Dear
students and friends of casaAbhyasa – ashtanga yoga barcelona,
I just want to
let you know that I am stepping away from the Shala, both from
teaching there as well as running it.
I have been
contemplating and reflecting this possibility for the past year,
observing it and sitting with it, trying not to make any hasty or
abrupt decisions, as I feel very responsible for the Shala and for
all of you, as practitioners, students, and friends to be able to
continue to practice Ashtanga Yoga and receive teachings.
The time has come
in which the circumstances feel right and it will hopefully be a
smooth and gentle transition, causing the least disruption possible.
Many of you
already know Aleix Griño Rios, who has taught at the Shala from
March 2010 – March 2012, and also was my assistant for 6 months in
2008 when I was just teaching a simple morning Mysore-style program.
He will run the Shala and teach from the 1st of June.
Veronica Fernandez, who has been part of the process of the Shala
since it opened, first as an assistant, and now as a teacher, will
also continue to teach at the Shala, which will create even more
stability during this transition. I have the utmost confidence and
faith that the Shala will continue with a similar vision, attention,
care, and dedication, as I have tried to give it over the years.
My vision with
the Shala was to create a community and space in which people could
come and and learn and practice Ashtanga Yoga, as a transformative
process of healing in one's self-development and self-inquiry. It is
a practice that has profoundly changed my life. Since my discovery of
it, it has always been a compass, guiding me, throughout my years
practicing in New York and India and then teaching internationally
and finally coming to Barcelona. I began the Shala here in September
2009, shortly after Guruji (Sri K. Pattabhi Jois) had passed away,
very much inspired and influenced by Sharath's (Guruji's grandson,
who continues the teaching at the Shala in Mysore, India) insistence
and encouragement to share the practice and teachings in the most
pure and traditional way possible, as it was taught and as I had
learned by their guidance over the past 14 years. And this has always
been my priority: to create a Shala where the teachings were as
similar to the Mysore tradition as possible and to create a refuge, a
sacred space, in the chaos of the city, in which one can come and
connect strongly with oneself through the breath and the Ashtanga
Yoga practice in order to create a sense of well-being, inner peace
and harmony.
Creating a Shala
seemed a natural evolution after many years of teaching yoga, but I
became soon aware that teaching yoga and running a Shala, especially
in a country, culture, and language that are not my own, are quite
distinct things. It has become clear to me that my passion lies in
teaching and sharing this practice and not in running a Shala and all
that that entails. So I have decided to step away from the Shala. And
I entrust it in the capable hands of Aleix and Vero.
I would like to
express my immense gratitude to all of you for being a part of this
experience. The Shala would not exist without your constant
dedication to the practice and teachings. It has been a very
enriching and rewarding experience to share the Ashtanga Yoga with
you and to see each one's personal-development and evolution. Thank
you for letting me accompany me on your journey. I wish you all the
best in your own evolution and transformation. Remember that the
practice is a tool in order to cultivate and connect with your inner
peace, harmony, joy and well-being. Try not to get too lost in the
external form or trapped in the asanas, which is just one part of
this eight-fold path. Remember that yoga is an inward journey to open
the heart and to connect with pure consciousness.
At the moment, I
have no plans. So I will definitely be in Barcelona for June, and
most likely also July. After that, I will probably travel and I very
much look forward to just being a practitioner again and exploring
and growing in my own spiritual path and life journey.
I
wish each and every one of you all the best in your lives... may you
be filled with joy, love, contentment, peace, and well-being. I have
thoroughly enjoyed connecting with each one of you and working with
you on your practices. It has been a beautiful and very rewarding
experience and all I can say is: thank you! With much love and
gratitude... namaste, hojung
