Willow Street Workshops

5 Sessions, offered separately
Early Birds: all 4 practice sessions (Dharma/Artha/Kama/Moksha): $135 (save $25!) when you register by February 1!

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." ~ Howard Thurman

The art and science of yoga provides a template to encourage each of us awaken to the delights of an embodied life. As we become more open, aware and sensitive, our ability to fully engage and celebrate life also increases. Join Stacey Millner-Collins, certified Anusara Yoga instructor, to explore the 4 Aims of Life in this empowering workshop designed to help you rediscover what makes you feel alive... and then to do it!

Friday, Feb 10
Dharma: What makes you come alive?
During this all-levels opening class, we'll explore a variety of postures to help you connect to your higher inner wisdom and intention. As yoga practitioners, when we authentically understand and connect our intentions with an action we can learn to align in life with our Heart... for ourselves, our families, our larger communities. This class will also include journaling/partner sharing exercises.

Saturday, Feb 11
Artha: Foster Your Passion
In this vigorous Level I/II+ class we will explore the importance of engaged passion for living an awakened life. In the philosophy which supports Anusara Yoga, the object of our practice is not to help us escape life but to help us engage and support our life fully. So, the questions we'll explore as we practice are: "What do you want? And what are you going to do about it?" As we practice standing poses & backbends, the enthusiastic passion we cultivate will empower our daily awareness, choices, and actions off the mat.

Saturday, Feb 11
Kama: Commit to & Enjoy Your Highest
Slowing things down during this evening session of forward folds, hip openers and twists will allow you to become more grounded and connected to your body, mind, and breath. In this essential introspective sequence we will explore the importance of establishing a committed and devoted practice (Abhyasa) while staying open to the flow of Grace (Vairagya) so that you may fully enjoy the pleasure of life. Includes guided meditation & pranayama practice.

Sunday, Feb 12
Moksha: Move in the World as a Fully Free Being
Greet your day and your week with an enlivening vinyasa practice incorporating standing poses and up-tempo hand balances. By trusting in the benevolent essence within all, and engaging that power, we will build a sense of self that encourages us to make wise choices to become empowered each day. You can make a difference in the world and it begins by stepping into your potential now. The mantra, "I like who I become when I try" will inform our practice together. For students Level II and up.

Sunday, Feb 12
Getting to the Heart of the Matter: Creating Authentic Themes and Heart Language
As yoga teachers, we connect most powerfully with our students through the use of our language, conveying the poetry and subtlety of our own experiences. In this mini-teacher training, we will work together to find our authentic voice, and practice techniques of developing themes and corresponding heart qualities which truly resonate with our students. For teachers and teachers-in-training.

As a certified Anusara yoga instructor Stacey Millner-Collins has cultivated a thriving yoga community in Columbia, South Carolina at her studio, City Yoga (www.CityYogaSC.com) which opened in 2003. Described as a teacher who combines soulful inspiration with precise biomechanical instruction, Stacey believes that the practice of yoga is deeply transformational because, as Rumi wrote, "Only from the heart can you touch the sky." She began her practice in 1994 and shortly thereafter lived and studied yoga for several months in Varanasi, India. She had her first auspicious meeting with John Friend in 2001 and recognized not only her true teacher but a fellow spiritual explorer. She was certified in 2006 and currently sits on several Anusara committees including the Certification Committee. Through her connection with Anusara Yoga, Stacey has also had the great fortune to study extensively with the renowned Hindu Tantric scholars Drs. Douglas Brooks, Bill Mahony, and Paul Muller-Ortega. Stacey is also currently enrolled in a yearlong study of Ayurveda with Cate Stillman, C.A.S.

Think of all the best partner yoga moves: a friend stretching out your down-dog, or helping you effortlessly deepen a backbend, or giving you a massage in child's pose. Now imagine a whole workshop filled with these delicious partner yoga poses, wrapped up in a playful atmosphere, and tied with a bow of appreciation for your beloved. No better Valentine for your beloved partner or best yoga pal! For yogis Level I/II and up.

Joe Miller draws upon his 20 years of yogic exploration and study of anatomy to recognize and celebrate our endless potential to align with the rhythms of nature and truth flowing within and around us. Joe uses his deep understanding of Anusara Yoga, Tantric Philosophy, and Ayurveda to support every student in connecting to their innate wisdom and discovering their own greatness. Joe has been teaching for over 10 years, is an integral part of the WSYC Teacher Training program, and continues to deepen his own practice by studying with his principal teachers, John Friend, and his amazing family.

Natalie Miller is an Anusara-Inspired teacher who offers her students what Anusara yoga gives to her: a loving and supportive community, reverence for the inherent wisdom of body, and revelations of the beauty within and around us. Natalie's classes eloquently inspire students to love who they are and to be in awe of who they're becoming.

This life is a dance of relationship. In Partner Yoga, we create postures together with trust and understanding that enriches and strengthens relationships. If you do yoga and your friend/family member/partner/spouse does not, this is a great opportunity to introduce them to practice with laughter and good company.

Kelly Fisher is a Certified Anusara Yoga instructor, and her teaching is rooted in 17 years of yoga and meditation practice. This practice is the foundation of everything she does -- from her ongoing yoga studies to her musical exploits, from getting the groceries to hiking in the woods. Her goal is to help each of her students develop a similar foundation so that they might flow with Grace in every moment.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans have sleep problems. Whether you can't fall asleep easily, wake up and can't get back to sleep, or feel you rarely fall into a deep sleep, your mental, emotional and physical health is impaired. This workshop will review some of the basics of sleep hygiene drawn from current research, including how to use yoga, breathing practices, and iRest yoga nidra meditation as a part of your sleep regimen. Participants will practice key sleep inducing exercises and walk away with materials and ideas on how to improve this essential function of human life. We'll have a sleep-oriented yoga nidra iRest meditation practice. Appropriate for both experienced yogis and those brand new to yoga.

Robin Carnes discovered yoga at age 18, and it has gradually become the center of her life. Robin is a certified iRest yoga nidra instructor, yoga instructor and Kripalu DansKinetics instructor. Since 2006, Robin has become fascinated by how iRest yoga nidra meditation can help people in all walks of life experience greater health and well-being. Her passion is sharing yoga and meditation with military servicemembers and families, as well as others who have experienced trauma.

After a little gentle stretching and self-massage to bring awareness to the breath and body, we will enjoy the exquisite application of Anusara's Universal Principles of Alignment to restful and supported restorative postures to release old patterns and invite in the new to find greater ease of body and mind. A great workshop and practice for all levels.

Elizabeth is an E-RYT 500 as well as a certified Anusara yoga instructor. Her study of yoga is informed by her work as a government lawyer and her commitment to citizen advocacy and volunteerism. Her classes express her belief that the practice of yoga helps to bring us in alignment with our true nature, enabling us to be more compassionate and generous to our living planet, all other beings and ourselves. She was raised in a meditative tradition and took her first yoga class over 25 years ago. She is also a Reiki master. See more about Elizabeth at her website: rosegardenyoga.com

When I first met vasistasana, it was not love at first sight. I was dazzled by the precarious position of this pose and humbled by the strength, as well as the precision it required of me when I even attempted to balance between one hand and 2 stacked feet.

Vasistasana, aka "side plank pose", is an electrifying balancing pose that requires your full attention, but rewards you with deeply satisfying ease once you find its sweet center. We'll begin by demystifying what appears to make this pose so challenging, working with balance, core strength, side body expansion, asymmetrical arm balance, and a willingness to fall. As we begin to befriend this elegant pose, we'll focus on making the foundation more clear, supportive and strong so we can take the balancing act of this pose to new, exciting heights! We'll discover how vasistasana can also be enormously healing for shoulder injuries, as well as stabilizing energetically when we are feeling unmoored from our center. In this way, we'll experience how our efforts can lead to true balance, a deeply fulfilling freedom, and maybe even glory! For students at a strong Level I/II and up. NOTE: the correct workshop time IS 2-4pm, not 12-2pm as appears in the newsletter.

Naomi Gottlieb-Miller is a Certified Anusara Yoga teacher. She began her practice of yoga to take the edge off of living in New York City, upon moving there in 1999. It was yoga that chose her path, taking her from NYC back to Washington, D.C., her hometown, to study how to teach yoga to others. She continues her yoga study with John Friend, the founder of Anusara Yoga, Amy Ippoliti and Ross Rayburn, focusing specifically on the Therapeutic benefits of yoga, as well using yoga to help an already healthy body become even more fit. Naomi infuses her classes with lightness, spirit and a great sense of play, encouraging her students to invite a healthy dose of laughter into their practice. Every class invites her students to play their personal edge and empower themselves to do things they never thought possible. She is inspired by the courage and humor her students bring to their mats and considers teaching yoga the best gig ever.

Central to orientation and movement, the pelvic floor assists in stabilizing the pelvis, the diaphragm, the neck and the head. Pelvic floor dysfunction is a deconditioning of the pelvic floor muscles, and causes issues such as incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, or pelvic pain. A woman may have lost her vaginal tissue strength following a normal birth delivery and have an increased risk of pelvic organ prolapse. Other causes include nerve injuries during delivery, impact trauma, muscular trauma, fascial tearing, constipation and straining, an enlarged prostate or a prostatectomy, lack of estrogen, sexual abuse, obesity, medications, behavioral habits, or musculoskeletal factors. We will discuss the anatomy and address ways to improve the health of the pelvic floor and its relation to the whole body.

Please bring your patience, as reversing ingrained patterns takes attention, love and kindness. Everybody welcome.

Jenny Otto, E-RYT500, RYT500 is co-founder/director of Golden Heart Yoga and founder of Body Balance Yoga. A student of John Friend since 1994, she is a Senior Certified Anusara Teacher who is well-known as a master teacher and yoga therapist, offering workshops nationally and internationally. Jenny brings detailed expertise of anatomy and physical alignment as well as lots of creativity to her teaching, and uses sound, breath, mudra and meditation to enhance her classes.

Willow Street is thrilled to welcome back Certified Anusara yoga teacher Sianna Sherman for a weekend of playshops sure to inspire you to the edge of your own evolution! Weaving together storytelling, poetry, first-rate technical postural instructions and her bright, inspiring energy, Sianna's teaching offers something for every student's body and spirit. Together, we will honor the power of each one of us to effect true positive change with our hearts, words and actions.

Teachers' Evolution: A Special Offering for Yoga Teachers and Teachers-in-Training
Friday, March 16 - 1-4p

Your are invited to take your teaching to the next level and evolve your love of leading others to their heart. This is an interactive session for yoga teachers and teachers-in-training ready to refine their skills from the inside out.

Metamorphosis: Asana, Poetry, Music and Community
Friday, March 16, 7-9pm

Join us for a powerful evening of initiating metamorphosis through the flow of asana, poetry, music and meditation. Metamorphosis derives from a Greek word meaning "to change form." We will create an opening with poetry from the kula and honor the power of each one of us to effect true positive change with our hearts, words and actions. For students of all levels.

Quantum Leap: Backbends
Saturday, March 17 - 12-2:30pm

Expand your heart energy with this up-tempo morning practice of standing poses and progressive backbends for students of all levels. Together we will leap to the next level of vibration and radiate greater light for all.

Inner Revolution: Hips, Twists, Pranayama and Meditation
Saturday, March 17 - 4:30-7pm

Following the rhythm of the day, this evening session will turn inside with a more introspective practice of hip openers, twists and forward folds. It's the inner revolution that ultimately inspires the true evolution of humanity. For students of all levels.

Evolutionary Edge: Arm Balances
Sunday, March 18 - 10am-1pm

Jump in and expand your edge in this lively and up-tempo practice of arm balances and deeper backbends. Be ready to shift your perspective of what is possible and see with the eyes of the evolution at the edge. For students level II and up.

Full Weekend Registration: $235 (save $25!)

Sianna Sherman is a certified Anusara Yoga instructor who apprenticed with John Friend as his assistant from 1999-2003, traveling with him nationally and tending to thousands of students in his workshops. She poetically weaves Anusara Yoga and Rajanaka Tantra philosophy into a colorful fabric offered from her heart and enjoys working with all levels of students. For more information, see opentograce.com.

LEAGUE OF JUSTICE MEMBERS UNITE! The time has come to gather and unleash your superpower! In this workshop AJ and Rick will explore the superpowers of Indian mythological figures such as Ganesh, Hanuman and Kali and connect them to 21st century superhero figures such as Superman, Wonder Woman and, yes, Aquaman! So come and take your mask off - OR PUT IT ON - to reveal your most inner vision of what you have to offer! This workshop is for all levels of yogis, from those who have been concealing their superpower (you know who you are), to those who seek mastery over superpowers just revealed. "Wonder twin powers activate, form of - an open hip!" Everybody welcome.

AJ McIntyre, Anusara Certified, RYT, brings a sense of energy and inspiration to all of her classes, encouraging her students to find their inner child and invite a sense of play into their practice. A former high school teacher, AJ found teaching yoga as her true calling, and enjoys learning from her students everyday. She is a graduate of the Willow Street Yoga Center Anusara Teacher Training, and continues to be inspired by her primary teachers Suzie Hurley, Kate Miller, Jenny Otto, Desiree Rumbaugh and John Friend. When not on the mat, you can find AJ knitting in a corner, or kayaking down a whitewater river.

After years of struggling with back pain, Rick found Willow Street; since beginning his studies of Anusara Yoga, he remains pain free. This new-found freedom inspires Rick to help people find their own freedom, no matter what form it takes. Rick is a graduate of Willow Street's YTT program and continues to be inspired and seriously impressed by his fellow students and teachers.

Beneath our aches and pains and shifting moods, we are bliss. Let the author of Yoga for Depression guide you through a menu of yoga practices to shine through the clouds of unknowing and forgetting to release whatever blocks you from remembering who you truly are. Come home to the joy that is your birthright. Come home to your radiant Self. At the end of this workshop, meet yourself shining in the mirror. You will be amazed!

Along with accessible poses, pranayama breathing exercises, and Yoga Nidra, Amy Weintraub offers yoga practices drawn from Nondual and Tantric traditions not taught in regular Yoga classes:

- Love Pranayama Meditation
- LifeForce Yoga Bliss Meditation
- Mudras to Awaken Joy
- Mantras to Awaken Courage and Strength
- LifeForce Yoga Chakra Clearing Meditation

Many of these practices are suitable in a clinical setting, so if you are a healing professional, in addition to taking care of yourself, you will learn new tools to support and empower those you serve. Everybody welcome.

$95 (early birds register by March 1 and pay only $75!)

Amy Weintraub, MFA, E-RYT 500, author of Yoga for Depression and founder and director of the LifeForce Yoga Healing Institute, is a senior Kripalu teacher and Mentor and serves as the LifeForce Facilitator for the Psychotherapy Networker Symposia. She leads workshops and professional trainings in LifeForce Yoga internationally, and writes frequently on the subject of yoga and mental health for national magazines. Learn more about Amy at www.yogafordepression.com.