Tag Archive for: Practice

The Scope of Practice

It is our stated intention here at Axis Yoga Trainings, to give the most thorough and in depth presentation of yoga possible.  In practice, we present the many facets of yoga in a complete and unified way.  Every technique tells a unique story about the evolution and significance of yoga practice. Gradually, through the process of the training, a full and vivid understanding of yoga begins to emerge.

Probable one of the most unique examples of our full spectrum curriculum, is yantra painting.  Taught in the latter end of the training, this class offers a unique synthesis of all the prior practices, integrating form, aesthetics, devotion and meditation into one singular modality.  For many of the students this is an unexpected highlight that greatly expands and reaffirms the richness and depth of the yoga tradition.

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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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Workshop Presentation.4 Practice and Reflection

Early on in the preparation process, the question that loomed largest in my mind was, “How am I going to teach a three-hour yoga class?” Much of this concern stemmed from the fact that my own practice consisted of an hour of mediation and only one hour of asana practice. What I began to notice, through the development of the curriculum, was that my asana routine had become very rushed and familiar.

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