Yoga retreats in Croatia & beyond

PROGRAM:

 

Thursday June 13

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6:30-10:30  Morning Mysore program

(timings in few shifts will be defined closer to workshop date)

19:00-21:00  Lecture/Pranayama/Chanting

Feeling, Acting and Thinking: The Four Modes of Yoga

Friday June 14

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6:30-10:30  Morning Mysore program

19:00-20:30  Ganesh puja ceremony

 

Saturday June 15

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8:00-9:30  Led Primary series

10:30-12:00  Philosophy 

Ashtanga Yoga: Purification of Body and Mind

14:00-16:00  Lecture/Pranayama/Chanting

Steadiness, Resilience and Transcendence: New Findings In Yoga and Science

 

Sunday June 25

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8:00-9:30  Led Primary series

10:30-12:00  Philosophy and Q&A session

Ashtanga Yoga: Purification of Body and Mind (part II)

 17:00 "Yoga and Science" Conference 

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WORKSHOP TOPICS:

 

Lecture on Saturday and Sunday, 10:30-12:00
Ashtanga Yoga: Purification of Body and Mind
 
The first presentations of Yoga in India ancient originated in its contemplative traditions. These traditions held, in one form or another, that self-knowledge was the best and most lasting cure for the suffering and pains that life brings. The transcendence of the mind, our faculty of thought, which hold the structures of our limited identity, such as our likes, dislikes, fears, ambitions, ideas and judgements – is crucial to this process. Beyond the mind – or perhaps deeper than the mind – is awareness, sometimes called consciousness, which is the source of knowing, larger than the troubled realm of the mind. Yoga is the practice that the ancient seers taught to remove the clouds that cover pure consciousness, removing sorrow and awakening us to our inner state of joy.
The yogis taught that the mind is a field that holds thought, and awareness is an unlimited potential that the mind rests upon. The saying that the mind is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master is apt for the yogis, and sums up the essential purpose of practicing the different limbs of yoga. Is there a way that I can master my mind, and engage it to help answer these basic questions of existence: Who am I? What am I doing here, or, what is my purpose? And last, what do I do next, or, how can I live my life according to my purpose? A contemplative practice seeks to allow answers to these questions to rise up from the depths of awareness, into the quieted field of the mind, so that our thoughts, words and actions become expressions of our purpose. This is where, according to the yogis, fulfillment in life comes from – living in alignment with our inner purpose.

In the practice of asana, or posture, we learn how to bring our limbs into alignment; when we add in breath, we bring ourselves in alignment with our mind; and when we do yoga as a practice of devotion, we bring ourselves into alignment with our purpose. Ashtanga Yoga was founded on these principles. It is a challenging practice because the mind is difficult to master; however, its benefits are profound.

Lecture on Saturday afternoon, 14:00-16:00
Steadiness, Resilience and Transcendence: New Findings In Yoga and Science

In this lecture, Eddie will discuss some of the underlying mechanisms of yoga that make it an effective practice for self-regulation, emotional regulation, and spiritual experience, highlighting specifically the effects of certain pranayamas and other yogic practices that are particularly powerful. Eddie will also be drawing from his upcoming book, One Simple Thing, (to be released on March 12th, 2019), in which he examines a variety of scientific findings and yogic explanations that complement both an Eastern and Western approach to spiritual practice. Even after thousands of years, yoga continues to be an infinitely interesting and exciting practice and philosophy, never growing old, and always staying new. In this class we will look at some of the reasons why this is so. This class will include chanting, pranayama, and the lecture.

Lecture on Thursday evening, 19:00-21:00

Feeling, Acting and Thinking: The Four Modes of Yoga

In this lecture we will discuss the four paths of yoga that represent the four basic ways that we interact with the world. Yoga at its core is the practice of knowing who we are on a deep level. The access we have to that inner knowledge gets cloudy because our minds are filled with thoughts, desires, confusion, conflict and regrets. Yoga provides remedies for all of these mental difficulties, which are reflected through the four paths, or modes, of yoga. In this class you’ll learn what the four paths are, how they apply to you, and what states of mind the four paths can help to soothe, so that you can use them to help strengthen your positive mental traits, and gradually diminish negative mental states. This class will include chanting, pranayama, and the lecture.

 

Practice on Saturday and Sunday, 8:00-9:30
Led Primary Series

 

The primary series is a challenging and invigorating sequence of postures that take about an hour and thirty minutes to practice. The postures are strengthening, toning and cleansing for the muscles, joints and internal organs. Variations of poses that prove challenging will be offered. Previous yoga experience is highly suggested for this class.
The postures of the primary series target the strengthening and massaging of the visceral organs and digestive organs, whose proper functioning are vital, according to both Ayurveda and modern science, for vibrant health and for fighting off many diseases.

 

Ganesha puja on Friday evening, 19:00-20:30

 

If you are familiar with Eddie Stern, he loves to start most of his workshops with Ganesha Puja. Ganesh is the elephant-headed Hindu deity who is the remover of obstacles, and the giver of success for all new undertakings. This ceremony creates a feeling of joy and devotion, and creates a special sense of community and togetherness. Explanations into the meanings behind Hindu ritual, and how ritual has formed a part of the Hindu and Yogic tradition for thousands of years will be given as we go through the steps of the ceremony, which will include group chanting and other offerings.
Please wear clean, festive clothing, and bring fresh fruits, nuts, or flowers, which we will offer to Ganesh during the ceremony.

 

"The idea is that the deity worshiping on the outside is none other than your own heart. And that feeling is a feeling of the connectivity – that I feel this thing inside of me but I can also connect it to the outside of me. Connecting to things outside of ourselves is very important, it is difficult to connect to ourselves, but it is easier to connect with ourselves and sometimes it is to connect with difficulties of the world. So if we establish these simple daily rituals of connectivity then the things in the world which are troubling to us might become a little easier to deal with. Maybe we get a better perspective about them or can try to do something about them."

You can be a part of puja even if you are not in this workshop. Please, feel free to join us.

 

NOTES:

 

• Classes will be taught in English.

 

• The schedule is subject to minor changes. Mysore program, Puja ceremony and Thursday evening lecture is going to take place in Pink Elephant Yoga House, Gundulićeva 63. Location for weekend workshop will be announced with time as well as Mysore morning slot

 

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