A Practice of Giving: Inversions Workshops Nov 7 & 21, 10-11:30a.m.

I often refer to inversions as Yoga's gift to mankind. If a busy day leaves me no more than 15mins to practice yoga, I will still ensure I make time for a brief warm up (like a few downward facing dogs), a variation of headstand, shoulderstand and corpse pose (relaxation pose, not Halloween prep). Timothy McCall, a board certified medical doctor and internationally acclaimed Yoga Teacher, strongly encourages the use of modifications during inversions. He can personally attest to the need for safe modifications, as he experienced Thoracic Outlet Syndrome as the result of compressing his neck during repeated headstands. On the other hand, he highly encourages inversions and points to the science behind the health benefits associated with a regular practice of inversions (pg. 89-95, "Yoga As Medicine", McCall. To read more about Timothy McCall visit: http://www.drmccall.com/aboutme.html). There have been times in my life when my neck sung out loudly or quietly to me, hinting that putting too much weight on my head may be unwise in headstand, or that I needed to rethink the degree of bend in my neck when practicing shoulderstand. Conveniently, much of my practical experience in yoga has been learned in the Iyengar tradition. Iyengar Yoga is a style of yoga that includes a disciplined and regular practice of inversions. My experience of practicing yoga under the guidance and instruction of a group of highly skilled and qualified Iyengar teachers has been invaluable for my own practice and for my teaching practice of yoga.

And so, I am thrilled to be offering two days of inversions workshops, on November 7 & 21, from 10-11:30a.m.

The Inversions Workshops are for beginner and experienced yoga students, it is for those interested in learning more about how to practice inversions safely. We will cover how to build functional strength to practice inversions safely. How to modify the poses to suit our own needs and limitations. How to practice at different levels, including the steps to take to evolve your inversion practice. And, how to sequence inversions to optimize health benefits. We will also touch on the science behind why inversions work to stimulate deep relaxation, encourage hormonal balance, and lead to better sleep patterns. As a precursor, consider reading "A Calm Brain", by Devi Gayatri M.D. To register, email me at info.yogatinthehouse@gmail.com.

And here's the other concept being shared at these workshops...Dana, the practice of giving:

"Dana (pronounced "dah-na") is a Pali word meaning generosity. Generosity, or sharing what we have, is one of the central pillars of spiritual life. Historically, as the Dharma thrived in Asia, local communities supported monks, nuns, teachers, and monasteries. This support was given freely in heartfelt recognition of the preciousness of the liberating teachings of the Buddha and the profound value of spiritual practice." (http://www.bodhi-retreats.org/about/dana.php)

These workshops are being given by me.

To clarify, teachers and participants do not have to be Buddhist to practice this concept. It is a spiritual practice that has been valued by and kept alive through Buddhism, but anyone can practice the concept of giving. I am giving these two workshops without attachment or expectation of receiving in return. I am giving them as a practice in generosity. As a participant in the workshop, you are to consider the concept and practice of Dana. This may result in you giving and practicing generosity in return. Your Dana might take on the form of a donation of time, money or services to a cause in need, or a gift of time, money or services to me as the teacher in these workshops.

I remember the first time I stumbled upon this concept, it wasn't referred to as Dana, but the concept was the same...my husband, our two boys and I were visiting a Children's Farm in Melbourne, Australia. At the edge of the farm grounds was an old convent where you could find the café "Lentil As Anything". The concept at this café was a place for everyone in the community to gather and eat together, our different ethnicities, socio-economic status or religious beliefs were not to be limiting factors to our coming together over a meal. The food was delicious, the café vibrant, the coffee hot and strong...and payment was by donation. BY DONATION!! At first I felt challenged by this concept. How much were they EXPECTING, how much SHOULD I pay, why was it by donation? I didn't know if our family was to regard this as a place for a quick, cheap meal or an expensive charitable act...do we give a lot or a little? Sometimes the concept was enough to deter us from going, it was such an internal conflict. But over time, and thankfully many visits to Melbourne, we became comfortable with eating there frequently and enjoying the café for what it was, an opportunity to share food within a vibrant and varied community. Sometimes we gave a lot, sometimes we gave a little. The spontaneity of generosity evolved each time we visited. The experience was so much more than one of just dinning out.

The second time I came across this concept was when Michael Stone visited Regina a couple of years ago. He gave a talk, approximately 3 hours of his time: sharing his teachings, observations and philosophical points of view. He also provided a question and answer period for those attending the talk to pick his brain and consciousness. At this talk the concept of Dana was actively introduced: Michael was giving the talk and we were invited to practice generosity as well that evening. Whether that took on the form of giving a button, $5, $50, or paying it forward to someone else, it was for us as participants to consider and respond accordingly.

I have space for 5 students for each workshop. You are welcomed to attend one or both. If you are interested in taking part, please email me at info.yogainthehouse@gmail.com. I look forward to sharing Yoga's gift to mankind with you!