Teachers
About us
Tom and Julia first met in Berlin, where Tom taught his daily Mysore program for over 5 years, with Julia assisting him for the last 2. In 2023 they take a break from daily teaching, whilst preparing to move to the UK, where the plan is to open a new Shala together in a more rural setting. Until then, Tom and Julia will be covering Mysore programmes, teaching international workshops, hosting retreats and regularly travelling to India.
Tom Austin
In early 2007 I started practicing Ashtanga Yoga daily with Rachel Howlett in Cornwall, England. Over the following few years I was introduced to Denise Christian, Matthew Vollmer and John Scott, who all practiced with Pattaphi Jois in the late 80’s and 90’s. I have also travelled to Mysore, India, to practice with Sharath.
I was fortunate enough to practice with all of my teachers in small groups and get to know them all on a personal level. John and I practiced together before he taught his classes: he would adjust me, explain the adjustment and then I would adjust him in the same way. I also completed a teacher training with John and Lucy Scott, giving me many helpful insights about teaching.
In 2011 I started practicing regularly with Matthew and Carla Vollmer, first in Brazil and then later in Berlin. My experience with Matthew influenced my practice and teachings the most.
After over 10 years of daily practice, I felt grounded enough to hold my own Mysore Style community, which I started in 2017 in Berlin, Germany. Teaching and practicing daily has given me an internal strength, which has profoundly changed the way I see the world. I would like to share this strength with others, giving as many people as I can the chance to develop the strength to look into themselves and see life from a new perspective.
Julia Austin
I started practicing yoga in 2010. As an athlete, professional health sports coach and student, I was looking for a balance to the constant performance approach. I found this in Kundalini yoga, which opened up a new perspective on the connection between body and consciousness. At that point, I knew that yoga would remain a part of my path.
After 8 years of Kundalini practice and regularly attending various Vinyasa classes, especially Jivamukti Yoga, I attended my first Ashtanga Mysore class with Tom in 2018. Intrigued by the focus and intensity, I was able to establish a daily practice from the start. Until now, this is an integral part of my day. Since 2015 I have also been practising meditation in the Vipassana tradition.
For me, practising yoga means looking inwards, connecting with my focus, about feeling and accepting, about connecting with my natural stability and strength. The practice is a place of quiet transformation and offers me new perspectives on myself and the world.
After three years of my own practice, I began assisting Tom daily in the Mysore classes. I appreciate the opportunity to support others on their path, to share my experiences and at the same time to experience the practice of Ashtanga Yoga from a different perspective.
