Jun 6, 2012
Jun 3, 2012
4-week Ashtanga Beginner Course June 4 - 28
The Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala is a unique space specializing in traditional Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga in the lineage of Shri K Pattabhi Jois. This method comes directly from Mysore, India and emphasizes personal development, dedication, and a strong student-teacher relationship. Mysore is ideal for beginning students.
Under the watchful eye of a highly trained instructor you will learn in a gentle, safe, and supportive environment. Students are taught gradually, ensuring correct understanding and time for integration of each asana, concept, and technique before the next is given. In this way, students progress on their own truly personal path of yoga.
All classes are taught by Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute Authorized teacher Elise Espat. Students will work individually with Elise, slowly developing a daily Mysore practice according to their abilities. Each session will build upon the last. To receive the most benefit from the course, it is recommended that students attend classes 4 days per week. If this is not possible, at least once or twice per week will suffice.
TIME: 8:30 - 9:30 am
DATES: Monday, June 4th - Thursday, June 28th
DAYS: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
LOCATION: Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala 206 Dartmouth DR NE @Monte Vista in Nob Hill
TUITION: $108
DATES: Monday, June 4th - Thursday, June 28th
DAYS: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
LOCATION: Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala 206 Dartmouth DR NE @Monte Vista in Nob Hill
TUITION: $108
Pre-registration is required: eliseashtangayoga@gmail.com
{Archive} Outtakes: The Yoga Portfolio
May 31, 2012
Ashtanga Yoga Retreat September 29 - October 6, 2012
1st Annual Ashtanga Yoga Adventure Retreat
with Krista Shirley and Elise Espat
at Xinalani Yoga Retreat (Near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)
September 29 - October 6, 2012
An unforgettable week of Ashtanga Yoga, relaxation, exploration, and adventure.
Connect with like-minded people, immerse yourself in nature, and deepen
your Ashtanga Yoga practice under the guidance of Elise Espat and Krista
Shirley, both infectiously adventurous level 2 authorized teachers by
the Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute. This week will open
your eyes and heart to the secrets of abundant living as you find
yourself surrounded with grace, love, happiness, fulfillment,
appreciation, humility, gratitude and inspiration towards effort.
Each day begins with traditional Mysore practice with the rest of the
day to be spent as you see fit. Relax on the beach, cozy up with a book,
or participate in a group excursion... Swimming with dolphins, anyone?
Parasailing? Zip lining? Rappelling down waterfalls? (You get the
picture.)
No previous yoga or Ashtanga experience is necessary. Just bring your mat and a willingness to learn.
ABOUT THE TEACHERS
Krista Shirley is a dedicated student and practitioner of
traditional Ashtanga yoga. She travels to Mysore, India each year to
spend time studying at the Krishna Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute
(KPJAYI). Krista humbly gives thanks to her teachers, Sharath Jois and
Saraswathi Jois, for their guidance and love. "It is a true honor
to study with Sharath and Saraswathi so that my own practice and
teachings may continue to grown on the right path under their tutelage."
Krista is a Level 2 Authorized Ashtanga teacher and founder of The
Yoga Shala in Winter Park, Florida where she teaches traditional
Ashtanga yoga classes in the Mysore method.
Krista’s dedication to her personal yoga practice and the Ashtanga
lineage shine through in her teaching. Her energy is contagious and
inspiring! Krista specializes in providing all her students with a lot
of personal attention. Krista is here to help you begin or advance your
Ashtanga Yoga journey.
Krista will be returning to India and KPJAYI for her eighth trip in January 2013.
Visit www.AshtangaYogini.com for more information about Krista.
Elise Espat is dedicated to the ongoing practice and study of the
traditional Ashtanga yoga method. She is one of the few teachers
worldwide to have received Level 2 Authorization, enabling her to teach
both the primary and intermediate series of Ashtanga yoga. She is a
student of many subjects including Sanskrit, philosophy, and anatomy and
maintains an ongoing practice at the Shri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga
Yoga Institute in Mysore, India with R. Sharath Jois and R. Saraswathi
Jois and in New York with Guy Donahaye. Elise currently lives in New
Mexico where she teaches at the Albuquerque Ashtanga Yoga Shala.
LOCATION
Xinalani Yoga Retreat is an intimate eco-conscious retreat center located on a private beach just south of Puerto Vallarta...
"Xinalani Retreat is about discovery, admiration, love for yoga,
nature, magic, conscious travel, eco-adventure, wellness, serenity and
mindful living. We aim to reveal the beauty of an unknown Mexico and
share with our guests eye-opening vacations that inspire transformation.
We are an Eco Resort. We attempt to minimize our environmental impact. All guest accommodations have low consumption lights (LEDs) and are equipped with two outlets to reload cell phones and camera batteries. Our construction method was extremely organic: no concrete, no land modification, very little footprint. All guests are provided with high-end eco-friendly soaps and shampoo. Toilets are low-flow, and all water is recycled and used to irrigate our gardens. We use natural and biodegradable cleaning products, we recycle, and compost wherever possible."
We are an Eco Resort. We attempt to minimize our environmental impact. All guest accommodations have low consumption lights (LEDs) and are equipped with two outlets to reload cell phones and camera batteries. Our construction method was extremely organic: no concrete, no land modification, very little footprint. All guests are provided with high-end eco-friendly soaps and shampoo. Toilets are low-flow, and all water is recycled and used to irrigate our gardens. We use natural and biodegradable cleaning products, we recycle, and compost wherever possible."
SAMPLE SCHEDULE
7:00-9:00am Mysore Practice
9:00-9:30am Chanting
9:30-11:00am Breakfast
1:30-2:30 Lunch
Optional Group Excursion
5-7pm Lecture, Meditation, Chanting
7:30-8:30pm Dinner
ROOMS
All accommodation options are beachfront, spacious, palm-thatched cabins
floating on stilts. The suites were designed with refined elegance and
built and furnished by local artisans. Their cozy interiors inspire
feelings of calm and serenity. Enjoy the closeness of the natural
elements, the stimulation of the open-air private showers and the
stunning views of Puerto Vallarta and the Pacific Ocean directly from
your terrace.
more information
ACTIVITIES
WATER: Swimming, surfing, snorkeling, dolphins, whales, scuba diving, kayaking, bodyboarding, boating
LAND: Hiking, zip-lining, horses, cooking, spa treatments, volunteering, visit Yelapa, visit Boca de Tomatlán, donkeys, waterfalls
more information
Everything you wanted to know about Xinalani that wasn't included here
Xinalani Yoga Retreat
FAQs
Flickr
ACTIVITIES
WATER: Swimming, surfing, snorkeling, dolphins, whales, scuba diving, kayaking, bodyboarding, boating
LAND: Hiking, zip-lining, horses, cooking, spa treatments, volunteering, visit Yelapa, visit Boca de Tomatlán, donkeys, waterfalls
more information
Everything you wanted to know about Xinalani that wasn't included here
Xinalani Yoga Retreat
FAQs
Flickr
More information and registration:
www.EliseAshtangaYoga.com
www.EliseAshtangaYoga.com
MYSORE STYLE ASHTANGA YOGA: Summer 2012
MYSORE STYLE ASHTANGA YOGA: Summer 2012
Beginners and new students are always welcome.
Sunday
6:30 am Door Opens
8:15 am Mantra / Mysore
10:00 am Door Closes
Monday - Friday
6:00 am Door Opens
6:30 am Mantra / Mysore
9:00 am Door Closes (Friday)
10:00 am Door Closes (Monday-Thursday)
Moon Days (No Class)
June 3rd, Sunday
June 19th, Tuesday
July 3rd, Tuesday
July 18th, Wednesday
August 1st, Wednesday
August 17th, Friday
August 31st, Friday
More information:
http://www.eliseashtangayoga.com/Classes
May 15, 2012
Interview with Guy Donahaye, Author of "Guruji: A Portrait"
Reflections on "Guruji: A Portrait"
Interview with Guy Donahaye by Elise Espat - Part I
http://yogamindmedicine.blogspot.com/2012/04/reflections-on-guruji-portrait.html
How and why did you choose to ask the questions you asked for the interviews?
When I arrived in Mysore in the early '90s Guruji used to give regular
theory classes, but his ability to communicate was often thwarted by
language problems.
Guruji spoke a little English but he had a strong accent which was often
hard for English speakers to understand and mostly impossible to
understand for non-native English speakers when he started to talk about
philosophy.
In the first few years I was there, there were 15-20 students at his
theory classes. We were French, German, English, American, Dutch, Swiss…
a jumble of languages with varying limitations on the grasp of Guruji's
broken English and Sanskrit. So his efforts were often mired in
frustration. I felt for him (and for myself - I was also frustrated we
were unable to learn more from him in this forum).
There were also increasing numbers of students who did not want to think
too deeply. For them being in India with Guruji was perhaps a bit of a
lark and not an opportunity to absorb the fullness of what he had to
offer. Often they turned Guruji's theory classes into a bit of a circus.
Guruji was a scholar and had the desire to share the gems of the
Upanishads or the Yoga Sutra with his students, but as time went by, the
quality of the interest was often brought down to a lowest common
denominator by questions such as "Guruji, what is the best kind of yoga
clothing or mat to use?" or other perhaps important, yet mundane
subjects.
In the end Guruji would often shake his head in frustration and
resignation and say "You don't understand! Just do your practice and all
is coming!" This was accepted by increasing numbers as a motto, and for
some, as an invitation not to question any deeper. But I felt it was
said in the context of frustration that direct teaching through the mind
was not possible.
"Sat tu dirgha kala…" - perhaps Guruji's favorite words - "you practice
for a long time! 10 years, 20 years, your life long, you practice!" He
was able to convey this aspect of his teaching with absolute
effectiveness - but what did he mean by "all is coming"? I think this is
the subject of much of the book.
So my first motivation was to give Guruji a voice and to try to share
his philosophy. Of course it is not his philosophy, it is the eternal
teaching of the Vedas, Upanishads and other sacred literature of India,
but unique in the way it came to expression through him.
Originally the interviews were part of a video documentary project. What
I had in mind was to paint a portrait of Guruji, an Impressionistic
image or collage, by juxtaposing different shades and hues of answers to
the same questions. My questions were designed to be cut from the end
result, leaving the interviewees to speak for themselves. You will
notice there are very few questions which evoke a yes/no response.
I wanted to make the interviews as comprehensive as possible because I
was not sure which parts I was going to want to use. When the interviews
first started to take shape as an idea Guruji was still relatively
unknown (Yoga Mala had not been translated into English) but by the time
I started asking the first questions (1999), he was already traveling
and teaching extensively and had become well known in the West.
While I had been motivated to write a book myself, I felt that the
voices of others would give much greater authority and weight - and as
it turns out also wisdom, eloquence and insight! The questions covered
several areas such as: Guruji as teacher, the practice, theory, Guruji
as family man, origins of the series and the individual experiences of
the interviewees. As time went by the question list became more
comprehensive, but it changed with each interview as I noted particular
areas of interest or expertise. If I found the subject going in an
interesting direction, I would follow it.
I have always known yoga as a spiritual practice, but many I have met on
the path are more interested in the material benefits. Although the
book is called "Guruji" and does contain biographical and anecdotal
stories about his life, the larger part of the book is devoted to what
he was teaching. What is yoga? And how should practice be applied? What
are the benefits? And what is the metaphysical viewpoint which underpins
the yogic knowledge? Guruji is the lens, the teacher, but the main
object of interest is yoga itself. Because there was no clearly (or
universally) understood "Ashtanga Yoga Philosophy" amongst his students,
his philosophy became summed up by many as 99% practice, 1% theory, do
you practice and all is coming etc - and that was about it. I felt this
imbalance needed correcting.
Guy Interview
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