Mysore Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Parampara

Lineage (or parampara in Sanskrit) is the living link between teacher (or guru) and student (or shishya), a continuous vibration of knowledge in action across generations. In our yoga community, recognizing lineage invites humility, accountability, and a deeper connection to the source of our practice. It reminds us that yoga is not a trend, but a living tradition—sustained by devotion, respect, and the relationships that shape us.

In the tradition of Mysore Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, the lineage (or guru-shishya parampara) reaches back to its founder K. Pattabhi Jois (1915 – 2009), his guru T. Krishnamacharya (1888 – 1989), and beyond. This parampara includes, and is not limited to, the teachings of Pattabhi Jois’s daughter Saraswathi Jois (born 1941), his son Manju Jois (born 1944), his granddaughter Sharmila Jois (born 1969), his grandson the young legend Sharath Jois (1971 – 2024), and many devoted international disciples-teachers.

Krishnamacharya was the direct guru of K. Pattabhi Jois and he also certified Saraswathi Jois. He is often considered the grandfather of contemporary yoga. Born in Karnataka, South India, he was a scholar, healer, and yogi who bridged classical wisdom of ancient texts with modern sensibilities. Krishnamacharya held degrees in the six main Vedic philosophies of India and claims that he learned the essence of yoga philosophy, including the Patanjali yoga sutras, from his guru Sri Rama Mohan Brahmachari during 7 years of study in a cave in the Himalayas. Krishnamacharya’s students include many of the most globally influential yoga gurus of our times: Indra Devi (1899–2002); K. Pattabhi Jois (1915–2009); B. K. S. Iyengar (1918-2014); his son T. K. V. Desikachar (1938-2016); Srivatsa Ramaswami (born 1939); and A. G. Mohan (born 1945) — revealing a diverse and potent yoga lineage that is not static in practice, but rather adaptable and responsive to each individual.

Krishnamacharya in padmasana

(photo courtesy website of Dr. Srikanta Sastri)

Patanjali

(the ancient composer of the yoga sutras, symbolic image source unknown)

Beyond India, the honoring of lineage is a universal concept found in many cultures that value ancestral wisdom and intergenerational learning. Whether in Indigenous traditions, oral storytelling, or mentorship in craft and spirit, lineage speaks to a shared human instinct: to root ourselves in something greater, to honor those who came before us, and to carry their teachings forward with integrity.

Sandi Higgins, founder of Aquamarine Yoga, has studied Mysore Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga directly with aforementioned Saraswathi Jois and Sharath Jois since 2013, along with Western disciples-teachers Lino Miele and Desiree Traenker, Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor, and Eddie Stern and Jocelyne Stern. Sandi was authorized to teach by Saraswathi Jois at the yoga shala founded by K. Pattabhji Jois (KPJAYI) in Gokulam, Mysore, Karnataka, South India.