FULL WEEKEND WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

ASHTANGA’S DYNAMIC VINYASA DIMENSION THROUGH SURYA NAMASKARA

This asana class will focus on how proper vinyasa knowledge extends beyond memorizing the number of positions of the asana; you are also meant to know the vinyasa positions dynamically within your body.  There is a great art to understanding the subtle progressions of movement that bring you into and out of each asana, exploring this refinement is what brings you into readiness, poise, beauty and alignment in your postures.  We'll look at how such vinyasa knowledge helps you understand how to refine your awareness and to learn to see the practice as chiefly dhyana, meditation.

EXTRACTING STRENGTH THROUGH STANDING POSTURES

In this class we’ll explore how the cultivating a combination of dynamism and stability in the standing postures provides you a perfect means of entrance into the internal practice of Ashtanga Yoga. We’ll explore the importance of using the feet, legs, and hips to create strength, stamina and concentration. Better understand how the standing postures are an essential key to building a strong asana foundation. Learn to better access to mula and uddhyana bandhas (locks), see how the grounded support of the lower body can awaken the breath and the spine and lead the way to steady gazing (dristi) and to dynamic meditation (dhyana).

LEARNING HIP INTELLIGENCE THROUGH SEATED POSTURES

In this class David will teach skillful ways to open up your hips safely. There is an integrated thinking process about the action in the hip joint and the transfer of energy through the leg from the hip to the foot that you want to draw from in your approach to opening your hips. You learn to call on the frog like circular action of external rotation, to explore animal like movements that show you the playful and practical possibilities of what your hips can do, and thus you begin to safely reclaim and to discover the natural range of motion of your hip joints without straining your knee or ankle joints.

PRECISION, PURIFICATION AND PRANAYAMA

This class is devoted to pranayama, chanting, and discussion of the central role breathing plays in attaining success in practice. This class will utilize breathing exercises, retention, and discussion, to help you better centralize your awareness on breath during practice. We’ll study how to use breathing to build powerful strength in your asanas and to effect nadi shodana, purification of the pranic channels. Prana Vidya, knowledge of prana, helps you to progress towards subtlety as you concentrate your mind and better direct the power of the internalized prana. We’ll discuss how cleansing is not limited to the tapas that you create during practice, but rather how purification is a central theme that encompasses all aspects of your life. We’ll explore how to access awareness of your more subtle energy channels through breathing and how to better direct this energy both on and off the mat.

MYSORE

Mysore class provides the student with a concentrated and heightened learning experience that will help he/she develop practical and technical yoga skills and be immersed in the inspirational magic and poetic soul of the practice. Each student will receive valuable one to one guidance from David on developing his/her personal practice. The student will develop skill in applying the practice techniques in ways that are logical, challenging, intelligent and fun. David focuses on learning how to follow the Ashtanga system and at the same time creating a practice that honors individuality, versatility and creativity.

YOGA SUTRAS TALK ON BOOK 1, SUTRA 20

Study of the Yoga Sutras offers key insights on how to better work with your mind in your daily asana practice. David will give a talk on book 1, sutra 20; this is one of the most famous sutras in Patanjali’s, Yoga Sutras, and talks about the 5 qualities to cultivate for progress in practice.

Sraddha—FAITH
Virya—ENERGY/STRENGTH
Smrti—MEMORY
Samadhi—MEDITATION
Prajna—AWAKENING OF WISDOM OR INSIGHT

This unique combination of qualities are meant to be cultivated and are the gifts of your practice. They can be thought of as 5 jars that you want to fill and keep filling. David will discuss each one of these powerhouse words in this 1 hour talk.