As I arrived at Omkar108 for a special Puja in honor of the three-year anniversary of Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois’ passing, I caught myself running towards the building as the scents of incense and sounds of chanting lured me in. Before even stepping foot within the studio, I could feel the effects and years of practice and tradition that has been channeled into the space.
Jorgen Christiansson, certified by the Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore, India, is the owner and primary teacher of Omkar108. You can sense Christinasson’s authentic experiences and dedication to tradition in his classes and the space as a result of his experience studying Pranayama in Varanasi, Bhakti Yoga in Vrindavan, and Ashtanga Yoga as taught by Pattabhi Jois himself. All are welcome to the studio: those long dedicated to the practice as well as those practicing Ashtanga Yoga for the first time. Along with the powerful feel of the traditional Mysore Ashtanga class, I was impressed with the dedication of a full room at 6:30 a.m. filled with a balanced number of both men and women.
In addition to the Mysore Ashtanga Yoga practice, the studio hosts a mix of other classes, from Loren Lila Russo’s Vinyasa Flow to Stacie Reeve’s Beginners’ class. The space hosts intensives, fundraisers, and workshops on the Vedas, chanting, and classical dance.
Omkar108 Yoga
11154 Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90232
Omkar108.com
By Vanessa Harris, who is the editorial coordinator at LA YOGA Magazine.
