08/10/2024
I love teaching the BWY Foundation Course and seeing the wonderful development of the students and feeling their enthusiasm along the journey. Just a few days until I start a new course in York with a few spaces available.
We meet one Saturday a month starting 12th October. Within the 60-hour course, there are wonderful opportunities to develop your knowledge and practice. Physical limitations do NOT preclude full participation in the course, and it doesn't matter what style of yoga you practice. It provides a comprehensive grounding in practical yoga techniques within the context of the history and philosophy that underpin the tradition of yoga. There are opportunities to delve more deeply into a wide variety of yoga practices including some not usually covered in weekly classes.
Perhaps the word 'Foundation' doesn't truly describe the value that previous participants have said that they gained from it. Some have even said it was 'life changing'. Each day will include asana practice, breathwork, relaxation/guided meditation and discussions about the background of yoga, study of the Musculo-skeletal and energetic yoga anatomy (nadis and chakras), group work and more. We will explore the ancient psychological approach of Patanjali and notice how relevant ancient teachings can be in our everyday lives.
The course curriculum includes: Asana – practicing a range of postures from the eight groups (forward, backward and side bends, twists, balances, inversions, seated and natural spine alignment) with basic sequencing.
Basic breathing and pranayama – coordinating breath and movement in postures, three-part breath, nostril or glottis/throat control pranayama with and without the use of ratios.
Concentration and relaxation – using focal points of breath, objects and basic mantra to withdraw sensory awareness. Practicing a range of relaxation techniques with visualisation and guided imagery.
Mudra and meditation – rotation of consciousness through different parts of the body (yoga nidra), developing sankalpa (positive affirmation) and the use of key hasta (hand) mudras to channel energy flow.
Theory – an introduction to yoga philosophy, Paths of Yoga and much
