Yogasanas Vinyasa Flow
Yogasanas Vinyasa Flow : Breath, Movement and Alignment
Michel Besnard
23 – 30 October, 2010
The course
The classes are Ashtanga and Iyengar based and are for all levels. They follow the Ashtanga sequencing and are suitable to any style of Yoga.
This workshop will help to get a solid foundation in your daily practice, and learn to enjoy your practice. Michel reminds you that “Yoga is a Journey not a destination”. The philosophy of “total acceptance of what is” will help you to stop focusing on your limitations and start experiencing the wonder of each moment, being in the present moment.
The morning sessions will encompass POWER AND GRACE: Salute to the Sun and its variations. The poses in the Ashtanga sun sequence form a complete practice themselves, and provide a foundation from which to explore a balance of power and grace in standing poses. Finding the nuance in these movements allows us to find better stability (sthira) and levity (sukha) as Patanjali notes in the Yoga sutras.
Then they will move to DEVELOPING AND USING CORE STRENGTH.
This session will aide you in developing your core strength through yoga asanas, and establish and strengthen your connection to the bandhas (internal locks) and then using this strength to find ease in various poses.
There will be a practice of BEND WITHOUT BREAKING (Back-bending basics). Finding our way in backbends can be challenging, but by the same token it can be fun and safe when approached with the right understanding. We also will look at the anatomy of the back bend so the practice is safe.
Afternoon sessions
Michel will be teaching simple breathing techniques that can be used in everyday life that will keep you relaxed and help you to enhance the functioning of your digestive system, immune system and reproductive system. We will do inverted poses as a preparation for pranayama .
Whenever one does anything, one has no success whatsoever without any practice. Yoga-Vasistha
The goal of yoga is about adaptability, not flexibility. Judith Lassiter
Teacher Michel Besnard is one of the foremost Ashtanga teachers in the Asia Pacific region, with a well known Ashtanga shala in Hong Kong, and an international teaching schedule. His teaching philosophy is to provide students with clear and sensitive guidance, listening to the needs of the body without pushing or straining, thus making space for their own understanding. Ultimately, Michel encourages everyone to take the practice seriously, but not himself or herself seriously.
Michel has been practicing yoga since 1978, and teaching since 1983. He started with Iyengar yoga and was a direct student of BKS Iyengar, and since 1993 has also been practicing Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga directly under Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India.
In 2001, Michel moved to Hong Kong and founded Yogasana – the first Ashtanga shala in Hong Kong. Michel is also one of the first to establish Yoga Teacher’s training in Hong Kong. Since then he has trained hundreds of students. However, he has been involved in Teacher’s Training well over 10 years in different parts of the world. In 2002 Michel met Avaida Vedanta Teacher Ramesh Balshekar from Mumbai and has been avidly his student since.
Michel is a Senior Yoga Teacher, holding a certificate of IYTA (International Yoga Teacher Association) and registered Experience 500 hours Yoga Alliance.
Programme
Saturday 23 October
Arrive Nadi. Local flight to Savusavu.
6.00pm: Welcome to Daku
Sunday 24 October
6.30 – 7.00am: Meditation
7.00 – 9.00am: Asanas Practice
3.00pm: Tapa making demonstration
4.00 – 5.30pm: Inverted poses and pranayama
7.00pm: Dinner
Monday 25 October
6.30 – 7.00am: Meditation
7.00 – 9.00am: Asanas Practice
1.00pm: Lunch
Afternoon: Visit to Savusavu town
4.00 – 5.30pm: Inverted poses and pranayama
7.00pm: Dinner
Tuesday 26 October
6.30 – 7.00am: Meditation
7.00 – 9.00am: Asanas Practice
12.00pm: Lunch
1.00 – 3.30pm: Boat / beach outing
4.00 – 5.30pm: Inverted poses and pranayama
7.00pm: Dinner
Wednesday 27 October
6.30 – 7.00am: Meditation
7.00 – 9.00am: Asanas Practice
1.00pm: Lunch
2.00pm: Coconut demonstration
Free afternoon
4.00 – 5.30pm: Inverted poses and pranayama
Thursday 28 October
6.30 – 7.00am: Meditation
7.00 – 9.00am: Asanas Practice
1.00pm: Lunch
Afternoon: Free time
4.00 – 5.30pm: Inverted poses and pranayama
6.30pm: Drinks at Savusavu yacht club and dinner in town
Friday 29 October
6.30 – 7.00am: Meditation
7.00 – 9.00am: Asanas Practice
12.00pm: Lunch
2.00 – 3.30pm: Inverted poses and pranayama
4.00 – 5.30pm: Village visit and meke
7.00pm: Final Dinner
Saturday 30 October
Return home
