Ashtanga Yoga with Michael Lear
Returning for his sixth season, Michael Lear brings brings to Ashtanga Lanka over two decades of exploration in mind-body and energy medicine, yoga, therapeutic bodywork and meditation.
"It is with pleasure that I welcome Michael as the Ashtanga teacher at Ashtangalanka for the extended season. He is a fine yogi, and brings years of bodywork and meditative inquiry to his teaching".
- Kathy Cooper
Michael will be teaching November 9th through December 14th, 2011 and March 1st through April 20th, 2012.
In addition to daily mysore classes and holding a space for meditation, Michael, drawing on his extensive background in multiple healing disciplines, will offer an ongoing series of asana, anatomy and mindbending workshops throughout the entire season.
These two hour workshops, (5) in total, will be offered on a two week rotation during Michael's schedule to ensure that everyone can experience them during their stay. Each one is designed to increase one's capacity to access the power and wisdom of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and to push the envelop of individual potential on and off the mat.
Michael will offer (1) workshop per week while Kathy is teaching.
There are five workshops in all, and the series is repeated every two weeks. The two lectures are $35 each and the three asana workshops are $40 each.
The complete workshop/lecture program is $160 for all five.
Workshops Listing:
Anatomy of Consciousness; Navagating the Holographic Universe and Revisiting the Yamas and Niyamas
What if our intentions and feelings really do create the world in which we live, and impact others?
What if the human heart is the most advanced technology of our time and connects us to our Earth?
What if our perception rather than our DNA gives rise to our genetic expression?
Weaving frontier health sciences with ancient yogic wisdom, Michael guides you on a slalom for the mind that opens the doors to your true human potential and the infinite possibilities that exist for you each and every day.
Pioneering work in Epigenetic Medicine, Heart-Brain Coherence, and Morphogenic Field Theory provide the springboard for this discussion, which unveils the science behind our intuition, explains the power of the heart, and pushes the envelop of understanding regarding the real potential of our species.
We'll also look at Yoga for Everyday - Finding Solace in the Moral and Ethical Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga. This lecture maps out for the student, the psychology for the asana practice and it's impact on stretch physiology as well as how to use the practice as a metaphor for daily living.
The Integrative Properties of Suryanamaskar and Vinayasa
An essential component of the Ashtanga practice is the vinyasa (synchronizing breath and movement). Understanding the dynamics of lifting up, jumping back and through, provide opportunities to develop and integrate our core strength with that of the shoulder girdle, while perfecting our breath..
Through a progressive series of partner work exercises we’ll establish control and awareness of the bandhas, to access our lightness and grace so we can take advantage of healing power of vinyasa.
A Deconstruction of Yoga Chikitsa:
Drawing on the wisdom of a variety of Ashtanga teachers, we’ll examine each posture of the standing sequence and primary series to better understand their unique energetic dynamics. We'll then explore options to successfully access the full power of each posture.
This workshop is ideal for those new to the practice and a great review for those familiar.
Functional Yoga Anatomy- 2 Sessions: The Neck and Spine, The Shoulder Girdle, The Pelvis, Hips and Knee
Functional anatomy and stretch physiology explored in the context of postures will provide you with practical knowledge of the your body and how it opens so you can optimize your practice and avoid injury while utilizing the asana system to heal and awaken the body.
Psychology of practice, energetic economy (Bramacharya) during practice, bandhas and breath, will also be discussed. We’ll also review the fundamental principles of the Trager® Approach at the core of it’s efficacy, which will be helpful for teachers and for giving adjustments or going deeper. Great review and Continuing Ed for YA certified teachers.
Raw Living Foods, Plant Based Nutrition and Biophotonic Energy
Everyone wants to feel their optimal, vibrant self. Coming into alignment with a diet that nourishes our cells, is easy to metabolize and clean up afterwards, is essential to preserving and increasing our life force energy.
In a non-dogmatic fashion, this lecture will reflect on the state of global health care and the population’s poor health and diseases of affluence as an impetus for dietary change.
Reference research into the inherent life force contained in raw plant based whole foods, we’ll take a look at its role in nourishing, healing, cleansing and fortifying the body. Biophotons, healing energy, electromagnetic field coherency, superfoods, community and emotions will be emphasized.
Hydration, pH, label reading and strategies to reprogram sugar and fat cravings will also be discussed.
Advanced Therapeutic Bodwork:
Michael will be offering Trager® Therapeutic Bodywork sessions throughout the season to support the student's process and to address injuries, stress related pain or longstanding neuromuscular issues.
The Trager Approach® to movement reeducation is a two part system that involves both tablework and self-care movement instruction, the latter which Dr. Trager referred to as Mentastics or mental gymnastics. He was all about reaching the mind.
The table work uses gentle non intrusive touch and movement to dialogue with the nervous system to facilitate the lasting release of dysfunctional muscle holding patterns that reside in the mind yet manifest physically as functional limitation or pain. These are replaced with new, more functional and comfortable patterns.
The Mentastics Self-care movement exercises or "homework", help you illicit similar feelings experienced in the table session such as more fluidity, greater joint mobility and range of motion, softness, and feelings of being lighter and freer.
Through daily practice you'll cultivate greater self-awareness about how you (and your body) interact with your environment, and in essence, your world will become your "rehabilitation center" and every moment and movement will become another opportunity and lesson for your nervous system to balance and heal. Imagine being totally empowered to make such choices and to be self-reliant when it comes to feeling better!
Bio:
Michael is an internationally recognized Senior Trager® Practitioner and Tutor and Ashtanga yoga instructor with a student and client base spanning four continents.
Over the past 18 years he has studied with many of Ashtanga Yoga’s foremost instructors including the Jois family. He also holds a Yoga Alliance RYT 500 certification.
In addition to introducing Trager® in Japan and post-tsunami Sri Lanka, he has worked internationally to improve primary health care service delivery to the rural poor in many countries including South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Armenia, and post-earthquake Haiti.
To complement his own personal experience using whole foods to heal and thrive, he has studied Plant Based Nutrition with China Study author, Dr. T. Colin Campbell through Cornell Universityʼs web based certification program. Michael is also a long time Vipassana meditator as taught by S.N Goenka.
Contact: eMail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Mobile: +1.484.542.0249
Please click here for accommodations and mysore rates.
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