Judith Lasater
www.judithlasater.com

Judith Hanson Lasater holds a Ph.D. in East-West psychology and is a Physical Therapist.  She has taught yoga since 1971 and is one of the founders of Yoga Journal magazine.  Having studies with B.K.S. Iyengar in India and the U.S.,  Ms. Lasater is president of the California Yoga Teachers' Association and the author of Relax and Renew:  Restful Yoga for Stressful Times and Living Your Yoga: Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life,  30 Essential Yoga Poses: For Begining Students and Their Teachers. The focus in her teaching is to weave the philosophy of yoga into practice on and off the mat.

 

 

WEEKLONG INTENSIVE

Moving from the core: Anatomy, Asana and Therapeutics for the Spine`

The spine is at the core of the body as well as being the basic structure through which we practice asana,  move our energy and, thus, reconnect to our wholeness. Yet each part of the spine has its own specific movements and limitations. This Intensive will focus on anatomy, asana and therapeutics, including relating the movement patterns of the spine to the teaching and practicing of yoga asana. During the Intensive we will spend some time in lecture to learn the basic structure and kinesiology of the spine. Then we will divide into small groups to focus on integrating what we have just learned into asana as we watch others practice and discuss what is happening. Then we will join back as a larger group to work on the therapeutic applications of our new knowledge for those times we are teaching students with injuries or other problems of the back. We will ask and answer such questions as: What is basic movement allowed in the cervical spine? Which joint is the most mobile in the entire spinal column and what effect does it have on asana practice? Which poses aggravate the sacroiliac joint and why? Integrating the answers to these questions into our practice and teaching will no doubt improve our teaching and enliven our own personal practice. 

It is suggested that participants review the relevant pages in Anatomy of Movement by Blandine Calais-Germain available on Judith's website www.judithlasater.com

Please Note:  Judith's intensive will be following a slightly different meeting schedule as follows:  Rather than meeting for 3 hours and 35 minutes days 1 thru 5, Judith will be teach 4-hour sessions days 1 through 4, and a 90-minute session on day 5.

AM MASTER CLASSES

Track 1

Relax and Renew
Restorative Yoga is more necessary than ever, as yoga teachers are working more, running studios and businesses. Take this time to practice the art of “intense nothing” with the deep relaxation and introspection of Restorative Yoga.

Note: please bring as much of the following as possible: sticky mat, eye cover, at least three blankets, a bolster. Your experience will be directly affected by the amount of props you have.

Track 2

Essential Yoga Practice
Finally it just gets down to our own practice on the mat every day. What poses are essential? How do we decide which ones are? How do we sequence them? Should we change our practice every day? A short discussion on these issues followed by an asana practice.

Note: please bring a sticky mat, one to three blankets and an eye cover.

Track 3

Asana Flows
 “Flow” is a popular style of practice today. But what does Patanjali have to say about this approach to practice? A short discussion followed by a unique dance-influenced asana flow series.

Note: please bring a sticky mat, one to three blankets and an eye cover.