Starting on the banks of the Ganges all the way to your sticky mat today, yoga concepts and practice have evolved as a long and rich tradition. Part history lesson, part philosophical inquiry, this workshop begins with a bird's eye view of the yoga history timeline and an introduction to philosophies of India that have the most influence on yoga today.
Tara will teach you about the four main pillars of yoga (ethics and duty, action and consequence, cycles, and freedom) and share some key concepts from The Upanishads, The Bhagavad Gita, The Yoga Sutras and The Three Surviving Texts of Hatha Yoga. The only prerequisite is curiosity.
The Upanishads
Sometimes described as a metaphorical photo album of mystical experience, the common theme of these poetic writings is that the purpose of our human life is to discover the infinite and unchanging reality that is at the core of all things.
The Bhagavad Gita
This beloved and sacred ancient Hindu text translates the teachings of The Upanishads into a guidebook for spiritual self-discovery. You'll see many definitions of yoga offered in this text and we'll consider some of The Bhagavad Gita's essential questions. How can someone live a spiritually meaningful life without withdrawing from society? How can we make it through our struggle for self-mastery?
The Yoga Sutras
This text is arguably and somewhat inexplicably the most influential text to modern yoga. We will discuss how and why this has happened, the valuable insights The Yoga Sutras can offer us, and see where this text diverts from some of the foundational philosophies of yoga.
The Three Surviving Texts of Hatha Yoga
While some of today’s yoga practitioners have read The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, not many even know about the Shiva Samhita or the Gherand Samhita. Considered the most detailed original descriptions of postures, breath practices, symbolic hand gestures and energy locks, these writings are also full of contradictions and seemingly bizarre instructions. Even still, they offer us important insights into the traditional practices and purposes of Hatha Yoga.
3 CEUs provided to Certified Teachers through Yoga Alliance
The nature of our soul, the goal of yoga practice, distractions, obstacles, and what we can expect when we attain enlightenment… yoga's take on this is all here for your consideration. Tara's dynamic lecture style in this workshop makes complicated ideas and writings accessible and relevant to you and your yoga practice. Come till the soil at the ground of yoga to grow the seeds of your own practice!
The material in this workshop is suitable for curious yoga practitioners, aspiring and current yoga teachers. No previous study or familiarity with these texts is required. Expect mostly lecture/presentation with time for reflection and discussion, along with a comprehensive booklet and a recommended reading list for further study.
We will not be practicing any asana.
CEU's are available for yoga teachers registered with Yoga Alliance.
Cost: $60
Tara Lemerise, E-RYT 200/E-RYT 500, was expecting the Ashtanga Yoga Primary series and ended up in a Restorative Yoga class instead. That was her best mistake ever! Tara has been teaching Restorative Yoga since 2005 and has earned Restorative Yoga teaching certificates from Jillian Pransky, Judith Hanson Laster, and Cyndi Lee. She has since trained over 100 yoga teachers in her highly-acclaimed Rest for All: Restorative Yoga Teacher Training. Tara is deeply committed to spreading the word about the power of the down-regulating and healing practices of Restorative Yoga in order to subvert the prevailing cultural narrative that humans need to be over-worked and under-rested to have value. Learn more about Tara at www.TaraLemeriseYoga.com.