Being Yoga
Workshop Descriptions

Main conference fee does not include pre-conference intensives; see registration info page for fees.

Living in Peace (A01)
Gurushabd Singh Khalsa, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa
General
Asana/Chanting, Chakra, or Trance Dance/Philosophy & Discussion
As we guide the life force through our bodies to the heart chakra, we can give and receive love without fear, anger, or resentment—and ultimately experience compassion. Within this state of compassion, we can release the pain of our past while energizing our lives and present relationships. In this intensive, we experience the kindness and strength alive within each of us so we can live in peace, not in pieces.

The Yogi as Radical Cultural Hero (A02)
David Life, Sharon Gannon
Intermediate
Asana/ Philosophy & Discussion/Yoga Off the Mat
Liberation from suffering is possible here and now. By living liberated we can solve our problems at their root, achieving radical cultural transformation. Yoga provides the tools necessary to dismantle our present culture, and to build a new paradigm based on harmony and mutual benefit. This intensive explores radical yogic methods to spiritually activate us on the mat so we can be positively politically active off the mat. It is for those who are interested not just in change, but in full-blown transformation into a cultural hero. Bring a blanket.

Maha Sadhana: A Divine Journey (A03)
Sri Dharma Mittra
Intermediate
Philosophy & Discussion/Asana
Come immerse yourself in all aspects of the spiritual practice of yoga, the science of self-realization. In this master sadhana (practice) intensive, we learn ancient breathing and purification techniques to energize and stimulate the flow of prana. We also learn the beautiful shiva namaskar vinyasa series and experience a yoga nidra session to help us attain a powerful state of conscious relaxation. There is also discussion on the essential practices needed for ultimate success in our practice. CE credit available.

Living the Practice of Yoga (A04)
Aadil Palkhivala
General
Asana/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama/Philosophy & Discussion
Asana and pranayama are designed to serve our soul’s purpose and help us live our dharma. In this intensive, we learn methods for exploring ourself through asana, as well as the Ashtanga Yoga system of Patanjali, leading to the mighty yoga of Sri Aurobindo, which involves the evolution of consciousness itself. This is the path of Purna Yoga™. Included in this intensive are asana practice, meditation, relaxation, and the application of yogic philosophy in life. Six months of asana practice is recommended. Bring a sticky mat, block, belt, and blanket. CE credit available.

Heart of Fire: Tending the Sacred Flame (A05)
Shiva Rea, M.A.
General
Asana/Yoga Off the Mat
In this intensive, we explore the universal and ancient understanding and practices that tend to our heart center from tantra, hatha, and bhakti yoga traditions, integrated with the latest views of our heart’s innate intelligence. We practice two dynamic and meditative vinyasa flow sessions, including chanting of the bija mantras of the heart chakra and the simple householders homa (fire ceremony), to unite an illumined body and awakened heart in service to the world. CE credit available.

ParaYoga© Vinyasa & Ayurveda: Principles of Deepening Practice (A06)
Rod Stryker
Advanced/Teacher Level
Asana/Philosophy & Discussion
The energetic principles of asana practice, along with the sciences of tantra and Ayurveda, illumine how we (and our students) unlock "supreme" success in practice and life. Through practices and theory presented in this intensive, we learn how to heighten the effect of what we do or teach and how to tailor our practice for our own and our students’ specific needs. CE credit available.

Ashtanga Yoga Inside & Out (A07)
David Swenson
General
Asana
Whether you are new to Ashtanga Yoga or an experienced practitioner, you are sure to gain plenty of valuable information in this intensive. David Swenson has a special ability to convey the intricacies of Ashtanga Yoga in a very down-to-earth and fun manner. Through vinyasa, ujjayi breathing, bandhas, pranayama, and question-and-answer sessions, he offers a detailed exploration of the many facets of Ashtanga Yoga to guide us to greater awareness of our practice and leave us with a smile on our face. CE credit available.

From Body to Mind & Mind to Body: The Tools of Yoga Therapy (A08)
Matthew Taylor, PT, PhD, RYT (500), Kelly McGonigal
Advanced/Teacher
Asana/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama/Yoga Therapy & Therapeutics
In this intensive, we explore the mind-body relationship through body-centered practices, such as asana, and mind-centered practices, such as meditation, to improve our own and our students’ overall well-being. Through asana, pranayama, meditation, and mudra practices, as well as other yoga therapy skills whose healing properties are supported by both traditional yoga philosophy and modern scientific evidence, we learn how to create healing yoga practices for ourself and our students.

Presented by the International Association of Yoga Therapists CE credit available.

Jivamukti Asana Dance, choreographed by Sharon Gannon
All Are Welcome
The enlightened mind realizes that movement and stillness are born of the same source. For thousands of years, yoga asana has been performed publicly. When we witness archetypical forms in motion, we can awaken our innate spiritual knowledge.

Keynote: Yoga & Social Action
Russell Simmons, Seane Corn
All Are Welcome
"The CEO of Hip Hop," Russell Simmons, might have helped introduce hip hop to the world, but he credits his yoga practice and belief in the laws of karma for his success. To receive success from the world, you must give something of lasting value to the world first, he says. A Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations, he urges us to move our yoga practice off the mat and into the global community for true empowerment and attainment in every aspect of life. Fellow yogi and social activist, Seane Corn moderates this lecture and discussion.

Sadhana
Gurushabd Singh Khalsa, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa
All Are Welcome
Asana/Chanting, Chakra/Meditation & Contemplation
A sadhana is a spiritual practice—with the goal of liberation and enlightenment—that often involves deep meditation, prayer, or yoga. Join us for sadhana during the hours known as the amrit vela, or the time of the nectar, when life around us is very still. It is a time of deep healing and inner contemplation.

Please Note: The following classes are double sessions and take place during sessions 1 & 2.

Detox Flow (B11)
Seane Corn
Master Class
Intermediate
Asana/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama
This challenging class explores how making conscious and responsible choices can help purify our body and mind, and support optimal health. We focus on cleansing the vital organs through a special vinyasa sequence that utilizes three internal components—compression, decompression, and twists—to stimulate the purification process within the body. This class includes sun salutations A and B, a detox standing pose sequence, breathing exercises, and meditation. CE credit available.

Sacred Rythm Yoga (B1A)
Maya Breuer, RYT
General
Asana/Chant, Chakra, or Trance Dance
Rhythm is sacred and primordial for evoking spirit. Through rhythmic movement, asana, breath, and stillness, we fully embrace and embody our yoga, awakening and enlivening our body and connecting us to our spirit and the sacred. We close with chanting the Gayatri Mantra to deepen our connection to our soul.

Greeting the Day in a Sacred Way: Morning Meditation (B1B)
Lilias Folan
General
Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama
Gather in the sacred circle of morning stillness and friendship. Wake up our chakras and koshas with a poetic "meditation in movement." Dance, chant, and sing to raise the sun and light in your life. This morning ritual holds the vibrations of Native American, Asian tai chi, and India’s Brahma Murta traditions. The class ends with a seated, guided meditation and pranayama session to connect us to the heart light within.

Pranayama: Releasing the Diaphragm for Pranayama Pratice (B1C)
Leslie Kaminoff
General
Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayma
Before we can do anything new with our respiratory system, we need to identify and undo some of our preexisting breathing habits. In this class, breathing and yoga anatomy expert Leslie Kaminoff teaches and explains a simple sequence of exercises that release tension from the diaphragm and coordinate its action with the deep structures that give rise to the bandhas. CE credit available.

Magnificent Grace (B1D)
Gurushabd Singh Khalsa, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa
General
Asana/Chanting, Chakra, or Trance Dance/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama
Grace is untouchable. When we open to the understanding of true grace, we are kissed by God. Power is an energy much like grace. However, grace is our true inheritance in consciousness. Through Kundalini Yoga, meditation, chant, and dance, learn to rise above all situations into a realization of true, pure, exalted Oneness with the divine. CE credit available.

Jivamukti Yoga: Twists (B1E)
David Life
General
Asana
Twists can help detoxify the internal organs and lymphatic system. By compressing and decompressing the body held in a twist, the normal cleansing processes are supported. For complete spinal health and flexibility, twisting movements are integral, but the benefits of twisting go beyond the body. The basis for life is DNA, and when we harmonize our body with our internal spiral coding, a new level of understanding of ourself and the world around us is achieved. CE credit available.

From Body to Mind & Mind to Body (B1F)
Kelly McGonigal
General
Asana/Chanting, Chakra, or Trance Dance/Yoga Therapy & Therapeutics
Experience a yoga practice that tends to the body with acceptance, nurturance, and gratitude, and focuses the mind on the inner experiences of peace, joy, and connection. This is yoga therapy for everyone: a practice blending gentle movement, conscious breathing, healing meditation, sounding, mudra, and deep relaxation. Leave behind the attitude that tells us that “something is wrong” and experience the inner peace that comes with feeling that everything is "already perfect" in the present moment. CE credit available.

Asania & Purification (B2A)
Kofi Busia
General
Asana
Different asanas seem to emphasize different parts of the body. But taken together, their ultimate aim is to purify the Self. In this class, we work with different posture groups to investigate their effects and interconnectedness with respect to maintaining the wholeness and well-being of our body and mind, and bringing about a unification of spirit. CE credit available.

Corporate Yoga That Works! (B2B)
Tevis Gale, E-RYT
Philosophy/Discussion
Corporate yoga is on the rise for good reason: Yoga’s benefits directly address many of the factors contributing to low corporate productivity and morale. But just how can we integrate a timeless practice into such a modern environment? Addressing legal, spiritual, and interpersonal sensitivities, this class explores what you can do as a yoga teacher to ensure your yoga program really works at work. CE credit available.

Women of Yoga (B2C)
Sharon Gannon
General
Asana/Philosophy & Discussion
Traditionally yoga was a form of goddess worship; a means to discover the “god-in-us” by allowing nature to be the teacher. As a culture we have forgotten those lessons. In this class, for women only, we explore what it means to be a yogini and allow the divine feminine to come forth, healing of our disconnection from nature, the Divine, and ourself. Bring a blanket. Bring a blanket. CE credit available.

Challenging Yourself to Be of Service: Choosing Compassionate Action Over Charity (B2D)
Mark Lilly, Katie Arrants
General
Philosophy & Discussion/Yoga Off the Mat
Yoga’s power to heal suffering is boundless. Every breath we take toward wholeness is a seed of power we inherit to transform the world. Blending mindful self-awareness with compassionate communication and practical yoga practices, this class challenges us to discover how serving others is a powerful tool for personal growth, and shows us how to turn a personal yoga practice into a tool for global revitalization. CE credit available.

Side Ways (B2E)
Tias Little, M.A.
General
Asana
Freeing the side body in yoga is key to opening the core. If the side body is hemmed and bound, then the inner body has no room to expand and open. Beginning at the outer heel, along the outer leg, waist, trunk, neck, and skull, this class aims to release the sides of the body to allow the interior to open. Sequences include side bends and twists. CE credit available.

God & the Meaning of the Universe (B2F)
Aadil Palkhivala
General
Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama/Philosophy & Discussion
Our definitions of God are many-faceted, creating both harmony and discord among us. This lecture and meditation class helps you clarify your own definition of divinity, helping you to connect more deeply with your personal dharma, and hence, the meaning of your life. CE credit available.

Prana Flow: Becoming One With Prana (B2G)
Shiva Rea, M.A.
Intermediate
Asana
In this dynamic sadhana, we learn specific, navigational methods within Shiva Rea’s Prana Flow—an energetic approach to vinyasa—to release the "doing of yoga," transform challenges, and bring greater ease and vitality into “being yoga.” We also explore several vinyasa waves of multidimensional sequences, intelligently unfolding an evolution of movement meditation, fluid namaskars, backbends, arm balances, and hip openers to understand the underlying flow of prana. CE credit available.

ParaYoga© Vinyasa: Awakening Rajas to Empower & Expand (B2H)
Rod Stryker
Intermediate
Asana
Rajas is the attribute that inspires us to overcome all obstacles. In this class, we practice Rod Stryker’s ParaYoga, focusing on specific postures, sequencing, and breathwork to awaken rajas—the qualities that fuel personal growth and transformation. Emphasis is on backbends and lateral postures. CE credit available.

Flying, Floating, & Hand-Standing: A fun-Filled Exploration of Vinyasa & Arm-Balances (B2J)
David Swenson
General
Asana
One of the greatest challenges of the Ashtanga Yoga flow is the vinyasa. In this class, we break the vinyasa down into its components. We also explore the elements of handstands and arm-balances. This is all done with partner work. There is also plenty of laughter and fun, as well as a depth of information in this class. People at all levels of yoga experience are invited, even if you have never done a handstand before. (Alternative postures will be given as necessary.) CE credit available.

Please Note: The following classes are double sessions and take place during sessions 3 & 4.

Soul Food: Meditation in Purna Yoga™ (B31)
Mirra
General
Asana/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama
In this class, Mirra teaches simple yet powerful meditation techniques to nourish your soul. Learn to use your mind to connect with your heart chakra and your pillar of light, your soul in the physical body. Come with an open mind and a sincere yearning to know and understand your soul. A brief asana class with Aadil Palkhivala is included. Bring a sticky mat and whatever else you need to be able to sit comfortably. CE credit available.

The Power of Kundalini Yoga to Awaken the Soul & Raise the Kundalini (B3A)
Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Gurucharan Singh Khalsa, Ph.D.
General
Asana/Chanting, Chakra, or Trance Dance/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama
Kundalini is a spring force within us. Once awakened, it is a wave of energy that weaves itself through our chakras. Often called the "serpent power," it penetrates where nothing else can go. Kundalini Yoga burns not only the karma of this incarnation, but of many incarnations. It cleans us out, and enhances the innate excellence of our soul. CE credit available.

Meditation on Light & Vibration (B3B)
Swami Lalitananda
General
Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama
In this class, Swami Lalitananda leads yogic practices focused on the subtle imagery of light. We learn the Divine Light Invocation, a powerful meditation that integrates relaxation, visualization, and concentration to fill ourself with light and to offer light to others. We also observe the power of light to change our mental and emotional vibrations and to generate a positive influence on the world around us.

Opening the Gates: The Foot Chakra (B3C)
Cyndi Lee
General
Asana/Chakra
Did you know that the foot chakra relates to both love and anger? In this class, we explore the enlightened and unenlightened aspects of the sole-of-the-foot chakra, the secret chakra, and the connecting highway of the leg sushumna (energy channel), through matching yoga sequences.

Jivamukti Yoga: Get Up, Stand Up, Don't Give Up the Fight! (B3D)
David Life
General
Asana/Philosophy & Discussion
Walking upright is a challenge. Most of us suffer from low self-esteem, which is reflected in standing postures that appear to collapse. This class celebrates our connection to the earth from our toes to the top of our head, and sets free a lightness and magical effect on us and others. When we stand up for others, especially the defenseless, we stand straight and tall.

The Dewdrop Mountain (B3E)
Tias Little, M.A.
General
Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama
The dewdrop is a metaphor for the transient nature of all things. It expresses the momentariness and the fragility of being. This meditation class uses the metaphor of the dewdrop to practice fluid alertness in the mind. Like the droplet of dew, in meditation there is a dynamic stillness that has surface tension. Using imagery and poetic verse that celebrates the ephemeral nature of the water droplet, this class cultivates a still, fluid center in the mind.

Divine Secrets of Yogic Purification (B3F)
Sri Dharma Mittra
General
Chant & Chakra/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama/Philosophy & Discussion
This class offers invaluable cleansing and detoxification techniques to help purify the physical, astral, and causal bodies of toxic impurities, and evoke sattvic, or pure, thoughts. Sri Dharma Mittra incorporates discourses on the yamas (rules or codes of conduct for living) and niyamas (sets of behaviors or observances), karma and reincarnation, and yogic diet, as well as ancient breathing and sound techniques, mantra chanting, and meditation. This purification leads to higher states of physical and mental health, culminating ultimately into blissful Self-realization.

Be the Change You Wish for the World (B3G)
Deb Neubauer, E-RYT 500
General
Asana/Philosophy & Discussion/Yoga Off the Mat
The most radical thing you can do is empower yourself to be the change that you wish for the world. In this class, we explore how the philosophical and technical principles of Anusara Yoga can help you unfold into backbends and embody the change you seek to create. Expect to be challenged and inspired in body, mind, and soul. CE credit available.

The Deep Dimensions of Yoga (B3H)
Mark Whitwell
General
Asana/Philosophy & Discussion
Yoga arose in ancient wisdom cultures with the nondual understanding that all experience cannot be separated from its universal source. In this class, Mark Whitwell takes us deep into yoga’s roots to the shamanic past of the Upanishads, when yoga was practiced as a means of acknowledging and celebrating the very source of life. With this tantric understanding, we practice yoga as a whole body prayer.

Yogic Arts: Flying Format (B3J)
Duncan Wong
Advanced/Teacher
Asana/Meditation & Contemplation
Learn a master perspective and approach to investigating and executing complex arm balance infrastructures in a simple, step-by-step way. Emphasis is placed upon parsva baka asana (side crow posture) variations that anyone with a basic athletic ability can accomplish. Using a truly grounded system, we work from the floor upward. CE credit available.

Essential Poses for Women’s Health (B4A)
Bobby Clennell
General
Asana/Yoga Therapy & Therapeutics
This class offers a sequence of yoga poses fine-tuned to the needs of women. We learn to practice in a way that honors the many cyclic hormonal changes that women experience throughout their lives. Issues to be covered include how to practice during the menstrual cycle, menstrual problems, premenstrual syndrome, and the changes brought about by menopause. Bring three blankets, one block, one belt, and a yoga mat. CE credit available.

Freedom From the Self: Awakening to the Yoga Sutras (B4B)
Chip Hartranft
General
Asana/Meditation/Philosophy & Discussion
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali illuminate the far reaches of human possibility. We study and practice from the sutras not for self-enhancement but rather to awaken from the dream of self. This two-part journey to the heart of yoga begins with this class (see session C5B for part two), offering an audiovisual survey of the path and its essentials. Once oriented, we engage in both dynamic and meditative asanas that open the eyes of the body and gather the mind. You may take either part one or two of this class, or both. Bring a mat, blanket, and cushion if you have one; chairs will also be available. CE credit available.

Yoga for Healing Upper Back, Neck & Shoulders (B4C)
Gary Kraftsow, M.A., L.M.T.
General
Asana/Yoga Therapy & Therapeutics
Four out of five adults have at least one bout of debilitating back pain at some time during their life. In this class, we explore the methodology developed by Gary Kraftsow that underlies the successful Viniyoga protocol he developed for the National Institute of Health study reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine in December 2005. We learn therapeutic sequences for the upper back, neck, and shoulders. This class is appropriate for therapists, teachers, and individuals who suffer from any type of back pain. CE credit available.

Jivamukti Yoga: Hot, Hip & Holy (B4D)
David Life
Intermediate
Asana
Hot Jivamukti Yoga sequences keep this class movin’ and shakin.’ The music is new, but the practices are ancient. Expect the full Jivamukti Yoga package of tradition, music, meditation, bhakti, and challenging asana, with a taste of outrageousness. This is a yoga class with a serious passion for life, nature, and love designed to get you out of your “stuff,” and back into the groove. CE credit available.

The Power & Precision of Yoga (B4E)
Lisa Matkin, Charles Matkin
Advanced/Teacher
Asana
Come to this class prepared to wring out your mat as well as your mind with sweat and tears of joy. Move with Lisa Bennett Matkin’s power vinyasa, a vigorous flow of asana that creates tapas, radiance, and heat, while Charles Matkin offers masterful hands-on precision alignment that emphasizes technical accuracy in correct practice. With an open mind and heart, discover your yoga, and move toward bliss with transformative meditations to release your spirit and soul. CE credit available.

Dance for Life: Yoga Trance Dance (B4F)
Shiva Rea, M.A.
General
Chanting, Chakra, or Trance Dance
We are all born with an innate love of rhythm and movement. This movement connects us with the intrinsic flow of our life force. Beginning with prana yoga, or the experience of prana initiating yoga asanas, yoga trance dance flows into an exploration of freeform, breath-driven movement to liberate our creative life force and cultivate embodied freedom. We dance to the latest spin of meditative and high-energy world music.

Growing Your Business Without Selling Your Soul (B4G)
Alon Sagee
Advanced/Teacher Level
Philosophy & Discussion
This practical, interactive, and enjoyable class is for yoga teachers and studio owners who need to grow their business. Learn unique strategies that have been proven in Alón Sagee’s work with numerous yoga business clients around the world. He teaches how to apply powerful marketing, branding, and positioning ideas to build your business without compromising your values and yogic sensibilities. CE credit available.

Ashtanga Yoga: An Introduction (B4H)
David Swenson
General
Asana
This class offers an introduction to Ashtanga Yoga to anyone at any level of experience in yoga. The building blocks of Ashtanga Yoga are explored through the basic elements of breath, bandhas, and vinyasa. A short overview of Ashtanga Yoga is followed by an introductory flow through an abbreviated sequence from Ashtanga Yoga’s First Series. The class ends with a guided deep relaxation session. CE credit available.

Being Yoga: The Changing Face of Yoga
Maya Breuer, RYT, Tevis Gale, E-RYT, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Mark Lilly, Shiva Rea, M.A.
Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Mark Lilly, Maya Breuer, Shiva Rea, and Tevis Gale What does it mean to be your yoga? How does this look in the world and how does it translate into your interaction with your community? Come join our panel to bear witness to the experiences and convictions of these yogis as they share their vision of what yoga calls them, and us, to be in the world. There will be an opportunity for questions.

Panel Discussion: Being Yoga: The Changing Face of Yoga
Maya Breuer, RYT, Tevis Gale, E-RYT, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Mark Lilly, Shiva Rea, M.A.
What does it mean to be your yoga? How does this look in the world and how does it translate into your interaction with your community? Come join our panel to bear witness to the experiences and convictions of these yogis as they share their vision of what yoga calls them, and us, to be in the world. There will be an opportunity for questions.

Evening Concert: The Yoga of Mantra & Chant
Deva Premal, Miten, Manose
With CD sales topping the half million mark and performing to packed concerts around the world, Deva Premal and Miten are two of the most popular singers and writers of songs and chants of spiritual devotion. Their music has touched the hearts of thousands of seekers around the world. This evening concert, in which Deva Premal & Miten perform together with the renowned Himalayan flautist Manose, promises to be a beautiful, inspirational, and unforgettable event.
*Free to conference attendees.
*$25 for all others.

Sadhana
Gurushabd Singh Khalsa, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa
All Are Welcome
Asana/Chanting, Chakra/Meditation & Contemplation
A sadhana is a spiritual practice—with the goal of liberation and enlightenment—that often involves deep meditation, prayer, or yoga. Join us for sadhana during the hours known as the amrit vela, or the time of the nectar, when life around us is very still. It is a time of deep healing and inner contemplation.

Please Note: The following classes are double sessions and take place during sessions 5 & 6.

The Power of Dynamism, the Healing of Relaxation (C51)
Aadil Palkhivala
General
Asana/Philosophy & Discussion
Focused effort and focused rest create a balanced body, yet asana was not, is not, and never will be yoga. The asana is done to serve our unique mission on Earth. Learn how to practice asana intensely and rest deeply, creating a practice that has more meaning in your day-to-day life than you ever thought possible. CE credit available.

Backbend Basics (C5A)
Bobby Clennell
General
Asana
Backbends open the chest and heart. This dispels negativity, alleviates anxiety, and lifts the spirit. When we practice them early in the morning, we can face the day with joy and equanimity. In this class, we work methodically, carefully preparing the building blocks and then learning the basic principles necessary to establish a safe and secure backbend practice. Bring three blankets, one block, one belt, and a yoga mat. CE credit available.

Embodying the Yoga Sutras (C5B)
Chip Hartranft
General
Asana/Meditation
This class is the second of a two-part class on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (see Part One: Session B4B) It offers an opportunity to plunge directly into the “now,” deepening our embodiment of the Yoga Sutras through refined movement and profound stillness. You may take either part one or two of this class, or both. Bring a mat, blanket, and cushion if you have one; chairs will also be available. CE credit available.

Spirit Of Sankofa (C5C)
Jana Long, RYT
General
Asana/Chant, Chakra, or Trance Dance/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama
In the Akan culture of West Africa, Sankofa is symbolized by a mythical bird that flies forward with its head turned backwards, reflecting the belief that the wisdom of the past serves as a guide for the future. In this class, we honor our ancestors in the spirit of Sankofa with meditation, breath, sound, and surya namaskara (sun salutations) to ignite the flash of spirit in our souls.

Concentration & Divine Meditation (C5D)
Sri Dharma Mittra
General
Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama
This class offers techniques that prepare your mind for serious practice, greatly strengthening your powers of concentration. Learn how to draw your attention away from the noisy, restless world and place it within, where the truth lies. Instructions are partially telepathic to impart spiritual or psychic knowledge that words cannot. In this way, spiritual matters can be easily understood.

Auspicious Wisdom (C5E)
Deb Neubauer, E-RYT 500
General
Asana/ Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama/Philosophy & Discussion
Spiritual wisdom becomes auspicious wisdom when it teaches us how to live well in the lives we have chosen. Cultivating a higher intention for our life, and learning to ground that vision into reality, are powerful and courageous acts. Explore auspicious wisdom through dharma talks, Anusara Yoga techniques, early morning gentle vinyasa, short periods of meditation, and pranayama sessions. CE credit available.

Asana & Bandha: Gateways to Glory (C5F)
Rod Stryker
Advanced
Asana/Philosophy & Discussion
Bandha empowers asana. Perfection of bandha builds creative and healing energy, internalizes attention, and awakens the forces of self-knowledge. Through theory, we explore the “what” and the “why.” Through practice, we experience how bandhas can heighten our practice. CE credit available.

Yogini (C6A)
Seane Corn
General
Asana/Philosophy & Discussion
This class for women only explores the feminine aspect of spirituality, and delves into the roles of women today as seekers, lovers, householders, workers, and activists. It also invokes the virtue of responsibility as a key to transcendence. This uplifting and thought-provoking class uses the Vinyasa yoga practice to cultivate an inner journey toward healing, acceptance, and ultimately empowerment. CE credit available.

Awakening Yoga in Midlife (C6B)
Lilias Folan
General
Asana
Midlife is an ideal time to restore health, vitality, and soften the aging process. Moving at an enjoyable pace, we inspire our midlife yoga asana, breathing, and relaxation practice through Lilias Folan’s painless “three Rs” (resist, relax, restretch) and with new warm-ups and tips to develop more strength, ease, and pleasure in key asanas. We feel immediate results and return home inspired with the joy of the journey. All sizes and shapes are welcome. CE credit available.

Chakra Purification Through Asana & Mantra (C6C)
Sharon Gannon
General
Asana/ Chant, Chakra, or Trance Dance/Philosophy & Discussion
Each asana corresponds to a chakra and a mantra. In this class, we practice an asana series that activates the chakras from the root to the crown, while chanting bija mantras and focusing on the specific karmic cause that might be contributing to pain and stress in the body. Please note: Bring a blanket. CE credit available.

The Inner Life of Asanas: Opening to the Mystical (C6D)
Swami Lalitananda
General
Asana/ Discussion & Philosophy/Yoga Off the Mat
Learn to access the psychological and spiritual dimensions using what Swami Lalitananda calls the “Hidden Language Hatha Yoga” approach. This class focuses on the symbolic meaning of yoga asanas and our own healing power as we learn to unlock the mysteries within each of us. We write down our insights as we slow down, listen attentively, and open to the stories our body tells us about our obstacles and potential. Bring a journal. CE credit available.

The Front of the Back (C6E)
Tias Little, M.A.
Intermediate
Asana/Yoga Therapy & Therapeutics
The front of the back holds the deepest, most interior and core structures in the body: the iliopsoas, the kidneys, the respiratory diaphragm, and the anterior spine. This class investigates ways to both stretch and strengthen these interior structures to be more spacious, open, and lifted along the front of the back. CE credit available.

The Creative Core Within Yoga (C6F)
Shiva Rea, M.A.
General
Asana
Explore an enlivening, creative, and effective approach to inner and outer core strength. Shiva Rea guides us with classical and innovative approaches to activate the bandhas of the core not with rigidity, but rather with a fluid, agile strength, allowing us to be seated within the fire of ourself. CE credit available.

Eight Limbs & Daily Life (C6G)
David Swenson
General
Philosophy & Discussion
Underlying the mysterious and complex philosophy of Patañjali’s Yoga Sutras, there is a truly profound simplicity that may be applied within the context of our daily life. In this class, we discuss the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga and explore their applications within our day-to-day life to take them from merely words spoken to knowledge realized. CE credit available.

Bridging From Yoga to Yoga Therapy: From Concept to Sustainable Career (C6H)
Matthew Taylor, PT, PhD, RYT (500)
Advanced/Teacher
Yoga Therapy & Therapeutics/Philosophy & Discussion
Yoga teachers wanting to adopt more therapeutics into their teaching practice require additional skills to engage physicians, clinicians, and others. They must communicate what yoga therapy is, make appropriate referrals, negotiate contracts, and develop sustainable business plans and relationships while marketing effectively. This class provides training for these skills and a personalized strategy for you to return to your community to build a yoga therapy practice. CE credit available.

Meditation Arising (C6J)
Mark Whitwell
General
Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama/Philosophy & Discussion
Asana, pranayama, meditation, and life are a seamless process. In this meditation class, we learn to stop fighting ourself in a struggle to eliminate thought, give up our yearnings for “higher” consciousness, and awaken our heart as the doorway to experience life’s polarities in union. CE credit available.

Yoga & Union: What’s the Object, Who’s the Subject? (C7A)
Kofi Busia
General
Asana/Philosophy & Discussion
Yoga divides the world into two. The manifest is repetition, distraction, and habit. These make up everything perceptible and are the basis of all objects. The unmanifest is clarity, consciousness, and enlightenment. These make up perceivers and are the basis of all subjects. In this class, we review posture, breathing, and mindfulness to learn how to unify the object and subject within, distinguishing pain from pleasure, darkness from light, and unknown from known, unifying ourself in spirit. CE credit available.

The Warrior Series: A Breath-Centered Vinyasa (C7B)
Leslie Kaminoff
Intermediate
Asana
This strong, flowing practice is ideal for yogis who have done a few too many down dogs, up dogs, and chaturangas. In this class, we are led through a specially designed, breath-centered vinyasa that strongly works the legs, opens the hips, and moves the spine in all possible directions, all without putting any body weight on your hands. CE credit available.

Keys to Unlock the Unlimited Infinite Power Within You With Kundalini Yoga & Meditation (C7C)
Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa
General
Asana/Chanting, Chakra, or Trance Dance/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama
Experience your calm, intuitive, magnificent self in this class where we release childhood anger to renew our nervous system and build stamina. As we free our energy, the heart opens, and we reach our mental richness and spiritual strength. CE credit available.

Yoga for Emotional Health: Focus on Anxiety & Depression (C7D)
Gary Kraftsow, M.A., L.M.T.
General
Asana/Chant, Chakra, or Trance Dance/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama/Yoga Therapy & Therapeutics
Among the most common and troubling emotions we experience are anxiety and depression. In this class, we learn to differentiate between the different types of anxiety and depression (physiological and psychological) and their symptoms. We explore the complex interaction between thought, emotion, and physiology, and the yoga practices that can be used to nourish the system and restore equilibrium. CE credit available.

Shamatha: Calm Abiding (C7E)
Cyndi Lee

General
Meditation
Meditation, like yoga, is a process of getting to know our own mind, warts and all. In this class, Cyndi Lee introduces shamatha—the traditional Buddhist mindfulness meditation technique—as a path toward making friends with ourself. Through this practice, we create a gap between stimuli and response and build more options for a rich, joyful, and beneficial life. We practice sitting meditation together and have time to ask questions. Recommended reading: Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Turning Your Mind Into an Ally. CE credit available.

Portable, Compact, Real & Immediate: How to Teach Yoga to Anyone, Anywhere (C7F)
Mark Lilly
General
Asana/Philosophy & Discussion/Yoga Off the Mat
Yoga is a gift we have the power to share. In this class, through attentive practice, small group work, and role playing, we explore offering yoga to anyone, anytime, anywhere—targeting underserved populations and social justice priorities. We acknowledge the necessary qualities of awareness, compassion, smarts, and courage it takes to teach yoga in a variety of settings, and celebrate our deep-seated belief in the power of yoga to transform and heal. CE credit available.

Satsang: Devotional Singing (C7G)
Deva Premal
General
Chanting, Chakra, or Trance Dance
Music and chanting are pathways into the deep silence of the heart. In this class, we sit in a circle and chant and sing together, we listen together, and we go into silence together. “Satsang meditation transcends other forms of live music because it is a simple, silent celebration,” say Deva Premal & Miten. “It is a grateful recognition that tunes into the positive vibrations that exist eternally all around us.”

Meditation & the Six Gems of ParaYoga® (C7H)
Rod Stryker
General
Asana/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama
Drawing on the energetics of asana and the richness of yoga’s meditation traditions, we explore how breath awareness, witnessing, visualization, mantra, and kriya awaken unique aspects of self-mastery. The class includes preparatory asana, theory, and practice. CE credit available.

Yogic Arts: The Prana-Bandha Relationship (C7J)
Duncan Wong
Advanced/Teacher
Asana/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama
For the first decade of practice, we simply breathe and squeeze, developing an authentic prana-bandha relationship. In this class, we practice a basic vinyasa sequence as the vehicle for returning the prana-bandha relationship to its original purpose: purifying from the bone marrow out through the skin, resulting in a radiant form and an enlightened mind. CE credit available.

Closing Keynote: Sri Aurobindo’s Yoga & the Evolution of Consciousness
Aadil Palkhivala
Full Conference Gathering
All Are Welcome
Sri Aurobindo was one of the greatest yogis of all time. Called “the yoga of the future,” his teachings and practice are rooted in the Vedas, but incorporate all that is needed for the next step in humanity’s evolution toward freedom from suffering. In this closing keynote, Aadil Palkhivala discusses his own powerful, complete approach to yoga, which he named Purna Yoga based on Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy that “all life is yoga.” It is a philosophy of embracing the Divine in everything, yet maintaining discernment while living one’s dharma. CE credit available.

Off the Mat, Into the World™: Yoga, Purpose & Action (D01)
Seane Corn
General
Asana/Yoga Off the Mat
This intensive inspires each of us to become active in our local and global communities effectively, sustainably, and joyfully. First, we practice a transformational Vinyasa flow yoga sequence to uncover our deepest passion and motivation. Then, we explore practical ways to bring our own unique purpose into the world with the support of our community. We ultimately combine yoga asanas, meditation, and visualization, along with the tools of communication, organization, collaboration, and discussion. We leave with skills to help us be more effective leaders and agents of change in the world. CE credit available.

Viniyoga for Emotional Health (D02)
Gary Kraftsow, M.A., L.M.T.
General
Asana/ Chant, Chakra, or Trance Dance/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama/Yoga Therapy & Therapeutics
Yoga is beneficial not just for our physical well-being, but also for our emotional health. Modern science is beginning to confirm what the ancient yogis have known for thousands of years: troubling emotional states have a direct relation to disease in the body. In this intensive, we explore the complex interaction between thought, emotion, and physiology, and learn the yoga practices that can be used to nourish our emotional health and restore equilibrium, including asana, pranayama, chanting, and meditation. CE credit available.

Sacred Skull (D03)
Tias Little, M.A.
Intermediate
Asana/Meditation, Contemplation & Pranayama/Philosophy & Discussion
The cranium is home to 21 bones, the three upper chakras, three brains, and seven sensory openings or “gates.” In this intensive, we explore the dynamic equilibrium of the skull in yoga meditation and asana practice. We review the jaw, tongue, inner ear, sagittal sutures, and fontanelles, and the importance these structures have in releasing cranial compression. We investigate what it means to release the brain as we practice inversions (headstand for those who can do it), forward bends, and twists. We also explore the practice of pratyahara, the softening of sensory awareness through pranayama, khechari mudra, and visualization practices. CE credit available.