WORKSHOPS
The Yoga School NY offers Workshops with
Teachers in the Desikachar/Krishnamacharya Tradition
Guta Hedewig
Vedic Chanting - Medha Mantra
Fridays, October 15th, 22nd, 29th, and November 5th, 2021 - 1:30-2:30pm
This class is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $80 for the FOUR Class Workshop, or $20 per class
- pay what you can if you are experiencing financial hardship -
Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
Vedic Chanting is the ancient art of transmitting the Veda-s orally, from teacher to student, in a strictly prescribed way. This practice hones your listening skills tremendously, improves memory, works to extend the breath fully, and can lead to a deep meditative state.
We will learn Medha Mantra from the Taittiriya Samhita. In this chant, we invoke Agni, Indra and Surya to help remove darkness and dullness from our minds and find mental clarity and radiance. We will learn the increasingly more intricate Samhita, Krama, Jata and Ghana versions. We will also review some of the shorter mantra-s, such as Gayatri Mantra, as well as the peace Mantra-s Asato Ma, Purnamadah and Sam No Mitra.
This course is open to beginners and experienced chanters alike.
Join us for this joyful experience!
Vedic Chanting - Medha Mantra
Fridays, October 15th, 22nd, 29th, and November 5th, 2021 - 1:30-2:30pm
This class is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $80 for the FOUR Class Workshop, or $20 per class
- pay what you can if you are experiencing financial hardship -
Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
Vedic Chanting is the ancient art of transmitting the Veda-s orally, from teacher to student, in a strictly prescribed way. This practice hones your listening skills tremendously, improves memory, works to extend the breath fully, and can lead to a deep meditative state.
We will learn Medha Mantra from the Taittiriya Samhita. In this chant, we invoke Agni, Indra and Surya to help remove darkness and dullness from our minds and find mental clarity and radiance. We will learn the increasingly more intricate Samhita, Krama, Jata and Ghana versions. We will also review some of the shorter mantra-s, such as Gayatri Mantra, as well as the peace Mantra-s Asato Ma, Purnamadah and Sam No Mitra.
This course is open to beginners and experienced chanters alike.
Join us for this joyful experience!
Guta Hedewig has studied the teachings of Krishnamacharya with TKV Desikachar at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (KYM.org) in Chennai. She is a Certified Yoga Therapist and Yoga Teacher in the Krishnamacharya Tradition, having completed a 4 year long Yoga Therapy Training. She also learned Vedic Chanting at the affiliated Vedavani (Vedic Chanting School) and with her mentor, Sonia Nelson (vedicchantcenter.org). Guta is a Yoga Alliance registered E-RYT 500 and has directed over 30 Yoga Teacher Training Programs (200, 500 and 700 hr). Her specialization is to introduce students to Traditional Yoga Teachings in the lineage of T. Krishnamacharya, and his son TKV Desikachar. She works therapeutically one-on-one, creating individualized practices for students to enhance health and well-being. She also leads regular workshops in Vedic Chanting.
Rachel Lynch John
Introduction to Anatomical Terminology, Movement and Planes
& The Muscular System
Saturday, October 23rd, 2021 - 2:15-7:15pm
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $100. Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
In this workshop, we will observe how the body moves, looking through the lens of anatomical terminology, movement terms, and the planes of the body to understand which systems of the body they relate to.
We will explore the structure of our skeletal muscles, how they connect to our bones, and different kinds of muscle actions, to understand the ways in which our muscles relate and work in concert with each other to create movement.
Through a somatic approach to learning, Rachel will guide you through an experiential exploration of anatomy, to develop an embodied awareness of how you are built and move.
Introduction to Anatomical Terminology, Movement and Planes
& The Muscular System
Saturday, October 23rd, 2021 - 2:15-7:15pm
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $100. Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
In this workshop, we will observe how the body moves, looking through the lens of anatomical terminology, movement terms, and the planes of the body to understand which systems of the body they relate to.
We will explore the structure of our skeletal muscles, how they connect to our bones, and different kinds of muscle actions, to understand the ways in which our muscles relate and work in concert with each other to create movement.
Through a somatic approach to learning, Rachel will guide you through an experiential exploration of anatomy, to develop an embodied awareness of how you are built and move.
Rachel Lynch-John began practicing Iyengar Yoga in 1990 and assisted her Iyengar yoga teacher, Genny Kapuler, for over ten years. She is a C-IAYT Yoga Therapist, and is registered with ISMETA as a Somatic Movement Educator. Rachel is certified in Embodied Anatomy and Yoga, and Embodied Developmental Movement and Yoga, both of which are Body-Mind Centering® approaches to teaching yoga. These approaches utilize anatomical and developmental principles to allow for the evolution of an embodied exploration and mindful yoga practice. She is also certified as a Somatic Movement Educator and an Infant Developmental Movement Educator through the School for Body-Mind Centering®.
Rachel is a founding member of Samamkaya Back Care & Scoliosis Collective where she is on the faculty of the Advanced Studies Course In Yoga Therapeutics. She also offers private sessions, small group classes and workshops in somatic movement education, embodied anatomy, pre & postnatal yoga, infant developmental movement education and asana alignment, and has taught in numerous teacher training programs in NY and Japan.
Originally trained as a dancer in her native England, in 1999 Rachel earned a “Bessie” (NY dance and performance award) for her work in the field of dance and performance. These days Rachel divides her time between NY and Santa Fe NM, where she is building a new home and practice.
Rachel is a founding member of Samamkaya Back Care & Scoliosis Collective where she is on the faculty of the Advanced Studies Course In Yoga Therapeutics. She also offers private sessions, small group classes and workshops in somatic movement education, embodied anatomy, pre & postnatal yoga, infant developmental movement education and asana alignment, and has taught in numerous teacher training programs in NY and Japan.
Originally trained as a dancer in her native England, in 1999 Rachel earned a “Bessie” (NY dance and performance award) for her work in the field of dance and performance. These days Rachel divides her time between NY and Santa Fe NM, where she is building a new home and practice.
Guta Hedewig
Course Planning in the Tradition of TKV Desikachar
Sunday, December 5th, 2021, 8:45-12:15pm
Sunday, January 23rd, 2022, 1:45-4:15pm
Sunday, April 3rd, 2022, 9:45-12:15pm
Saturday, June 4th, 2022, 2:15-4:15pm
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $210. Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
Learn how to structure a group asana class intelligently, in a step-by-step method:
- What is the goal of the class - its possible goal pose - and why?
- What is the goal pose's reference pose?
- What are the strength and flexibility requirements?
- Which simpler poses have similar requirements?
- How to structure those poses into a coherent and clear sequence, leading up to the goal
- Definition of 'counterpose'
- Adding references/rests
- Layering with breathing ratios, sound/chanting and imagery/bhavana
Homework assignments will be given between classes and individually corrected.
This way of approaching course planning facilitates a clarity of intention throughout the class that enhances the practitioner's experience of 'stilling the mind' greatly. Through its step-by-step approach, safety and mindfulness are added to the practice.
Course Planning in the Tradition of TKV Desikachar
Sunday, December 5th, 2021, 8:45-12:15pm
Sunday, January 23rd, 2022, 1:45-4:15pm
Sunday, April 3rd, 2022, 9:45-12:15pm
Saturday, June 4th, 2022, 2:15-4:15pm
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $210. Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
Learn how to structure a group asana class intelligently, in a step-by-step method:
- What is the goal of the class - its possible goal pose - and why?
- What is the goal pose's reference pose?
- What are the strength and flexibility requirements?
- Which simpler poses have similar requirements?
- How to structure those poses into a coherent and clear sequence, leading up to the goal
- Definition of 'counterpose'
- Adding references/rests
- Layering with breathing ratios, sound/chanting and imagery/bhavana
Homework assignments will be given between classes and individually corrected.
This way of approaching course planning facilitates a clarity of intention throughout the class that enhances the practitioner's experience of 'stilling the mind' greatly. Through its step-by-step approach, safety and mindfulness are added to the practice.
Jyoti Chittur
Introduction to Sanskrit
Sunday, January 9th, 2022 - 9:00-12:00pm
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $60. Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
Immersion in the ancient language, basis of scriptures and texts relevant to the study of Yoga, reading and writing script, chanting Sanskrit, importance of correct pronunciation, asana names.
Introduction to Sanskrit
Sunday, January 9th, 2022 - 9:00-12:00pm
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $60. Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
Immersion in the ancient language, basis of scriptures and texts relevant to the study of Yoga, reading and writing script, chanting Sanskrit, importance of correct pronunciation, asana names.
Jyoti Chittur was born into a family steeped in the Vaishnava tradition and initiated into the Sampradaya. She learned Sanskrit and Chanting from her grandfather who, during his time, was a scholar of the Vedas and the Scriptures. Her father, an educator, taught her Yoga in the traditional style, encompassing the physical, spiritual and elemental aspects of the practice. Her mother, a devout devotee, instilled in her the tradition and practice of Bhakti and Seva. Jyoti teaches Sanskrit and Yoga and is an alumnus of Yoga Sutra.
Rachel Lynch John
Anatomy: An Embodyment of the Structure and Dynamics of the Skeletal
and Ligamentous Systems - The Appendicular and Axial Skeleton
Saturday, January 22nd, 2022 - 12:00-5:00pm - Part 1, Lower Limbs
Saturday, February 5th, 2022 - 12:00-5:00pm - Part 2, Upper Limbs
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $175 for both workshops; $100 each individually
Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
In these two workshops we will look at how we can develop clarity of action and thought through an embodiment of the skeletal and ligamentous systems, exploring the qualities of being that arise out of these two systems combined. As we define the skeletal and ligamentous structures and functions, the potential for greater comfort and ease of movement in our body and practice can evolve.
Part 1: The Skeletal Structure and Dynamics of the Lower and Upper Limbs.
In this workshop we will explore the skeletal structures of the lower and upper limbs to find support and ease for our movement. We will examine the dynamic relationships through the bones and joints of our limbs, from the foot to the pelvis, and the hand to shoulder girdle and ribs. As we embody these skeletal pathways, we will develop and refine ways in which to direct our limbs moving into and out of an asana.
Part 2: The Skeletal Structure and Dynamics of the Spine and an Embodiment of the Skeletal System as a Whole.
In this workshop we will examine the structures of the spine from head to tail, its curves (cervical, thoracic, lumbar), the vertebra and vertebral discs, and how the limbs relate to and support the spine.
These workshops will culminate in an experiential exploration of the skeletal and ligamentous systems in movement and asana practice.
Anatomy: An Embodyment of the Structure and Dynamics of the Skeletal
and Ligamentous Systems - The Appendicular and Axial Skeleton
Saturday, January 22nd, 2022 - 12:00-5:00pm - Part 1, Lower Limbs
Saturday, February 5th, 2022 - 12:00-5:00pm - Part 2, Upper Limbs
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $175 for both workshops; $100 each individually
Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
In these two workshops we will look at how we can develop clarity of action and thought through an embodiment of the skeletal and ligamentous systems, exploring the qualities of being that arise out of these two systems combined. As we define the skeletal and ligamentous structures and functions, the potential for greater comfort and ease of movement in our body and practice can evolve.
Part 1: The Skeletal Structure and Dynamics of the Lower and Upper Limbs.
In this workshop we will explore the skeletal structures of the lower and upper limbs to find support and ease for our movement. We will examine the dynamic relationships through the bones and joints of our limbs, from the foot to the pelvis, and the hand to shoulder girdle and ribs. As we embody these skeletal pathways, we will develop and refine ways in which to direct our limbs moving into and out of an asana.
Part 2: The Skeletal Structure and Dynamics of the Spine and an Embodiment of the Skeletal System as a Whole.
In this workshop we will examine the structures of the spine from head to tail, its curves (cervical, thoracic, lumbar), the vertebra and vertebral discs, and how the limbs relate to and support the spine.
These workshops will culminate in an experiential exploration of the skeletal and ligamentous systems in movement and asana practice.
Rachel Lynch-John began practicing Iyengar Yoga in 1990 and assisted her Iyengar yoga teacher, Genny Kapuler, for over ten years. She is a C-IAYT Yoga Therapist, and is registered with ISMETA as a Somatic Movement Educator. Rachel is certified in Embodied Anatomy and Yoga, and Embodied Developmental Movement and Yoga, both of which are Body-Mind Centering® approaches to teaching yoga. These approaches utilize anatomical and developmental principles to allow for the evolution of an embodied exploration and mindful yoga practice. She is also certified as a Somatic Movement Educator and an Infant Developmental Movement Educator through the School for Body-Mind Centering®.
Rachel is a founding member of Samamkaya Back Care & Scoliosis Collective where she is on the faculty of the Advanced Studies Course In Yoga Therapeutics. She also offers private sessions, small group classes and workshops in somatic movement education, embodied anatomy, pre & postnatal yoga, infant developmental movement education and asana alignment, and has taught in numerous teacher training programs in NY and Japan.
Originally trained as a dancer in her native England, in 1999 Rachel earned a “Bessie” (NY dance and performance award) for her work in the field of dance and performance. These days Rachel divides her time between NY and Santa Fe NM, where she is building a new home and practice.
Rachel is a founding member of Samamkaya Back Care & Scoliosis Collective where she is on the faculty of the Advanced Studies Course In Yoga Therapeutics. She also offers private sessions, small group classes and workshops in somatic movement education, embodied anatomy, pre & postnatal yoga, infant developmental movement education and asana alignment, and has taught in numerous teacher training programs in NY and Japan.
Originally trained as a dancer in her native England, in 1999 Rachel earned a “Bessie” (NY dance and performance award) for her work in the field of dance and performance. These days Rachel divides her time between NY and Santa Fe NM, where she is building a new home and practice.
Dr. Dolphi Wertenbaker
Yoga Sutra Study Pada 1 & 2
Saturday, February 19th, 2022 - 9:00-1:00pm - Part 1
Sunday, February 20th, 2022 - 12:00-4:00pm - Part 2
Saturday, March 5th, 2022 - 9:00-1:00pm - Part 3
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $210 for all three workshops; $80 each individually
Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
Patañjali’s Yoga Sutra is a treasure for yoga students and teachers of all levels. The text is meant to become a lifelong companion, as its wisdom unfolds gradually with repeated study.
Yoga is a darśana, meaning that it draws inspiration from the Vedas and addresses such fundamental questions as the meaning of life, the meaning and origin of suffering and how we should live. The text dates from at least 1800 hundred years ago, yet it is fresh and illuminating today. It is timeless. The practice of yoga is much older still, having been passed down by oral tradition for hundreds of years, and possibly millennia, prior to this most authoritative text of Patañjali’s.
The text is written in sutra form, which means that it is succinct, expressing the essence of the subject without ambiguity; its ideas deal with our experience and are universally applicable. These characteristics are appropriate to the presentation of a darśana. Yet it needs to be discovered with the help of a guide.
In this workshop, we will explore the main ideas of the first two pada and delve into their practical application using examples from our lives. We will learn to chant many of the sutra in their original Sanskrit. Our sessions will include practice of asana, pranayama, meditation, lecture and discussion.
Yoga Sutra Study Pada 1 & 2
Saturday, February 19th, 2022 - 9:00-1:00pm - Part 1
Sunday, February 20th, 2022 - 12:00-4:00pm - Part 2
Saturday, March 5th, 2022 - 9:00-1:00pm - Part 3
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $210 for all three workshops; $80 each individually
Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
Patañjali’s Yoga Sutra is a treasure for yoga students and teachers of all levels. The text is meant to become a lifelong companion, as its wisdom unfolds gradually with repeated study.
Yoga is a darśana, meaning that it draws inspiration from the Vedas and addresses such fundamental questions as the meaning of life, the meaning and origin of suffering and how we should live. The text dates from at least 1800 hundred years ago, yet it is fresh and illuminating today. It is timeless. The practice of yoga is much older still, having been passed down by oral tradition for hundreds of years, and possibly millennia, prior to this most authoritative text of Patañjali’s.
The text is written in sutra form, which means that it is succinct, expressing the essence of the subject without ambiguity; its ideas deal with our experience and are universally applicable. These characteristics are appropriate to the presentation of a darśana. Yet it needs to be discovered with the help of a guide.
In this workshop, we will explore the main ideas of the first two pada and delve into their practical application using examples from our lives. We will learn to chant many of the sutra in their original Sanskrit. Our sessions will include practice of asana, pranayama, meditation, lecture and discussion.
Dolphi Wertenbaker MD, physician, yoga therapist and yoga teacher trainer in the tradition of Krishnamacharya, is a long-time personal student of TKV Desikachar, to whom she owes everything. She studied intensively with Mr. Desikachar in Chennai. Witnessing his work with patients inspired her to study medicine and pursue a life-long dream of combining medicine and yoga. Co-Founder of Viniyoga America in 1986, she has taught therapeutic yoga since 1985, was an adjunct professor at Columbia University for 14 years, and has taught in numerous yoga teacher trainings since 2007. She is a co-founder and core faculty member of YATNA (Yoga As Therapy North America) and has developed the curriculum for its yoga therapist training. Students find Dolphi’s teaching engaging and enlightening, synthesizing knowledge from different sources.
Dr. Dolphi Wertenbaker
Introduction to Meditation in the Yoga Tradition
Sunday, March 6th, 2022 - 12:00-4:00pm
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $80
Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
Meditation is a commonly-used word and concept in today's world. Yet the approach of yoga to meditation is particular and little known. Indeed, in the earliest known Sanskrit dictionary, yoga is defined simply as meditation. Meditation is not something separate from yoga. In this course we will examine the connections. We will look at the models given in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra. We will touch on some of the ideas and practices given in the Bhagavad Gita. We will explore in practice as well as in theory. How do we bring these ideas into our own practice and into our yoga teaching in various settings?
Introduction to Meditation in the Yoga Tradition
Sunday, March 6th, 2022 - 12:00-4:00pm
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $80
Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
Meditation is a commonly-used word and concept in today's world. Yet the approach of yoga to meditation is particular and little known. Indeed, in the earliest known Sanskrit dictionary, yoga is defined simply as meditation. Meditation is not something separate from yoga. In this course we will examine the connections. We will look at the models given in Patanjali's Yoga Sutra. We will touch on some of the ideas and practices given in the Bhagavad Gita. We will explore in practice as well as in theory. How do we bring these ideas into our own practice and into our yoga teaching in various settings?
Dr. Dolphi Wertenbaker
Introduction to the Bhagavad Gita
Saturday, April 9th, 2022, 9:00-1:00pm
Sunday, April 10th, 2022 - 12:00-4:00pm
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $160
Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
The Bhagavad Gita is a text from ancient India beloved by millions around the world because it speaks to the heart. It addresses questions of responsibility, how to find meaning in life, what to do in the face of conflicting priorities, and much more. In this workshop, we will study the text, chanting some of it in Sanskrit and exploring its themes through experiential exercises. The recommended translation is that by Winthrop Sargeant.
Introduction to the Bhagavad Gita
Saturday, April 9th, 2022, 9:00-1:00pm
Sunday, April 10th, 2022 - 12:00-4:00pm
This workshop is offered online via Zoom
Tuition: $160
Pre-registration required:
email: theyogaschoolny@gmail.com to receive the link to participate
The Bhagavad Gita is a text from ancient India beloved by millions around the world because it speaks to the heart. It addresses questions of responsibility, how to find meaning in life, what to do in the face of conflicting priorities, and much more. In this workshop, we will study the text, chanting some of it in Sanskrit and exploring its themes through experiential exercises. The recommended translation is that by Winthrop Sargeant.