Sacred Energy Movement Advanced Practitioners Course from September until December 2022

(held over eight weekends and including a weekly zoom class)

A 3 month in-depth live Practitioner course to help empower a daily practice of awareness and self-development.

Embrace, Empower and Evolve the secrets of the ancient yogis into modern life

Step by step you will learn the principles of Hatha yoga in the Shadow style (predominantly through the first two forms) – Stepping into Strength and Churning of the Warrior – these build bone strength, cleanse the blood, boost immunity, coordinate the limbs and develop the correct use of breath and bandha

Learn Chi Kung sets used by the Taoist masters to increase the circulation of lifeforce and deepen the awareness of breath.

Outline of curriculum for the first 6 modules below: 

Module 1 & 2 : The Base Chakra – Build a Foundation of Power

Establish a simple yet effective daily morning routine consisting of warm-ups from both the Hatha and Taoist practice

• Chi Kung warm-ups and joint openers

• Spinal Breathing & Belly breath 

• Immune Boosting Techniques

• Basic stances to build bone strength and cleanse blood

• Basic Seats promoting proper spinal alignment for meditation

• Lifestye habits for health and inner harmony

• Marma (Self massage of Vital points)

Module 3 & 4: The Sacral Centre – Growing & Spreading your Roots

Taking weight on the bones is the first step to changing the quality of blood and breath. Learn the correct points of balance through lunging, squatting, shifting weight and other variations of bone work

• The importance and function of bone work

• Correct asymmetrical imbalances

• Establishing the points of balance in Intermediate stances and seats

• Promoting the balance between internal and external rotation

• Cultivate an understanding of the positive and negative magnetic forces of Apana and Prana

Module 5 & 6: The Palace of Jewels – Become Established in the Power Centre

Learn one of the master keys to building internal power with the Uddiyana Bhanda which massages the internal organs and kindles the inner fire (Agni) boosting immunity

• Stressing the bones in balancing poses

• Igniting the digestive fire with the Primary asanas i.e. twistings and forward bends

• Reverse breathing and Agni Sara – setting up the navel centre for Uddiyana Bandha

• Finding your intuitive centre – building trust in your own intuition

• Co-ordinating your limbs and reducing their dominance on the spine with Warrior stances

• How to utilise the curriculum into a coherent daily practice                                                      

 The Practitioners Course came about as an alternative avenue for serious students to deepen their level of practice and understanding of the system of yoga without signing up for a teacher training. If one wishes to deepen their practice without training to become a teacher there are few options available.  This course has no assignments or exams and we don’t have to follow loose guidelines by unregulated external bodies.

Here the students’ practice will become alive and embodied. The myriad tools that have been shared by my teachers over twenty years will help guide the serious practitioner to the next internal level of practice. If yoga is to remain an internal practice of self-cultivation, then the journey must go inwards.

The curriculum involves an in-depth study of the many classical asanas, mudras and kriyas that remove the obstructions and limitations that can remain unaddressed in many of todays teacher trainings.

An understanding of the Marma system and the energetic connections inherent in the body is essential to free the obstructions of the limbs and spine. This preparatory work is done systematically with the use of forms adapted from the Shaolin, Kalari and Hatha Yoga traditions. The floor work then follows the classical format laid out by the Hatha yogis in texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and even more recently by Krishnamacharya in the Yoga Makaranda.

Course Curriculum and Methodology:

The simplest approach is to work from the root upwards. We address the inherent blockages of the mental, emotional and physical body through the lens of the Chakra System. Beginning with the Root Chakra (Muladhara) and working our way up the spine. At each center we focus on the positive/negative attributes as well as practices to over come limitations and help clear the inner pathways (Nadis).

Activating the feet/ankles/shins at first stimulates the lungs, kidneys and small intestine. Working the legs, the knees and thighs correspond to the liver, heart and spleen as well as the pathways associated with the movement of fluid or nerve impulses to the legs.

The shoulder and pelvic regions are physically quite stiff and immobile for most modern-day body types, so these areas become obstructed through inactivity or over-exertion. Simple arm and leg movements that require co-ordination begin to release these areas while connecting to the vital centre (navel)

The spine becomes the final focus. Invoking spiral movements releases the obstructions in the waist and groin bringing freedom to the spine that typically remains obstructed by the limbs. This systematic approach targets all the marmas from the feet to the head.

Different postures and activities will be introduced systematically so that over the length of the course a full practice format will emerge slowly and competently. In todays world many students are exposed to things too early without the proper foundation. Whether they be pranayama techniques or inversions these aspects of the practice must be earned through patient and persistent effort.

A full practice session involves systematic use of asana, pranayama, mudra, and bandha leading to proficiency in the withdrawal of the senses (pratayahara) and concentration of the mind (dharana).

TECHNIQUES AND METHODOLOGY

Opening the Lotus – Padmasana – The Lotus posture has multiple variations depending on what internal system one is looking to stimulate and for how long. We will explore this ‘swiss army knife’ of postures systematically.

The King and Queen – Sirasana and Sarvangasana – There is a long list of benefits for these two central activities, however there is also a similar list of contra-indications. We will explore their appropriate application, variations and counter-poses.

Kriyas – Madhya Nauli & The Bandhas – Exploring the techniques associated with activating and moving from the Vital Centre and their appropriate application.

The Pranayamas – Ujjayi Kumbhaka – Kapalabhati – Surya Bhedana – Exploring the fundamental stages of a structured and safe breathing practice with the 3 primary techniques used to set up the central channels of Ida & Pingala

The Great Seals – Mahamudra and Mahabhanda – The two primary mudras used to set up the correct internal approach to lifeforce cultivation and clear the energy fields associated with the three base chakras.

Hand Mudras – These gestures work on the nervous system through the energy centres of the hands and correspond to the vital organs.

SYSTEMS AND APPLICATIONS

 Vinyasa Krama – An intelligent and progressive step by step approach to arranging the various levels of postures through both Linear and Spiral movements which stimulate the five winds (Vayus) and the five elements (Bhutas).

Marma System – Through the use of in-depth asana practice and hands-on adjustment we will explore the obstructions common to modern habitual posture patterns and how to address them.

Meridian System – As Chi/Prana travels through the meridian system they pass through the vital organs and can be stimulated with the use of certain standing and seated activities.

Nervous System – Restoration– replenishing the para-sympathetic nervous system through static and dynamic activity. Understanding when, why and how much is appropriate.

Devotional Non-Duality – Transcending the Ego – Learning to let go – the art of Surrender. All the great spiritual masters were adept at surrendering to the Divine. We will explore the techniques of concentration (Dharana) and contemplation (Dhyana) and the philosophy behind these for daily living.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:

This is not a teacher training however a certificate of completion (80hours) will be provided to acknowledge continuing education credits (CPDs) for those registered with Yoga Alliance as teachers.

The weekends are intensive and the content shared in each weekend will require consistent application to bear fruit. While it may only take a weekend to learn technique or theory it may take many years to embody it. 

There will be no written course work however reading material will be suggested to compliment the experiential practice.

Each weekend will begin to set up the above curriculum in an experiential mode. Meaning all the elements that make up a complete practice will be slowly introduced and integrated as we progress. As this is an organic process the above curriculum is a template only and may diverge beyond the initial outline.