Advanced Alignment Workshop

In Sanskrit the word “asana” means a “seat”. Like a comfy chair – familiar, inviting and restful- it comes with it’s own story, few tea stains and well – worn cushions (yoga mats in our case). When you practice is such a way that no muscle is overworking – or neglected, and your awareness and breath flow with ease, you might experience an inner settling into the rhythm and wholeness of the posture, as if your body embraces being in this moment. Has that ever happen to you? When was the last time you’ve felt like that in a pose?

When I just started practicing yoga, I had all these questions…”Am I doing this right? Where do my feet go? What is Mulabandha?”

As my practice developed and grew, so did the list of my injuries. I  began to realize there’s more then one way to practice a pose. Fleeting moments spent in Downward Dog during Vinyasa or  holding five breaths in Warrior Two didn’t offer any answers. And then there would be two seconds of glory when everything felt just right. Muscles were soft and yet strong; the breath flowed;the pose, suddenly becoming alive, felt effortless – it seemed I could hold it forever.

How do you get to know a person? You  listen to their story.

How do you get to know a posture? You listen to it’s story as well. Asanas were developed alongside the rich philosophy of yoga to keep the body healthy, flexible and strong and, as the name suggests, to bring about the more balanced state of mind in preparation for seated meditation.

A posture is like a carefully wrapped gift, just waiting to be uncovered -  mystical heroes, gods and creatures provide deeply symbolic imagery; careful attention to physical sensations through the quiet and subtle movement brings about stability, balance and agility, insuring at the same time that the bloodstream is oxygenated, and the spine is lengthened and stretched; and finally quieting the body and mind enough to feel the subtle energy flow  creates fertile soil for reflection, self-examination, and healing.

We will begin each 3 hour workshop by delving into the myth and history of the pose.

Then, just like playing with LEGO, we’ll dismantle the pose into it’s building blocks:

How does the stable pelvis feel? Where is the balance between flexibility and strength?  What’s the difference between rigidity and power?

Finally – a treat! – we’ll turn our attention to the subtler energetic layer – bandhas (  locks), chakras ( energy centers) and nadis ( channels) to see how a thought or an intention can bring yet another side of  asana to life.

New dates are coming soon!