Three days of deep practice and clear teaching.
This immersion moves across the full spectrum of Ashtanga — from the philosophical roots of the Yoga Sutras to the physical intelligence of transitions, backbends, standing postures, arm balances, and inversions. Each session builds on the last, creating a complete and integrated experience of the practice.
David teaches from over thirty years of dedicated practice and direct certification with the founder of Ashtanga Yoga. His approach is principle-based and precise — cutting through confusion to give you tools you can actually use, in the shala and in your life.
Whether you are new to Ashtanga or a long-time practitioner, this weekend will challenge you to move with more commitment, breathe with more intelligence, and practice with the kind of focused awareness that makes real progress possible.
6 - 7:30pm
Yoga Sutras Talk: Book 1, Sutras 18 to 22
The Yoga Sutras offer practical insight into how to work with the mind, both in daily life and in your asana practice. In this session, David will give a talk on Book 1, Sutras 18 to 22, a key passage that points to the inner qualities that support real progress on the path.
We will explore five essential qualities to cultivate:
• Sraddha: faith
• Virya: energy and strength
• Smrti: memory
• Samadhi: meditation
• Prajna: wisdom and insight
These five can be understood as inner “containers” you keep filling through steady practice. David will unpack each word, what it means, and how to apply it in a grounded way.
9 - 10:45am
Crouch & Spring - Foundational Dynamism
Life is constant change, and in the face of change, we often respond with doubt and hesitation: we protect ourselves, play it safe, and stop taking risks almost without realizing it. This is also clearly reflected in practice: hesitant transitions, timid approaches to positions, and consequently, results that prevent us from building real strength.
This workshop introduces the Crouch & Spring mindset: a decisive and committed quality that develops both physical power and inner confidence. We will work on fundamental transitions and postures, learning to prepare, commit, and "jump," rather than moving forward from a place of doubt.
You will learn to take risks in controlled conditions, to act decisively, and to practice in a way that truly develops both physical and mental ability.
11:15 - 1pm
Backbend Essentials: Limbs Stop, Spine Goes
*No experience with backbends required.
This class focuses on the backbends of Ashtanga through the lens of opposing forces. We will work with key foundational backbends.
You will learn how grounding the legs, buttocks, and abdomen creates the counterforce that lets the chest open, how pressing down through the limbs supports the rise of the spine, and how front body softness is balanced by strong action in the back body. The aim is to build a strong, confident, and sustainable relationship with backbending that supports your whole practice.
9 - 10:45am
Extracting Strength Through Standing Postures
In this class we explore how a mix of dynamism and stability in the standing postures becomes a direct doorway into the internal practice of Ashtanga Yoga. We look at how opposing forces work in the body: feet rooting while the spine ascends, legs and hips grounding while the chest and gaze lift. You will learn to use the feet, legs, and hips to create strength, stamina, and concentration, and to see how the standing sequence is a key to building a strong asana foundation.
We will work with accessing mula and uddiyana bandhas and see how grounded support in the lower body can awaken the breath and the spine and lead naturally into steady gazing (drsti) and dynamic meditation (dhyana). Throughout, we stay attentive to the play of opposing forces in each pose so that your standing work becomes both powerful and inwardly focused.
11:15 - 1pm
Arm Balances and Inversions
Arm balances and inversions are perfect opportunities to train your relationship with risk. You can climb into Sirsasana hesitantly and uncertainly, forcing yourself out of fear and accepting unstable results. Or you can learn to work step by step, preparing, committing, and training yourself to continue taking risks even when you want to play it safe.
Decisive action is one of the best ways to develop strength—physical, mental, and willpower. When you approach these positions with doubt, you squander the opportunity to develop real ability.
This workshop will teach you how to enter and hold arm balances and inversions with stability and confidence.
Tara Yoga Centre,
Export House, 25-31,
Ironmonger Row, London,
EC1V 3QW
Tuition $340
* Please note, there are no refunds or cancellations. If you need to cancel, you can apply your tuition to future workshops, online classes, or a video course.
