Yantra Workshop.1

Yantra’s are unique and rarely recognized aspect of yoga practice.  You might find one hanging on the wall of a studio but, you certainly won’t work up a sweat while making one or complete it within 90 minutes either.  They are exceptional because they offer an intimate synthesis between meditation and sensory engagement.

For those of you not familiar with the term, the word yantra has many translations including, “Power Diagram” “Revelatory Chart” and “Emblems of Psychic Power.”  In practice, they are specific geometrical designs (said to have been revealed in deep states of meditation), that are highly symbolic and can be used as a tool for meditation.

The images themselves are said to depict universal forces (deities) found in subtle plains of existence.  The process of creating, blessing and finally gazing/meditating upon the images reveal latent psychic forces within the practitioner.  As such, yantras like all other forms of yoga including asana, are a means of personal transformation and evolution.

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Yantra Workshop.2

Yantras share a lot of similarities with art in that they are symbolic and open to some interpretation.  The primary distinction between these images and other forms of artistic expression lies in their function. While visually stunning in their own right, yantras are specifically designed to bring about spiritual insight.

Spiritual development is a cornerstone of yoga practice and the common reference point that unites the wide variety of techniques we collectively call yoga. In the training we make every attempt to maintain the integrity of the central tenants of yoga and its myriad of techniques.

The practice of yantra painting is a visceral and unique way to illustrate some of the deeper teachings of yoga.  Our day long yantra painting workshop also provides the opportunity to learn about yoga using creative, as opposed to purely somatic, intelligence.  I should also mention that designing and painting the beautiful images, in the company of your peers,  is a lot of  fun!

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Yantra Workshop.3

Lunch Break with Espiring Yantra Painting Students

Lunch Break with Espiring Yantra Painting Students

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Saturday Class.1

I want to extend a spirited appreciate to all of those who attended out once a month, donation only, Saturday class.  It was a real blessing to see so many of our graduates rally for the event and offer their love and support to one another and the practice of yoga.   I also want to acknowledge those who are new to our community, and gave their dedicated effort as well.

It was a special treat to join many of you in a post-practice lunch party.  Among the many laughs the idea of a summer time mountain retreat was passed around.  It is an idea I am keenly in support of and will do my best to secure a location, probable for late July.

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Saturday Class.2

You all have come so far in your practice and you really showed grace and poise as you navigated your way through a difficult series of standing, back bending and twisting postures.

I was thrill to hear how many of you are out in the field teaching.  Yoga is such an amazing blessing that brings brings many benefits -for most among them all, Peace.  I am so happy that you are able to share in that peace.

I am still in the process of securing a location for our next monthly session as the consulate center is currently occupied. Most likely, we will be at the church on 6th and Adams on the 19th of July, Saturday from 10-12.  Once again, I’d invite and encourage you and your friends to come and experience some of the most dynamic yoga teaching happening in Denver.  Please join us in our Donation Based Yoga Extravaganza!

Blessings,
Derik

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Donation Practice May 15th

Dear Yoga Students,

This is Derik from Axis Yoga Trainings. I want to once again announce and invite you to our  ongoing, donation only, classes.  These classes are held once a month and are an ideal opportunity to deepen your practice and view yoga from a totally new perspective!

Our next session is scheduled for this Sat, May 15th and will feature Postures for the Spring Season.  Yoga practices can be constructed to suite any constitution, season or phase of life.  Come and experience a spring time session.  Derik will be teaching.

Saturday, May 15th 9:00-11:00am

Consulate Healing Center.

750 E. 9th Ave –Cross St. is 9th and Clarkson.
Convenient Capitol Hill Location.

Donation Only!
Look forward to seeing you there!

Peace,
Derik

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Workshop Presentation

In Mid April 2010 I had the opportunity to teach a yoga workshop at the Canebrake, located just outside of Tulsa Oklahoma.  The workshop was part of a final project I had been putting together for one of my Teachers, Tias Little.  The project marked the completion of his 200-hr yoga teacher training program, and more than fulfilled the 20 hr. requirement.

What follows is a detailed account of my experience preparing for and delivering a three day yoga retreat.  With the exception of a few minor edits, it is the exact paper that I finally submitted to Tias.  I’ve broken the paper down into manageable segments (1-9).  I hope you find the entries insightful.  I know it was an enriching experience for myself.

Best,
Derik

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Workshop Presentation.1 The Venue

Fall Winter 09-10 044Tucked away in the long stretches of pasture outside of Tulsa Oklahoma there is a small retreat/resort center called the Canebrake. The Canebrake is unique to this part of the world in that it is build on principles of environmental sustainability, features a gourmet restaurant and is home to the area’s only yoga studio –The Yoga Barn.

The owner of the studio, Lisa Bracken, invited me to come and teach a workshop at The Barn in 2008 and then most recently in April of 2010. Having taught a number of workshops in different parts of the country, I accepted her invitation with a mixture of confidence and apprehension. I felt confident that I could do a great job but nervous as to how I was going to pull it off. How I pulled it off is the subject of this paper.

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Workshop Presentation.2 Preparation

The difference between my 2008 experience and the classes I taught in 2010 could be summarized in one word – Preparation. From the broadest perspective, I felt as though the workshop was a kind of testing ground for my 20 years of study. It was an opportunity to synthesize everything I knew as a teacher into a format that would help expand my identity as an instructor and serve the students more completely.

Enrollment for the event was far less than what we had anticipated or hoped for, given the large turn out in 2008. There were between 7-12 people in each class. Part of the low attendance might be attributed to conducting the program just two days after taxes were due, April 16th. While the low numbers may have been detracting from a business perspective, I did not let it dampen my enthusiasm for teaching. On the plus side, each student would get more attention.

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Workshop Presentation.3 Rebuilding Your Practice

I also saw this as an opportunity to develop a curriculum that could be applied in other studio settings. The theme for the weekend was appropriately titled, “Rebuilding Your Practice,” and featured four distinct classes:

  • The Practice –Gave an overview of all the themes we would be visiting
  • The Core of the Pose –Used the central axis as a reference point in the poses
  • Poses that Soothe the Nervous System – A restorative and inversion(’)s class
  • The Nature of the Pose –Gave an intro to the gunas, and how they relate to poses  (This class was something of a wild card and was remarkably well received)

Each of these classes built successively upon one another with interrelated material. As a simple example; we started with a more detailed understanding of dog pose as preparation for head stand on the final day.

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