Testimonials
When I first took an asana class with Ati Sundari, it was immediately apparent to me that she was extremely knowledgeable in her yoga practices. Ati is very adept with verbal cues and guidance in and out of asanas. She is skilled in modifying asanas to simplify or amplify them so every student can benefit from her classes in a safe and confident way based on their personal expertise.
I soon learned that Ati was raised in an ashram into adulthood and therefore this wisdom of authentic yoga is imbedded in her. Ati’s integrity to the culture of yoga is very apparent in how she shares it with her students. I love how she teaches this ancient practice in a way that others can embrace it without feeling it is too esoteric. She also shares some of the deeper aspects of yoga, like singing bhajans to bring students out of savasana, or inviting students to evenings of kirtan, meditation and enlightening discussions.
I am certain there is a lot more wisdom in Ati that I have yet to experience. Although I have studied and practiced yoga for nearly 50 years, I enjoy being Ati’s student because she shares so delightfully the teachings that she has been gifted with.
Marion “Mugs” McConnell, Founder of the South Okanagan Yoga Academy (SOYA)
Although I was attending many different classes and studios when I wandered into a class with Ati in 2011, I found myself being drawn to return to her classes.
Over time, I found that everything I personally needed from yoga was accessible to me by returning to these classes specifically. There, I would find myself feeling my strongest and my most humble.
Ati’s classes are like her: in one breath, both fierce and nurturing. Sometimes I have to stop and think, “Wait, did I just do that with my body?” and other times, I feel like a baby in swaddling in the loving arms of a mother.
Ati calls on the source of her knowledge and intuition as a Chilean woman and a lifelong practitioner of yoga to craft each of her classes so that it feeds the body, the mind and the soul. By some grace unknown to me, she is able to create a flow and sequences that make sense to my body every single time.
In class, we move through the schools of thought and practice fluidly, like the courses in a nourishing meal: hatha, vinyasa, ashtanga … myofascial release. Like a decadent dessert, Ati will treat students to some of the songs she learned growing up in the ashrams of India as her stormy, ethereal voice washes over students resting in savasana at the end of a practice.
Ati’s guidance through diverse styles yoga practice is the most nourishing soul meal a person could feed herself or himself. And like all nourishing meals – it is best when shared with others.
Namaste, Suzanne Zalokar, Portland, Oregon
Ati’s yoga practice will nourish the spaces within you that are yearning for attention. Whether it’s a challenge you’re looking for, a respite from the daily grind, greater flexibility, emotional release, a moving meditation, or just relief for that darn hamstring, Ati will help you find your way there. She guides your practice, she honors your needs, she respects your limitations and she challenges all of it with gentle grace and humor. Many times I walk into Ati’s class not consciously aware of what I need, but somehow, magically, it arises and is right there in front of me. How does she do it? By creating a safe space, being intuitive and in tune with others, and being an example herself of humility and grace and courage and fierceness. It’s pretty amazing and powerful when you find yourself reflecting that.
Don’t get me wrong. Ati’s classes aren’t all sweetness and light. They are physically challenging, frequently uncomfortable, sometimes painful (foam rollers, anyone?), and will have you testing your boundaries on a regular basis. I always leave Ati’s yoga class feeling taller, braver, stronger, and incredibly expansive. If you are looking for growth on multiple levels, look no further. Be prepared to surprise yourself.
Oh, and did I mention that she sings like an angel?
— Jill Kusmirek