Optimal Health Weekend

The insights of the Ancients from Vedic India have both deep and practical relevance for modern living. We will explore specific Yogic teachings and practices that provide methods to help us achieve our highest potential. Gary will lead us through a step-by-step examination of how to move towards optimal health, with a focus on integrated asana and pranayama.

Introduction to Optimal Health - The Viniyoga Perspective
Friday, May 17
6:30-8:30pm
Viniyoga moves individuals towards optimum health by adapting the various means and methods of practice to the unique condition, needs and interests of each individual. This allows teachers and practitioners to individualize and actualize the process of self-discovery and personal transformation required to achieve our highest potential. This class will be an overview of the Viniyoga perspective on health, healing and beyond.
Friday night only available for: $45
 

Asana: Optimizing Structure
Saturday, May 18
10:30-1:30 and 2:30-5:30
Saturday will focus on the means and methods to achieve both the outer and inner goals of asana. We will examine methods to achieve your outer goals of alignment, stability, appropriate range of motion, resilience, symmetry, and functional movement patterns, while including inner goals of cultivating awareness of the central channel, increasing and directing the flow of prana in the nadis, and strengthening the inner fire – agni.  Discussion will include how to adapt and individualize asana to help us achieve these goals. 

Pranayama: Optimizing Physiology
Sunday, May 19
10:30-1:30 and 2:30-5:30
Sunday will focus on the means and methods to achieve both the outer and inner goals of pranayama.  Our emphasis will be to achieve the outer goals of increasing vitality, improving sleep, enhancing energy, managing stress, stimulating immune response, influencing sympathetic/parasympathetic regulation to optimize physiological processes with appropriate attention to the inner goals of building prana shakti, directing agni for purification, balancing the emotions, and clarifying the mind.  We will explore how to adapt and individualize pranayama to help us achieve these goals including teachings on and practice of bandhas.

Foundations of Tantric Yoga

In this three day special program, Gary will teach on the philosophical foundations of Tantric Yoga, as well as the methods and purposes of various practices that have emerged from the tradition.
This program will include:

• Exploring the integrated use of breath-centric asana, mudra, kriya, pranayama, and bandha to bring our awareness into the central channel, and the journey along the path to liberation.
   
• Linking mantra through prana to the chakras and use the power of meditation to affect deep inner transformation using breath-centric asana, pranayama, chanting, and meditation.
   
• Integrating these practices with  the powerful Tantric tools of sankalpa and nyasa to clarify our intention, strengthen our will, and activate and embody our highest potential

Classes meet from 10:30-1:00and 2:00-4:00 each day.

Gary Kraftsow

Gary began his study of Yoga in India with T.K.V. Desikachar in 1974 and received a Viniyoga Special Diploma from Viniyoga International in Paris, France. He graduated from Colgate University in 1976 and received his Masters Degree in Psychology and Religion from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 1983.
Gary is the Founder, Director and Senior Teacher of the American Viniyoga Institute’s Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist Training Programs. He is the author of YOGA FOR WELLNESS and YOGA FOR TRANSFORMATION; and educational DVDs Viniyoga Therapy for Low Back, Sacrum and Hips and Viniyoga Therapy for Upper Back, Neck and Shoulders. His DVDs, Viniyoga Therapy for Anxiety and Viniyoga Therapy for Depression were released in August 2011. Gary developed the Viniyoga Stress Reduction Program for the Aetna Mind-Body Pilot for chronic and high stress. His most recent article, A Living Healing Tradition, is published in the Winter 2010-11 edition of Yoga International.

Read more about Gary Kraftsow here.