The Traditional Yoga Association

Five 1¼ hour workshops in 2024

Teaching Meditation for Yoga Teachers

The last two decades has seen meditation ~ including mindfulness ~ become an accepted practice as people struggle towards mental health and wellbeing. In a number of environments, as Yoga teachers, meditation has become an expected part of our classes. However, the practices on offer vary widely from simple awareness techniques (mindfulness) to elaborate breathing and visualisation techniques and mantra repetition.

These workshops ~ presented by Swami Ambikananda ~ aim to cover the following:

➤	Definition and origin of different techniques.
➤	What does the research say about various techniques.
➤	Progressing meditation practises or course
➤	The use of Pranayama and Mudras in meditation classes.
➤	The use of Mantra in meditation.
➤	Introducing the concept of the 'third eye' to a modern audience.
➤	Meditation and the biofield
➤	Meditation as part of a Yoga class

Workshops will be conducted online, thus offering those living at a distance, an opportunity to attend.

These 1¼ hour workshops will be conducted on 5 consecutive Sundays during March / Apr. Cost of course : £60

Lessons will be recorded so that you can have access to them if unable to attend a session.

For more information or to book, please contact : Uddhava@TraditionalYoga.org

🕉

Sunday, 26th September

Online: 9.00 am – 10.15/30 am

To include: philosophy, meditation, āsana and prāṇāyāma

Interoception, Svādhyāya and Svabhāva

We tend to think of our nervous system ~ of which the brain is part ~ as ready and receptive to signals coming to us from the world, through our senses and then via the brain to body. Thus we answer, we laugh, we run, we swallow, etc. In truth, our brain is not a one-way street : it is also constantly receiving signals from the body.

Interoceptive awareness is our ability to understand, access and appropriately respond to these internal signals. This requires of us both insight and mental flexibility. The ancients Yogins called on us to develop interoceptive awareness through pratyahara, svādhyāya and with the constant awareness of our svabhāva.

This first workshop on the topic will look at what interoception is and how we use it in our Yoga practice.

Workshop Presenter: Swami Ambikānanda

Cost: £10

To book contact: luci_wmg@traditionalyoga.org

Sunday, 17^th October

Online : 9.00 am – 10.15/30 am

To include : presentation, meditation, and prāṇāyāma

'The Inner Journey of Yoga and Climate Change'.

For many of us the impacts of climate change can feel overwhelming and it can be difficult for us as individuals to see how we can make a difference.

This presentation will explore how Yogic philosophy and practice might help deepen our relationship with our natural environment and encourage a sense of reverence from which we take personal action in the fight against climate change. For example, how might the teachings of Patañjali represent a more environmentally sustainable way of living and how we as yoga teachers can influence more environmentally sustainable behaviours “off the mat”.

Workshop Presenter: Helen Clarke

About Helen : After studying geography and environmental management at University, Helen has worked in industry as an Environmental Manager for over 20 years and is currently focused on energy and carbon management. Helen has been practising yoga for over 10 years and teaching for three years.

Cost: £10

To book contact: luci_wmg@traditionalyoga.org

Sunday, 14th November

The Power of the Pause

Online: 9.00 am – 10.15/30 am

To include: philosophy, meditation, āsana and prāṇāyāma The oldest extant teaching of Yoga offers, as its very first lesson in Yoga, the power of the pause. We will look at how this ancient text advocates we use and benefit from this moment. We will also look at and practice the moment of pause as we apply it on our mats in āsana and prāṇāyāma ~ and then look at how we can take it beyond the confines of our mat and into our lives.

Workshop Presenter: Swami Ambikānanda

Cost: £10

To book contact: luci_wmg@traditionalyoga.org