Monday, September 24, 2007

Vancouver, British Columbia

What a weekend!

Thanks to everyone who helped host the workshop and to everyone who attended. I can hardly believe that we had over 60 students from all over BC in the room, laughing and practicing so beautifully while exploring the principles of Anusara Yoga.

We started our weekend with a Teacher's Class on Friday Afternoon and began to scratch the surface of the Universal Principles of Alignment as they apply to therapeutic issues such as foot pain, knee pain and hip alignment. We ran out of time before diving into the sciatic and shoulder issues but the basic gist of yoga therapy in Anusara Yoga is Correct Action is Corrective. We want to figure out how to create optimal alignment, in a weight bearing position with no pain. So by balancing those three main elements we can assist students in creating a therapeutic outcome in asana.

After the Teacher's Class we had a Friday night class called Open to Grace. Saturday morning we worked on Arm Balances and Standing Poses in a class called Effort and Surrender. Saturday Afternoon we explored Embodying the Yoga Sutras dove into a lot of the details of the Universal Principles of Alignment with lots of demos and partner work. And the grand finale on Sunday was a rollicking back bending class with entitled The Shrine of the Heart.

Vancouver is a beautiful, vibrant city that is devoted to health, well-being and natural living. There are great restaurants and cafes everywhere, lovely boutiques and beautiful scenery. On every corner are people outfitted for some fun outdoor pursuit enjoying themselves and one another.

That spirit of vibrant health and life-affirming attitude was represented in our workshop this weekend. There were so many radiant people in one place, all dedicating themselves to the principles of Anusara Yoga. And the principles are are so much more than loops and spirals. Ultimately that technology is just a means by which we align ourselves with deep virtues of the heart and remind ourselves that we are part of something that is profoundly Good.

We took lots of pictures and so as soon as Shelley gets them to me I will post them. Once again, thanks to everyone who made it such a great weekend.

And it sounds like the Anusara Yogi's here in Austin kept the love alive with an awesome group practice. Way to go!

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