Saturday, 10/28, 10am-12:30pm: Āsana Names and Ashtanga Mantras
Saturday, 10/28, 2-5pm: Practice and Philosophy
Sunday, 10/29, 2-5pm: Yoga SUtra Chanting and Philosophy
$120/full workshop; $45 single session
Saturday, 10/28, 10am-12:30pm: Āsana Names and Ashtanga Mantras
This workshop is for all levels. We will begin with the opening mantra of Ashtanga yoga, learning the proper pronunciation and discussing its meaning and importance in relation to the Ashtanga practice. I will give a brief introduction to the Sanskrit alphabet and basic Sanskrit pronunciation. We will then go through the āsana (posture) names in primary and intermediate series and break down and discuss their meaning and the stories they invoke. We will also discuss the vinyāsa counting system and how it runs through the practice. We will end by chanting and discussing the closing śānti (peace) mantra. An understanding of the Ashtanga mantras and āsana names will add a new depth of meaning to your daily practice.
Saturday, 10/28, 2-5pm: Practice and Philosophy
In this workshop I will give an overview of yoga philosophy from Vedic times to the present, situating the practice within its historical context. We will look at the ideas of Sāṃkhya and Vedānta, out of which the yoga tradition has emerged, as well as later influences, such as Tantra. I will highlight specific verses from yogic texts, such as the Upaniṣads, Bhagavad Gītā, Yoga Sūtra, and Haṭha Pradīpikā. We will discuss how the yoga philosophy is embedded within our daily yoga practice and how we can draw on and deepen those connections.
Sunday, 10/29, 2-5pm: Yoga Sutra Chanting and Philosophy
In this workshop we will explore the Yoga Sūtra, highlighting key verses from all four chapters. Through chanting and discussion, we will investigate the meaning of yoga, as laid out in this text, and how the sūtras can help us to cultivate clarity, compassion, strength and joy in our practice and in our lives.