Once or twice a month we offer a Sunday morning workshops of
3 hours, from 10.00 till 13.00, giving the opportunity to deepen your yoga practice. In these Sunday workshops we will be enlivening the abundant resources inherent in our bodymind.
For students with some experience. Some Sundays are also open to beginners. Space is limited, please contact us beforehand to ensure your booking.
Period Autumn 2009 to Summer 2010:
Awakening the Core: The Psoas 27 September 2009 |
The Psoas is a deep core muscles which runs from both sides of our spine, at the height of the lower back, all the way down through the pelvis to the legs – simply speaking, it directly connects our upper body with our legs. A well functioning Psoas supports upright posture and, at the same time, allows the legs to move freely. Being located so deep at the very core of our body, the Psoas could be said to be an instinctive muscle since it responds to the ‘fight-flight’ mechanism; that means the muscle might contract and shorten when fear is experienced and release and lengthen with trust. Working with the Psoas muscle, one of the things you may discover can be a sense of lightness through the body, ease of movement and a comfortable, spacious feeling through the core and around the hip joints. |
| Feet 11 October Leo |
One quarter of our bones are in the feet. Each foot has 38 muscles, 26 bones, 32 joints and 56 ligaments. It is easy to appreciate that the feet are designed for very complex movements and a variety of functions. Feet perform the functions of standing and walking in different ways, needing both mobility and stability, so we will look at how to enable the foot’s multitasking properties. Feet stimulate our body’s ability to be upright with ease. We will revive the inner activity of the feet that activate the postural muscles and can often help improve knee, hip, lower back and may other complaints even as distant as the neck. Many things happening in the feet are expressed in the rest of the body and visa-versa. There are not many ‘local‘ parts of the body that can have such a ‘global’ influence. |
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Meditation
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Traditionally, the goal of yoga is ‘to slow down and calm the movements of the mind’.…so we can realize who we really are. We will practice yoga postures to create space, ease and alertness in the body as a preparation for sitting meditation. Using simple meditation techniques, mostly from Tibetan Buddhism, we will practice down to earth skills, such as being present and developing an attitude of friendliness toward oneself.
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Ground & Space |
In yoga there can sometimes be a bias towards focusing on the body rather than on our relation- |
Restorative 14 February |
Restorative yoga is specially designed to recharge the batteries, to put back what we have borrowed. Long term stress can exhaust our deeper resources and an awareness of this is sometimes not obvious. The demands of everyday life can easily obscure the fact that the stability we get from these resources is gradually ebbing. When we experience more dramatic up & downs, it is often a sign that we’re running near ‘empty’ and these extremes can deplete the system even further. Sometimes it is not until we slow down enough that it is possible to actually feel this tiredness and ironically, to also be able to address it. |
| Connective Tissue - Yin Yoga 14 March Leo |
Almost every structure in the body is wrapped in connective tissue, so if everything else were removed there would still be a fairly comprehensive map of the whole body. Connective tissue is an integral part of muscle and actually forms the tendons, it can be seen like a ‘body stocking’ as a body shaper, almost sculptable like clay. Connective tissue can express what is held in the muscles over an extended period of time. By focusing on the connective tissue we can begin to notice and address deeper holding patterns that can limit our potential for growth and adaptability and thereby gain a renewed flexibility and freedom. We will stay longer in postures which are mostly supported; here the mind becomes more receptive as the muscular tension releases. The effects are calming, rejuvenating and long lasting. This form of yoga has been called ‘Yin Yoga’ and has developed into a style that can also be a useful counterpart to a more rigorous practice. |
| Chakras /
Glands 1 & 2 18 April (2) |
The glands are a modern way to explain the Chakras or energy centers. In fact the glands are part of the neuro-endocrine system, so they are intricately linked with the nervous system, many major glands are situated close to important nerve clusters. This means, for example, that they are part of the fight-flight mechanism. Glands produce hormones and so influence our moods and energy levels. Some of the most important yoga postures are designed to help stabilize and balance the glands, e.g. helping with mood swings and gradually transforming habitual (mood-) patterns. Many glands, or energy centers, are situated close to the spine, so energizing these centers can also give support to the spine. In yoga we focus on the relationship between the glands, on grounding their energy and its expression in the space. Through freeing and redirecting energy which can be caught in the system, working with the glands can be inspirational. Chakras 1 will focus more on the lower body while Chakras 2 will concentrate more on the upper body. The Chakras workshops are offered and paid for as a pair. |
| Yoga & the Body's Spirals 16 May Leo |
The experience and understanding of spirals that exist in our body, for example in the muscles and bones, can provide a clear sense of the pathways of action in a yoga posture and the action of entering a posture. Imposing linear movements on a body that has almost no straight lines can sometimes feel awkward and can even direct strain into joints or weak points, especially when a joint is habitually locked. We will explore how spirals provide a very instinctive way to move. This can help us to learn to follow our ‘internal reference’, thereby affording us the possibility to distinguish movements that feel contrived, imposed or too mechanical and usually counter intuitive. When we begin to tune into our body’s innate intelligence we can find movements that seem to run more true to the ‘nature’ of our anatomy. |
The Fluid Body 6 June Leo |
The fluids provide lubrication for the joints to move more easily and, since they are one of the most extensive information carriers of the body, they provide support for the nervous system. The ‘mercurial’ quality of mind is an expression of the embodiment of the fluids. Simply speaking, we have one fluid that changes form, so there is a fluid continuum, between lymph, venous or arterial blood, synovial fluid and cerebrospinal fluid. These fluids have their own rhythms and can be embodied in different movement qualities. The fluid rhythms are even more primary than the breath and yet support breathing and ease of movement. Our body is mostly fluid, even the densest bone has a 20% fluid content, and yet fluidity is for many one of the easiest movement qualities to lose. Stress and a lack of movement can contribute to this. We will explore how getting in touch with our fluids can help to free up habitual movements, de-stress, enliven yoga postures, support the breath and the movement of ‘prana’, support movement sequencing through body, rejuvenate and most of all, be a lot of fun. |
Pelvic Floor & 20 June Sandra |
The pelvic floor is one of the most intimate parts of our body and yet it can be surprisingly foreign territory for many. The natural functioning of the pelvic floor is essential for stability of the pelvis (including the Sacro-Iliac joint) and lower back, proper functioning of the organs of the pelvis including the bladder and urine control. It plays an essential part in the ease of upright posture in sitting, walking, standing, in many movements and supports carrying. Many people can be locked in a pattern of use, such as a tucked under pelvis or tight anus, which inhibits a natural functioning of the pelvic floor. The way we use the feet and perception is nature’s way to engage the pelvic floor, this is like switching on our natural ‘core support’. In yoga we call this Mula Bandha although it is often misinterpreted and over contrived. Simply becoming more clear about this part of the body can have a far reaching influence on the body and psyche. |
Suggestions for forthcoming Sunday themes are welcome. |
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