March 17 – 30, 2024

Take compassion and insight, mix them with the active imagination and we find the rich tradition of teaching the deepest subtle forms of yoga through the fine art of mythology and detailed image visualization. During this two week retreat we will explore how the interweaving of traditional iconography and classic stories, such as the Churning of the Ocean, Garuda’s fascination with snakes, and Lakshmi’s brilliant ability to tell stories within stories, give lasting insights into what it means to be human. To help us understand the variety of philosophies and metaphors used in yoga we will read the Narada Bhakti Sutras comparing their approach with other contemplative schools to bring these ancient teachings to light in the modern world.

In our morning classes, we will explore the Ashtanga Vinyasa series from internal perspectives. This will allow us to relate asana practice to pranayama and other deep levels of practice. Using the internal forms can make the practice more natural and they can show us an easy way to adapt postures and embody awakened movement to support us in our actual real life circumstances. In the afternoon sessions there will be sitting meditation, chanting and philosophical explorations. Students of all levels are invited to participate.