Événement

Accessing Awareness: Yoga as Experiential Metaphor

Physical yoga is not the only way to learn the teachings of yoga, it is one way to experience them, helping us access this potential of centered, embodied awareness in everything we do.

In this workshop we will utilize the experiential metaphor of postural yoga and our interactions with each other to deepen our understanding of some of the teachings of yoga, including the Eight Limbs of Yoga and Five Hindrances as outlined in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, making them accessible, practical and applicable to our daily lives, bringing the ideas expressed in the teachings into form.

We will practice in the sanctuary of The Mountain Club on Loon overlooking Loon Mountain and as weather and interest permits outside along the rivers and in the forests of the White Mountains.

The physical postures, or asana, the third limb, activate the body, awakening dormant potential. Intentional breathing - pranayama, fourth limb, helps us regulate and channel this energy so that we can actualize and respectfully share what we have to offer with ourselves - niyamas, second limb, and each other, yamas - first limb.

Focusing the mind - dharana, sixth limb, on moving the body in rhythm with the breath, or vinyasa, helps us to stay present in what we are doing while we are doing it, centering our mind to allow awareness of everything that arises - dhyana/meditation, seventh limb, without having to block our thoughts or impulses or be controlled by them either - pratyahara, fifth limb, potentially uncovering moments of pure presence - samadhi, eighth limb, maybe :-)

Practicing meditation in movement develops the capacity to recall and carry this fluid awakened grace with us into all of our relations.

Come practice together, we attune each other.

yoga sutra 2.47:
प्रयत्नशैथिल्यानन्तसमापत्तिभ्याम्
prayatna shaithilya ananta samapattibhyam
encompassing the opposite extremes, balanced at the center, active effort ceases and spontaneous presence arises

~body geometry accessing aware consciousness~
deniseporterkemp.com