William Mushkin
Level 2 Authorized by Sharath Jois
Co-founder, with Elizabeth Van Genderen, of Ashtanga Yoga Denver, a shala in a converted warehouse called The Cube, where together they teach daily Mysore-style practice, Led Primary Series, pranayama, and meditation. He is authorized by the Sharath Yoga Centre to teach the Active Series.
"The practice wakens me daily to the wordless truths which I know but often misplace."
The Journey
First Sitting
William was born and raised in Kansas City. In high school, a bout of meningitis and encephalitis put him in the hospital and sent him home with, as he puts it, the mind of a baby, regaining a year of his age each day. That winter he lit a candle in the middle of his bedroom floor and sat for the first time. He has been sitting since.
First Encounter with Ashtanga
William was first introduced to Ashtanga yoga by Beryl Bender Birch, a student of Norman Allen—one of the first Western students of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. For many years the practice was a slow and intermittent antidote to running, work, and capitalism.
Level 2 Authorization
In Mysore, India, William received Level 2 Authorization directly from Sharath Jois at the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute (KPJAYI). This authorization represents years of dedicated study and is granted only to teachers who demonstrate deep understanding of the Ashtanga method.
The Active Series
William trained in the Active Series, Sharath Jois's final sequence, with Shraddha Jois and Andrew Hillam in New York, and is authorized by the Sharath Yoga Centre to teach it.
Beyond the Mat
William studied philosophy at Bowdoin College, with a minor in fine art, and earned an MFA at the University of Colorado Boulder. He has taught at CU Boulder and Metropolitan State College of Denver, and spent a stretch on the floor of the American Stock Exchange trading options. He founded Mushkin.com in 1993 and Name.com in 2003.
Yoga ran under all of it. He lives in Boulder, walks his dogs every day, and prefers to do it barefoot.
Teachers & Influences
William's practice has been shaped by many influential teachers in the Ashtanga lineage. He expresses deep gratitude to:
- Sharath Jois — Director of KPJAYI, Mysore
- Saraswathi Rangaswamy — Daughter of Pattabhi Jois
- Richard Freeman — Yoga Workshop, Boulder
- Mary Taylor — Yoga Workshop, Boulder
- Tim Miller — First American certified teacher
- Jorgen Christiansson
"Through the practice, he has passed through the essences of many beautiful people. He thanks the third person—those who practice next to him."
Teaching Philosophy
William teaches in the traditional Mysore style, where students practice at their own pace while receiving individual guidance and adjustments. He believes the practice is an antidote to the chaos of daily life—a return to wordless truths we know but often misplace. Alongside the asana practice, he teaches pranayama and meditation drawn from the Upanishads and the Kashmir Shaiva texts.
Rather than imposing a rigid structure, William meets each student where they are, honoring the understanding that yoga is a personal journey. His approach emphasizes the transformative power of consistent, dedicated practice over time.
The Practice
Kapotasana (Intermediate Series)
William and Elizabeth with Sharath Jois at the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute
Practice with William
Join William's Mysore classes at The Cube and experience traditional Ashtanga yoga in a supportive, personalized environment.