again little by little.

But by then, my relationship to yoga had already changed forever.

You spent almost your entire adult life alongside Sharath Ji — in practice, in service, and within the daily life of the shala. How did you experience his sudden passing, and what gave — and still gives — you strength after such a deep loss?

THE LOSS OF A GURU

Usha on Sharath Ji’s Passing, Grief, Healing, and Continuing the Path

His body passed away — but not his contribution, his energy, or his blessings

Yes… as you said, I spent almost nineteen years of my life serving Sharath Guruji during some of the most formative and important years of my journey.

Even now, it is still very difficult for me to speak about his passing.

Hearing the news was deeply shocking.

I received the phone call around 2:15 in the early morning while I was asleep in India. The call itself woke me up. When I heard the news, I genuinely did not know whether I was still dreaming or whether it was real. My mind immediately rejected it. I hoped there had been some misunderstanding. I wanted to believe it was false.

Everything felt unreal.

But there was no time to collapse emotionally.

Immediately after hearing the news, many responsibilities had to be handled at once. I first rushed toward Saraswati Amma’s house, although by then they had already received the news. Then I had to go to Sharath Guruji’s house to be with Shruthi Ji and help take her to the Bangalore airport. At the same time, discussions had already begun about how to bring Guruji’s body back to India. Conversations with authorities, government officials, and many different people were happening simultaneously.

There was simply too much to handle.

Looking back now, I honestly do not know how I managed those days.

In many ways, I never truly had the space to process the loss privately in the beginning. Even in the middle of the great grieve agony, responsibilities continued.

And even now, it still feels difficult to fully accept the reality that Sharath Ji is no longer present in physical form.

The Funeral and the Beginning of Acceptance

The funeral helped me begin accepting the reality

In Indian tradition, women usually do not attend funeral grounds.

But for Sharath Ji, I wanted to go.

Being present there and witnessing the entire process became deeply important for me. Until that moment, part of my mind still could not completely believe what had happened. But standing there physically helped me slowly begin accepting the reality.

For more than a week after hearing the news, I could barely sleep.

Only after the funeral did something begin to soften slightly inside me.

That was the moment the first real acceptance started.

As I mentioned earlier, Sharath Ji was never only my guru or my employer. Over the years, he also became a fatherly figure, a source of support, inspiration, and protection in my life.

And in some ways, this loss also reawakened another grief I had already experienced before — the passing of my own father three and a half years earlier.

When my father died, the pain was indescribable.

There was regret.
There was crying.
There was helplessness.

The first year after his passing was especially intense. The pain was strong and consistent. Only after the first annual death ceremony did I slowly begin feeling healing happening inside me. The loss did not disappear, it took a different dimension of life and I started experiencing my dad and his presence in a different way.

In many ways, the experience with Sharath Ji felt similar.

Until his first death ceremony, it remained extremely difficult to digest the truth of his passing and continue living with it day after day.

Healing Through Practice and Community

We grieved together through practice

One of the greatest supports during that period came unexpectedly through the Shala itself.

Only a short time after Sharath Ji’s passing, the Mysore season at SYC — which had already been announced earlier — was scheduled to begin for December 2024. Shruthi Ji and the family decided not to cancel the season.

As always, I was there helping handle the organization and administration.

Students from all over the world still arrived in Mysore.

And somehow, that became part of the healing process.

For so many years, the Shala and the practitioners around the world had already been a source of inspiration, strength, and support in my life. But during this particular season, their presence felt even stronger and helped me to heal.

Seeing everyone continue to practice together in Sharath Ji’s physical absence became deeply powerful.

We were grieving together.
Healing together.
Trying to accept the truth together.

That collective practice gave me enormous strength.

At that time, my admiration for Sharath Ji and his contribution to the yoga world reached an even deeper level. I began realizing very clearly that although his physical body had passed away, his teachings, energy, love, and blessings had not disappeared.

They were still alive within the practice itself.

And within the hearts of the students.

Living With His Presence Differently

Now I feel his presence everywhere

Of course, healing is not something that suddenly finishes.

Even now, the process continues.

There are still moments of grief, tears, missing him, remembering him, and helping others move through the same emotions. Such a deep loss does not simply disappear. It becomes something we gradually learn to live with.

At the same time, practice itself also changes.

The understanding of yoga deepens.
Life takes on different dimensions.
The relationship with the guru evolves.

For me, maintaining faith in my practice, in my master, and in the divine process has been the greatest source of support and stability through all of this.

Over time, my understanding also shifted spiritually.

From my own study and practice, I came to feel that although Sharath Ji is no longer present physically, he has become one with Brahman — one with the universe and the five elements: space, fire, earth, water, and air.

Remembering this during practice gives me strength.

I feel his presence everywhere now.

And interestingly, in some ways, the feeling is not entirely different from when he used to travel abroad while teaching internationally. Even then, although physically far away, I always felt mentally connected to him because my entire life revolved around practice, the Shala, and his guidance.

That connection still continues.

Every morning during prayer and before I begin teaching, I consciously remember him and pray inwardly:

Guruji, I am only the mediator. Please teach through me. Please practice through me

Because of this, I never feel burdened by teaching.

And I never feel ego around it either.

The Question of Destiny

One difficult question troubled not only me, but many others as well.

People would ask:

Sharath Ji lived such a pure and disciplined yogic life. He had no unhealthy habits, no addictions, and dedicated his entire life to yoga and teaching. How could someone like that pass away so early?

This question stayed with me deeply.

But through my study of yoga philosophy, I eventually found a kind of answer in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

In Sutra 2.13, Patanjali speaks about how the conditions of life — our birth, experiences, lifespan, and even the manner of death — are already connected to the unfolding of karma and destiny.

Reflecting on this teaching gave me a certain acceptance.

Some things unfold beyond our personal control.

And remembering this has given me strength, clarity, and guidance in difficult moments.

A New Chapter

This new Shala has become both a responsibility and a blessing

Another great blessing entered my life only a few months ago.

I received the opportunity to open my own Shala in Gokulam, Mysore:

YOGASHRI PARAMPARA – Ashtanga Yoga Bindu Mysuru

This new Shala feels like a newborn child in my life.

It has deepened my commitment, faith, and devotion even further — both toward my own practice and toward sharing this path sincerely with others.

Since SYC now operates only a few months each year, this new chapter has become a very important source of support, purpose, and healing for me.

Teaching, practicing, and continuing to share what I have lived through has brought me a profound sense of meaning and santosha — true inner contentment.

And in many ways, this itself has become part of the continuation of the path.

After Sharath Ji’s physical passing, many practitioners found themselves asking: how do we move forward from here? How do you see the future of Ashtanga yoga now, and in what way would you like to continue sharing what you received from the paramparā?

CARRYING THE PARAMPARĀ FORWARD

Usha on the Future of Ashtanga Yoga and Preserving the Authenticity of the Practice

Now more than ever, it is time to stand firm in authenticity, sincerity, and practice

Sharath Guruji contributed immensely to the global yoga community.

Throughout his life, he taught Ashtanga yoga in the authentic traditional way exactly as he had learned it from his own masters — without commercializing it, without creating false beliefs, and without distorting the true understanding of yoga.

He always hoped that whatever he sincerely passed on to his students would continue to be carried forward in the same healthy and authentic spirit for future generations.

Now, more than ever, I feel this is the most important time for sincere and genuine seekers of yoga — practitioners, authorized teachers, and certified teachers who practiced with Sharath Guruji for many years — to preserve that authenticity.

The greatest expression of gratitude we can offer is not only through words, but through the sincerity of our own self-practice, learning, and teaching.

Especially now, in Sharath Guruji’s physical absence, it is even more important to remain strong, clear, grounded, and surrendered to this path of yoga, to his teachings, and to all the years of sincere effort we were blessed to receive through him.

The Responsibility of the Students

If our practice and teaching remain sincere, everything else will naturally take care of itself

Of course, Guruji’s family is doing their very best to continue preserving and carrying forward the tradition. The annual seasons at the Sharath Yoga Centre have continued as usual, even after Guruji’s passing in 2024.

But personally, I feel that the responsibility now belongs to all of us.

Students.
Authorized teachers.
Family members.
Close students and longtime practitioners.

Everyone who was blessed to receive knowledge and direct teachings from Sharath Guruji in different ways now carries a certain responsibility.

We need to remain united. Strong. Steady. And continue spreading this precious practice in an authentic and traditional way.

If our actions, inner practices, and teachings remain sincere, then there is no need to worry too much about anything else.

Everything else will naturally unfold by itself.

Understanding the Real Nature of Yoga

Before teaching yoga, we must first deeply understand what yoga truly is

At the same time, I also feel there is something extremely important we must remember.

Before trying to teach, spread, or represent yoga outwardly, the essential first step is to sincerely understand the real nature of yoga itself.

Why has it traditionally been taught in this way?
What is the deeper purpose behind the method?
How does this traditional approach truly help students?

If we genuinely put effort, humility, and sincerity into understanding these questions deeply, then we naturally begin walking this path in a more authentic way.

That authenticity cannot be imitated. It must be lived.

Gratitude

Yoga is not something to perform — it is something to live

Thank you for the great opportunity to share my own experiences, my own Sadhana, my own collection with Sharath Guruji and my own perspective of Yoga 🙏🏼