Ashtanga Yoga at Chi Yoga Shack

 Traditional Practice. Personal Guidance. Quiet Strength.

At Chi Yoga Shack in Bucktown, our Ashtanga Yoga program offers a deeply rooted, tradition-based practice in an environment that is intimate, welcoming, and grounded. This program invites you to explore the discipline, focus, and freedom that Ashtanga Yoga brings.

Ashtanga Foundations: A 4‑Week Beginner Series

Saturdays, September 6 – September 27, 2025 } 8:30 – 10:30 AM at Chi Yoga Shack

Build a strong, sustainable yoga practice from the ground up. This 4‑week series is perfect for complete beginners or anyone looking to reconnect with the fundamentals of Ashtanga Yoga in a supportive, small‑group setting. Each session focuses on key building blocks—breath, posture, transitions, and body awareness—so you can move with greater confidence, clarity, and connection. Expect guided instruction, personal feedback, and space to explore at your own pace.

Weekly Focus: Week 1 – Posture Control & Sun Salutation A – healing through movement + intro to pranayama

Week 2 – Transitions – jumping with safety and efficiency

Week 3 – Sun Salutation B & Standing Poses – foundations and what really matters in a pose or transition

Week 4 – Hips, The Spine & Further Breath Control – finding ease and stability in the body

Led by longtime practitioner and teacher Rich Gonshak, our Ashtanga offerings include individualized self-practice and guided Led classes, both rooted in the lineage of Mysore-style teaching. Rich studied closely with senior teacher David Garrigues, whose work emphasizes Ashtanga as a living tradition that supports physical, psychological, and spiritual growth through committed, self-reflective practice.

🌀 Ashtanga Research (Self-Practice)

Wednesdays 8:30–10:30 AM
Saturdays 8:30-10:30 AM

This is where the real transformation begins. Ashtanga Research is our unique take on Mysore-style practice—a space for students to move through the traditional sequence at their own pace, with personal attention and hands-on guidance from Rich.

Rooted in the traditional system developed by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India, Ashtanga links breath with movement through a set sequence of postures. It’s a powerful discipline that supports a calm and healthy body, mind, and nervous system.

At Chi Yoga Shack, Rich leads this practice with a contemporary approach—balancing tradition with accessibility. You’ll learn postures step-by-step, link movement with breath, and explore alignment and self-awareness. Unlike many Mysore rooms, props and modifications are welcome here, and postures are adapted to support your body and level of experience.

  • Open to all levels, including complete beginners

  • Learn the Primary Series gradually and safely

  • One-on-one instruction in a group setting

  • Strong emphasis on alignment, breath, and self-inquiry

  • A quiet, focused, and supportive environment

Whether you're refining a long-term practice or stepping onto the mat for the first time, these sessions are designed to meet you where you are—and help you grow from there.

🌞 Led Ashtanga

Fridays 8:00–9:30 AM

This guided class moves through the traditional Primary Series sequence with breath counts and cues. It’s a powerful opportunity to experience the rhythm and precision of Ashtanga in its full flow, while working on stamina, focus, and alignment.

  • Recommended for students with a basic familiarity of the sequence/Mysore style

  • Complements self-practice by reinforcing breath, pace, and transitions

  • Strong, steady, and deeply satisfying

Practicing together in unison helps cultivate rhythm, discipline, and concentration—the perfect counterpart to your self-practice work.

❤️ Student Experience: Jillian’s Words

"Though I attended yoga classes for several years before discovering Chi Yoga Shack, now I consider my first day studying under Rich the beginning of my practice. To take a yoga class and to practice yoga are two drastically different exercises. Where a well-taught yoga class can condition the body, to practice yoga—that is, to learn the right way to move in alignment with the breath, to experience how the physical mirrors the energetic, and to repeat a motion until it is perfected—this can heal and evolve not only the body, but the mind and spirit as well.

And evolve it does! Since beginning my Ashtanga practice about four months ago, I’m the strongest and most flexible I’ve ever been. I have improved endurance, posture, and bodily awareness. And as awesome as this all is, these are only the physical manifestations of a much larger mental shift I’m experiencing. I’m less anxious and more present, I’m less depressed and more content. It’s not that everything is suddenly perfect, but that I have new tools, knowledge, and awareness to help me navigate my path.

All this to say, Chi Yoga Shack is a beautiful place to learn the practice of yoga. The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and have the utmost respect for the history of the practice, the classes are varied and accommodate all skill levels, the space is airy and clean, and the community of the shala is nothing if not welcoming."

💸 Pricing & Membership Options

  • Drop-In Class – $30

  • Membership Options:

    • Basic (4 classes/month): $85

    • Standard (8 classes/month + 1 guest pass): $155

    • Unlimited (unlimited classes + 2 guest passes): $195

✨ Ready to Begin?

You don’t need to know the sequence. You don’t need to be flexible. Just come as you are—with your breath, your curiosity, and the willingness to begin.

🧘 Questions? Reach out at info@chiyogashack.com
📍 Visit us in Bucktown, Chicago