Body Mind Breath - The Art of Movement Course with Amber Spear
This is not a classical Yoga course.
Classically derived from movement sequences and breathing techniques originating from the core we will explore an invaluable component of your body mind practice. Every muscle in your body seeks a desired sequence of functioning for optimal strength, flexibility and balance within any given movement. When the muscles perform incorrectly due to poor posture or repetition of incorrect movement, over use, tightness, antagonistic weaknesses and even injury can occur.
By reconnecting with the deepest core musculature surrounding our super-highway message centre the spine; we regenerate all movements from there thus building a stronger, leaner and more flexible body infused with a state of grace that will quickly filter throughout your every day life both on and off the Yoga mat.
Each session we will build upon creative movement sequences, linked with the breath and sourced from a focused connection to the core. This 12 week course is a suitable, valuable and challenging inclusion for all levels of student.
Course Curriculum:
Week 1: Cultivating our Core of Creativity
The core of this 12 week focus is our core centre. This first session will ignite an anatomical and experiential internal awareness that will clear the course for a fluid flow into full body movement integration in the weeks to follow.
Week 2: Breathing
The breath is a bridge between what is external and our internal worlds, which can be built upon every time we come to the mat. By learning to breathe with full awareness we begin to effortlessly embody and express our inner grace within every movement. This understanding will serve as a platform for all upcoming sessions within this course.
Week 3: Creative Centring
By developing an enhanced mind, body, breath connection we delve deeper into our centre with traditional Kundalini Kryias and agni-igniting core strengthening techniques.
Week 4: Isolation
There are approximately 208 bones and up to 850 muscles in the human body that relate in a myriad of ways every moment of every day. When working intensely to bring our bodies back to balance, the technique of muscular isolation becomes mandatory in conserving energy for ultimate authentic movement integrity. In this session we individually activate and redefine the functionality of the larger muscles of our core power house; the legs, buttocks, inner and outer thighs.
Week 5: Precision
Paramount to any progressions within our Yoga practice, precise movement refines not only kinetics, it also sharpens our mind. Drawing energy upwards along the spine we intelligently unwind residual tensions carried in the neck and shoulder musculature alchemising blockages as fuel for our flow, whilst uniting agonist and antagonist movements.
Week 6: Finding Fluidity
As we continue to explore the bridge of the breath we consider our every exhalation to be an inhalation of the universe thus creating a cyclic flow of fluid intention that infuses our intellectual understanding of body control with a higher conscious awareness of how we really want our intelligent movement to grow, and what that looks like.
Week 7: Power - universal energy embodiment from the physical centre of our creativity
Prana is the life sustaining force that pulsates through our existance in every moment. In traditions other than Yoga this palpable energy, ultimately ignited from our core may be call Qi or Chi. Enjoy the ecstasy of Prana power and see your body thrive! In this session, as a treat, we will embrace differing core igniting techniques from varied Yogic and body/mind traditions from around the globe.
Week 8: Integration
Before we may begin to fully taste the fruits of our personal movement integration, it becomes necessary to identify the tools of our practice that are healthfully and helpfully guiding us to this place. Today complexity gives way to simplicity within a powerful physical practice, as we absorb understanding into meditation as movement.
Week 9: Bhakti
Movement as devotion - unleash with the flow of what your body knows, detox and find your trance within the consciousness of simple and enjoyable dance.
Week 10: Control - the compassionate kind
The key Yogic approach to the totality of ones practice is an attitude of non harming. By first learning how to build a strong and open body of our own, greater insights can be gained by working with one another. The concept of Namaste becomes clear as we adopt specific Thai Yoga and partner techniques into our practice to assist others, which ultimately reconnects us back to ourselves.
Week 11: Shanti Samadhi
Every visit to our Yoga mat provides a unique opportunity for us to embody the premise of Peace. As our practice matures we come to understand that 'how ever we are works', both on and off the Yoga mat and by dedicating ourselves to intelligent, challenging movement sequences which we learn from and enjoy, access is graced to openings within asana previously unseen. In this session we play our edge from the strength of our creative core sourced from a distinctive Yin, restorative approach.
Week 12: Samyama
Beginning with a brief meditation we experience the reality of sensation within the framework of our bodies as a preparation for complete absorption into the concentrated movement culmination of teachings to this point. In celebration of all efforts, we enjoy ultimate Yoga; a classically derived union exploration of Body Mind & Breath - The art of movement.