Berkshire Yoga Festival 2024

Part 1 of 2:  Broadening the view of addiction
When we mistakenly look outward for what lies within, believing that happiness and fulfillment reside in external factors like people, places, things, education, behaviors, substances, or experiences, we are led down a path that ultimately results in darkness and disconnection. This detachment from our true selves, often due to trauma or unfulfilled needs, is not just a catalyst for addiction, eating disorders, and co-dependent behavior, but according to ancient yoga and Vedanta texts, it's also the fundamental cause of all suffering, including societal issues like racism, sexism, and gender-based discrimination. However, we don't need to endure or inflict suffering. We have the power to rediscover and embrace our authentic selves. This journey of self-reclamation involves returning to and embracing the aspects of ourselves that we have long neglected or hidden, with the goal of restoring the innate love, acceptance, and sense of belonging that is our inherent right. Lecture, Discussion, Embodiment practices.

Taoist Yoga and Philosophy is an approach to life that seeks mind/body balance and recognizes that  
everything is both sacred and dust at the same time. The body’s vitality(Jing/Jung) is sacred but will eventually die, one’s heart center and emotional life (Qi/Shim/Maum) is sacred but is bound to suffer, and one’s insight/mind/spirit/brain(Shen/Shin) is sacred but bound to be confounded by the mystery of existence… In this workshop you will learn how to integrate and harmonize these three energy centers of the body/mind as well as dive deep into the core Taoist concept of "wu-wei" and the teachings of Lao-Tzu. Whether you are a yoga teacher looking to incorporate more spiritual practices into your teaching or a yogi interested in studying the Tao, this workshop will be a powerful introduction to the practices and teaching of Sahm-Je Taoistm.

The journey of human "Rewilding" includes the process by which we bring our lives back into harmony with nature's rhythms. Explore the ancient Celtic Wheel of the Year and learn about ways that you can bring your daily and seasonal life into harmony with the light/dark cycle governed by the Sun and Earth.

Neural flexibility. Neural resilience. Neuroscience. If these terms seem heady, this workshop will help you embody your brain’s neural playground….your body. The vagus nerve is beloved by humans for being our chief parasympathetic (relaxation response) nerve. But new science around the influence of the vagus has shifted our understanding of parasympathetic responses. This workshop teaches you how to access the three anatomical zones innervated by the vagus nerve, and how each zone affects our state of perception and quality of being. The workshop includes novel breath-based exercises coupled with soft-tissue self-massage and positional release in order to feel the fascinating interplay of stimulating sympathetic and parasympathetic modes of being. Learn to distinguish between the myelinated and unmyelinated vagus pathways and become familiar with Polyvagal Theory. Ultimately it will help you to be more aware of your own state and help you foster a safe environment for your students.

*Bring your favorite self-myofascial release balls to use in the practice portion. Jill will be using Yoga Tune Up® Balls and a Coregeous® Ball.

As a former monk that became a yoga teacher, then the owner of 6 yoga studios, then a leader at Kripalu and Yoga Alliance as well as tech startups LiveEdit and Union.fit, Andrew has had to learn how to be effective in the world of business while maintaining his yogic lifestyle. Over the years he refined his daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly habits into a system that has served him very well and made him a success in all his endeavors.

Fascia science continues to produce exciting findings that are relevant to Yoga Therapists and clinical practitioners for integrative health care. By now you’re likely familiar with the term fascia and have explored different modalities that impact fascial tissues. In this session, learn the most recent evidence based research on self-myofascial release and entertain your own fascial tissues with intriguing self-myofascial release techniques inspired by this burgeoning field.

*Bring your favorite self-myofascial release balls to use in the practice portion. Jill will be using Yoga Tune Up® Balls and a Coregeous® Ball.

Part 2: of 2 A model for healing
It's recommended to take Part 1 in the morning first unless you've done previous work with Nikki and Y12R

When we mistakenly look outward for what lies within, believing that happiness and fulfillment reside in external factors like people, places, things, education, behaviors, substances, or experiences, we are led down a path that ultimately results in darkness and disconnection. This detachment from our true selves, often due to trauma or unfulfilled needs, is not just a catalyst for addiction, eating disorders, and co-dependent behavior, but according to ancient yoga and Vedanta texts, it's also the fundamental cause of all suffering, including societal issues like racism, sexism, and gender-based discrimination. However, we don't need to endure or inflict suffering. We have the power to rediscover and embrace our authentic selves. This journey of self-reclamation involves returning to and embracing the aspects of ourselves that we have long neglected or hidden, with the goal of restoring the innate love, acceptance, and sense of belonging that is our inherent right. Lecture, Discussion, Embodiment practices.

Please bring a strap and mat. Yoga blocks optional.

The power of human touch is profound. An intelligent, informative hands on assist has the potential to be an incredible teaching tool. There is also a big responsibility that comes along with putting your hands on someone else’s body. You must be well trained, careful, conscientious, and without negative intent.
Kula has always been known as a studio where you will find plenty of hands on assists. This teachers intensive will look closely at how/when/and why to touch, and when there are other more effective ways to assist a student.  It will teach you how to use intelligent touch as a teaching tool and how to use your body as another way to communicate with your students in a supportive environment.