This popular weekend course with Johnny explores a wider aspect of being than that offered by the thinking mind. Using a variety of traditional yoga practices, we will explore the yogic paradigm of the Pancha Koshas as a way of opening up to the physical, mental, energetic, intuitive, and spiritual aspects of our being.
The Five Sheaths (Pancha Koshas)
In daily life, we tend to over-identify with particular aspects and disregard others. This creates stress and can deny us the potential for joyful living and personal growth. This weekend is designed to create space!
Anna-maya kosha (Physical): The vehicle through which we experience life; requires a balance of activity, rest, and wholesome nourishment.
Prana-maya kosha (Energetic): The energy body that animates us, continually nourished by the life force within the breath.
Mana-maya kosha (Mental): The mind stream of thoughts and feelings, including the conditioned beliefs that influence our behaviour.
Vigyana-maya kosha (Intuitive): The realm of insight and creative inspiration often obscured by mental activity.
Ananda-maya kosha (Blissful): The realm of joy, compassion and wisdom, accessible through the practice of presence.
Structure and Practices
There will be an even balance of breath work, movement, relaxation and meditation. This weekend is open to everyone; the posture work is slow and gentle and therefore suitable for complete beginners and those with conditions for which strenuous exercise is not advised.
Preparations
Breath Work: To steady the nervous system through breath awareness, abdominal breathing, viloma, and anuloma viloma.
Movement: To release tension and inhabit the body through joint releasing sequences, hip opening series, spinal movements, as well as back and abdominal strengthening.
Relaxation: To access a state of conscious rest via Yoga Nidra (a withdrawal of the senses leading to conscious sleep) and Yoga Nyasa (directed awareness synchronised with the breath).
Practices
Meditation: To view our internal experience exactly as it is using the meditative techniques of Kaya Sthairyam (body stillness) and Antar Mouna (inner silence).
Timetable
Friday: Begins after supper at 7.00 pm.
Saturday: 10.00 am to 12.30 pm and 3.00 pm to 5.30 pm (with breaks).
Sunday: 10.00 am to 12.30 pm (finishing in time for lunch).
Notes for Participants
We can develop an appreciation for each of the koshas and our capacity to care for them. Leave feeling restored, with a renewed motivation to prioritise your own self-care for the benefit of those you care for. Complete beginners as well as more experienced practitioners and teachers are all welcome.
What to bring
Please bring comfortable layers of clothing so that you can move freely yet remain warm. The joint releasing movements can actually lower body temperature. Please bring your own mat, sitting block or cushion and a blanket.
Johnny can be contacted at www.jgyoga.co.uk.
