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Yoga and the Art of Flourishing
Plastic Patanjali: Change Your Mind, Change Your Life
The practice of recognizing thoughts that cause suffering and feelings of alienation and replacing them with thoughts or attitudes that engender feelings of harmony and connectedness is what Patanjali calls pratipaksha bhavana– the process of using discriminative awareness to restore balance and reduce suffering.
Were Patanjali alive today, he would be culling from neuroscience to elucidate his teachings on psychology and the nature of the mind. Thanks to science, we know that our thoughts affect not just our feelings, but our general health and wellbeing.
We will draw from science and Patanjali to deepen our understanding of how cultivating positive thoughts can increase flourishing, and how the brain’s inherent plasticity actually facilitates such reorganization.
*Discussion, light asana and iRest/Yoga Nidra meditation.
WEEKEND WORKSHOPS
THE UNIFIED FIELD: Yoga, Music and Neuroscience (with Dave Stringer)
Explore the non-dual philosophy at the heart of yoga, through the lens of neuroscience. Experience how it is expressed through the practices of asana, pranayama, chanting and meditation. Extend your understanding of the benefits of yoga practice: equanimity, self-mastery, freedom and ecstatic embodiment.
From the perspective of Eastern philosophy, the bliss we are seeking is already inside of us. From the perspective of modern brain science, this is also a true statement. To the scientist, bliss is a chemical state that the body itself produces, and it is a state that we are apparently hard-wired to seek. The practices of yoga are one of the world’s oldest means of finding it.
Asana, Chanting and Pranayama affect the areas of the brain that create our sense of where our body ends and the world begins. They also slow and steady breathing, producing hormone and neurological changes in the body that feel simultaneously calming and thrilling. Ecstasy is both the process and the product.
Topics covered:
· Why neuroscience matters for yogis
· Basic anatomy of key structures of the brain and nervous systems
· The science of emotional and spiritual experiences
· How asana, music and meditation influence and alter our perceptions, mind and spirit
· Essential mantras and their meanings
· History, mythology and philosophy of Kirtan
· Survey of yoga philosophy: Patanjali, Shankaracharaya, Vijñana Bhairava Tantra
· Mystics in the yoga tradition: Kabir, Mirabai, Tukaram
· Yoga techniques for empowerment, resilience and flourishing
Objectives:
- Build confidence incorporating yoga philosophy into your classes
- Learn how to use music and mantras in asana classes
- Deepen your comprehension of the practices of yoga as tools for optimizing physical and emotional health and reducing suffering
- Cultivate discernment
· Find your authentic voice as a yoga teacher
Sample Schedule:
Friday
18:30 - 21:30hrs (3 hours)
Saturday
09:30 - 12:30 (3 hours)
14:00 - 17:00 (3 hours)
20:00 - 22:30 Kirtan evening program * (2.5 hours)
Sunday
10:00 – 12:00 yoga class with live music * (2 hours)
12:00 - 13:30 (1.5 hours)
*Kirtan and Yoga class with live music are included as part of the workshop, but also open to the public as separately ticketed events.
Press:
Sage Magazine article "Sex, Drugs and Kirtan" by Dearbhla Kelly and Dave Stringer exploring the neurochemistry of chanting
LA Yoga article “Karma is Chemistry” by Dearbhla Kelly
Participant Feedback:
· “I can't say thank you enough for the course. It opened up my eyes to many things and was without a doubt, my favourite course to have completed so far in my yoga teacher journey.” – Rebecca Barrett, Sydney AU
· “I just wanted to show my gratitude for the amazing course you held, it was a ‘long’ sought combination of spirituality and science I haven’t found before.”– Johanne Larsen, Sydney AU
· “The classes… opened my eyes to whole new level of yoga learning and philosophy.”– Erica McLoughlin, Sydney, AU
· “Thank you so much for your beautiful teachings. I’m so grateful to learn this knowledge.”– Cat Quilla, Sydney, AU
· “Dearbhla’s articles are some of the best articles I have read so far because of the high science level combined with a high level of spirituality. She gets a lot of the scientific knowledge in there gracefully intertwined with great writing skills and yoga spirituality. I just want to say thank you for inspiring me! – Johanne Larsen, Sydney AU
Dearbhla Kelly M.A.is a Los Angeles-based writer and yoga teacher. Born and raised in Ireland, she began her academic training in Amsterdam and received degrees in philosophy in Dublin and Chicago. She is particularly skillful at marrying the more esoteric teachings of yoga with modern scientific insights and the practicalities of everyday life. Dearbhla teaches yoga, philosophy and neuroscience workshops and trainings worldwide.
http://www.durgayoga.com
http://www.elephantjournal.com/author/dearbhla-kelly/
Dave Stringeris a Grammy-nominated producer, singer, composer, writer, and teacher who has been widely profiled as one of the most innovative artists of the modern Yoga movement. His work engages the traditions of yoga philosophy, chanting, and meditation with the language and methods of neuroscience, translating them into modern participatory theatre, open to a multiplicity of interpretations and accessible to all. Dave is an articulate and inspiring public speaker, and is featured in the upcoming documentary filmsMantra: Sounds Into Silence andThe Power of Mantra. He has toured extensively, leading concerts, workshops and retreats all over the world.