The Morning Practice
IN STUDIO in West Norwood / West Dulwich, South London
On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings, we are offering a unique, inclusive yoga experience that meets you wherever you are in your yoga practice.
Whether you’re new to yoga or an experienced practitioner with your own Ashtanga self-practice, this class provides a warm and welcoming space to cultivate mindfulness, movement, and connection, setting you up for the day ahead.
Why Join The Morning Practice?
- Start your day with intention – cultivating strength, stillness, and clarity before the day unfolds.
- A flexible, inclusive approach – whether you prefer a structured session or a more independent practice.
- Supportive energy of community – practicing alongside others in a quiet, focused environment.
- Deepen your practice – with one-to-one guidance and hands-on adjustments available for self-practitioners.
- The Morning Practice | Self Practice
- The Morning Practice | Led
If you are new to (Ashtanga) Yoga
If you are new to yoga or to Ashtanga yoga, this class is an ideal way to explore yoga in a guided yet flexible setting. Here’s how the morning unfolds to accommodate varying levels of practice:
- 7-7:10am – Arrive in this window and take a moment in the morning light for reflection and quiet meditation
- 7:15am – We begin together as a group with an opening chant.
- 7:15-8am – An energising led guided sequence, including sun salutations and an accessible sequence of postures and vinyasa, which can be modified for all levels.
- 8am – Closing and relaxation and you can leave quietly in your own time
- 8-9am – Class continues for those who wish to do self-practice (see more right).
Note: On Saturdays, we begin later, so the class runs 8-10am.
If you have an Ashtanga Self-Practice
If you have an established self-practice, the Morning Practice is designed so you can join the group at any time between 7 and 9am (8 and 10am on Saturdays) and do your own personal practice.
- The studio opens at 7:00am, offering time to settle, meditate, or begin your self-practice in the peaceful morning light.
- You can choose to join the 45-minute led Ashtanga sequence and transition into self-practice at any point that suits your practice, or you can begin practicing at your own pace from the start.
- You will receive one-to-one guidance and hands-on adjustments from the teacher to support your personal practice.
- New postures from the Ashtanga system are explored and added as you progress, while others may be modified or adapted depending on your individual needs.
- Note: If you have a self-practice that is not Ashtanga, that’s fine too! We simply ask that you practice safely within the shared studio space and inform your teacher before you begin.
Mysore ashtanga “self practice” truly facilitates yoga as a moving meditation, which will quieten the mind, strengthen the body and awaken the soul.
In a self-practice, students are not “led” by a teacher in the conventional way, instead they lead themselves at their own speed and work with (ujjayi) breathing through a memorised sequence of postures. The teacher opens the class with a chant and then guides and adjusts students individually, giving one-to-one tuition and hands-on adjustments.
Benefits of Ashtanga Self Practice
The self-practice approach has powerful benefits on many levels – increasing energy, strengthening the immune system, maximising body tone, encouraging weight loss, detoxifying and increases all-round health, flexibility, strength and balance. But fundamentally, this practice allows students to progress on a truly personal and much deeper level with few external distractions. The special serenity, quietness and focus of this class enhances a meditative state. The Ashtanga self-practice is also one that liberates you from dependence on a teacher and leads you to tune in to your own body and develop a more profound understanding of yoga. It directs you away from the stresses of life, to a place of stillness, calm and introspection. It is a practice that becomes your own, which can also be developed at home.
As with traditional Ashtanga yoga, this class is taught in a high-heat (but not excessively hot) environment. Classes maintain a heat of around 23–25ºC, which is ideal for safely encouraging flexibility and allowing a gentle detoxification process.
Read more about Mysore classes on our Blog and find out more about our teachers by clicking on the teacher’s name on the schedule below.
