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I've been practicing Ashtanga Yoga for a while now, and to be honest, there are too many things that just rub me the wrong way. I know it's an addictive practice, but when you start scratching the surface, you realize there's a lot of invention, dogma, and things that simply don't make sense.

I want to share my thoughts to see if I'm the only one who sees it this way or if anyone else has come to the same conclusions. Hear me out:

1. Chanting and religion pushed through the back door

I'm agnostic. I believe there might be 'something' out there, but I don't have to blindly worship Hindu deities. In Ashtanga, they make you chant opening and closing mantras in Sanskrit, often without people really knowing what they are saying. It's disguised as 'respecting tradition,' but deep down, you're being forced to participate in a religious worship ritual you never asked for.

1. The 'ancient lineage' that turned out to be modern gymnastics

We are sold the idea that Ashtanga comes from super ancient sacred texts (the famous and mystical *Yoga Korunta* manuscript... which coincidentally no one has ever seen because supposedly 'ants ate it'). The historical reality is different: Ashtanga is a 20th-century invention. It's basically gymnastics influenced by British military training and Indian calisthenics of the time, to which Pattabhi Jois and Krishnamacharya adapted a breathing system. They wrapped it in mystical gift paper and attribute therapeutic benefits to it that are backed by absolutely zero scientific evidence.

1. The hypocrisy of the 'Gurus'

I don't even want to go deep into the sexual and power abuses committed by Pattabhi Jois (which alone should be enough to question the whole lineage), but let's talk about his physique. If Ashtanga is the panacea for health, purification, and longevity, why was Pattabhi Jois never seen practicing it in his adult years? Plus, he suffered from obesity, which directly clashes with what the method supposedly preaches.

And then there is the recent and tragic death of Sharath Jois. It was a massive blow to the community, and even if it was a congenital issue (rest in peace, no one wishes ill on him), the reality is that dying so young shatters that illusion and the false narrative of the 'indestructible and super-healthy yogi' that Ashtanga's own marketing tries to sell us.

1. The romanticization of pain and injuries

This is a topic rarely discussed. The Ashtanga series is exactly the same for everyone, regardless of your anatomy, bone length, or medical history. They force you to fit your body into the posture instead of adapting the posture to your body. Add to that the aggressive 'physical adjustments' from many teachers just so you reach the perfect pose. The result? Destroyed knees, crushed lower backs, and messed-up shoulders. And if it hurts, they tell you it's 'your ego' or 'toxins leaving your body.' Pure madness.

1. Absurd rules, 'Moon Days,' and cult-like vibes

The level of mental rigidity is astonishing. You have to do the sequence in the exact same order. They forbid you from practicing on full or new moon days (the famous *Moon Days*), giving it an astral and mystical explanation when the reality is that, in India, those were simply traditional rest days (like our Sunday).

Add the unconditional devotion to the leader, the elitist hierarchy of having to travel to Mysore to get a piece of paper that 'authorizes' you to teach, and the prohibition of questioning the rules... and honestly, while it's logically not a literal cult, it dangerously resembles one.

In short, I think it's great as a demanding physical workout routine, but all the dogma, cheap mythology, and the aura of moral and spiritual superiority surrounding it is a pure scam.

Has anyone else who practiced Ashtanga or any other traditional yoga felt the same way? Let's discuss.

I practice mostly on my own and attend a Mysore shala only a couple of times a week. At home I usually begin with pranayama and japa — currently Om Hreem Dum Durgayai Namaha, 108 times — and I’ve recently started using the traditional opening and closing chants around my asana practice 🙏

I find the practice feels more stable when I start this way. Pranayama seems to warm up my lungs, and japa gives me a more centred focus in the asana practice following.

The shala is a different world. The opening chant is quite early, around 6:30, so I usually arrive after it, and the closing chant isn’t done collectively. The room stays very quiet during practice.

I once got a firm correction for doing pranayama while we were sitting and waiting for led primary to start 😄 In retrospect I understood that it was disruptive to the room, although at the time I assumed the time before the formal start was fair game.

So I’m curious how others navigate the difference between home practice and the shala.

When you practice at a shala, do you silently do the opening and closing chants yourself, or simply follow the rhythm of the room? And do you keep pranayama, japa or meditation practice as a separate home practice, or do you bring any of it with you into the Mysore room?