my journey through yoga: confessions of a flawed practitioner
this is not a gallery of perfection. it is a record of my own stumble through the path of yoga, from the crematoriums of bangalore to the mat. real yoga is not about looks. it is about the mess we hide.
Every yoga instructor has two personalities: the serene public image and the messy human reality. I believe embracing this duality is the only path to authenticity. The mask of purity is a lie; integration of your whole self is the truth.
I am not a guru or a sage. I am just a man who speaks his mind and shares fragments of what he has seen on his own messy journey. Do not mistake my words for law; they are just thoughts laid bare.
An honest update on my practice. I fell off the path, returning to habits that created laziness and distraction. This video is my admission of that struggle and my return to the mat, because balance is a constant practice, not a permanent state.
My path to yoga began with grief. After volunteering for COVID burials during the second lockdown in Bengaluru, I was overwhelmed. I sought peace in the mountains, where I found meditation, and later in Goa, where I discovered asana and pranayama as tools to heal and find calm.
A moment of contemplation by the sea at dusk. I came seeking quiet, but the waves spoke loudly. Sometimes truth hits harder when you are alone, away from the crowd.
Standing on the shore at sunrise. In moments of deep talk and quiet observation, some of us awaken to new truths, while others remain asleep in their old patterns.
Walking through the halls of the Mysore Palace. The history and grandeur of these places leave a trace of awareness behind, a feeling of presence that lingers long after you have left.
A moment of quiet introspection. In a world that is loud with violence and noise, the greatest strength is to remain calm in your presence and fierce in your truth.
You are not the thoughts that fill your mind. You are the silent, spacious awareness in which those thoughts arise and pass away.
Does the beard make the yogi? I question the modern obsession with aesthetics, where a certain look is mistaken for authenticity. Listen to the words, not the wardrobe, and never let theatrics fool your intuition.
About My Journey & Confessions
i don’t teach 'flow' for social media clips. my classes in bengaluru are built on discipline—suryanamaskars, pranayama, and joint mobility. if you expect a gym-style workout or spiritual sugarcoating, you will be disappointed. if you want to understand why your mind remains restless despite the asanas, we can work together.
yoga is not a fitness routine. it is a system of self-observation that i found after years of struggle—working through grief during the covid lockdown and eventually finding grounding in the himalayas and goa. my approach rejects the 'guru' culture that dominates today.
what you will find in my sessions:
- traditional hatha yoga: we focus on stability, digestion, and releasing physical tension. no background music, no performance.
- pranayama & kriya: techniques like kapalbhati and bhramari are central. this is how we clean the system and settle the mind.
- dhyana (meditation): the heart of the practice. i guide you to observe your mind, not escape it.
my sessions are based on the patanjali yoga system. we work in small, limited batches of 5-10 students in bengaluru to ensure individual attention. for those seeking one-on-one guidance, i offer private studio sessions or home tuition, where we tailor the sequencing to your specific dosha and needs. this is not about fixing you—it is about providing the tools for you to fix yourself.
Jinnium Michel Andrew
i am jinnium. i am not a guru, just a man who uses yoga to navigate his own chaos. my classes are quiet, raw, and focused on self-observation rather than performance.
find the right path for your practice
explore specific yoga techniques or book a private session.
More from Traditional Yoga & Meditation Instruction by Jinnium Michel Andrew
More services by Jinnium Michel Andrew