Ashtanga Workshop in Athens, 2025

October 17-19

Organised by Avra Yoga, held at Chakra Yoga Athens

A Practical Approach to Ashtanga Yoga

If your practice of yoga doesn’t create a better situation for you in everyday life, then something has gone wrong. Yoga is the science of manipulating the hidden dimension of energy, bur, still, a lot can be said about this and how to do it. In this weekend, we will try to make clear and relatable what is often mystified.

Anyone with a steady Ashtanga practice is welcome.

FRIDAY

18.30 to 20.00 Breathing Basics

The diaphragm is the thing in yoga. The aim of both vinyasa and bandha, its deeper experiencing is the reason we practice asana. But, first, it must be harnessed. We will look at how to do so, and then, how to use what is often now referred to as the muscle of the soul. No yoga clothes required but dress comfortably.

SATURDAY

8.00 am - 10 am: Ashtanga Led & Self Practice Combined

Adam will lead the class through the first part of primary and standing asana, after which you will move on to self-practice following the Ashtanga sequence at whatever level you are at. All physical levels are welcome, in this setting there won’t be time to teach the sequence, but you are free to follow from printed sheets.

10.30 - noon: Opening the hips

The true and effective ‘hip opening’ is of the lower back and sacrum area rather than the superficial stretching of our inner groins as we’re often taught. There is a lot more to hip opening than baddha konasana. We shall consider the proposition more thoroughly, as well as why yoga is so fixated as a movement modality with our hips.

12.30 – 14.00: Alternative Yoga Sutras

Adam presents an alternative view of The Yoga Sutras based on discussing the text with some of the leading authorities on it. We will consider current usages, and how it might more effectively be related to our modern lives, rather than simply in stopping the mind and getting rid of our ego as it’s commonly portrayed as suggesting.

SUNDAY

8.00 to 9.30: Ashtanga Assisted Self-Practice (groups of up to 20 students only)

A self-practice class with verbal instruction and light physical assistance. Adam offers directions for you to experience asanas in a comfortable and stable way in your body. He does not believe in forcing people into postures and focuses on safe and non-intrusive assistance.

The class follows the traditional Ashtanga yoga sequences and series and all physical abilities are welcome, however, you should have the sun salutations and first few standing asanas memorised.

10.00 am – 11.30 pm: Backbends to Front Stretches

There is a way to approach backbends which immediately makes them less scary. Namely, to consider that you are not bending your back, rather lengthening through the whole of the front of your body. A lot may change when considering them from a different angle and with a few extra tips.

12.00 – 13.30: The Evolution of Mysore Ashtanga Yoga

When the first Westerners arrived in Mysore, the way they were taught was not the same as we are today. Indeed, there have been some important changes over the last 50 years. And it’s not only interesting, but, also, useful to our own practices, to know how what we are doing has evolved up until this point. 

This event is hosted by Avra Yoga and held at Chakra Yoga, click below for more info and to book your place.