Meditation, pranayama and mindful movement

Dates:
 
Fridays 9:30-11:30am, on:
 
29th September
6th October
13th October 
with a recommended daily 20-min meditation practice at home in-between sessions
 
Meditation is a practice that was very likely both the origin and the actual essence of yoga. In the ancient texts of India, the term yoga refers only to the spiritual practices of contemplation, prayers, states of increased awareness and acute self-awareness. In the yogic texts from 5th century onwards, asana begins to be used to describe a meditation seat. Some thousand years later, around 14th century, a variety of asanas begins to be known, again, with a main purpose to prepare the body for holding a seated meditation posture for extended periods of time.
 
In modern times, our increasingly busier lives and our decreasing attention span are generating a necessity to slow down on a regular basis and take the time to look inwards. This process of paying attention, even for 20 minutes a day, is today recognized by the modern medical science as having a significant positive effect on our physical health and on our psycho-emotional well-being.
 
This autumn the meditation course comes in three parts, on three consecutive Fridays, and it involves homework practice between sessions.
 
It is ideal for students:
- who have already had some, however brief, experience in meditation,
- who are not looking for a quick fix, but for a way to develop a committed and lasting meditation routine
 
Each session consists of 
- a short introduction of the techniques and a check-in 
- mindful movement, or moving meditation
- breath-work (pranayama techniques)
- seated meditation
- homework discussion
 
We will always do our best  to make the physical posture as comfortable as possible by supporting the body with walls, blocks and cushions. The movement and pranayama that proceeds the sitting also work to that effect. However, this workshop is not recommended to students who are unable to sit silently and in relative stillness for 7-10 minutes at a time.
 
The three sessions are to be taken together, not individually. Pre-registration is required.