BERYL BENDER BIRCH

Returns Spring 2012

Yoga as a system of Energy MedicineWeekend Workshop

April 13-15th 2012

5 Day Teacher Training

April 13th-17th 2012

$500 5 Day Teacher Training

$260 Weekend Training

$65 Individual Weekend Sessions

Pre Registration Deadline April 1, 2012.

Workshop Description:

Yoga as a System of Energy Medicine:  A Weekend Workshop of Healing and Transformation (plus teacher training) with Beryl Bender Birch

Friday night   April 13, 6-9pm
Why are you here?
There are lots of things you could be doing tonight.  Why are you here?  This is yoga.  It’s a discipline.  It’s hard work.  Why would you want to do this?  There are easier things to do than to become a yoga practitioner.   If you are longing to know, to soar, to heal, to be happy, to answer the question “Who am I?” then you know why you are here – yoga changes us, transforms us, strengthens us, and elevates our consciousness and it all begins with “breathe in and breathe out”.   Join us for inspirational discussion, light asana, and yoga nidra practice.  Go home, sleep well, and come back tomorrow!

Saturday morning  April 14, 9-12pm
Detox for Mind and Body:  The combined cleansing of sweat, breath, and attention  

A strong, rajasic (active) astanga vinyasa flow asana practice is an incredibly potent ally in maintaining good health.  It can strengthen our immune system and help us to clear tightness, toxins, and tension from our minds and bodies. Using the tools that classical yoga provides – breath, bandhas, drishti, and movement, we learn to fine tune our attention and tap into our inner world.  By training the mind to focus, we learn to consciously turn on the sweating mechanism, slow our heart rate, control the breath, and quiet our mind. Then we effectively work to burn out physical and psychological obstacles that limit our health and happiness.  Join us for a sweaty, focused, cleansing asana practice.  Includes pranayama and short discussion.  All levels – if you can get here and breathe, you can do this.  


Saturday afternoon April 14, 1:30-4:30pm
The Powerful Energy Medicine of Pranayama

The classical path of astanga (or raja) yoga is an ancient and powerful system of energy medicine for body, mind, and spirit. The 8 limbs of yoga offer techniques for transformation and healing that can increase prana and awaken the body’s energy systems.  The practice of pranayama continues the process we started with asana - training the mind to focus on one thing.  It requires a cultivation of more subtle and deepened attention on the breath and is a gateway to meditation.  Once we can link our mind to our breathing, the mind quiets down and we are able to tune into our subtle energy body and the channels (nadis) that carry prana.  We start to see more clearly and the fog of maya begins to lift.   Chakras that are blocked or stagnant are balanced and energized.  Deeply rooted samskaras (impressions; old patterns, traumas, and habits) can be liberated from subconscious levels of the mind.  Includes discussion of the koshas (energy fields, or “sheaths”), pranayama practice, and energy work.  

Sunday morning April 15, 9-12pm
Clearing the Chakras:  Why Alignment Matters!!

Without proper physical alignment in the practice of asana, energetic alignment cannot happen, and the energy and benefits we hope to gain from our breathing and effort is limited.  Proper biomechanical alignment opens the channels (nadis) that carry prana through the body, and not only can physical tension and toxins be released, but samskaras (impressions; old patterns and habits) can be rooted out from the pranamaya kosha (the energy sheath of the body).  With mindful biomechanical awareness, prana can flow easily through the nadis, and chakras that are blocked or stagnant can be balanced and energized.    Includes asana practice and chakra clearing meditation.  
 
Sunday afternoon April, 15 1:30-4:30pm
The Rewarding Practice of Asana
(for teachers & students- includes discussion and light asana)

Asana, or the practice of the yoga postures, is the physical portion of classical yoga, the 8 limbed path, and is designed to heal and therapeutically align your human body.   It is not exercise or sport, but movement with careful attention.  In this workshop Beryl will share with you over 40 years of teaching experience in assisting, adjustments, alignment, alternative and modified postures, and many aspects of the therapeutic value of a hands-on yoga tradition.   The class will help you to learn to move yourself or others safely into yoga asana without injury – from an awkward, tight, and unfocused beginning, to a practice that is fluid, graceful, and mindful. Discussion, Q&A, and light asana practice

Those that are attending the 5 Day Teacher Training will return to morning and afternoon sessions on Monday and morning session on Tuesday where we will participate in yoga asana practice, yoga sutra study, pranayama, meditation and more learning.

If you need accomodations for the weekend or 5 Day Teacher Training, we have a La Quinta, Drury Inn and Extended Stay Hotels within 2 miles of the studio.

Give Nydia a call at (210) 764-1616 if you have any other questions.

See you on the mat!

---Nydia

Please be aware refund minus 25% for cancellations before April 1st 2012.

Refund minus 50% for cancellations after April 1st 2012.