Prana, Breath, Asana: The Energetics of Yoga

Prana, Breath, Asana
“Harnessing the Energy of Practice”
February 19-21
with Marti Yura and Caroline Dunham 

20-Hours offered for Yoga Alliance Certification and a Mandatory Module in the Vista Yoga 300-Hour Teacher Training

 
Open to All Levels of Practice
 
 

According to the Samkhya worldview philosophy, there are three attributes, or gunas, that have always been and continue to be present in all things and beings in the world. These three gunas or qualities are: sattva (goodness, constructive, harmonious), rajas (passion, active, confused), and tamas (darkness, destructive, chaotic). The interplay of these gunas keep things in a constant state of flux. They impact us daily physically, mentally, psychically as well as define the character of someone or something and determine the progress of life.In the practice of yoga, we work with asana, pranayama (breathing techniques), somatic movements and meditation to balance these attributes to create a calm, harmonious state and seek to understand our relationship to theses qualities in the natural world.

In this workshop we’ll study:

•The Samkhya Theory of nature and its environmental influences

•The nature of prana through the lens of the Vayus (winds of the body) and learn to track their subtle qualities and effects on the body.

•The anatomical components of breath relating to the functions within the cardio-respiratory system of the body.

•And Practice various pranayama techniques to understand their energetic impact on the body and learn when and how to skillfully use and teach them effectively.

•The physiological and energetic properties of the yogic bandha system of support. Learn when and how to implement them,

•And Practice asanas, mantra and meditation as tools to bring about a sense of balance in the various energetic systems of the body.

For teachers, looking at the body of your students through the lens of energetic practice can bring insight to your teaching.

Learn to create sequences that compliment a desired energetic outcome that brings about a sense of harmony in the body, mind and spirit.

 

Session Descriptions | Single Session $60
Recordings of the live workshop are available for a week after the session takes place.
 

Session 1: Saturday, October 24th; 10am -12:30pm
We will cover the Gunas / Doshas, Vayus, the Prana Vayu in Practice, Pranayama: Ujaii

Session 2: Saturday, October 24th; 2:00pm-4:30pm
We will cover the Anatomy of the Cardio Respiratory System, the Apana Vayu in Practice, Pranayama: Viloma, Nadi Shodhana

Session 3: Sunday, October 25th, 10am-12:30pm
We will cover Samana Vayu in practice, Twists, Forward Folds, Pranayama: Kapalabhati

Session 4: Sunday, October 25th, 2-4:30pm
We will cover SATYA Practice, Udana Vayu, Supported Inversions, Viyana Vayu, Yoga Nidra

Session 5: Saturday, October 31th, 10:00-12:30
We will cover 
Fascial System (spider web), Bhandas, Arm Balance Practice

Session 6: Saturday, October 31th, 2-5pm
We will cover Energetics of Asana: an overview of poses and their effects on the different energies, sequencing

 

Marti Yura

Marti’s journey has come full circle, from her first fitness studio in Charleston, SC in 1982, to the “birth” of Vista Yoga in Atlanta. Since 1979 her passion for physical and spiritual well-being has led her from teaching various forms of fitness, including personal training, to her discovery of Yoga in 1998.

Both dynamic and therapeutic, Marti’s classes are infused with a thorough understanding of the body, ancient wisdom, her nurturing spirit and a touch of humor.

She is a 500-hour ERYT (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher) with Yoga Alliance. After studying with a wide variety of Yoga teachers, she has been studying extensively with Tias and Surya Little, of Prajna Yoga in Santa Fe, New Mexico, since 2008, achieving her 500-hour certification with them.

She is also trained in Thai Yoga Massage therapy.

Caroline Dunham

Yoga found Caroline early in life as a self-care practice that weaved though her life in many varied forms. When she began her consistent daily practice shortly after graduating from Cornell University with a BS in Chemical Engineering, Caroline found a means to improve her physical and emotional well being. Now it is Caroline’s joy and privilege to help facilitate the yoga practice of others, with an emphasis on proper alignment, activation, and self-acceptance, as an important part of her continuously expanding yoga practice.

Caroline is an Experienced-Registered Yoga Teacher and has completed her 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training with Vista Yoga, studied with Tias and Surya Little of Prajna Yoga, attended yoga courses at University, and is an avid student of yoga asana, texts, and philosophy. In addition to teaching yoga, Caroline is currently the operations manager at Vista Yoga.