NOTE: WE HAVE RE-TOOLED THIS WORKSHOP FOR AN ONLINE FORMAT!

Anyone who registers will have access to a recording of this workshop beginning 24 hours after the completion of the live presentation, and available for one week following.

Friday Evening
6:00p - 8:30p
The Vagus ("Yoga") Nerve and the Breath
In yoga we’ve been accustomed to speak in terms of the ’sympathetic’ (fight or flight) and ‘parasympathetic’ (relaxation response) nervous systems when discussing the effects and benefits of yoga practice. But recent research into the vagus nerve paints a richer and more varied picture of the dimensions of our nervous system. In this session Doug will share an accessible understanding of these new insights, based on the work of Stephen Porges and Stanley Rosenberg, with special emphasis on simple and safe corrective exercises that can easily be incorporated into yoga practice — and in this session we’ll focus especially on its relationship to pranayama. A special focus will be on the idea of the ‘granthis’ or ‘knots’ or ‘blocks’ to inner awareness introduced by hatha yoga, and how these blocks can be addressed with this understanding of the vagus nerve, alignment, breath and focus in pranayama — and as a way to ‘reset’ ourselves when the stresses of life put us ‘off.' 

Saturday and Sunday: The Music of Sequencing in Yoga
Just as music begins with a limited set of notes or vibrations that combine into chords and keys that open into a field of creative possibilities, sequencing in yoga is a bit like music. The possibilities for action with our body are actually pretty limited: yet they form chords or asanas that can be played at different tempos in different keys or moods. Some actions fit nicely with the flow and feeling; some can be surprising yet somehow ‘right.’ Other actions or asanas thrown into the mix can just seem ‘off’ or out of place. These two sessions with Doug will examine ideas to guide and inspire you on a number of levels — from getting a bit creative in your own practice or classes, to ideas for directing sequencing toward addressing pain problems, joint health and mobility, and imbalances that give rise to the need for a ‘tune-up.’ The basis will be an understanding of the body, both posturally and functionally (in terms of movement), in terms of fascial lines that offer notes and scales. The musical metaphor won’t be overworked, but it does offer a different way of thinking about the practice than other modes of thinking about the body than can get a bit rigid and confining. This is an invitation to listen to your own body — or tune into your students’ bodies — and feel your way through a flow that hits the right notes, and is never quite the same twice.

Saturday Afternoon
2:00p - 4:30p
Running the Scales — Connecting Upper and Lower Body
This will lay out the basic fascial lines we’re working with, both postural and functional, with a special eye to connecting upper and lower body — hips/legs and shoulders/arms as well as neck and sacrum — and their relationship to classes of poses, and how the poses relate to and complement each other. Even when a practice may be focused on a particular class of poses — such as backbending — the fascial lines and understanding of the key muscles related to them will alert you to ways in which to keep it a balanced and well-rounded practice that leaves you feeling good. There will be some suggested ‘homework’ as to constructing some sequences from these ideas, though the one who ‘grades’ your homework will be you! 

Sunday Afternoon Practice
2:00p - 4:30p
The Body Map: Envisioning Your Composition
 Here we look more specifically to locating and relating pain and joint problems to each other along fascial and functional lines on a ‘body map,’ allowing you to organize your ideas about asanas and mini-sequences (or ‘chord progressions’) would more specifically address them — also taking into account how you may need to work differently or with different emphasis on the two ‘sides’ of the body. This will include tuning into the ‘tight spots’ — or unstable spots — that show up in the normal course of practice, and how to address them in a more whole-body way, rather than just ‘chasing the pain.’ This session will involve tools for assessment as well as pointers on the key muscles or muscle groups that always need to be taken into account in practice — and how to work with them in a way that suits your body. Some homework exercises in body mapping will be included.

Each individual session: $45
All three sessions together: $130
This workshop qualifies for CEUs

Receive link to Zoom with registration receipt.