with Alan Dolan

Transformational Breathing is a gentle, simple technique that helps people to open up the full potential of their breathing system for better physical and emotional well being. It teaches a pattern of conscious breathing that is natural, safe and healthy which has been demonstrated to have many benefits almost universally, including increased energy, better immune response and increased ability to deal with stress in a healthy way. It was developed by Dr Judith Kravitz and incorporates her knowledge of conscious breathing techniques as well as various other healing and spiritual principles which are combined to make Transformational Breathing a highly efficient and effective method.

LEARN A SIMPLE TECHNIQUE TO:
• Feel completely energised
• Let go of emotional baggage
• Release anxiety and alleviate depression
• Move beyond whatever is standing between you and you’re your happiness
• Become aware of emotions halting your personal growth
• Develop a new dimension to your yoga practice
• Experience deeply nourishing relaxation
• Understand the nature of spirit
• Open your breath and expand your life

Alan has helped many students realise their full potential through his work. We are delighted to have him back at Indaba!

£55 for 3 hours

with Leo Cosendai

The Gong is so much more than an old musical instrument. Indeed, throughout the centuries it has been considered to be the most powerful Guru, for no human mind can resist its holistic tones. The gong can lead to altered state of consciousness, which can be anything from a simple yet powerful deep delta sleep, to the eighth limb of yoga known as samadhi, all the way through to astral travelling. From a physical point of view, a gong “bath” as we call it, is ideal for clearing nerve-endings and for re-establishing a healthy relationship between the parasympathetic (ruled by sound) and sympathetic nervous system (ruled by vision). The gong also enables the brain to become efficient in producing Theta and Delta waves, which are known to be produced in mass by infants and young children. Just like the tones it produces, the experience it induces is different every time.

Leo is a sound healer, therapist, and a composer born in Switzerland. He has trained with Grand Gong master Don Conreaux (one of the 5 original Kundalini teachers designated by Yogi Bhajan in the late ’60s). Leo continues to learn to this day, through the practices of Kinesiology and Kundalini exercises.

£20

with NATHALIE MUKUSHEVA

As the practice of Yoga continues to evolve and grow its only natural that new poses will eventually find their way into the vocabulary of asana. Until a few years ago I had never heard of Wild Thing, Road Kill and Fallen Angel – now these are as familiar as Half Moon, Wheel and Crow.

I first encountered the Hollowback pose in a Dharma Mittra Class in New York – he refers to it as Charging Scorpion and performs it in the middle of the room without the use of a wall (very signature Dharma!) I have been experimenting with this pose in many variations over the years and now it is without doubt one of my favourites. There are only a few Asanas in which both the hands and feet are on the mat and equally supporting the spine. (Adho Mukha Svanasana of course and also Urdhva Dhanurasana). When we are able to engage both Hasta Bandha and Pada Bandha we are able to feel how the outer arms and outer legs contain and support the spine. This is particularly important when working in deep backbends.The connection of the heels pressing away from the wall draws the legs deeply into the pelvis, engages the quadriceps and moves the backbend out of the lumbar and more into the upper spine. By pressing out of the wrists and drawing the outer shoulders back into the body and away from the ears we avoid collapsing the weight onto the wrists. This pose performed at the wall provides a wonderfully safe environment in which to explore this interplay,

In this three hour workshop we will prepare the body first with a warm up sequence unique to Dharma Yoga that strengthens and opens up the whole body incorporating lunges, twists, hip and shoulder openers to prepare us for this work.

For those newer to this pose you will be supported at the wall and welcome to stay there working on the many variations of this posture. Those with more experience will start to prepare for Tick Tocks (Jumping back from Wheel and Forearm Balance) with one leg or both. As this posture can only be experienced from a Handstand or Forearm Balance to get the most out of this Workshop it is recommended that you are able to hold these supported inversion for up to a minute.

£35 for 3 hours

with KRISTINA KARITINOU-IRELAND

Saturday, February 7th, 1.30- 4.30pm
LED PRIMARY AND INTRO TO INTERMEDIATE SERIES
This workshop is designed for students interested in experiencing a traditional led class as practiced in Mysore as well as exploring the more advanced asanas of the intermediate series.

Sunday, February 8th, 1.30- 4.30pm
MYSORE SELF-PRACTICE, PRANAYAMA & CHANTING
“Each one of us bears a personal responsibility to discover the different parts of ourselves and experience life through entelechy so that we can progress to mentally and physically healthy cells of this planet and offer useful elements to our environment through our existence….”
This workshop is designed for students who have some knowledge of the Mysore self practice system and want to be observed and assisted by an experienced and knowledgeable teacher. The workshop will conclude with pranayama and chanting as taught under the Ashtanga Vinyasa system.

Kristina is a certified Ashtanga yoga teacher, and has been teaching through the tradition of Sri K Pattabhi Jois since 1991.
She was qualified as an Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teacher by Derek Ireland and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in 2002 and has studied extensively under the lineage of Manju Jois and R.Sharath Jois.

Kristina’s work is a continuation of Derek Ireland’s teaching principles and techniques. Derek Ireland was one of the first students of Sri K Pattabhi Jois and is considered one of the most important yoga teachers of our era, succeeding in spreading the Ashtanga method in Europe. Kristina’s work is dedicated to him.
She teaches Primary, Intermediate and Third series and offers Mysore classes, workshops, retreats and teacher trainings all year round in Greece, Europe and Asia.

£40 for each workshop

with Shimmy Levy- Riley

Created with those brand new to yoga in mind, this three week course focuses on breath and body awareness.
Each week new principles and postures of yoga will be integrated into a well balanced class which will leave the student feeling both energized and at ease in body and mind.
The course is designed to give you a basic knowledge of postural names and alignment, breath control, and conscious movement. Asking questions is encouraged in this unique environment!
Following the course, the adventurous at heart will be ready to join a level one or two class; or those still interested in the foundations of yoga will be ready to step into a beginner’s class to build strength and deepen their overall knowledge of the practice.
Shimmy’s approach to teaching is somewhat similar to her approach in life: being light but grounded, dedicated, mindful, aware, and understanding personal limitations that are inherent to each and every individual. With a smile and love for teaching, seeking to instill a sense of lightness and ease to students, whilst assisting in that discovery of oneself, inevitably connecting mind and body in subtle ways.

£60 for 3 weeks

with Hortense Suleyman

Backbending involves stretching forward and extending backwards, not just folding. During this three-part course, you will learn how to safely awaken your spine by opening your chest and shoulders whilst lengthening your hips and strengthening your legs.

After a short warm up which will include sun salutations and warrior series, you will explore different ways to deepen your backbends. You will work on loosening your upper body, improving the flexibility of your quads and keeping the breath strong, calm and continuous. We will look at some advanced backbend variations such as Chakrasana (Wheel on forearms), Natarajasana (Dancer’s pose) and for the more adventurous students Vrischikasana (Scorpion pose). This course of 3 playful sessions with just 7 students will create greater depth, ease and safety in your backends, helping you to take your practice to the next level.

Hortense has been practicing and studying many styles of yoga both here and abroad and still travels all over London to get her ‘fix’. She has trained with Dharma Mittra and Ana Forrest.

This course is for the more experienced and adventurous student.
£60 for 3 weeks, just 7 students

with SHIMMY LEVY-RILEY

Practising yoga throughout your pregnancy is a wonderful gift for both yourself and your unborn baby. Prenatal yoga will help you be in the best possible mental & physical shape for birth and beyond!
Benefits can be felt on all levels – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. A regular practice will help increase strength, stamina and flexibility. You may also find that yoga helps you deal more effectively with stress and anxiety, and you will treasure the quiet time set aside for your practice as a sanctuary for you to connect with the baby growing inside you.
This Yoga for Pregnancy and Childbirth course will focus on Asana (postures),
Pranayama (breathing techniques), positions for Labour, Birth and Relaxations whilst working through troublesome ailments such as back pain and water retention that come from being pregnant!

Shimmy’s approach to teaching is somewhat similar to her approach in life: being light but grounded, dedicated, mindful, aware, and understanding personal limitations that are inherent to each and every individual. With a smile and love for teaching, seeking to instill a sense of lightness and ease to students, whilst assisting in that discovery of oneself, inevitably connecting mind and body in subtle ways.

Shimmy’s Yoga for Pregnancy & Childbirth course is recommended from week 14 until birth. Before commencing any Prenatal class it is important to consult your doctor, especially if you have had any complications in your pregnancy, including a history of miscarriage.

£50 for 3 weeks

Transformational Breathing course facilitated by Rebecca Dennis.

Discover the natural healing qualities of a full breath and learn how this powerful breathing technique can help improve your wellbeing. Learn the individual qualities of your unique breathing pattern and be encouraged to develop a regular Transformational Breath practice.

Each week there will be a short yet informative talk followed by a full 75 minute practical.
Week One- Grounding: The Diaphragmatic Breath
Week Two – Expression & Heart Opening – Letting go and clearing unwanted emotions
Week Three – Developing a Transformational Breath practice at home

Transformational Breath®, is a self-healing technique that helps people to access the full potential of their breathing system for better physical, emotional and mental well-being. The connected pattern of conscious breathing is a natural, safe and easy –to-learn technique, which has proven to have many benefits.
Rebecca first studied holistic massage, physiology and anatomy in 2006.  She became interested in a number of different therapies and travelled to India to study reiki and energy healing. Fascinated by her new found knowledge of the mind, body and soul connection she went on to study with the US founder of Transformational Breathing, Judith Kravitz in Mexico and Italy.
Rebecca now has a regular practice helping people deal with stress, anxiety and every day challenges in life.

£70 for three weekly 90 min classes with only six students.

with BRYONY BIRD

Designed with those brand new to yoga in mind, this three week course focuses on breath and body awareness. Each week new principles and postures of yoga will be integrated into a well balanced class which will leave you feeling both energized and at ease in body and mind. The course is designed to give you a basic knowledge of postural names and alignment, breath control, and conscious movement. Everyone has to start somewhere, and this small group setting allows you to feel comfortable with learning the postures of yoga and how to modify them to your body.

Bryony loves to teach beginners as it the best time to explore the basics and evaluate which style of yoga will be best for you. Bryony teaches with compassion, humour and relaxed shoulders.

She was first introduced to Yoga during her teens by her Mother. Since then she has deepened her own practice through studying with many teachers and being open to all styles and systems. This exploration has allowed her to engage with her body and most importantly get to know herself.

Bryony undertook teacher training in order to further her understanding of yoga and found sharing her knowledge and communicating with students was a natural progression.  She continues to be inspired all forms of yoga, being particularly intrigued by the subtle details of alignment, different body types and the energetical body.

This course is open to six students only, booking is required

£50 for three weekly 90 min classes

with Yannis Andritsos

Saturday February 14th,  1.30-4.30pm
BACKBENDING MASTER CLASS
Back bending postures are an invaluable aid in maintaining full mobility and flexibility of the spine, shoulders, chest and back. They restore youthfulness to the body helping one feel young. You will learn the fundamental tools needed to practice back bending with precision and confidence.
Purification Sequence of Pranayama and Meditation will include ancient pranayama (breathing), visualization and concentration techniques. Pranayama uses the breath and the entire respiratory system to purify and strengthen the nerves, which leads to greater control of the senses and calmer and clearer mind; purifies the physical body and the subtle body of toxic impurities.
The workshop will finish with Yoga Nidra – Deep Healing Relaxation, which  is the best antidote for all impurities, it dispels tension and fatigue in the physical body; relieves depression, anxiety, craving; rejuvenates and energizes all systems – physical and subtle – bolstering the human’s natural healing capacity, leading to integral purification of all aspects of human being (physical, energetic, emotional, mental and spiritual).
For all levels of practitioners.

Sunday, February 15th, 1.30-4.30pm
INVERSIONS MASTER CLASS
Come and learn all the special tricks of the Inversions. Learn how they help to increase the flexibility and health of the spine and stimulate the spinal chakras. These postures bring pure oxygenated blood to the brain, heart pituitary and thyroid glands. They strengthen the shoulders, arms and wrists, and bring balance and poise to the body, as well as increase mental power and clarity, sharpness and confidence. Personal attention will be given throughout. This sequence will also include ancient pranayama (breathing), concentration techniques, directed visualizations, and powerful mantras to establish perfect psychic rhythm to mental patterns which puts power behind your thoughts making it easier to achieve your goals in life. These ancient techniques have only been passed down by word of mouth from teacher to disciple and continue to be taught in this way. This class culminates in a final meditation to manifest your soul’s longings into the world.
For all levels of practitioners.

Yiannis has been a dedicated teacher for over six years, with a specialty in Dharma Yoga, which is a Hatha-Raja Yoga passed in authentic tradition by Sri Dharma Mittra. He is an avid student of Bhakti yoga, Karma yoga, Sanskrit, meditation and pranayama (sacred breathing practices).Yiannis met the great yoga master Sri Dharma Mittra, with whom he has been studying and practicing full time since 2002.
Inspired and awed by the way that yoga has transformed his life, Yiannis teaches so others may also experience the many amazing benefits of yoga to the body, mind and soul. He feels incredibly grateful and blessed to be able to share all that yoga has to offer in a positive and inspiring way.  Yiannis’s yoga is deeply focused, but also fun, spontaneous, and appropriate for all levels of practitioners, as various options and variations of each pose are always offered.  Coordinating movement with breath allows for the detoxification of energy channels, deeper concentration and meditation, and works to elevate and balance his students’ energy.

£35 for one workshop/£65 for both workshops

with JODY SHIELD

Lost your spark?
Bored of the status quo?
Why struggle on?!
Come and relight with Light Grids and upgrade to your Best Self! You are imprinted with your past. Every type of trauma (car accident, death, mistake, first love), every memory, every emotion. We have masses of unprocessed information, clogging up our cells and energy field, creating issues for us now e.g. anxiety, depression, illness, pain, limiting beliefs.
Now you can easily release it through Light Grids, a new technique of clearing old emotions, memories, energies and beliefs from the body, mind and soul. With huge benefits and noticeable results, you’ll feel yourself instantly transform during the session.

Jody is a highly intuitive practitioner using transformational healing techniques, practical life-changing coaching and psychological insight. She can quickly tap into the deep-seated and often deeply hidden issues and pains of the past, both physical and emotional.
She works with you on many different conditions including: physical pain, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, family trauma, eating disorders, financial struggles, or simply feeling directionless.

Booking is required.
Open to 6 people maximum.

£75 for 3 weekly 90 min sessions

with NICO LUCE

Saturday, February 21st, 1.30-4.30pm
Sunday, February, 22nd, 1.30-4.30pm

Take your asana practice to the next level by incorporating key biomechanical principles that will lead you into a deeper sense of stability in the pose and greater freedom in the movement. Whether you have a home practice or attend studio classes, cultivating deeper understanding of alignment of the bones and action of the muscles will empower you to radically transform your yoga.

These workshops centered around effective alignment and precise action will give you the tools to build a solid foundation, a powerful core integration and easeful expression in every pose.

Nico Luce has been practicing and teaching yoga for over a decade and has trained in various lineages such as Power Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Anusara, Yin and Pilates. He is also a devoted student of eastern philosophy and spirituality. Nico’s classes combine inspiring themes with a dynamic physical practice focused on refinement while cultivating presence in the moment.
Nico lives in Lausanne, Switzerland with his wife Chloe and their two children and travels internationally offering workshops, retreats and teacher trainings. He also produces instructional yoga videos for GAIAM TV/MyYoga.

£40 for each workshop
£75 for both workshops

with BRYONY BIRD

Want to confidently practice headstand at the end of a yoga class? Join Bryony on this 3 week course where you will learn techniques to prepare for, practice and hold Sirsasana. In order to execute Sirsasana without a wall, you need to strengthen your deep core muscles in order to find balance and alignment.
On this course you will learn how to stabilise your base, engage the shoulder girdle, access your core and be free from fear. These muscles groups will allow you to hold headstand for an extended period of time without feeling any pressure in the neck.
By reversing the flow of gravity you will feel refreshed, find balance and gain more confidence in your inversion practice. Plus it is a great party trick! This course is suitable for complete novices, triers and fallers as well as those too fearful to try.

with SAINAA (Sainbayar Janchivdorj)

The workshop will begin with a fairly intense warm up, including a lot of conditioning and flexibility drills specific to handstands. You will be given explanations of what to do with your body to get a perfectly straight handstand. Numerous exercises will be practiced to help you understand the shape of the posture, both on the floor and on your hands. You’ll also be working with a partner so you can learn how to spot and correct someone else’s technique. This workshop will not be suitable for total beginners but as long as you’re used to holding weight in your arms (against the wall with good form for 30-60 seconds) you’ll be fine. You don’t need to have a perfect handstand – that’s what you are here to learn! Sainaa trained as an elite gymnast, winning the national championship two years running, he retired from competitive gymnastics at age 18. For the next ten years he worked as a multi-skilled circus performer touring world many famous circuses. In the early 2000s his career led him to teaching. It is likely that every leading handbalancer in the UK has been taught by Sainaa at some stage in their career. His typical student is either a circus performer or a yogi. Both types of students want to be flexible and love being upside down. The perfect handstand is the holly grail and most discover Sainaa’s techniques are the best route to getting there!

£40 for 3 hours

with JAMBO TRUONG

Friday, March 6th, 2-5pm
YOGA FOR ANXIETY
In this workshop, Jambo will explore what happens to the body and brain when we experience anxiety and how we can employ techniques from Forrest Yoga to combat these feelings. Forrest Yoga is an inspiring, grounding and healing yoga practice that is intensely physical and internally focused. Guided by the use of breath, core exercises and intelligent sequencing, this practice releases tension and encourages a deeper connection with the physical and emotional body. Jambo will explore how breathing techniques can calm the nervous system and help us retrain our response to trigger memories and life’s challenges.

Saturday, March 7th, 1.30-4.30pm
ASSISTING CLINIC: THE SECRETS OF DEEP HIP OPENING
In this workshop, Jambo will introduce some fundamental hands-on assists to enable students to move each other into the deeper layers of hip-opening postures. This workshop will explore techniques to trouble-shoot tight hip flexors, loosen stuck lateral rotators and create more flexibility in the posterior chain (hamstrings, calf and back). Jambo’s experience of hands-on assisting has been developed through Thai yoga massage, Ayurveda yoga massage, Myofascial meridians and applied kinesiology. Come with injuries and case studies to explore, cherish and heal within Jambo’s Injury Clinic.

Sunday, March 8th, 1.30-4.30pm
WALL VIGNETTES
Wall vignettes is a high energy and fun way to practise Forrest Yoga. For the keen practitioner who wants to develop a stronger practise or advanced students who want to weave in stronger poses, this workshop focuses on a number of arm balances including crow variations. If you’ve never liked this posture, you will leave loving it. If you already love this pose then you will experience some new ways of working with it!

Jambo Truong is an eternal student of yoga and Forrest Yoga Guardian in training. Researcher, travelling assistant to Ana Forrest, TED speaker, his teaching style is “loud” and focuses on experiential functional anatomy which makes learning and remembering easy! Jambo has trained in Ayurveda, Classical Oriental medicine and coaching. He holds a degree in BSc(Hons) Integrated Health: Complementary Medicine. His yoga company emphasises the foundations of Forrest Yoga functional anatomy, practitioner/teacher development and community contribution. His team of trained specialists are leading in yoga therapy for trauma, chronic pain and addiction.

£35 for each workshop

with Alan Dolan

Transformational Breathing is a gentle, simple technique that helps people to open up the full potential of their breathing system for better physical and emotional well being. It teaches a pattern of conscious breathing that is natural, safe and healthy which has been demonstrated to have many benefits almost universally, including increased energy, better immune response and increased ability to deal with stress in a healthy way. It was developed by Dr Judith Kravitz and incorporates her knowledge of conscious breathing techniques as well as various other healing and spiritual principles which are combined to make Transformational Breathing a highly efficient and effective method.
LEARN A SIMPLE TECHNIQUE TO:
• Feel completely energised
• Let go of emotional baggage
• Release anxiety and alleviate depression
• Move beyond whatever is standing between you and you’re your happiness
• Become aware of emotions halting your personal growth
• Develop a new dimension to your yoga practice
• Experience deeply nourishing relaxation
• Understand the nature of spirit
• Open your breath and expand your life
Alan has helped many students realise their full potential through his work. We are delighted to have him back at Indaba!

£55 for 3 hours

with HORTENSE SULEYMAN

Salamba Sirsasana to Parsva Bakasana, Eka Hasta Bhujasana to Astavakrasana, Ado Mukha Vrksasana in Padmasana, Eka Pada Galavasana and Eka Pada Koundinyasana, Vrschikasana…. Sound complicated and foreign? Let’s demystify.  In this 3 weeks course, Hortense will will translate transitions by using clever sequencing so you can build up to these poses. You will lay the foundation of advanced asana by exploring the use of bandhas and breath. By making every posture accessible through exploration of parallel postures, you will build strength and open the body preparing you will to fly! Hortense has been practicing and studying many styles of yoga both here and abroad and still travels all over London to get her ‘fix’. Her teaching is relaxed yet firm and she trusts that yoga benefits are both mental and physical. This course is for the more experienced and adventurous student.

7 people  maximum.
Booking is required.
£60 for 3 weeks

with Kristi Johnson

Through a strong and playful Forrest Yoga sequence of Pranayama, Core Work, Shoulder Work, Arm Balances, Inversions and Partner Work, we will play with finding the stability and lightness we need in order to float, fly and surf gravity with grace.The sequence will shed light on the mechanics of floating and flying, while building strength and connection in the muscles surrounding the shoulders and the core – the essential ingredients for bringing ease into an Inversion and Arm Balancing practice.We will be jumping, going upside down and gravity surfing from one pose to the next, so be prepared to sweat, challenge yourself and work honestly with your fears, struggles, anxieties and breakthroughs. Whether you are a frequent flyer and want to expand your repertoire, or you are early on in your journey of flying, this workshop will hit the spot!

This workshop is open to all levels, provided you can kick up into a handstand on the wall or assisted. Modifications will be offered where required.

Forrest Yoga is a dynamic practice, brilliant for building strength, stability and flexibility. This practice has a strong focus on the breathing and is a powerful way to generate energy in the core and unwind the neck, shoulders and hips. Poses are held for longer to give the body an opportunity to release on a physical, energetic and emotional level. The sequencing in the Forrest Yoga practice is designed to suit modern day bodies and is effective for creating healing around physical and emotional injuries.

A certified Forrest Yoga Teacher, Kristi’s classes are strong, grounded and inspiring, based on the four pillars of Forrest Yoga – strength, breath, integrity, and spirit. It is through Forrest Yoga that Kristi found healing and discovered the true power and beauty that has unfolded in her own life. She believes in working hard, but working mindfully, and offers modifications for different levels and injuries, sharing compassionate hands on assists.

£35/(£30 before March 8th)

with CHRIS CHAVEZ

Friday, March 27th, 6.30-8.30pm
FULL SPECTRUM WORKSHOP

Saturday, March 28th, 12.00-2.00pm
INVERSIONS AND ARM BALANCES

Sunday, March 29th, 12.00-2.00pm
BACKBENDING WORKSHOP

In this series of workshops we will navigate the practice and the power of The One Teaching: The True-Self!
Chris will support and guide you through an awesome array of intoxicating inversions, exhilarating arm balances, heart-pumping backbends, and mind-dissolving meditations!
All poses and sequences will be taught in stages.
Every level of student will be supported and challenged! Get ready to open your heart, clear your mind, and free your body as you discover a whole new level of being in your practice!

Chris Chavez first began the practice of Iyengar Yoga in Ireland, where he was touring as a professional musician in the mid 1990’s. While traversing the globe playing music and studying various other methods of yoga, Chris imparted the knowledge and the gift of yoga upon everyone he met. In 2001, Chris landed in Los Angeles, California, where he submerged himself into the practice and study of yoga and began to teach and build community. Certified as an Anusara Instructor between 2006 and 2012, Chris is known for his extensive studies, his vast working knowledge of the mind and body, and his great personable demeanor.
Chris is considered one of the most sought after teachers in the world, training thousands of teachers and students a year in North America, Europe, and Asia. Chris’ world travels and experiences have made him one of the most down to earth yoga teachers you will ever meet. His teachings are fun, challenging, and spiritually uplifting.

£40 for each workshop
£108 for all three

with MARK MORFORD

Saturday, April 4th, 1.30-4.30pm
ABSOLUTION FLOW
Something stuck? Nagging fear, doubt, anxiety clogging the arteries of your life? Then this workshop is for you. Mark Morford’s Absolution Flow is a pure dedication practice, offering up all tangled poisons and tired dogmas to the breath, to the moment, to the fiery and awakened heart. This means vigorous, athletic Vinyasa, meditation and pranayama in service of dissolving false convictions and self-delusions. Bring a towel, and some water. Abandon your expectations. Come and be absolved.

Sunday, April 5th, 1.30-4.30pm
THE YOGA OF RESURRECTIONS: A SPECIAL EASTER WORKSHOP
How high do you want to go? What does it mean to “awaken” to the spiritual path, to rise up, a la Jesus, out of a contracted, ego-based awareness to a more authentic spiritual life? And what’s the true meaning of “resurrection” anyway?

Join one of San Francisco’s premier authors and yoga instructors, Mark Morford, for this special Easter Sunday Vinyasa workshop. Investigate many of the ways that a dedicated yoga practice can transform both the physical body and “resurrect” the neglected spirit. After all, Jesus may have been many things, but he was also one hell of a yogi. This workshop will containing a dynamic asana practice as well as Yoga Nidra, meditation and Dharma discussions.

Mark Morford (ERYT-500) has been leading fiery, heart-provoking Vinyasa classes, workshops and retreats since 1999. His yoga is a challenging, deeply devoted, irreverent fusion of Tantra-infused awareness and strength-building movement that is set to great music and designed to invigorate the body, guide the frenzied mind toward samadhi and burn off reckless illusions.

with NAOMI ABSALOM

The most beautiful backbends and creative inversions all start with a basic yet precise understanding of alignment. Strength and correct postioning of the shoulders are key to a safe and ultimately playful and experimental practice. Lack of knowledge in this area can lead to relatively loose joints being forced into damaging positions. Understanding how to align the shoulders and then working on creating strength around the front, back and sides of the joint will help you to support the work of the core and midline and vice versa. This combination of core work and shoulder strengthening will be a big game changer in your asana practice as too much strength creates contractiona nd too much flexibility damages the soft tissue. A big dollop of both will work wonders in terms of making your practice lighter and your transitions smoother.

Being diligent in every posture and every transition, will lift you out of the lower back and into the chest. Once all of this is in place then you can begin toplay – think natarajasana, handstand tuck, variations of forearm balances, hollowback, kapotasana and a few others Naomi has up my sleeve!

Be prepared to work hard, learn new transitions, get strong and work into every little corner of your body.

£35/(£30 before March 29th)

with Lauren Rudick

Friday, May 22nd, 2.00-5.00pm
FRIGHT OR FLIGHT
All about arm balances. Face your fears, learn proper alignment, then fly. This workshop is guaranteed to get the core working and the adrenaline pumping. Join Lauren for an exuberant adventure into arm balances.

Saturday, May 23rd, 1.30-4.30pm
EXPLORE YOUR CORE
This class is all about fun transitions that ask the yogi to learn what and where the bandhas are and how to use them. We will move through fun and challenging transitions that demand we get centered, pull in through the midline, stay grounded and get to the core of the body.

Sunday, May 24th, 1.30-4.30pm
BACKBENDS FOR THE NON-BENDY
A “bend don’t break class”. Expand into advancing the practice rather than just heat up so much that the backbends come more easily. In this workshop we bend not just the bodies but also our thought process so that challenges do not break us. Lean to use yoga to physically and internally open the heart.

Lauren Rudick has been teaching and practicing yoga for a decade. She has solid roots in traditional Hatha Yoga, Vinyasa and Power Yoga with continued education in Ashtanga, Yin, and Anusara. Lauren’s dynamic and upbeat classes are infused with humour, positivity and joy helping her students build confidence on and off the mat.

£40 for one workshop/£108 for all 3 workshops

with Sandra Heider

Sandra Heider’s Forrest Yoga workshop will explore the transformative power of asana, focusing on converting stuck energy in the hips and pelvis into aliveness and vitality. This workshop will be centered on a strong asana practice, which will create the necessary fire for transformation. As we create space within the tense areas of our bodies, we unlock energy that is bound up in the repression of our shadow side. If we choose to name our issues honestly and have the courage to stay present with our conflicts and discomfort, the these obstacles can be seen as opportunities to grow and evolve, as well as to create wisdom, love and freedom in our body and life.
Forrest Yoga is renowned as an intensely physical and internally focused practice that teaches us how to carry a transformative experience off the mat and into daily life. It is an inspiring, grounding and healing yoga practice that challenges students to access their whole being and to use cleanse the emotional and mental blocks that dictate and limit their lives.

Sandra Heider has been practising yoga since 1999 and is a certified Forrest Yoga Teacher and Mentor. She has been teaching since 2005 and assisting Ana Forrest at her workshops and teacher trainings throughout Europe since 2009. Forrest Yoga and Psychotherapy has helped Sandra deal with eating disorders and feelings of not belonging and of not being good enough. She looks to find integration between spirituality, psychotherapy and physical practices. At the heart of her teachings lies the assumption that we need to return to our bodies and to our feelings in order to experience peace, acceptance and self-love, and to lay the foundations for genuine relationships with other people. Sandra MA is the founder of Equilibrium Yoga and Well-Being Centres in Peteborough and Huntingdon (UK) and recently completed her 5 year studies in body psychotherapy at CBPC in Cambridge (UK).

£35 for 3 hours

with SARAH EZRIN

Saturday, June 13th, 1.30-4.30pm
MOON OVER MY HAMMIES: HAMSTRING OPENING WORKSHOP
In this workshop, we will open and explore this infamous muscle group. By understanding the anatomy of the sitting bone-hamstring connection, one will be able to properly move the pelvis in forward bends gaining more length and stability. For those with previous injuries or very supple hamstrings, learn to safely stretch from the belly of the muscle. We will then play with advanced postures that require hamstring openness, such as deep forward bends and arm balances.  When we are able to create space physically, we create space mentally and energetically. Happy hamstrings equal a healthy mind!

Sunday, June 14th, 1.30-4.30pm
THE ROYAL FAMILY OF YOGA: HEADSTAND & SHOULDERSTAND WORKSHOP
Classically referred to as the king and queen, head balance and shoulderstand are two of the most beneficial postures in yoga. The physical benefits of these poses are innumerable from opening the upper back and shoulders to deeper effects such as balancing the endocrine system, which regulates hormones, metabolism, and mood. On a psychological level, inversions are fun! They teach concentration, and literally shift our perspective as we explore our edge. But sometimes these noble poses are challenging and even risky if practiced incorrectly. In this workshop, we will look at the anatomy of the shoulder girdle and upper regions of the spine to understand optimal alignment. We will learn modifications and how to prop-erly (pun intended!) use props so that anybody can benefit from these powerful poses. We will also play with advanced variations. It is said that Mr. Iyengar practiced headstand thirty minutes a day until his mid-90’s! Tap into your inner King and Queen!

Sarah Ezrin, E-RYT-500, is an energetic and humorous yoga teacher and writer based in Los Angeles. With a profound love of travel, Sarah runs around the globe leading teacher trainings, workshops, and retreats. She is a regular contributor for many publications including Mantra Magazine. A background in psychology and life coaching infuse her classes, which are dynamic and alignment-based. For Sarah, yoga is beyond the postures; it is about connecting to one’s brightest and most authentic Self. Life should be spent laughing with those we love and doing the things we most enjoy, like yoga! For more information on Sarah please visit her website or connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

£35 for each workshop

with DYLAN WERNER

Friday, July 10th, 2-5pm
STRENGTH, BALANCE & CORE STABILIZATION WORKSHOP
This workshop is a great precursor to an inversion/arm balance workshop. We will go over how to properly engage the core to stabilize the body and provide support in all poses. Learn how to develop SASS (straight arm scapular strength) essential for all arm balances, handstands and strength poses. We will go over different ways to develop proprioception needed for all balance poses, refining our inner drishti. Finally we will find ourselves transitioning and flowing through basic to more complex movements, tying it all together.

Saturday, July 11th, 1.30-4.30pm
INVERSIONS AND ARM BALANCES
We will build from the ground up! Starting with the hands. Everything you need to know to hold, develop and understand sustained handstands, headstands and forearm stands, even moving into hollow back handstands and forearm stands. Different techniques on how to enter the pose, hold the pose, build confidence, overcome fear and fly! We will learn how to incorporate all of this into our daily yoga flow.

Sunday, July 12th, 1.30-4.30pm
INTRODUCTION TO ACRO YOGA
We will cover how to properly spot, base a flyer and fly. You will learn basic beginning acro poses with a partner, working in close contact, gaining trust and overcoming fear. We will cover flying therapeutics, using partner poses to lengthen the spine and rejuvenate the body. We work in groups of three or four, so no partner is necessary but if you have one you want to work with, we’ll keep you together.

Dylan was born and raised in the mountains of Southern California. Having a passion for healthy living and an active lifestyle, he dedicated his life to pursuing this way of living. With a background in wrestling, rock climbing, martial arts and health and fitness, Dylan found yoga to be a culmination of everything he loves. He was first introduced to yoga through his martial arts training in 2001. Dylan started teaching yoga in 2011 after 10 years of advanced movement training. He has since lead teacher trainings and workshops all over the world and is a globally recognized yoga instructor. Dylan looks to bring awareness through motion and balance, to find strength in flexibility and bring union between the body and soul. His style is fun, energetic and challenging. He believes that strength, balance, flexibility and health are achieved every time we step on the mat and it’s the beauty of yoga that helps us translate that to our everyday lives.

£45 for each workshop
£115 for all three

with Karen Branemen

Friday, July 17th, 2.00-5.00pm
THE THORACIC SPINE: HOW TO GO FROM FIXED TO FLUID
This is a restorative workshop rooted in relaxation and methodical use of blocks, bolsters, and other props to approach the opening process thoroughly yet gently. This workshop is perfect for all levels, especially those who wish to build their back bending practice.
Working with a variety of postures to warm-up and build anatomical awareness, you will begin to investigate your natural range of motion. Slowly, you will be encouraged to work deeper into that range, opening your shoulders and building the core strength required to support new flexibility.

Saturday, July 18th, 1.30-4.30pm
BREATH-POWERED BACKBENDS
A workshop to bring out the backbender in all of us! Working from the extremities to understand shoulder mobility and the importance of psoas-awareness, we will start flexing inward to the core of the matter: the spine
Journeying our way up from the floor, practitioners will be guided through a series of back-opening asanas which are initiated through deep-breathing. The workshop will culminate in Urdhva Danurasana variations, followed by forward bending and a gentle closing sequence.
Suitable for all levels, especially for people who are flummoxed by backbending and are looking for a new approach.

Sunday, July 19th, 1.30-4.30pm
APPROACHING INVERSIONS
An adventure into flying on the mat! This workshop will open with strong, guided Vinyasa sequences and progress into a creative, energising range of arm balances and inversions. Amidst the flow, we will pause to breakdown the mechanics of inversions: preparation, entry, the full expression of the asana and variations.
This workshop is best suited for experienced yoga students and teachers. It is not for beginners but you students don’t need to be advanced either; just willing to have fun and experiment with balance and gravity!

Karen first went to India to study Yoga with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in 2003, and regularly journeys to KPJAYI in Mysore as a committed Ashtangi. She is currently undertaking full time study on the MSc in Human Anatomy at the University of Edinburgh in the School of Biomedical Sciences. Karen has recovered from numerous sports-related injuries through conscientious health practices, which she has learned from key teachers and friends.
American by birth, Karen moved to the UK in 2003 and has been teaching and practicing Yoga continuously since then. She practices with enormous gratitude for the influence of Western teachers, particularly David Keil and Sarah Durney Hatcher.

£40 for one workshop/£108 for all 3 workshops

with DOUG SWENSON

Friday, October 9th, 2.00-5.00pm
FLUID POWER: SADHANA CHI
A very powerful arrangement of soft form Yoga asanas, connected together with cool and hot vinyasa. You will sweat plenty, achieve new poses and get the ultimate workout. When finished, drift into a blissful deep relaxation followed by a guided meditation.
All levels welcome.

Saturday, October 10th, 1.30-4.30pm
INVERSIONS AND BALANCING
In this class the students will experience a delightful, holistic flow of asana – focused around handstands, inversions and balancing. With many tips on how to avoid and overcome injury.

Sunday, October 11th, 1.30-4.30pm
ASTANGA WITH EXTRA SPICE
This class will follow the order of asanas for 1^st level Ashtanga, with the addition of some poses from 2^nd and 3^rd blended in at appropriate places in your routine. This class includes hands on adjustments and personal suggestions on how to enhance your practice. Class ends with pranayama, and deep relaxation.
For intermediate and advanced level practitioners.

Doug Swenson began his study of yoga in 1969. He has had the fortune of studying with many great teachers including Dr. Ernest Wood, K. Pattabhi Jois, Ramanand Patel and others. Doug is a master yoga practitioner, philosopher, poet and dedicated health advocate. He has incorporated influences from several different yoga systems along with his passion for nutrition and the environment to develop his unique approach. Over the years he has authored several books; “Yoga Helps”, “The Diet That Loves You Most”, “Power Yoga for Dummies”  and “Mastering The Secrets of Yoga Flow”. He travels extensively offering workshops, retreats and teacher training courses around the world. Don’t miss the opportunity to study with one of the world’s top instructors. Doug’s classes are always invigorating and inspirational and his supportive style of teaching and keen sense of humor send his students home with a smile on their face and a softness within their heart.

£40 for each workshop
£108 for all three

with MICHAEL STEWART

Saturday, October 3rd, 1.30-4.30pm
CHAKRA SADHANA: TANTRIC HATHA YOGA
Yoga is the science and art of self – our transformation and self-realization. In Michael Stewart’s Tantric Hatha Yoga workshop, we are given a sadhana that will allow us to access the totality of our being. We will be led through a dynamic yoga practice using all the elements of Hatha Yoga; Asana, Pranayama, Bandas and exploring components from Tantric sadhana; Mantra and Mudras. In this Chakra Sadhana, we will be taken on a journey from annamaya kosha (food body) to anandamaya kosha (bliss body) while invigorating the chakras with pulsations of divine bliss. Using precise sequencing of asana, pranayama, mudras and bija mantras, Michael infuses his classes with practical philosophy, devotion and play. Come and experience a practice that will leave you wanting more. Jai Shri Ma!

Sunday, October 4th, 1.30-4.30pm
UPSIDE DOWN!
In this workshop, Michael Stewart will explore a variety of access points into a wide range of fun and challenging arm balances. As we delve into specific anatomical and bio-dynamic movement methodology for arm balances, we will explore our fears and apprehensions. This in essence is how Yoga asana can give you the courage to live life to its’ fullest potential. Ever wonder why we go upside down in Yoga? We are not gymnasts so why balance on our hands? When we were kids we all played with cartwheels and handsprings without much “fear”. As we develop into adult hood, our sense of self begins to define how we express ourselves and we may become more courageous at expressing ourselves or less. This is evident in many aspects of our lives, and certainly our notions of play and boundaries seem to be effected by how we view ourselves. Once the ego begins to develop we certainly are more careful of looking bad at doing something, or expressing ourselves in ways that we consider not good enough. What changed? If you have these questions and more, this workshop is certainly suited for you.

Michael J. Stewart is a Hatha Yoga teacher with a varied background. Michael’s Yoga journey has taken him from the Jivamukti studio in New York City to study with Iyengar teachers Sharat Arora and Rajiv Chenchani in India. He has also studied with Sri Dharma Mittra, and is currently studying Rajanaka Yoga with Dr. Douglas Brooks. Michael is deeply moved by the the practice of mantras and kirtan. This allows him the opportunity to combine his love for African music and his connection to traditional Sanskrit mantras. His teaching is inspired by the spirituality of Swami Sivananda and the deep insight of Patanjali. He is also known internationally as a Movement facilitator, African Drumming teacher, Choreographer and Theatre director.

£40 for one workshop/£75 for both workshops