Foundation Workshop Study Course

The Foundation Workshop Study Course is intended for those students who, having completed a Introductory Workshop Course, wish to explore further the teachings which can inspire and guide our work with Yoga.

To download the Foundation Workshop Programme details as a PDF file please click the logo

To view the Foundation Study Course diary dates

Aims:
To present a view of Yoga to help develop our practice and deepen our relationship with Yoga. This means respecting the vital source from which these teachings originated and their place in our age and culture.

Framework:
The Foundation Course Workshops reflect the teachings of TKV Desikachar and his father and teacher T Krishnamacharya as taught to Paul Harvey over 25 years through:

• Guidance in emphasising a personal practice to support your life.
  
  
• Guidance in emphasising a personal practice to support your everyday life.
  
  
• Understanding the principles which inspire and shape Yoga practice.
  
  
• An overview of important Yoga teachings around body and mind.
  
  
• Familiarisation with basic Yoga terms and practice techniques.
  
  
• Appreciating how your body can work more effectively in asana.
  
  
• Deepening our work with and importance of the breath in practice.
  
  

Prerequisites:
Prospective students will have successfully completed an Introductory Workshop Study Course.

Duration:
A total of 60 contact and home study hours comprising:

• 48 group contact hours
• 12 hours guided home study and practice research

- through four two day weekends over six months of 15 hours each comprising:

• 12 hours in each weekend workshop
• 3 hours (approx) over each home study and practice research project

Weekend schedule:
Saturday
9.30 - Onwards for refreshments
10.00 - Prompt Start introducing the days themes
10.15 - Practice
11.00 - Break
11.15 - Session
12.00 - Break
12.15 – Asana Study and Workshop Session
1.00 - Lunch
2.00 - Session
2.45 - Break
3.00 - Session
3.45 - Break
4.00 - Session
4.45 - Practice
5.15 - Closing and Review
5.30 - Departures

Sunday
9.00 - Onwards for refreshments
9.30 - Prompt Start introducing the days themes
9.45 - Practice
10.30 - Break
10.45 - Session
11.30 - Break
11.45 – Asana Study and Workshop Session
12.30 - Lunch
1.30 - Session
2.15 - Break
2.30 -Session
3.15 - Practice
3.45 - Closing and Review
4.00 - Departures

Feedback:
Support and advice will be offered on the students’ progress and on possibilities for further development after the course. There is also the possibility of written work being requested to help the transmission.

Certification:
The Foundation Course Certificate is awarded to successful students with full workshop attendence.

Professional:
There is no requirement to teach or to intend to teach Yoga. This is not the role of the course. Here the development and questions relating to our personal practice and study are the priorities.

Registration:
Interested students should visit the Diary page for dates, costs and registration details.

The topics covered are:

Yoga Practice

• Practical sessions to learn the skills to refine our own practice.

Yoga Sutra

• Learning to use the Yoga Sutra.
• Key concepts to guide our practice

Origins of Yoga

• What is Yoga?
• Exploring related teachings.

Asana in Practice

• What is Asana?
• Exploring selected Asana.
• Why we move or stay in Asana.
• What are the components of Asana?
• Introducing sequence building.
• Learning to look at our practice with greater awareness.

Pranayama in Practice

• What is Pranayama?
• What is its relationship with Asana?
• Exploring helpful techniques.
• Understanding the different components.

Meditation in Practice

• What is Meditation?
• How to learn the basic techniques through Asana and Pranayama.

Therapy in everyday life

• The Role for Yoga as a Therapy
  
• The Role of Ayurveda and its links with Yoga.

The Yoga Student

• The teachings from T Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar

Sanskrit

• Introduction to the value of sound in practice.
• Introduction to the value of reciting the Yoga Sutra.

Home Study

• Informal guidelines of a practical nature through reading, questions for reflection and personal practice.