The yoga community suffered a devastating loss recently, with the untimely passing of Sharath Jois.
As many of the teachers at Yoga on the Edge, including Studio Lead Clare, are Ashtanga practitioners, and so many of us have been influenced by his teachings, we wanted to note this huge loss for the yoga world.
Sharath Jois was an eminent Ashtanga Yoga teacher and practitioner. Born in 1971, he was the grandson of Pattabhi Jois – who popularised Ashtanga Yoga – and is credited with bringing it to the west after many years of study with his own mentor and teacher, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya.
Sharath Jois. Image: Sonima.com
Pattabhi Jois set up his Ashtanga Yoga Institute in the late 40s. His legacy is renowned, as he spent over 50 years travelling and teaching around the world, sharing his practice and teachings of Ashtanga yoga.
As his grandson, Sharath was introduced to yoga at a very young age and soon became Pattabhi Jois’ assistant. As the years went on, Sharath evolved into an influential teacher in his own right, through countless hours of rigorous training, teaching and travelling.
After Pattabhi Jois’ health declined, Sharath stepped in as director of the K Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute, and after he died in 2009, Sharath became a leading voice and the lineage holder of Ashtanga Yoga.
His own yoga school – The Sharath Yoga Centre opened in 2019 in India, with a detailed application process for those wanting to study under Sharath’s direct tutelage. His own legacy will leave a lasting impact, as his teaching touched the lives of many. He was considered by many to be a warm, compassionate and reflective teacher – adapting and evolving his teaching through the years as he worked with so many students.
He advocated that yoga should extend beyond the practice of asana, and that ‘Karma Yoga’ the yoga of action, was the path to serve with his knowledge of yoga. That if someone needed help, you should help them, and that all people could do yoga and draw benefit from it – whether they were considered to be old, sick, or weak. He believed in the tenet of 4 D’s. Devotion, dedication, determination, and discipline.
Studio lead Clare says, “I was fortunate enough to practice with Sharath online during lockdown. He guided us through the full led primary ashtanga sequence. It was an amazing experience, under his guidance. His leadership has made a lasting impression on the Ashtanga community and his style of teaching has helped thousands of practitioners improve their practice. Notably, his dedication to his own practice was commendable, studying all six ashtanga series, which very few people achieve. He encouraged all his students to incorporate all the other limbs of yoga into their lives. His style of teaching was described as a balance between strictness and compassion.”
Rest in peace Sharath Jois. You will no doubt be deeply missed by your loved ones, and the yoga community around the globe.
To read more about yoga lineage, read our post here…
