Online Ashtanga Intensive Course 2024
Online Ashtanga Intensive Course 2024
DATES (SATURDAY & SUNDAY 8.00 AM TO 12.00 noon UK TIME)
Revised dates below:
- October 5th & 6th
- November 9th & 10th
- November 23rd & 24th
- December 7th & 8th
Recordings will be available for dates that can't be attended live.
Cost: €450 or Early Bird: €395 (book and pay in full by July 30th, 2024)
This 50-Hour Ashtanga Intensive Course Includes:
Livestream Sessions with Adam over Four Weekends (32 hours)
- 8 days of four-hour live Zoom meetings
- These sessions will be recorded, and you will have access for the remainder of the year
Pre-recorded workshops and lectures (13 hours)
- 13 hours of content that you can watch at your own pace and will have unlimited access to for one year.
- You will have access to all course content until February 28th, 2026
Asana Technique, Philosophy, History of Yoga and Teaching Methodology
- Sessions cover topics of asana, philosophy, and the history of yoga, as well as teaching methodology and challenges.
Ashtanga Yoga, A Teacher’s Companion by Adam
- Downloadable and printable PDF manual
Presentations and Downloads
- History of Classical Yoga
- History of Modern Yoga
- Yoga Sutras
- Bhagavad Gita
ADAM’S APPROACH
To make the practice of Ashtanga Yoga accessible, sustainable, and enjoyable to anyone who sees its potential to enhance their lives.
THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS ASHTANGA INTENSIVE
- To understand how to adapt the sequence and postures to suit any individual whatever their level of ability, current health, or age.
- To convey the inner workings of the technique known as tristana; posture, bandha and drishti, and how (and why!) they come together.
- To find a way that ALL students can practice their version of Primary Series, and, at the very least, a part of the Intermediate series.
- To explain how to use physical assistance in a safe, effective, and non-intrusive manner (ie. not adjusting but suggesting and supporting through the medium of touch)
- To use language in the most efficient way possible to convey technique.
- To help convey the context of the modern yoga practice by looking at the Classical roots of yoga as well as those of modern asana.
- To look at and discuss the role of the modern yoga teacher as well as the difficulties that may arise in teaching.
WHO IS THE ASHTANGA INTENSIVE FOR?
The course is suitable for anyone who wants to commit their time and effort to participate. All levels of practitioners From those relatively new to their practice to long-term practitioners already teaching, we can almost guarantee it will be found worthwhile.
For the newer student, maybe you’ll come back to considering the subtler points later on, but you’ll obtain a foundation to work from. For the more established student, you’ll get clearer on conveying the basics and new perspectives on the practice to challenge and reinspire you.
The course is relevant to students and teachers alike. If you don’t currently teach or want to teach, you can simply skip the few modules specific to teaching. However, most of the course will still be immediately relevant to you as a practitioner (there are quite a number who take the course without any interest in teaching).
The course emphasises group discussion and participation throughout. However, Adam knows how to facilitate this so as not to put anyone on the spot or force anyone who doesn’t wish to speak.
COURSE CONTENT
- Step-by-step guidance on the mechanics/objective of each posture.
- Instructions on the vinyasa count as it is currently taught in Mysore, the reasoning behind it and when and how you might choose to modify it.
- Precise verbal cues as well as support and advice on developing your own voice as a teacher.
- A new approach to safe and appropriate physical assistance through using resistance assistance (getting students to push against you, not pushing on them).
- Knowledge of how to adapt asanas and the sequences for any person.
- A clear overview of the tristana method at the centre of Ashtanga yoga and how it functions to facilitate profound release through diaphragmatic breathing.
- Seminars and discussion on traditional and contemporary yoga philosophy; what yoga has meant historically, as well as what it might mean for us today.
- Group discussions on the role of a teacher and the possible challenges entailed, along with practical tips on how to deal with common obstacles, student-teacher dynamics as they arise and logistical aspects such as structuring your practice with teaching.
- A continuous mentorship relationship with Adam after graduation if desired.
- A certificate of completion from Keen on Yoga
WEEKEND 1, OCT 5-6: Getting Clear on Foundations
This weekend aims at making both the basic philosophical context of yoga clear, as well as translating this into the practical concerns of how we are then to practice asana.
We will look at the basics of Classical yoga philosophy and yoga’s roots in asceticism and meditation and how this gradually evolved into a branch called tantra from where our embodied practices originate.
Practically, we look at the fundamental principles of bandha and breath and how they create the energy of the asana taking it from being something other than a kind of exotic gymnastics.
WEEKEND 2, NOV 9th & 10th Classical Roots to Modern Asana
We take a look at the modern masters; Sri Krishnamacharya, Sri Yogendra and Swami Kuvuyalanda and consider the evolution of practice. Followed by a view of Yoga Sutras to inform our practices on and off the mat rather than simply memorizing the eight limbs and the yamas and niyamas.
We shall consider the two fundamental aspects of movement upon which asana is based: ‘forward folds’ and ‘backbends and question the modern translations. Then a short intro to the Intermediate series as the natural complement of the movements and energy involved in the Primary Series. (Originally, the two series were taught together).
WEEKEND 3 November 23rd & 24th: The Challenge Of Teaching Others
How to make the sequences accessible to all without losing the essence or integrity of the method. We consider the basics of the inner method so the Ashtanga practice can be modified and amended for any student regardless of age, ability, or level of health.
We look at challenges that might come up for the teacher in the context of looking at the idea of dharma upon which the fundamental yoga text The Bhagavad Gita is founded. What does ‘doing your duty’ actually mean these days for the modern teacher and student immersed in an infinitely more fluid life, full of change and uncertainty?
The Bhagavad Gita is probably the most helpful text around on applied yoga philosophy. It will inform our weekend together as we look at how it approaches decision-making, coping with difficulties, and, of course, asana and meditation.
WEEKEND 4, December 7th & 8th Going Forward
The final weekend brings everything together and we look at ideas for going forward. This course is not designed to tell you what to think, but to help you decide your approach to what is a vast, varied and often conflictive subject (both asana and yoga philosophy).
We shall all work on finding your style of verbal cuing, as well as going over once more the fundamental basis of what it is we’re aiming for in asana; sthira and sukha.
We will learn a version of at least half of the Intermediate series (using variations, modifications, and props) so that the essence of these postures is available to all, outside of the idealized, visual representation of the known form of the asana itself.
We will also consider the history of the modern tradition of Ashtanga, the old teachers’ experiences when they first learnt in Mysore in the 1970s and how the tradition of Ashtanga has, in fact, always been in evolution; with different teachers being taught differently depending on when they went to Mysore.
FULL SCHEDULE AND PREP WORK
To see a full day-by-day breakdown of the course expand the section below.
Required Reading
- Ashtanga Yoga, A Teacher's Companion, Adam Keen (provided in PDF)
- The Truth of Yoga, Daniel Simpson
- The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
- The Bhagavad Gita, translated by Stanley Lombardo
Further Recommended Reading
- The Modern Path of Yoga, Elliot Goldberg
- The Heart of Yoga, TKV Desikachar
- The Yoga Makaranada, Sri T Krishnamacharya
- Mastery, George Leonard
- The Yoga Body, Mark Singelton
- Is This Yoga, Anya Foxen and Christa Kuberry
Cost: €450
Early Bird: €395
A non-refundable €200.00 deposit will secure your place with the full balance due by September 15th. Payment plans are available, please contact us to discuss if you would like to set up a plan.
We try to make our courses available to everyone who is sincerely interested. If you feel you can genuinely not afford the fee please get in touch with us at info@keenonyog.com and we can discuss a reduction
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Find the Keen on Yoga terms and conditions for courses and workshops here.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TRAINING COURSE PLEASE CONTACT ADAM INFO@KEENONYOGA.COM WHATSAPP +447441395372 OR MESSAGE ADAM ON HIS SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS
Feedback from the online Ashtanga Intensive 2023
thank you for the possibility to join this course with you! I like the mixture of recorded Videos and life classes, because it works very well for me due to my regular Job. Furthermore this style gave me enough time to let settle down all information and to think about it.
Tina
I loved it all. I found the first session really shocking. You know the thing I loved about Ashtanga is all the rules and tradition but since you exposed its not quite how I thought it was I feel ready to make it work better for me. Thank you for opening my eyes to this. I was taking it all way to literally and seriously.
Anne
It was awesome. It completely exceeded my expectations. Adam, you are relatable, sensible and trustworthy. You have been honest, approachable, patient, generous, funny, real and succinct. You communicate your ideas clearly and concisely. I had no idea coming into this course the impact it would have on me. I needed to just stop my physical practice for a few weeks. You gave me the push I needed to slow down take stock and think about what I am doing.
Yvette
I found it interesting because you can learn (or think about) what you want from a teacher. As a student, I've only known one style of teaching Ashtanga (the hands-on, quite competitive at times) and I never thought about questioning it. I loved the course, and I can't think of any improvement.
Lisa
Date
- Nov 30 2024
- Expired!
Cost
- €450.00
More Info
Location
- Link will be sent by email within 24 hours
