Join David for his online May Workshop Series. There are two weekend workshops. You can sign up for one or both. Classes will be recorded and recordings will be emailed out within 48 hours. Zoom link will be emailed out a few hours before the first class begins.
9-11am EST.
May 4 & 5 - How to Start & Sustain a Yoga Practice On Your Own
May 19 & 20 - Connection Between Asana & Philosophy
This mini workshop is designed for those who either want or need to practice alone. You’ll gain insights into such important home practice themes as motivation, follow through, safely, enjoyment, cultivating solitude, how to utilize a teacher or benefit from going to classes at times. One main focus will be identifying a daily practice template that provides both a sure routine and also enough flexibility to change things up and customize when desired or needed.
The template will provide a basic structure that gives a logical, trustworthy beginning, middle, and end to practice. There will be information on which postures to do in which order, substituting or leaving out poses in a sequence, how to add variety, how to learn from repetition, making breath a powerful ally, how to encounter limits skillfully, customizing for variety, simplification, to add challenge, or find suitable versions of the postures.
You will also learn creative hacks to help you throw off inertia and begin a practice session and also stick with your routine on a daily basis. Examples include: how to use little or no special clothing or equipment, finding workable places to practice without needing an officially designated space, guidance on the attitudes and mindset that are required to follow through and carve out the time to practice, and also how to overcome common stumbling blocks like lacking motivation, time constraints, not having a regular teacher or a regular class to attend.
I practice and teach by a set of 7 asana principles (see list below). I formulated these principles over many decades from a study of yoga philosophy along with countless hours of practice and deep contemplation of the relationship between the two.
In the classes, I will share with you practical information on both the asana principles and the relevant yoga texts. This knowledge represents the heart of what I have to share about the study of asana and yoga philosophy.
In terms of the asana practice, the principles are specifically designed to help you cut through the plethora of competing information and unearth what’s most important and essential about each asana and transition.
These principles apply to all asanas-- entire spectrum from the most basic to the most difficult—and that is why applying the principles helps you to learn to pay closer attention to the essential core similarities shared by all poses rather than placing too much value on their superficial differences (which leads to faulty practice habits and harm-causing misuse of the yoga technology).
Also, besides focusing on learning to apply the principles towards gaining technical asana skills, I will cite and interpret the specific yoga texts that are the source of each principle. When you are able to a make clear connection between how you approach your asanas and the teachings of the sacred texts, then the lessons that you learn in your practice become wisdom that applies to and transforms your entire life.
There will be active, targeted asana-based classes that provide you with experiential examples of each principle and also talks that discuss the theory behind absorbing yoga philosophy through engaging in tapas (discipline) and sadhana (practice).
The 7 principles
The yoga philosophy texts for the talks include: Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Yoga Vashista, Upanishads, and others.
Recordings will be emailed out within 48 hours. You will have access to the recordings until July 19th.
You can sign up for one or both workshops. Each workshop is $60 or both workshops are $100. If you have any questions or need financial assistance or a way to pay installments email asanakitchen@gmail.com.
