Traditional Hatha Yoga, Prānāyām & Chakra Kriyā
Wednesday 29th – Friday 31st May 2024, 08:30 – 16:30, Led by Hali Schwartz
This unique course will bring us back in time to the earliest expressions of the hatha yoga system of practice, exploring its rich history, philosophy and methodology. We will foster a deeper understanding of this vast and complex tradition, while discovering its original aims.
To accomplish this, we will delve into the practices of āsana (postures) and prānāyām (life force, breath expansion), as well as mudrā (hand gestures, seals), and chakra kriyā (purification and balancing of the spiritual centres).
All of the above-mentioned systems of practice were designed to prepare the yogī for meditation, which was always understood to be the principal way in which the knowledge of the true Self (ātman) can be reached. Our time together will explore all of these methodologies, so that we can expand both our own practice, while at the same time developing a new set of skills for teaching others.
Dates
Wednesday 29th – Friday 31st May 2024, 08:30 – 16:30
Investment
The price for this 25 hour module is £400
Yoga Hero teacher trainees and graduates get 20% off!
Payment in instalments is available.
Course Objectives:
- To foster a deeper understanding of the vast and complex history of the traditional hatha yoga system
- Discover the original aims of the traditional hatha yoga system
- Āsanas: how they fit into the hatha yoga system as a whole
- Prānayām practices: how they fit into the hatha yoga system as a whole
- Learning to foster swa sādhana — ‘self-practice’, using traditional āsana and prānayām as the foundational basis
- Exploring the long history of Rāja Yoga, and how hatha yoga meditation practices emerge from it. The union of hatha and rāja yoga
- The esoteric physiology of Tantra and hatha yoga: nādis; bandhas; chakras; kundalini
- How to construct hatha yoga āsana sequences which incorporate all of the above
- How to teach the traditional āsana and prānayām practices, leading into meditation
- To foster a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the history and methodology of kriyā yoga.
- To learn how to teach a selection of kriyā yoga practices, that are both safe as well as applicable, for yoga students in our current modern setting
- Developing a deeper and more confident understanding of the chakras
- How to create safe spaces for teaching about the chakras and how they can be applied to yoga practice in general
- Developing a more robust prānāyām practice, giving us a greater confidence in offering these practices to others
Course Content:
The philosophy of yoga
- The Vedas and Upanishads – yoga’s earliest scriptural roots
- Key themes found in the Upanishads and how these relate to Hatha yoga
Insight in to Hatha yoga
- A look at the history and origins of hatha yoga: aims, and main practices
- Wonderful namaskar sequences, including:
- Surya Namaskār
- Sukhāsana Namaskār
- Chandra Namaskār
- Teaching principals of the main āsanas of traditional hatha yoga
- What are bandhas, and how and when to use them
Pranayam and meditation
- Prānāyām – origin and aims
- Meditation (rāja yoga) as a culmination of hatha yoga
- And so, so much more!
Register your interest in this Traditional Hatha Yoga, Prānāyām & Chakra Kriyā Teacher Training
Course Leader
Hali Schwartz
Hali says:
I have been immersed in the world of yoga since I was a young girl. My very first yoga teacher was my mother. I have such a clear and distinct memory of being 8 years old and asking my mother: “What is Yoga?” Her answer mystified me, being so young. She answered: “Yoga means ‘balance.’” In those days I didn’t quite understand what that meant. At that time it had already been a few years that she had been studying and practicing yoga and meditation with great devotion. I went with her to all the classes and sessions she was taking with an Indian guru who was touring Canada and the US. It was the 1970’s and there was a growing group of people who were truly pioneers in exploring the world of yoga and finding out how its teachings can transform lives. Every day they would come to my house for their yoga meetings and I would sit and listen and laugh and absorb the energy of it, even though I didn’t really know what they were talking about.
Years later, in 1988 I traveled to India for the first time to the ash ram where my mother had decided to devote her life. I have traveled there every year since, delving into all aspects of the yoga tradition at the International Meditation Institute (I.M.I. ) in Kullu, in the North Western Himalayas where my mother still lives nearly 40 years later! It was at the institute that I was introduced to yoga philosophy in all its glory. I studied the Sanskrit language, several yoga and vedantic scriptures such as the Upanishads, The Bhagavad Gita, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra (to name but a few) as well as chanting, meditation, hatha, kriya and restorative yoga.
In 1999 I started teaching yoga in Toronto, while continuing my studies in Ashtanga Yoga with the incomparable Ron Reid at the Downward Dog. In 2001, I began teaching yoga philosophy, Sanskrit, chanting and meditation in various teacher training programs around the city, and have trained hundreds of teachers since then at Yoga Space, Octopus Garden, IAM Yoga and Sananda Yoga. I love mentoring new teachers as well as introducing new students in the amazing benefits of this awesome tradition.
In 2002 I took my first group of yoga students with me to India, and have since lead several pilgrimage voyages to the Himalayas, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Varanasi, Rajasthan, New Delhi and Mumbai.
I am so passionate about this subject. It is my life’s joy to share this knowledge and this practice with anyone and everyone who has the interest to dive into it!
Who is this course for?
This course is perfect for
- yoga teachers including aspiring or trainee yoga teachers
- anyone with an interest in learning more about the incredible practice of yoga
Further course information including all policies >
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About Yoga Hero
Yoga Hero has been established since March 2013. Initially, classes were ‘popping up’ in church halls, arts galleries, cafes, skateparks… you name it! Over time, we eventually found a beautiful home in Leeds Dock.
Yoga Hero has three studios, one with a capacity of up to 80, one with a capacity of 20, and the third is perfect for small private groups or one to one sessions. At Yoga Hero, we offer everything from Introduction to Yoga Courses, Pay As You Feel Classes, up to 200 hour Foundation Teacher Training Qualifications and Further Training, such as Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and much more!
About Leeds Dock
Yoga Hero is based in a beautiful part of Leeds called Leeds Dock. Leeds Dock is a 10 minute walk from Leeds Train Station, or there’s a free water taxi service between the train station and the Dock!
Around Leeds Dock are many affordable hotels, such as:
* Holiday Inn Express (Two minutes’ walk)
* Jury’s Inn (Five minutes’ walk)
* Ibis (Five minutes’ walk)
* Malmaison (Ten minutes’ walk)
There are also many very reasonably priced AirBnBs on the Dock
Leeds is a quite small city with loads going on. The whole city is walkable by foot, probably 40 minutes’ walk from one end to the other at a steady pace. There’s many independent restaurants and cafes, with our favourite North Star Coffee Shop just two doors down from the studio, serving incredible coffee and food during the day.
If you have any questions about Leeds; what to do, where to stay, or how to get here, just ask the team: hello@yogahero.co.uk // 07743513225
Course Policy Documentation
Please note that this course is subject to our Course Policy Documentation, please read >
