And so, we’re once again racing toward years end; the weeks fly by as we try to fit in all our tasks during these ever-shorter and darker days. At a time when many find life stressful, the shala offers space to breathe and rest your mind for a while in a warm atmosphere filled with candlelight, tea, and good company.

The last weeks of the year are usually also a festive time at the shala, with several social event and this year is no exception. In keeping with tradition, we are hosting our annual Advent potluck brunch as well as a special charity class in December. Over the Christmas and New Year holidays, we have special opening hours with later mornings (a chance to sleep in a bit!), and ahead of the spring semester, we’ll hold a kick-off day on 10^th January on the theme "Everything Begins with the Breath." 

Hopefully, the practice of yoga will remain with us for a long time; and thus what we choose to focus on plays a crucial role for the long-term sustainability of our practice. Do we associate yoga solely with the ability to contort the body into different shapes or do we view it as a tool for living a better life, where the breath and core philosophical principles are tools to regulate our well-being? You can explore and reflect on these questions during a yoga retreat with Isabella in February 2027 at Purple Valley Tenerife. Keep reading to learn more about everything happening both inside and outside the shala over the coming months.

ADVENT BRUNCH

On Sunday, 6^th December, after the guided primary series class, we invite all our members to the annual shala potluck. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know one another off the yoga mat. Family members and partners are, of course, also welcome! Please sign up in advance and let us know what vegetarian/vegan contribution you plan to bring to the buffet. Read more about the event here.

CHARITY CLASS

A chance to give back and end the year in the spirit of kindness - on Wednesday, 9^th December, Helena leads a donation-based class featuring the challenge of completing 108 Sun Salutations. All proceeds go directly to V-Care, an organisation in Mysore, India, that we have supported for many years. If you are unable to attend the class, you are still very welcome to make a financial contribution. All contributions should be sent to Swish 0706536008; please mark your payment with "108-sun salutations". For more information and how to sign up, click here .

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR SCHEDULE

The autumn schedule runs until 23^rd December. After that, we’ll have special opening hours leading up to the start of the spring semester on 11^th January. You can get a sneak peek at the Christmas & New Year schedule here; it will also be posted on the main schedule page when the time comes. Please remember to always scroll to the bottom of the page and check for any temporary schedule changes and stay up to date. The page is updated regularly.

KICK-OFF – A Fresh Start to 2027

On Sunday, 10^th January we are organising an “urban retreat” to kick off the year. Our previous event at the start of 2026 was a great success, and we hope many of you will join us again in 2027 to set the tone for the months to come. The theme of the day is "Everything Begins with the Breath." More information about the event is available here. Please note that advance booking is required to participate (spaces are limited)

NEW COURSES IN THE SPRING OF 2027

For the spring semester, we have planned two rounds of Ashtanga and Yin Yoga courses. The first-round launches in the third week of January. You can read about all the courses under "Upcoming Events." We are always happy when you recommend our courses to friends, or why not give a course as a Christmas gift to someone you hold dear?

- ASHTANGA YOGA BEGINNERS (L1) - Mondays starts 18/1, teacher: Katie.

- ASHTANGA YOGA FOUNDATION (L2) - Wednesdays, starts 20/1, teacher: Helena.

- YIN YOGA - Thursdays, starts 21/1, teacher: Sara Parenti.

YOGA RETREAT AT PURPLE VALLEY, TENERIFE IN FEBRUARY

Last winter, we received many inquiries about whether we would be holding another yoga retreat at the Purple Valley retreat centre in Tenerife. We are happy to announce that we are returning to the island from 6^th –13^th February 2027. Isabella will teach a week-long retreat themed Strength, stability and resilience - Discover how to cultivate a lifelong yoga practice that is both sustainable and deeply supportive. Don’t miss this opportunity to replace the grey of February with some sun, a chance to delve deeper into your yoga practice, enjoy delicious food, and connect with yogis from all over the world. Read more and sign up via the Purple Valley website.

That’s all for now. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for this past year, for your dedication and your patience all those early mornings. We look forward to seeing you on the mat in 2027 and starting our days together in the new year. The next newsletter will contain more information about the spring semester, but in the meantime, stay updated by checking our website, our social media channels (links in the menu above), and our private Facebook group exclusively for members. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out—but do keep in mind that we do not read or respond to emails outside of office hours or on weekends. If you need the door code, please get in touch at least 24 hours before your visit.

Welcome to take a break from holiday stress at Ashtanga Yoga Malmö!

Isabella & crew

P.S. Don’t forget to use your wellness allowance (friskvårdsbidrag) for 2026!