Berkshire Yoga Festival 2024

In a yoga class, one of the first opportunities for students to connect with their teacher is through a shared “OM” but how often do we pay as much attention to the details of this sound as we do to the nuance of asana? Leslie will deconstruct the phonetics of this complex, resonant, sacred vibration with a review of the phonetic map of the mouth embedded in the Sanskrit alphabet. He will lead students in a simple chanting practice to blend exploration of the relationship between sound, physical support and movement.

The latest neuroscience research shows that people with a strong "spiritual core" experience less anxiety and depression than those that don't. But what do we mean by a "strong spiritual core?" And how does yoga help someone develop it?

You'll often hear people say that yoga is "spiritual but not religious." Yet, it's not always clear what distinguishes one from the other or what either has to do with a breathing and moving practice.

In this workshop, J. Brown will offer simple practice and facilitate discussion around different philosophical viewpoints and the notion of a higher power in the context of yoga. This will include the relationship between meditation and prayer, soul and creator, intuition, and ways in which we might develop receptivity and direction.