NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2024
We welcome the beautiful month of May and the sunny days it’s offered us so far. Oh, how our bodies have longed for these warmer temperatures and how our minds have longed for the light. With the summer months finally at our doorstep, Ashtanga Yoga Malmö would like to share all the inspiring and fun events that we have planned for you in the coming months. In this newsletter you can read about the summer schedule, special summer offers for both new and existing members, and information about special yoga events at the shala and beyond.
SUMMER PARTY & KIRTAN
We’ll kick-start the summer on 9th of June with a guided primary series class followed by a potluck and kirtan. Viktoria and her friends come to the shala to play and sing for/with us. Everyone can participate, whether you just want to have a cup of coffee, listen to the music or perhaps both sing and dance. Bring your own “fika”, an open mind and a donation to the musicians. You can read more about the event here
SUMMER CARD & SUMMER SCHEDULE
The sale of our summer card also begins on 9th of June. It costs 900SEK/month and can be purchased several times. The last validity date is 8th of September, a few days into the autumn schedule. Please note that the summer card cannot be paused or combined with other discounts. You get the card at the shala and the invoice comes via email as usual.
Our summer schedule starts after midsummer, Monday 24th June, and continues until 31st August. You can see an overview of the summer's schedule here already and later it will be up on the schedule page. We are open all summer and Lisa Norén, who runs Ashtanga Yoga Österlen, will cover mysore classes from 15-31st July. We are happy to welcome Lisa to the shala and to add another talented and authorised yoga teacher to our team. Read more about Lisa on the teachers page.
SPECIAL SUMMER EVENTS
- 17/6 INTRODUCTORY CLASS to ashtanga (+ two weeks of free practice) for new participants. The class gives an introduction to the basics of ashtanga yoga with the chance to continue practicing at no extra cost for two weeks immediately after the introduction. The offer applies to new participants and includes the opportunity to learn ashtanga yoga in the traditional way through Mysore style classes. Read more here
- 25/8 OPEN HOUSE with free trial classes, a Q&A session and “fika”. On Sunday 25/8 we invite new and existing members to come take practice, socialize and have coffee&tea with us. The day starts with the regular morning mysore class for our current card holders and at 11:30 am we open the doors to the public. People may sign up for free trial classes or just come to visit the premises. Participants (new and old) can take advantage of the special offers we’ll have only on the 25th. Read more about the open house here
YOGA RETREAT 14-19th JULY
It has become a tradition that our summer yoga holiday goes to the island of Kadermo in Finland. Between 14-19th July, Isabella teaches a one-week yoga retreat at the at Kadermo Retreat Centre in the Finnish archipelago. The week at Kadermo offers both a chance to enjoy nature, immerse yourself in your yoga practice and meet like-minded people from all over the world. Be mesmerized by the calm, the light and the magic of this small Finnish island, and not least by the delicious food prepared by our Indian chef Anu. Kadermo Retreat Centre is a very special place that cannot be described but ought to be experienced. Come join us! Read more here
SHARATH JOIS IN SWEDEN 6-11th AUGUST
R. Sharath Jois, our teacher from India, will come to Stockholm on 6-11th August this year. It is unique that Sharathji visits places outside India and there are very few shalas in the world who get the opportunity to host him. We are proud that Sharathji has chosen to come to Yogashala Stockholm and Sweden repeatedly since 2015 - it means a lot to all the Swedish shalas. We support Yogashala in their hosting him and Isabella + several other shala members will travel up to attend the workshop. Grab the chance to experience a bit of Mysore and India on home ground. Take a look at Yogashala Stockholm's website for more information about the workshop and how to register.
AUTUMN COURSES AND WORKSHOPS
The autumn schedule starts on 1st September and the first batch of evening courses/weekend workshops are already available on our website ready for registration. The courses usually fill up quickly, so don't wait too long to visit the events page and scroll through the pages. We are always happy when you recommend our courses to your friends and colleagues who might be keen on knowing more about yoga. Or why not invite them to the open house in August?
At the start of September, we are also delighted to host guest teacher Tim Feldmann on his second visit to Ashtanga Yoga Malmö. The weekend of September 6-8th, Tim teaches an immersion in ashtanga yoga open to all levels of practitioners. The workshop is almost fully booked - we only have a few places left for the whole workshop, but there is still room at the morning mysore classes (Sat+Sun). Read more about the weekend with Tim here and email us if you want to sign up or have any questions.
That's all for now. The next newsletter will be distributed in mid-August with more information about the autumn schedule, upcoming courses etc. We ask you to stay updated between newsletters by following us on social media (links in the menu above under Contact). If you are not a member of our closed Facebook group, we recommend applying to it to get access to the latest news and updates at short notice. Sometimes we change the door code and those who have valid practice cards receive a text message when this happens, but if you have not been to the shala for a while, we ask you to email us well in advance before your visit. Please note that we don’t read/reply to emails outside office hours or on weekends.
Sun(ny) salutations,
Isabella & crew
P.S You can use your wellness allowance with us and we are also approved for physical activity on prescription.
SUMMER OFFERS & SUMMER SCHEDULE
During the summer months of 2024, we have several offers for both experienced and new yoga practitioners. All offers and a sneak peek at the summer schedule are available:
SUMMER CARD - 900 SEK for 1 month of free practice at our mysore classes. The card is available to buy from the 9/6 and is valid for 30 days from the date of purchase. It can be bought several times during the summer months, but the last date of validity is the 8/9. The summer card cannot be paused or combined with other discounts. The card is obtained on site at the shala.
SUMMER SOCIAL EVENT: Kirtan and songs from South America. Sunday 9th of June. Read more here
INTRODUCTORY CLASS to Ashtanga*: Monday 17/6 at 17:15. A trial class followed by two weeks of free mysore class practice (*new students only). Read more and book here
YOGA RETREAT - 1 weeks yoga holiday in the Finnish archipelago from 14-19th July. Immerse yourself in your practice, relax and rejuvenate with Isabella at Kadermo Retreat Centre. Read more and book here
OPEN HOUSE: On Sunday 25/8 after the Mysore class, we hold an open house with free trial classes, special discounts and offers for the autumn semester. Everyone is welcome (Please note! Any offered discounts for autumn practice cards and courses can only be obtained on site on the same day). Read more here
NEWSLETTER SPRING 2024
Spring is around the corner and the mornings are becoming brighter. Getting up to go to the shala is easier when it is less dark and cold. Have you also noticed that body and mind feel lighter some months of the year, or that you face more physical and mental resistance at other times? After practicing yoga for a few years and showing up on the mat several times a week, you may start to discern a pattern where the body follows the seasons. In order to practice yoga sustainably and maintain both motivation and health over time, it is important to both begin to notice and be sensitive to the natural fluctuations of our energy. In the winter, you may not be able to, nor should you, do all the asana if the body feels stiff or tired (however, showing up on your mat will always improve circulation and reduce stress), but in the summer it may easier to piggy back on the extra energy that comes with the light and warmer temperatures. How do you feel that the seasons and the climate affect you, your physical and mental health? We regularly treat questions like this and other yoga related topics at the monthly tea&talk sessions after the guided primary series class. The next session is on Sunday 17/3 – please don’t hesitate to send us specific questions in advance so that we can prepare for a dynamic discussion.
During the spring semester we offer several new courses and workshops at the shala which you can read about in this newsletter. We are also trying to inspire you with some fun events coming up this summer; such as our annual yoga holiday to the Finnish archipelago on the island of Kadermo in July. In August, R. Sharath Jois visits Sweden and Stockholm and in September we are happy to announce that guest teacher Tim Feldmann returns for another weekend workshop in Malmö. Continue reading below for more detailed information and other important news at the shala.
SPRING SCHEDULE & SPECIAL OPENING HOURS
The spring schedule runs until the end of June. All dates for guided class, tea&talk, the start of new courses etc. can be found on the overview schedule. Please keep in mind that during school and public holidays we may have different opening hours. You can always find any temporary schedule changes and information about cover teachers at the bottom of the schedule page below the overview schedule. The page is sometimes updated at short notice, so please visit it regularly.
STORAGE OF PRIVATE YOGA MATS AT THE SHALA - spring cleaning
For those of you who come often to practice, we offer the storage of yoga mats at the shala. The shelf with private yoga mats has gradually filled up - which is a great sign that many people want take practice - BUT we have noticed that many mats remain untouched since a long time. We would therefore like to ask those of you who visit the shala less than once a week to pick up your mat (alternatively, that you start coming to practice more often of course!). During the planned Easter spring cleaning session, unused, leftover mats will be cleared out.
We would also like to ask those of you who come often to class, to take your yoga mat home from time to time to clean it properly and air dry it to reduce the growth of bacteria and bad smell. Please make sure to have a band around the mat so that it keeps together and takes up less space on the shelf (Helena has made rubber bands with name tags that are available to buy) and please never leave cotton rugs or mat towels at the shala. Thank you for your cooperation, in this way the shala will be a pleasant place for everyone.
NEW COURSES & EVENTS – starting after Easter
We have several new courses that start at the shala in April. Do you know someone who is curious to begin a yoga practice? Have you taken a beginners’ course and want to continue? Are you feeling stressed and need to unwind? Or would you like to deepen your yoga knowledge and immerse yourself in asana technique? We hope to inspire you with our courses and are always happy when you recommend us to friends and family.
ASHTANGA FOUNDATION/BEGINNERS COURSE Mondays with Isabella starting 8/4 ((registration here)
ASHTANGA FOUNDATION Level 2 Wednesdays with Helena starting 3/4 (registration here)
YOGA FOR STRESS REDUCTION (in Swedish only) Tuesdays with Isabella starting 9/4 (registration here)
YIN YOGA Thursdays with Helena starting 4/4 (registration here)
YOGA-ASANA technique class 14/4 and 26/5 with Isabella (more info here)
SUMMER YOGA RETREAT JULY 14-19
Our annual summer yoga holiday goes to the island of Kadermo in the Finnish archipelago. From 14-19 July, Isabella is teaching a one-week yoga retreat at Kadermo Retreat Centre. Come along and be enchanted by the magical light, the calm and the nature of the island; get a chance to deepen your yoga practice, enjoy good vegetarian food prepared by our Indian chef and meet lovely [like-minded] people from all corners of the world. Kadermo Retreat Centre is a very special place that cannot be described but needs to be experienced. Read more here
GUEST TEACHER TIM FELDMANN
We are very happy to welcome back guest teacher Tim Feldmann to Malmö in September 2024. Tim visited us for a weekend workshop in 2021 and for a long time we have been trying to find new dates for a return visit. We finally managed to match our calendars and on September 6-8th Tim will come to our shala in Malmö to teach a weekend full of ashtanga yoga. Tim is Danish but is a resident of Miami (US) since many years. There he and his wife Kino MacGregor run the yoga shala Miami Yoga Garage. Tim also spends a large part of his time travelling both to teach and to continue his yoga studies. Learn more about the weekend with Tim here and book before March 31st to benefit from the early-bird discount.
WANTED – ASPIRING ASSISTANTS
As the shala continues to grow and the mysore room and courses are often full, we could sometimes need help with assistance in class. If you practice with us and are interested in developing your yoga skills, learn more and maybe become a teaching resource in the future, Isabella is planning to put together a small group of interested, aspiring assistants. This group would meet regularly look at adjustment techniques, discuss various questions about the practice and how best to help and support the practitioners who come to the shala. The format and conditions of the assistants' group has yet to be outlined, but you should be available to observe/assist at least one morning a week and attend monthly assistants-meetings if you decide to join. Contact us by email with your expression of interest and a short motivation of why you want to learn to assist.
SHARATHJI VISITS SWEDEN IN AUGUST
Last but not least, we want to flag that R. Sharath Jois, our teacher from India, is coming to Stockholm on August 6-11th this year. Last year's European tour was cancelled due to visa difficulties, but this year's visit is secured as Sharathji’s visa has already been issued. Don’t miss the chance to experience a bit of Mysore on home turf. Check out Yogashala Stockholm's website for more information about the workshop and how to register.
That's all for now. The next newsletter will be distributed in June with information about the summer schedule etc. We do ask you to stay updated between newsletters by following us on social media (links in the menu above under Contact). If you are not a member of our closed Facebook group, we recommend applying to it to get access to the latest news and updates at short notice. Sometimes we change the door code and those who have valid practice cards receive a text message when this happens, but if you have not been to the shala for a while, we ask you to email us well in advance (at least 24 hours) before your visit.
Keep calm and carry on practicing!
Isabella & crew
P.S You can use your wellness allowance with us and we are also approved for Physical activity on prescription.
STORAGE OF PRIVATE YOGA MATS AT THE SHALA
To facilitate everyday life for our yoga practitioners, we offer the storage of private yoga mats at the shala. This service is intended to make it easier for those of you who come to practice several times a week so that you don't have to carry your mat around all day. The shelf with private yoga mats has gradually filled up - which is a great sign that many people want take practice - BUT we have noticed that many mats remain untouched for a long time. These unused mats don’t only take up space, but also begin to smell after a while. We would therefore like to ask those of you who visit the shala less than once a week to pick up your mat (alternatively, that you start coming to practice more often of course!). Please note that we will start cleaning out unused mats if they have not been picked up before Easter.
We would also like to ask those of you who come often to class, to take your mat home from time to time in order to clean it properly and air dry it (Hanging! When the mat is always rolled up it remains damp and bacteria can thrive). We also want to remind you that only rubber mats may be stored at the shala- not cotton mats or mat towels as these must be taken home and washed. However, we appreciate if you have a band around your rubber mat so that it stays rolled up and doesn’t fall out or take up extra space when on the shelf.
We appreciate your cooperation. Together we contribute to everyone’s well-being and a pleasant environment at the shala.
