Krishna Pattabhi Jois, born in 1915 in Karnataka, India, emerged as a pivotal figure in the world of yoga, particularly through his development and promotion of Ashtanga Yoga. His journey from a young yoga student to a globally recognized guru is a testament to the power and appeal of this dynamic yoga practice. Jois's life work, centered around the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, later renamed the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute, has profoundly influenced the modern yoga landscape.
Jois's yoga journey began at the age of 12 when he attended a lecture and demonstration by T. Krishnamacharya, who would become his guru. Impressed by the young Jois's enthusiasm, Krishnamacharya took him on as a student. For the next 25 years, Jois studied under Krishnamacharya, absorbing the intricacies of yoga practice and philosophy. This period of intense study laid the foundation for what would become Ashtanga Yoga, a rigorous and systematic approach to yoga practice.
In 1948, Jois established the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India. The institute became the epicenter of Ashtanga Yoga, attracting students from around the world. Jois's teaching method was characterized by its emphasis on vinyasa, the synchronization of breath with movement, and a fixed series of postures. This approach was revolutionary at the time, offering a more dynamic and physically challenging form of yoga than was commonly practiced.
Jois's influence began to spread globally in the 1970s when he started traveling to teach in the United States and other countries. His first trip to Encinitas, California, in 1975 marked the beginning of Ashtanga Yoga's popularity in the West. Jois's charismatic teaching style and the physically demanding nature of Ashtanga Yoga appealed to many Western practitioners seeking a more intense yoga experience. His students, including notable figures like David Williams, Nancy Gilgoff, and David Swenson, played crucial roles in popularizing Ashtanga Yoga in the United States and Europe.
The practice of Ashtanga Yoga, as taught by Jois, consists of six series of postures, each more challenging than the last. The Primary Series, known as Yoga Chikitsa, Yoga Therapy, is designed to align and detoxify the body. The Intermediate Series, Nadi Shodhana, Nerve Purification, aims to purify the nervous system. The Advanced Series A, B, C, and D, collectively called Sthira Bhaga, Divine Stability, are meant for experienced practitioners and focus on strength and flexibility. Jois emphasized the importance of daily practice, the tristhana method, focusing on posture, breathing system, and looking place, and the counting vinyasa system.
As Ashtanga Yoga gained popularity, the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore became a pilgrimage site for yoga practitioners worldwide. Students would travel to Mysore to study directly with Jois and his family, often staying for months at a time. This tradition of studying in Mysore, known as Mysore-style practice, continues to this day under the guidance of Jois's grandson, Sharath Jois. The institute, now called the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute, continues to be the authoritative center for Ashtanga Yoga worldwide.
Jois's impact on the yoga world extends beyond the practice itself. His teachings have influenced the development of other yoga styles and have contributed significantly to the global fitness revolution. The physically demanding nature of Ashtanga Yoga has inspired many modern yoga-fitness hybrids and has played a role in the integration of yoga into mainstream fitness culture. Moreover, Jois's emphasis on the therapeutic aspects of yoga has contributed to the growing field of yoga therapy and the use of yoga in healthcare settings.
