ASHTANGA YOGA SECOND SERIES IN-DEPTH STUDY
No Prior Experience with Second Series required
David is skillful in providing explanations of elusive, often unspoken
aspects of the practice. During in-depth studies, there are four central
themes:
1: Mysore Class
2: Asana study (both practical and theoretical)
3: Ujjayi Breathing and Pranayama (both practical and theoretical)
4: Study of sacred texts (including Yoga Sutras, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Shiva Samhita and Bhagavad Gita).
This in-depth study will have a focus on Ashtanga Yoga’s Second Series or Nadi Shodhana. The 4 day intensive will provide 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 Ashtanga Yoga’s Intermediate Series.
In his workshops David offers a combination both traditional counted vinyasa led classes and clinic style led classes that investigate specific aspects of the practice in varying levels of detail. These important classes feature more verbal instruction; they give students a chance to slow things down, see new ways to orient during practice, get explanations of elusive, often unspoken aspects of the practice, and understand the Ashtanga method in greater, more subtle detail. Mysore, chanting and kirtan classes are also frequently included in a workshop. During the weekend David weaves together studies of asana, pranayama, bandhas, vinyasa, chanting, bhakti yoga, yoga sutra’s and other elements to help develop Ashtanga Vidya (knowledge).
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE OVERVIEW
Thursday, May 30
7:15am - 9:00am -- Mysore Class
9:00am - 9:45am -- Opening Talk, ”Why Second Series?”
9:45am - 12:00pm -- BREAK
12:00pm - 1:45pm -- Backbend Sequence in Second Series
1:45pm - 2:30pm -- Secrets of Mula Bandha: ‘Bandha Control is Mind Control’
Friday, May 31
7:15am - 9:00am -- Mysore Class
9:00am - 9:45am -- Ujjayi Breathing and Pranayama
9:45am - 12:00pm -- BREAK
12:00pm - 1:45pm -- Learning Hip Intelligence Through Eka Pada Sirsasana
1:45pm - 3:00pm -- Yoga Philosophy
Saturday, June 1
7:15am - 9:00am -- Mysore Class
9:00am - 9:45am -- Pranayama
9:45am - 12:00pm -- BREAK
12:00pm - 1:45pm -- Strength, Stamina, and Absorption in Arm Balances
1:45pm - 3:00pm -- Yoga Philosophy
Sunday, June 2
7:15am - 9:00am -- Mysore Class
9:00am - 9:45am -- Pranayama
9:45am - 12:00pm -- BREAK
12:00pm - 1:45pm -- Spinal Twists and Head Balances
1:45pm - 3:00pm -- Asana Kitchen Plus Q & A
FULL WEEKEND WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
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.
BACKBEND SEQUENCE IN SECOND SERIES
This class will help you better understand how make progress in all back bends through a study of the foundational back bends of Second Series. We'll look into how to create a sound, well-grounded foundation in each asana. Focusing on setting a foundation leads you to find an aligned, nectar yielding spinal position. We will also look at strategies for creating smooth transitions into and out of the asanas, and how to effectively and economically combine repetition, rhythm, and breathing in order to stay longer and have more ease. Lastly we'll look into how to devise strategies for how to either increase or decrease the challenge of the positions depending on how you choose to approach your work.
SECRETS OF MULA BANDHA: ‘BANDHA CONTROL IS MIND CONTROL
In this class we'll look into how the 'flying up gesture', can be the source of continual renewal and insight into the universal alignment of your asanas. Understanding uddiyana bandha can help you find the grounded 'immovable spot' in each pose. We'll also explore the tantric imagery that highlights the importance of the relationship between uddiyana bandha, mula bandha, and the central axis.
UJJAYI BREATHING AND PRANAYAMA
Participants will gain knowledge of pranayama, the fourth yogic limb, and lay a foundation for establishing a personal breathing practice. The classes will include the basic elements for developing ujjayi (victorious breath), and practicing such techniques as viloma (interrupting the breath), and khumbhaka (retaining the breath). These sessions also aim to help you breathe with more skill and awareness in your asana practice. There will also be a concentrated study of the traditional Ashtanga pranayama sequence as taught by Sri K Pattabhi Jois.
LEARNING HIP INTELLIGENCE THROUGH EKA PADA SIRSASANA
In this class David will teach skillful ways to open up your hips safely in the leg behind the head sequence of Second Series and other essential hip opening postures. 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 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.
YOGA PHILOSOPHY
The intellectual study of yoga is an essential means of ensuring progress and maturity through practice. To be exposed to yoga theory is an important part of using the mind to enter into inward directed states of concentration and meditative awareness. This is the part of the in-depth study where you begin to learn how to apply the philosophical/theoretical basis of yoga to your practice. You begin to see how the theory and the practice are not separate, but rather are two aspects of the same applied, practical study. Meditating on the theoretical teachings helps bring you into more intelligent, accurate and subtle alignment. David will draw from the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras, and Hatha Yoga Pradipika for the discussions.
STRENGTH, STAMINA, AND ABSORPTION IN ARM BALANCES
We’ll explore how to best extract the strength building possibilities from Bakasana, Pincha Mayurasana, Karandavasana, Mayurasana, and Nakrasana. Exploring the keys to building strength in Second Series is an important study partly because building strength in the intermediate series differs from primary series. You might say that second series helps you develop mental or energetic strength while primary has more emphasis on physical strength. Intellectual intelligence and mental control happen by increasing your skill in asanas. Strength comes to you through learning and adopting a discerning, calm and patient frame of mind while you remain in each position, unmoving and breathing, during moments of ease and of challenge.
SPINAL TWISTS AND HEAD BALANCES
In this class we will look at Pasasana, Bharadvajasana, Ardha Matsyendrasana, Parighasana, and Supta Urdhva Pada Vajrasana. Twisting postures are high-action cleansing postures that involve lifting and turning your spinal column. In general twists are designed to help you awaken the energy known as Kundalini that lies dormant at the base of the spinal column. Kundalini is another name for Prana (life force) and twisting helps you to stir up and generate this energy and at the same time to gently but persuasively churn, squeeze and wring your internal organs, tissues, and body systems. David will also address the challenges, modifications, and benefits of binding. We will complete this class by looking at the 7 Sirsasana variations that complete the series.
ASANA KITCHEN
This will be our last class together as a group. If there are any asanas that you want extra help on or any other question you might have regarding Second Series it will be answered during this session.
Location
Ashtanga Yoga Paris
Registration
For registration and any additional information contact Ashtanga Yoga Paris
