Yoga Therapy: the keys to physical and emotional health
If you are a yoga teacher, these four weekends will help you to spread your wings as you discover a more creative, independent approach to yoga teaching, and explore the therapeutic approach as an individualised and precise response to your clients’ needs.
As a yoga practitioner, these workshops will enable you do explore wider horizons in your practice as you learn to adapt postures, meditation and breathing exercises to your own personal parameters.
By the end of this short but intense course you will have a solid base of knowledge and experience, and be able to design specific therapeutic practices for your students or yourself.
16-17 February
London
Yoga Therapy: The most refined form of adapted yoga teaching
The categories of yoga
The first part of this workshop will be dedicated to the kramas. We will discover how yoga adapts itself to each stage in life and will look in particular at the cikitsa krama, the therapeutic approach of yoga.
Methodology of yoga teaching
In order to plan a therapeutic yoga practice you need to thoroughly understand the logic and principles of lesson planning. In this part of the workshop, you will learn how to create and teach a session tailor-made to the person or group you have in front of you.
We will cover:
- The parameters to take into account when planning a lesson
- The different teaching styles to use based on the individual needs of the students
- How to create and guide a spontaneous practice
- How to adapt a practice – how to simplify or strengthen a session
- Nyasa, mudra, mantras and bhavanas in physical and breathing practices
Anatomy
Finally, we will look at anatomy according to yoga – the Panca Maya, the Nadis and the Cakras models – and discover the ultimate goal of yoga therapy.
Workshop 1
Yoga Therapy: The most refined form of adapted yoga teaching
16-17 March
London
The spine and its central role in health and posture
Study of the spine
We will study the main anomalies of the spine, how to identify them and what are the answers yoga gives us on how to rectify them:
- Cyphosis,
- Lordosis,
- Scoliosis,
- Limited mobility of the sacrum.
We will learn what to look for when observing the spine and how to refine one’s diagnosis through touch. We will put these techniques in practice during the workshop and will construct a session based on some of the observations made previously. We will conclude this part with a case study.
Workshop 2
The spine and its central role in health and posture
13-14 April
London
Yoga therapy: Relieving back pain, muscle tension, joint pain and hernias
The spine (cont.)
At the start of this workshop, we will continue with the study of the spine. We will look at the following problems and their solutions:
- Lumbago,
- Herniated disc,
- Cervicalgia,
- Dorsalgia,
- Low back pain.
Muscles
We will look at muscles, their configuration and the functions of the muscular system. We will learn how to examine muscles and we will explore the notions of strength and flexibility, which are very important in yoga. During this workshop, we will put into practice the muscle examination techniques and we will build a yoga therapy session exclusively planned to strengthen muscles from any part of the body and in a safe way. We will conclude this part of the workshop with a case study.
Joints
We will look at joints and will learn how they affect the whole body.
We will study some common pathologies and their solutions:
- Arthrosis
- Periarthritis of the shoulder
- Rhumatoid arthritis
In this workshop, we will put into practice the examination techniques for joints and will build a yoga therapy session based on some of the observations made previously.
Inguinal and hiatal hernias
We will pay particular attention to hernias, a common problem to which yoga can bring very good solutions. We will also put into practice some examination techniques for the abdomen and will build together a therapeutic session based on some of the observations made previously.
The abdomen
We will learn the importance yoga gives to the abdominal area and will look at the role of cleansing and detox through fasting and healthy eating according to yoga.
We will also look at how some specific uses of pranayama and bandhas can directly influence the functioning of the digestive system.
Workshop 3
Yoga therapy: Relieving back pain, muscle tension, joint pain and hernias
25-26 May
London
Emotional health and Freedom of Consciousness
This workshop will help you fully understand the concepts and necessary logic to follow in order to give an answer to your specific emotional health issues and to those of your students, using appropriate therapeutic tools. We will explore the art of accompanying the healing of emotional conflicts and adapting one’s approach to each individual. You will be able to use these tools in your personal practice, your one-to-ones and group classes.
It will also be a time to deepen your own practice in order to anchor your work in the most important part of yoga philosophy: knowing your Self.
This workshop will cover:
- How to use the tools of yoga in emotional therapy,
- A new way to explain the workings of the mind and emotions,
- The therapeutic meditation process,
- How to integrate therapeutic meditation in asana and pranayama practices.
You will be able to use this meditative approach directly in this interactive and hands-on workshop.
Practical session
Part of this final workshop will be used to put all the material covered in this series of workshops into practice, using our newly-acquired observation and diagnosis skills as well as our knowledge of planning and delivering a yoga lesson. This will be done through case studies of all the areas covered: spine, joints, muscles, abdomen and emotional health.
Workshop 4
Emotional health and Freedom of Consciousness
Practical information
Dates
W1: 16-17 February 2019
W2: 16-17 March 2019
W3: 13-14 April 2019
W3: 25-26 May 2019
9.30am to 5.30pm with one hour’s lunch break.
Address
Light Centre Moorgate, 114 London Wall, London, EC2M 5QA
Website : lightcentremoorgate.co.uk
Teaching fees
£190 per week-end
Who can come?
These workshops are open to yoga teachers, therapists and experienced practitioners.
Other information
Duration: 7 hours per day. 56 hours for the whole Yoga therapy course.
Maximum participants: 20