The vinyasa system of Ashtanga Yoga practice involves a flowing sequence of coordinated movements of body and breath. As one’s practice deepens and matures, the primacy of the breath work in this system begins to emerge. An advanced practitioner, floating with grace and seeming ease through advanced and strenuous asanas and vinyasas will often cite the breath as the key to his or her mastery of the practice. At this stage, the practice truly becomes a moving meditation, with breath and internal form as the main object of meditation.

Yet, few practitioners are able to harness the potential of the breath in their practice. Even fewer practitioners develop a pranayama practice. This is partly due to a lack of opportunity for in-depth instruction and practice. There are very few teachers who have the level of experience required to teach breathing and pranayama in an effective way.

This course is a unique opportunity to receive instruction and guided practice in ujjayi and viloma breathing and the Ashtanga pranayama sequences that Sri K Pattabhi Jois taught to his students in the 1990s. Participants will learn how the energetic pattern of bandha, the movement of breath and the movement of the body inform one another reciprocally in the core alignment of the Ashtanga practice. By the end of the course, participants will also have a separate pranayama practice that they can take away and continue with on a long-term basis.

Next Session and course dates

November 1 – November 6 (one week option)

November 1 – November 13 (two week option)

Contact Iain at iaingrysak@gmail.com to register

Sessions

Morning Sessions

Sunday – Friday  |  6 sessions per week

There will be six morning sessions per week consisting of traditional Mysore style practice on Sunday-Thursday and a led primary series on Friday. These sessions begin at 6:30 am

Workshop Sessions

Monday – Thursday |  4 sessions per week

These sessions will involve non strenuous exercises to help deepen our understanding of the energetic movement of bandha, which informs the movements of the breath and the body from the inside. This will evolve into a structured pranayama practice over the duration of the course. The first week will focus on learning how to cultivate full and deep breathing, which is uninhibited and free flowing. This is an absolute prerequiste to attempting to practice stronger pranayama excercises involving khumbaka (holding the breath internally or externally). If one attempts to practice khumabaka before mastering deep and free breathing, the result will be ineffective and tension inducing. We will also examine the connection between the shape of the breath within the body and the shape of the energetic pattern of bandha. The first week is open to anyone who wishes to deepen their understanding of the internal form and energetic dynamics of bandha and breath within the Ashtanga practice.

The second week will introduce some of the pranayama sequences that Sri K Pattabhi Jois taught to practitioners during the 1990s. I learned these pranayama sequences from my late teacher Rolf Naujokat and they have constituted my daily pranayama practice since the year 2008. These pranayama sequences are challenging and some of them may not be suitable for inexperienced practitioners. Anyone who has completed the first week is welcome to continue with the second week. Even if one is not ready to practice all of the sequences at present, they can be learned now and put aside until one has developed the capacity to attempt them in the future.

Schedule details

Next Session:

November 1 – November 6 (one week)

November 1 – November 13 (two weeks)

Daily morning Mysore style practice is required for the duration of the pranayama course.

Weekly schedule

Mysore style Ashtanga Practice

Sunday – Thursday
6:30  am – Mysore style practice
Friday
6:30 am – Led Primary Series

Workshop instruction and practice

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
8:30 – 10 am (week one)

Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
8:30 – 9:30 am (week two)*

*Monday, November 9 is a moon day, so the workshop session will be held on Sunday, November 8 for week two.

All Classes are held at the yoga shala at Gayatri, Ubud, Bali.

Who should join

This course is open to all levels of practitioner, including beginners.

Daily Mysore style Ashtanga practice for the duration of the course is required.

Please contact Iain with any questions

Accommodation

Accommodation

This is a non-residential course. Participants are responsible for finding their own accommodation in Ubud. There are a variety of options to suit all budgets and styles. Gayatri, where our yoga shala is located, provides a peaceful and convenient option and is highly recommended. Booking of rooms at Gayatri should be made directly with the hotel itself.

Tuition

Workshop sessions for those who already hold a Mysore class pass:
2 weeks:

Workshop sessions: rp 5 500 000

1 week:

Workshop sessions: rp 3 000 000

*a deposit of rp 1 000 000 is required with registration

For those who don’t already have a morning Mysore pass:
2 weeks:

Morning Mysore + Workshop sessions: rp 7 000 000

1 week:

Morning Mysore + Workshop sessions: rp 4 000 000

* a deposit of rp 1 000 000 is required with registration

Contact Iain to register

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