News Archive / Arkiv

We’re already half way through the spring semester and Easter is approaching fast. Your sun salutations have paid off - the sun and brighter times are on the way! Spring is really in the air and this coming weekend we change the clocks for daylight savings (one hour less sleep). Isabella is back from her pilgrimage and study trip to Varanasi, Bodhgaya and Kolkata. In case you missed her account of the trip at the tea&talk in mid-March, you can still read about some of her adventures on the shala Instagram account.

There is a lot happening at the shala - we recently finished the first round of foundation courses and only just started the second batch. Did you forget to sign up? A couple of courses have a few places left, so contact us if you are interested.

In April and May we receive special visits to the shala: first by a professional photographer who will take pictures for a new book about ashtanga yoga, and then by our chanting and philosophy teacher Lakshmish Bhat, from Mysore. And very soon it’s time to plan the summer and this year's yoga retreat in the Finnish archipelago. Keep reading to get all the details on what's coming up in the next few months!

SPRING SCHEDULE

The spring schedule has returned to normal and Isabella will be teaching until the summer break mid-July. Remember that we always have guided primary series one Sunday a month instead of mysore class (the next time is 20/4) and that Helena and Isabella alternate every other Sunday. Also keep in mind that we have special opening hours when there are public holidays, the closest being Easter in mid-April. All information and temporary changes can be found on the schedule page at the very bottom of the page under the overview schedule.

We also traditionally pause the mysore-teaching at full and new moons, but all evening classes continue as scheduled. You can read more about this on the full/new moon page where all dates are also listed. An exception is Sunday (the new moon) 27/4 when Isabella will teach a workshop on the "moon sequence". The workshop gives you an opportunity to learn a special sequence that can be performed at new/full moons or days when you have lower energy or are injured. Read more about this special class here.

PHOTO PROJECT AT THE SHALA - "Art of Ashtanga"

On Wednesday 2/4 and Thursday 3/4, photographer Marit Anne (MA) visits the shala to take pictures for her project "Art of Ashtanga". MA will be present during the mysore and self-practice classes to capture the experience of ashtanga yoga through the lens of the camera. Rather than focusing on specific asana, MA wants to portray the sentiment of concentration, presence, contact and movement. MA is an ashtanga yoga practitioner herself since 2000, and the project is a kind of declaration of love for ashtanga. MA will visit several yoga shalas in Sweden and then compile her photos in a photo book. See some of MA's previous photos here. We hope that as many as possible of our practitioners want to be part of this special project. We of course respect if someone does not want to have their picture taken; please let us know if that’s the case and we’ll make sure that the camera is not pointed at you.

GUEST TEACHER LAKSMISH BHAT

On 16-17^th May, we are pleased to welcome Vidwan Lakshmish Bhat, our chanting and philosophy teacher from Mysore, to Malmö. Laksmish last visited the shala in 2023 and Isabella met him and attended his philosophy classes in Varanasi as recently as early March this year. Laksmish will teach a two-day workshop on the theme of Vedic chanting (including japa - mantra repetition), yoga philosophy and kriyas - yogic purification techniques - their effects on body and soul. The workshop also includes a special pooja, a memorial ceremony, for our recently deceased teacher Sri R Sharath Jois. It will be a very special couple of days - read more here for more info and registration. Welcome!

PRANAYAMA, CHANTING AND YOGA PHILOSOPHY

Dive deeper into the importance of the breath this spring – during four sessions Isabella guides you through different breathing exercises/pranayama and chanting. Each session also covers selected parts of the text “Yoga Sutra” by Patanjali. You learn to recite the sutras, we discuss their meaning and relevance for yoga practice as well as hos we can relate to yoga philosophy and adapt it to our everyday lives. The classes are open to all levels of yoga practitioners, but it is recommended to have some previous yoga experience, especially for the pranayama. The next date is Sunday 30/3. Read more here

SUMMER YOGA RETREAT

Following what has now become tradition, we return to Kadermo retreat center in the Finnish archipelago for our annual summer retreat. From 13-20^th July, Isabella teaches a week of daily yoga classes (morning and evening) where you have the chance to immerse yourself into your yoga practice. Kadermo is a place that gives peace of mind and that provides a welcome break from the stress of everyday life. Come along and enjoy the beautiful nature, simplicity, Finnish sauna, refreshing swims, and meet new friends from all corners of the world. Take the opportunity to get some Finnish happiness too as Finland is the world's happiest country for the eighth year in a row according to the World Happiness Report. More about the yoga week here

That's all for now, the next newsletter will be distributed mid-June with information about the summer schedule, vacation-times etc. Please stay updated between newsletters via the website and social media (links in the menu above). We also have a closed Facebook group where you can access internal information, ask questions, and seek advice from other members. You can find the Facebook group here. If you haven’t been to the shala in a while or are emailing us with questions, please reach out well in advance. We do not read or respond to emails outside of office hours or on weekends.

We welcome back the brighter times - "Om Suryaya Namaha"

Isabella & crew 

P.S Remember that you can use your wellness allowance (friskvård) with us and that we offer a 20% discount for Physical activity on Prescription (FaR)

2025 has started off intensely and the spring schedule is “up and running”. So far we’ve already had time to finish a yoga retreat in Tenerife and we’ve started the first four yoga courses of the year in January. We’re still waiting for warmer temperatures (unless you joined us in Tenerife a few weeks ago), but in the shala, it’s always warm and cozy. We’d like to take this opportunity to welcome new participants to the shala and hope that all our dedicated yogis have had a great start to the New Year. Please keep reading for more detailed information of what’s happening at the shala in the coming months. 

Our spring schedule is packed with exciting workshops and courses, and if you missed out on the yoga retreat in Tenerife, you have another chance in July when we travel to the island of Kadermo in the Finnish archipelago. Every month leading up to summer, special events are happening at the shala! In the second half of March, we start a new round of foundation courses; in April, we welcome a professional photographer who will take photos for a book about Ashtanga yoga that she's working on; and in May, our chanting and philosophy teacher from Mysore, Lakshmish Bhat, returns to teach a workshop in Malmö. 

SPRING SCHEDULE

The current schedule runs until the end of June. You can find an overview on the schedule page, where you’ll also see any temporary changes, cover teachers, etc., listed at the bottom of the page. Isabella will be away on a study and vacation trip from 19^th February to 14^th March. In her absence, Helena covers all morning Mysore classes (please note that there’s no self-practice after mysore class during this period).

Please also remember that, we pause the mysore-style classes on full and new moon days (all evening classes continue as usual). You can read more about this on the full/new moon page, where all dates are listed. Exceptionally, Isabella will teach on the new moon on 27^th April - then you’ll have the chance to learn a sequence especially designed for a gentler practice on full/new moons. Read more about this special class here.

One Sunday month we teach a guided class of the Primary Series instead of mysore class. After the guided Primary Series, we always gather for tea & talk on a yoga-related topic. The next session is on 16^th March, when Isabella has returned from India and will share stories from her trip.

NEW COURSES STARTING IN MARCH

You can find all planned events that take place at the shala here (the page is continuously updated, so check back regularly to make sure you don’t miss an interesting workshop). We’d be happy if you recommend us to anyone who might be interested in learning more about yoga:

ASHTANGA BEGINNER’s (foundation level 1) COURSE – Mondays, starting on 23^rd March with Isabella

ASHTANGA FOUNDATION LEVEL 2 COURSE – Wednesdays, starting on 19^th March with Helena

YIN YOGA – Thursdays, starting on 13^th March with Helena (10 sessions)

Yoga for Stress Reduction – Tuesdays, starting on 18^th March with Isabella (the course is taught only in Swedish)

Pranayama, Chanting & Yoga Philosophy – Sundays, on 30^th March, 27^th April, 25^th May with Isabella

Special Class: Lunar Sequence for Full/New Moon – Sunday, 27^th April with Isabella

GUEST TEACHER LAKSMISH BHAT

On 16-17^th May, we are delighted to once again welcome Vidwan Lakshmish Bhat, our chanting and philosophy teacher from Mysore, India. Lakshmish last visited the shala in 2023, and in May 2025, he returns to teach a two-day workshop focused on Vedic chanting (including japa – mantra repetition), its meaning and origins, and philosophy, as well as kriyas – yogic cleansing techniques – and their effects on body and mind. The workshop will also include a special puja, a memorial ceremony, for our late teacher, Sri R. Sharath Jois. This will be a very special workshop – read more here for details and registration.

SUMMER YOGA RETREAT

As tradition holds, we return to Kadermo Retreat Centre in the Finnish archipelago for our annual summer retreat. From 13-20^th July, Isabella teaches a week of daily yoga classes and workshops (morning and evening), where you can immerse yourself in your practice. Kadermo is a place that brings peace to the soul and offers a welcome break from the “rat race” stress. Join us and enjoy the beautiful nature, the simplicity, Finnish sauna, refreshing swims, and the chance to meet new friends from all over the world. Learn more about the retreat here.

That’s all for now! We appreciate early registrations for any courses or events you wish to attend—not only to secure your spot but also to help us with our planning. The next newsletter will be distributed early April with more details about the professional photography session at the shala in the second half of April, along with additional information about late spring and summer activities.

Stay updated between newsletters via our website and social media (links under Contact in the menu above). We also have a closed Facebook group where you can access internal information, ask questions, and seek advice from other members. You can find the Facebook group here.

If you haven’t been to the shala in a while or are emailing us with questions, please reach out well in advance. We do not read or respond to emails outside of office hours or on weekends.

While waiting for spring: "Asato ma sad gamaya" – lead us from darkness to light,
Isabella & Crew

P.S. Remember that you can use your wellness allowance (friskvård) with us, and that we offer discounts for Physical Activity on Prescription (FaR)!

2024 is drawing to an end and with this newsletter we would like to take the opportunity to express our appreciation and gratitude to all our members for choosing to practice at the shala. We also want to take the opportunity to invite everyone to our annual Advent brunch on Sunday 8th December. In this newsletter you also find information about our opening hours during the Christmas and New Year holidays as well as a sneak peek at some of the spring courses. Read more below to stay updated.

It has been an intense autumn with turbulent times in international politics with wars and climate crises across the world. On a more mundane level, the seasonal flu and the mycoplasma virus have succeeded each other and many have been sick for longer periods. It has been tough in many ways, but through yoga we get to practice dealing with external influences and controlling our reactions in the face of various challenges. At the last tea&talk in November, we discussed the meaning of Yoga Sutra 1:33:

|| maitrī-karuṇā-muditopekṣāṇāṁ sukha-duḥkha-puṇyāpuṇya-viṣayāṇāṁ bhāvanātaś-citta-prasādanam ||. 

This means: "A clear mind is given by cultivating kindness in the face of happiness, compassion in the face of suffering, joy in the face of righteousness, and indifference in the face of the wicked." This is a sutra that provides guidance in how we, through managing our reactions to the outside world, can affect our own well-being. If you're interested in knowing more about how to apply yoga philosophy and lessons from the yoga mat in everyday life, then don't miss our course in pranayama, chanting and yoga philosophy in the spring of 2025.

During the year, several important and dearly loved people have left our yoga community. Most recently our guiding star and teacher R. Sharath Jois, who passed away suddenly from a heart attack in Virgina, USA on 11th November. Sharath was only 53 years old and leaves behind two children, a wife, his mother Saraswati as well as the entire Ashtanga community with thousands of practitioners worldwide. Sharath had been Isabella's teacher for 12 years and both Helena and Isabella were to travel to Mysore, India, this winter to finally study with Sharathji again. Now it won’t happen. We are all very sad and shocked that Sharathji is no longer there as lineage holder and the guiding teacher of Ashtanga yoga. It is now up to all of us to carry on the tradition and continue to spread the good that Ashtanga yoga has brought to so many people. On 15th November we carried out a ceremony of 108 sun salutations in Sharathji’s memory at the shala. You can still see (and do) the whole event which was live streamed and recorded on our Instagram account.

ANNUAL BRUNCH 8 DECEMBER – POT LUCK & KIRTAN

On Sunday 8th December, after the guided class, all our yogis with family and friends are invited to the traditional Advent brunch. We gather to celebrate the past year and get an opportunity make friends also off the yoga mat. The party is usually a very popular event and the food is particularly good as everyone brings a small (veg.) contribution to the brunch buffet. We are grateful if you register with us in advance by email and tell us what you plan to bring. You can read more about the Advent brunch here. This year there will also be kirtan in connection with the party - registration for it is done separately here.

YOGA RETREAT 18-25 JANUARY - 10% DISCOUNT

New special offer - if you book a retreat with Isabella in Tenerife in January 2025 you'll receive a 10% discount on the price. It is the third year in a row that Isabella teaches at Purple Valley Yoga Centre Tenerife - the retreat is a welcome break from winter where you can start the new year in the best way, refuel for the rest of the winter and lay a solid foundation for 2025. The shala and accommodation in Tenerife are fantastic, the grounds offer a fairytale landscape, and the food provided is just as fairytale-like! Come along and indulge! Read more about the week, the programme and how to book here.

P.S. Isabella also took part in a live interview with Purple Valley Tenerife on Instagram on 2 November. You can find the entire recording saved in ours and PV Tenerife's Instagram feed.

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR SCHEDULE and Spring-25

During the Christmas and New Year holidays we have special opening hours - you can find all class times here. The spring schedule begins on 7th January and will be posted on the schedule page in due time. An important change in 2025 is that we return to the tradition of pausing classes on full and new moon days. You can read more about it on the full/new moon page, where all dates are also listed. Resting on these days is a good way to practice non-attachment to the results of the physical practice and/or to get an extra day's rest every two weeks, especially if you practice 5-6 days a week.

A SNEAK PEAK AT THE SPRING COURSES

The spring semester starts on 7th January with morning mysore classes, but the evening courses don’t resume until the end of the month. Below is a list of the first round of courses. You find all planned events here (the page is updated continuously, so please visit it regularly in order not to miss any interesting workshops)

- ASHTANGA BEGINNERS/FOUNDATION COURSE L1, Mondays starting 27/1 (intensive course 6 sessions)

 - ASHTANGA FOUNDATION COURSE L2, Wednesdays starting 22/1 (intensive course 6 sessions)

- YIN YOGA, Thursdays starting 23/1 (intensive course 6 sessions)

- Yoga for stress reduction, Tuesdays starts 28/1 (short course 3 sessions, only in Swedish)

- Special class in pranayama, chanting & yoga philosophy, 1 Sunday/month startinf 2/2 (4 sessions)

A LITTLE EXTRA THANK YOU

Last but not least, we want to take the opportunity to thank our lovely assistants: Viktor, Katie, Tao and Per who started the apprentice programme with Isabella in May. Many thanks for your assistance, your commitment and interest in deepening your knowledge of yoga. Special thanks also to Helena who’s been supporting Isabella a lot during what has been an emotionally challenging year.

The next newsletter will be distributed in January with more information about the spring schedule and what is happening at the shala in 2025. Please stay updated between the newsletters via the website and our social media accounts (links in the menu above). We have a private FB group you can join to get information specific to the shala and where you can ask questions or get advice from others in the group. You can find the Facebook group here.

If you haven't been to the shala for a while, or if you have any questions, please email us in good time. We do not read/reply to emails outside office hours or on weekends.

Warm seasonal greetings

Isabella & crew

In loving memory of our teacher R. Sharath Jois

During the holiday season (x-mas and ner year) the shala will have adapted opening hours. Check the schedule below for all our classes between 22/12-6/1. Welcome!