About
Living Yoga
with Sangeeta Vallabhan
May 30th-June 1st
Friday, May 30th
18.00-20.00 XL class : Destroying what no longer works & creating something new :
Natarajasana is Sanskrit for dancing Shiva. Shiva is known as the Lord of Transformation or the Lord of Destruction; he represents both aspects of birth and death, and destruction and transformation. Shiva represents our ability to transform, as one thing is destroyed, something new is able to take its place. Think of your own ability to destroy something that is no longer serving you and create something new in its place. Practice facing your fear of transformation with focus and a calm resolve. Natarajasana is both a deep backbend and a balancing pose. We'll explore different ways to make this pose more accessible.
Saturday, May 31st
10.00-12.30 : A Chakra Workshop - From the Ground Up
Chakras are energy centers located roughly along the length of the spine. Their energies represent different aspects of us, ranging from our basic needs such as shelter, food and money, located around the base of the spine, all the way up towards the crown of our head, dealing more with our relationship with god, the divine or consciousness, however you define it. Asana practice specifically stimulates our energies at each of these centers. Through better understanding of what is represented at each chakra, you can bridge a connection between your inner world, your mental, emotional and spiritual world, with your outer world, your physical body and the circumstances and relationships of your life. We’ll discuss how to see it as a general roadmap, and to not hold onto things too tightly. And how to move forward in the way you want. In this workshop, we'll begin by discussing what is represented at each chakra and what asanas specifically awaken and move energy at each level to work towards balance. Then we'll do a chakra based asana practice that includes the use of mantra and meditation.
14.00-16.30 : Introduction to Yoga for Trauma
In this workshop, we are going over what is trauma and what is PTSD -- and how can yoga help someone with these diagnoses heal or simply feel better? Trauma and PTSD are big umbrella terms that cover a complexity of experiences. Ranging from smaller yet still impactful experiences to bigger and catastrophic events. What are the ways in which they affect us? How do they manifest in our lives? How do they affect the people in our lives and our relationships? Everyone has different ways of dealing with trauma. Some people can cope more easily and function at a relatively high level. They can live day to day without too much interference from their traumatic experience(s). And yet others may be more impacted and more debilitated, and the effects could last for long periods of time. Maybe even years. Yoga can play a big role in someone’s journey of healing. Different yogic practices can help someone dissolve tension, feel less stiff, and feel more present in their body. These kinds of "small" strides can be tremendous in any sense of recovery or just simply trying to feel better. In these kinds of classes, teachers offer a lot of choice. Offering choice can help someone slowly regain a sense of agency. From a teaching standpoint, you can gain more understanding of the subtleties at play when teaching the practices of yoga. Some things work and can support the survivor, and some things can have the opposite effect. This workshop is aimed at being an introduction to Yoga for Trauma teaching. It is geared towards teachers, but open to any interested students. It will include discussion and practice.
Sunday, June 1st
10.30-12.30 : Headstand Workshop - King of the Asanas
Are you afraid of going upside down? Is coming up into a headstand or staying up eluding you? Come and learn how to safely and properly come up into a headstand. For those with a headstand practice already, certain variations will also be offered to advance your progression and playing through practice. We will move through some techniques to strengthen and open up the body to prepare to confidently come up and stay up in headstand. Salamba sirsasana, or supported headstand, is considered to be the “king of the asanas”. It has numerous health benefits: calms the brain and helps to relieve stress adn mild depression, stimulates the pineal and pituitary glands, strengthens the arms, legs and spine, strengthens the lungs, tones the abdominal region, improves digestion, among other benefits. It has a calming effect on thinking; it improves memory, increases vitality and confidence, and improves the quality of sleep. Face your fears and learn how to come up correctly and safely, with detailed and guided instruction.
13.30-15.30 : Cultural Appropriation and Yoga Workshop
For students and teachers : Come learn why it's important to be well educated and deliberate in how you practice and how you teach yoga. When one is learning an indigenous practice from a non-white culture, it's important to not take on a dominant mentality and accept what you have learned as the status quo. There are ways to practice yoga where we can respect the culture yoga comes from. Learn the ways that yoga is commonly appropriated. Understand what the impact of colonization had on South Asia and its culture. How has it impacted yoga itself? This topic is not cut and dry. You won't receive a list of do's and don'ts. We'll delve into the complexity of understanding what the cultural appropriation of yoga looks like and how not to participate in that, but rather choose a way forward that honors and respects. Discussion.
Pricing :
Friday: Natarajasana - class pack + 20 chf / 10 chf student or 50 chf drop in / 35 chf student
Sat Morn: Chakras - class packs + 35 chf / 20 chf student or 65 chf drop in / 45 chf student
Sat Afternoon: Yoga for Trauma - 65 chf drop in / 45 chf student
Sun Morn: Headstand - class pack + 20 chf / 10 chf student or 50 chf drop in / 35 chf student
Sun Afternoon : Cultural Appropriation - 45 chf drop in / 30 chf student
Registration : awakentothepath@gmail.com
