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An Original Body Workshop with John Stirk

We study the body but cannot help but be students of the mind. As we work with the finer elements of sensation, the mind is ever present rarely if ever switching itself off. How can we engage this continuum of activity to enhance insight and understanding? The body houses consciousness, minds and selves and may be approached accordingly.  Each sensory nuance and realization has a psychological and emotional counterpart. The unitive experience provides the essence of yoga. We cannot divide the indivisible. This practical workshop will include discussion on the physiological, psychological and emotional insight that arises as we work together.  

John Stirk is one of the most innovative teachers practicing and teaching Yoga today. John is the author of “The Original Body” – Primal Movement for Yoga Teachers.”  His new book “Deeper Still” is due for publication at the end of the year.

Exercise, Performance, Play and Yoga.

When we look at modern yoga we can be forgiven for asking what is the difference between yoga and exercise, or yoga and acrobatics or yoga and just having fun with your body. In this workshop I would like to put forward the idea that it is about intention.

With exercise our intention is to affect Structure, either to become stronger, more flexible or to improve our cardiovascular capacity. With Performance it is to master a particular physical skill, It could look a lot like yoga as some gymnastics does, or it might not, 

Playing a musical instrument is also a performance requiring attentive repetition in the same way that yoga does. Or we can play around with our bodies and do cartwheels, or roly poly’s just for the fun of it. The question I am asking is when does our movement become yoga and when is it something else? In this weekend we will try and sift out what is significant about yoga and how we approach our teaching to reflect this.

Please bring your lunch.