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“Sometimes we think deepening our yoga practice involves adding more and more spectacular postures. Actually, yoga matures as it becomes more subtle and internal. We will focus on internal alignment (breathing, bandhas, gazing) as well as the therapeutic application of postures and breathing practices.”
Integrating an in-depth study of alignment with a psychological understanding of breathing and movement, this workshop will be quite unique. Postures, pranayama, philosophy all come together in this weekend of study and movement.
Friday afternoon and evening: Integrating the Yoga Sutra in practice and daily life. We will also study the basic principles of breathing, gazing and bandhas. Bandhas are one of the most misunderstood aspects of yoga postures. We will discuss and investigate bandhas in great detail by feeling them in the body and comparing western and eastern understandings of diaphragms and breathing.
Saturday: The Sun Salutations carry within them basic alignment patterns that apply to most of the Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga. We will deconstruct Sun Salutations as a way of looking at the basic form of the Primary Series. Focusing on standing poses and techniques for releasing effort in stronger postures. Then we will look at more challenging poses from the perspective of release rather than effort. We will tie this in with Yoga and Buddhist teachings on shunyata, emptiness.
Sunday: Backbend and Inversion sequences for students of all levels with a study of the psychology of inversions and pranamaya. Grounding and releasing the spine. The relationship of physical and psychological holding patterns. Both active and supportive backbend practices. Practicing backbends safely and with ease. Patanjali’s teaching of the kleshas and their practicality in asana practice, meditation and daily life.
This workshop is designed for students who want to deepen their practice by understanding postures and creative sequencing from the inside out and learning how to integrate the psychology of yoga with postures and breathing.
Michael Stone
Michael Stone is a psychotherapist in private practice and teaches
yoga (postures, meditation, psychology, therapeutics) in teacher
training, conference, academic and monastic setting internationally.
His research, teaching and practice integrate Yoga, Buddhism and
Psychoanalysis. He is known for elegantly combining the various
traditions of Krishnamacharya (Iyengar, Ashtanga, etc.) and has a
unique capacity for bringing together a practice-oriented study of yoga
with a strong background in academic scholarship. He is soon to publish a book on
The Psychology of Yoga and is the editor of Centre of Gravity, A
journal exploring the relationship of Yoga, Buddhism and Ecology. He
recently presented his work to H.H. the Dalai Lama.
In addition to practicing psychotherapy, he teaches yoga and lecture in academic, conference and yoga studio settings in Canada, the U.S. and Europe. His research involves the integration of Yoga Psychology, Buddhism and contemporary Psychoanalysis, particularly as they relate to the relationship between mind and body. He also leads the Centre of Gravity Sangha, a strong and diverse community of yogis and meditators who practice and support one another, based in the Centre of Gravity, a small yoga studio tucked away in an alley in the west end of Toronto.
More recently he has been lecturing in the medical community on the theoretical and clinical applications of mindfulness meditation and yoga psychology. He has also been teaching in Buddhist communities on the relationship between Yoga and Buddhism (in practice and theory).
Price
| All lessons - Friday night, Saturday and Sunday | 1 500 kr |
Meals
An evening meal will be served Friday and Saturday and lunch Saturday and Sunday.
Price: 100 kr per meal.
Let the kitchen know at least 24 hours ahead of time.