YOGĀSANA
A comprehensive Yoga
course designed
exclusively
for
Vipassana Meditators
December 28th, 2019 - January 4th, 2020
This course is intended to provide those meditators interested in learning the art and science of Yoga with the principals of a safe, well informed and balanced yoga practice;
a practice they can take home and apply for the rest of their lives.
The course will take place within an environment of familiarity and camaraderie; an environment free from the rites, rituals, mantras, chantings and philosophical views that usually accompany such a study, thus providing an ideal learning stage for serious meditators who want to learn and benefit from the practice of Yoga but who, at the same time, wish to avoid such distractions. A very unique and rare opportunity, one that I would have loved to have in my many years of study and practice.
At the time of the Buddha, the monks and nuns had no cars, no computers, no airplanes, no junk food, etc. Their way of life was naturally healthy and their bodies were well prepared for the rigours of intensive meditation.
The present-day meditator faces a very different situation and it is wise to adapt skillfully to the challenges of our times. A well-rounded yoga practice is, without a doubt, one of those skillful means that can support the meditator of modern times.
Why is this course valuable to a meditator?
The purpose of Yoga is twofold:
A) Prepare and support the body for sitting meditation.
Āsana was never meant to be an end in itself. It was always meant as a support to meditative practice.
B) Help create balance in the different systems of the body (musculoskeletal, digestive, circulatory, etc.) so as to nourish our potential for optimal health.
Course content:
During our week together we will learn in detail the basic and most important postures of each of the categories of poses [standing, extensions, twists/rotations, forward folds, inversions, and restoratives] and the principles that govern their proper application, with focus on simple and yet effective sequences valuable to a mediator.
Special attention will be given to the following set of poses:
1- Foundational: The group of essential poses that prepare and set the foundation for a life-long, healthy practice.
2- Relief: Poses and practices that alleviate and relieve from the natural stress and harmful consequences of a sedentary lifestyle where sitting for long hours (in cars, planes, desks and meditation cushions) is the norm. In this context, we will place special attention to the role of Fascia and its hydration in relieving physical stress and tension. (i.e. The MELT method)
3-Restorative: Passive poses that help us restore from the strain and depletion that result from the high speed, demanding rhythm and sensory overload that characterizes modern lifestyle.