Learning to give Adjustments in NYC

[Guest guest]

The Art of Giving Adjustments with Guy Donahaye

 

January 3-28, 2005, Cost $900 (includes workshop and Mysore

practice)

 

Workshop: Monday-Friday 3-5 pm (no class on moondays)

 

Practice: Sunday-Friday between 6.30 and 11.30 am

 

This four week course will focus on how to give hands on adjustments

for the Primary Series postures of Ashtanga Yoga. The course is

suitable for teachers and for students with a regular daily practice

of Ashtanga Yoga in its traditional form who would like to deepen

their knowledge. Proficiency in Primary Series is expected, though

if you are unable to do some postures because of injury this is OK.

The course will include morning Mysore practice and afternoon

adjustment sessions.

 

Course participants will adjust each other, learning a number of

different ways of assisting each posture, with plenty of time for

repetition, trying the adjustment on different body types, feedback

and discussion. We will create a safe context to learn adjustments,

introducing methods which utilize breathing techniques, the use of

body weight instead of muscular strength as both counterbalance and

means of adjusting. Manipulating the body through its natural range

of motion does not require force but understanding and guidance,

sensitivity and correct perception - these are the qualities we will

work to cultivate.

 

We will cover how to adjust students with injuries and special

needs. How to adapt adjustments for students with different body

types taking into consideration proportional differences between

adjuster and student (eg how a small person can adjust someone who

is tall/muscular vice versa etc). How to use the students breathing

to take them deeper or open up tight areas, how to use suggestion

rather than force to allow the student to understand how his/her

body can move and where he/she is unconsciously holding tension and

facilitate release.

 

Participants will also gain deeper insight into their own practice

as we focus on individual postures, receive adjustments from

different people, give feedback and discuss whatever questions arise.

 

The workshop will be run by Guy Donahaye who has been teaching

Ashtanga Yoga for twelve years. Guy first started studying with Sri

K Pattabhi Jois in 1991 and returned many times to Mysore over the

years. He has spent the equivalent of more than two years of

continuous daily practice with Guruji receiving his blessing to

teach in 1993, and continues to teach the method he has learned as

faithfully as possible. Guy is director of the Ashtanga Yoga Shala

in New York City.

 

for more info see www.ashtangayogashala.net