In this workshop, you will learn the basics of meditation practice including posture, breath work, and the relation of ethical action and renunciation to the inner tranquility necessary for liberation in the yoga system.
The “Yoga Sutra,” written by the sage Patañjali approximately 2000 years ago, has become the core philosophical text of yoga as we know it today. Its definition of yoga as the quieting of mental fluctuation and its 8 limb structure for spiritual practice has influenced modern yoga in profound ways, but its core belief system is subtle and widely misunderstood.
In this practice-based workshop, we’ll explore Patañjali’s core theory on the cause and end of human suffering, and how the 8 limb structure can be seen as describing both a specific meditation practice and a general guideline for spiritual life.
The day will include self-guided āsana practice, suitable for experienced yoga students. Experience in meditation is encouraged but not required.
About Karen Macklin:
Karen Macklin (RYT-500) has been studying yoga and meditation since 2000 and has received training in the yoga traditions of Ashtanga, Iyengar, Shadow Yoga, AcroYoga, Therapeutic, and Restorative, as well as in various forms of Buddhist meditation, yogic philosophy, and the science of Ayurveda. She has studied with many wonderful teachers, and has been most influenced by Scott Blossom, Sean Feit, Chisandra Fox, Gary Kraftsow, and Jason Crandell. She teaches with an emphasis on building internal and external strength, creating mindfulness, and establishing a deep connection with the energetic body. Her classes are typically strong but slow, rhythmic flows that incorporate hands-on adjustments, verbal alignment cues, and an opportunity for students to enter a space of meditation and inquiry. Karen has also written about yoga for Yoga Journal, Yoga International, FitYoga, Tricycle, San Francisco Weekly, and the San Francisco Bay Guardian
