Over the past two days, I had the opportunity to visit
Miami Life Center, an Ashtanga studio founded by the yoga-famous
Kino MacGregor. Located a short walk from the beach, the studio has daily classes in mostly Ashtanga, but also
Jivamukti and Restorative yoga. Probably the keynote class would be the Mysore class (which is the strict series taught by
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and practiced individually under observation of the teacher). But since I don't have the series memorized, I took advantage of the Guided Ashtanga and Ashtanga Elements classes, which were taught in the more inclusive fashion by the respective instructors.
Practicing a Jivamukti/Vinyasa flow was incredibly helpful in transitioning to the Ashtanga, but I was still challenged by the numerous jump-throughs (at least 8) and long stretches of abdominal work that is part of every class.
If you're ever in Miami, I highly recommend this studio for a warm, welcoming vibe, adherance to the Ashtanga tradition, friendly staff & students, and also a beautiful space with stone floors and an eclectic boutique.
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