Wondering about the altar up front? And (crikey!) what about the chanting?

At Mysore Melbourne, we think its important that we acknowledge where yoga comes from (India!), and also that we acknowledge how, cut off from the culture and people from which yoga originates, things get a little weird. Even when very well meaning, people bend and twist (literally) yoga into sometimes unrecognisable forms. 

One small thing we do to make this acknowledgement is to cultivate an altar in the classroom and to chant Sanskrit mantras. It isn’t a religious practice. It is more like acknowledging country! We are acknowledging Indian people and their culture, languages, practices, and mythology as the “traditional owners” of yoga. 

If you want to learn more about these practices, we encourage you to participate in our Q&A sessions that occur regularly throughout the year. Your questions and thoughts are welcome.