Our weekend with Fiona Stang is just days away – join Authorized Level II Teacher Fiona and discover how to develop your yoga so that it evolves into a lifetime practice of buoyancy, strength and grace. You can still sign up for the whole weekend, or for single sessions.
Investment
$250+hst for the weekend or $50+hst per session
Register Now
Friday 6:30-9pm Return to the Roots: Foundational Patterns. I hope to be practicing yoga for my entire life! Return to the roots of yoga to re-establish posture and breath patterns that create the key parts of longevity in your practice. Re-assess your connection to mulabandha by focusing on energetic movement and buoyancy.
Register for Friday Techniques
Saturday 8:45-11am Mysore: Fiona will help shape your practice to last for a lifetime. Good for all practitioners of Astanga Vinyasa Yoga – anyone can do Mysore, including beginners!
Saturday 12:30-3:30pm Connections: Exploring the direct and more subtle connections between Primary and Second Series of Astanga Vinyasa Yoga.
Register for Saturday Techniques
Sunday 8:45-11am Mysore: Fiona will help shape your practice to last for a lifetime. Good for all practitioners of Astanga Vinyasa Yoga – anyone can do Mysore, including beginners!
Sunday 12:30-2:30pm Q & A Followed by chanting and meditation: Having a therapeutic practice is key to being able to do yoga for the duration of our lives. Bring your questions to this Q&A session, which will be followed by chanting and meditation.
200hr Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training!
Fall 2019 in Ottawa, Canada
With Michael Dynie and Janice DeFilippi
November 2nd 2019 – May 3, 2020
Only one Space left!! The Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training is designed to take you deep into the heart of yoga as a holistic system that encompasses mind and body, movement and self-study. Your growth will be supported by in-depth studies of yoga philosophy, meditation, the anatomy of the body, teaching yoga postures to different levels of ability, the energetics of yoga and class sequencing, safe hands-on adjustments, ethics, pranayama and lifestyle.
Our aim is to help you to take your own practice to a much deeper level, so you can confidently transmit your own understanding of yoga to others from a place of personal experience.
This program is unique because it includes a serious exploration of your own practice through our Mysore program, a self-guided yoga practice in a group setting. Through the ritual of repetition and familiarity, the practice takes us deep into the core of the body and simultaneously promotes the possibility of insight into our own mental processes. At the same time, you’ll be learning how to adapt yoga to the needs of individuals through creative and intelligent sequencing that transcends the limitations of devoting oneself to a single system, and embraces a universal perspective on movement, relaxation and self-acceptance.
Program Overview:
Philosophy & Mindfulness – As an inspiration for your approach to life. Study the most influential source texts: Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, Bhagavad Gita, and Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
Asana Workshops – Modern perspectives on therapeutic movement and alignment in motion.
Anatomy of Yoga – Functional anatomy of yoga and the physiology of meditative states.
Self-Guided Practice in a Group – Yoga at your own pace with AYO’s Mysore program.
Creative & Thematic Sequencing – Sequencing for specific purposes, wrapping content around a theme, and adapting yoga to suit individual needs.
Meditation – Various practical approaches will be explored drawing from Patanjali’s Yoga and Buddhism.
Drishti – How gazing points can help lead to a deeply contemplative state.
Breathing Techniques (Pranayama) – practices that can focus the mind, and calm or stimulate the nervous system to experience deep states of tranquility.
Teaching skills – Adjustment techniques, holding space, language skills
2019-2020 Training Schedule
9:00am to 5:00pm on the following days:
November 2 and 3
November 16 and 17
November 30 and Dec 1
December 14 and 15
January 4 and 5
January 18 and 19
February 1 and 2
February 15 and 16
February 29 and Mar 1
March 14 and 15
April 4 and 5
April 18 and 19
May 2 and 3
Your Investment
Regular Price: $3,000 +HST
Early Bird:
$2,600 +HST – Pay $500 deposit by September 22, 2019
$3,000 +HST (after September 22)
Tuition must be paid in full by November 2, 2019
* Payment plans are available.
Full Studio Membership
Tuition includes an all-access membership from the moment you sign up through the duration of the training.
Teaching Faculty
Michael Dynie
Michael has been a student of Yoga since 1998, seeking relief from back pain related to scoliosis, and something like enlightenment. His teaching blends anatomy studies with Hatha Yoga and a modern take on Ashtanga Vinyasa inspired by studies with Richard Freeman. Michael uses simplicity and breath awareness to draw students into the core of the body – the seat of meditative awareness and postural stability. He invites you to compassionately explore your boundaries in search of the middle-path.
Janice DeFilippi
Janice is a long-time practitioner of Astanga who made many trips to Mysore, India to study with Pattabhi Jois, at a time when the practice existed in relative obscurity and class sizes were below a dozen. Janice holds Richard Freeman’s advanced teaching certificate. She continues to honour one of her first teachers, John Scott.
AYO’s Teacher Training is registered with the Yoga Alliance (RYS).
Upon graduation, students who fulfill all the course requirements will receive a 200-hour certificate of yoga teacher training which is recognized by the Yoga Alliance of North America.
Apply for Teacher Training
Contact us and tell us a little about yourself, why you practice yoga, and what you hope to gain from this course.
April 14, 21, 28 – To breathe, or not to breathe – that is the question! Inspire your movement explorations with an understanding of breath science and anatomy study, as you use the breath to promote joint stability and tremendous strength – as concept traditionally alluded to through the term bandha. You’ll come away from this workshop series with the confidence to trust your inner-teacher and embrace the depth of personal practice.
Join Michael Dynie for this 3-Part workshop series on developing a deep understanding of the breath alongside a graceful, fluid vinyasa practice. Due to the complex nature of breathing exercises, you will explore them from a simple sitting position, then learn how to incorporate them into a flowing yoga sequence based off sun salutations (surya namaskara B), along with a variety of basic and advanced postures. Vinyasa is the skilled linking of breath with movement. When done with full attention, this can awaken deep core connections (bandha) that are key to preventing and healing injuries, and progressing in the practice of asanas, from basic to advanced.
Just as the quality of our thoughts effects our prana (breath and internal energy flows), we can learn to manipulate the prana to open the mind to the wonders of present-moment experience, reality as it is.
These workshops start with 3D Anatomy presentations. Handouts will also be provided looking at selected verses from traditional texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Sutras of Patanjali, and lesser-known scriptures, to inspire a deep appreciation for yoga’s potential to replace habitual ways of seeing with a fresh and clearer perspective on living in the moment, with compassion and gratitude, strength and grace.
Dates and Times:
APRIL 14
Foundations of Bandhas and Vinyasa Systems:
Mechanics of Breathing; Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation B), Tantric Hatha
APRIL 21
Spinal Waves and Fluid movement; Mahamudra and the Central Channel (susumna nadi);
Neutral Spine, Intra-abdominal Pressure; Principles of Gas Exchange; Modern perspective on Bandha
APRIL 28
Backbends and Handbalancing, from Basic to Advanced,
Breathing for Core Strength vs Meditative Awareness; Playing with Chemistry;
{ Scroll down for detailed outline… }
Format for each night:
7:00-7:30pm Lecture, Theory, Demonstration, Q&A Period
7:30-9:00pm Practice of Postures (Asana) and Breathing Exercises (Kriya / Pranayama)
Please eat a light dinner an hour before and arrive early. Studio is open 6:30pm onwards. I recommend having a heavy lunch, and a light dinner of fruits and vegetables + vegan protein shake. Food occupies space in the abdomen, making it difficult for the diaphragm to work efficiently in exercise / yoga practice,
Your Investment:
$100+HST for full course before April 7th, 2020
Enroll in the Course:
Topics Explored:
• Anatomy of the Breath
• Mechanics of Diaphragmatic Breathing
• Accessories of Respiration
• Shoulder / Hip Stability and their relationship to the Spine
• Simple ways to Activate Key Muscle Patterns
• Spinal Bandhas (Neck, abdominal and pelvic diaphragms) – Mulah, Uddiyana and Jalandhara Bandha
• Nauli Kriya – The Abdominal Roll
• Pranayama (breathing techniques): Ujjayi, Bhastrika, Kapalbhati, Nadi Shodhana, Brahmari
• Modern Breath Training and Seated Breath Retention Exercises
• Pranayama Sequence to cultivate meditative stillness
Asana Based Explorations – From Basic to Advanced
• Foundations of Vinyasa
• Breath Awareness as an Alignment Tool
• Surya Namaskara B and other essential asanas
• Backbends and Arm Balances
• Introduction to Floating in Vinyasa practice (the jump back)
• Breathing to Protect the Spine in Backbends and Weight-Bearing Positions (Inversions)
• Release Hip and Lower Back tension through Breath Retention in movement
• Exploring Seated Postures and other Forward bends
• Maha Mudra (the three bandhas) into Asana Practice
Practical Yoga Philosophy, inspired by Classic Texts
• Hatha Yoga Pradipika: Prana and Apana, Nadis and the origin of Bandhas
• Meditation aims and methodology in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra
Inversions like headstand, forearmstand and handstand can be a medicine for the mind and body. When these movements are approached with heightened awareness, they provide a potent antidote to slumping and sitting too much, improve our mood and energy levels.
Join Mike Dynie for an experiential workshop that prioritizes safety, preparations, progressions, and a primer on the essential anatomy. You’ll come out of this workshop with a solid grasp on where to direct your energy in your mat practice. We’ll also learn how to properly use the wall (and other common household surfaces) for support, so you can confidently practice going upside down on your own and develop proper positioning.
This workshop will primarily focus on headstand and forearmstand — less time will be devoted to handstand, as the lessons to do it properly come from the previous two.
$40+hst pre-registration online ($50+hst at the door)
Yoga teachers and practitioners alike can hugely benefit from a solid understanding of the human body’s structure and function. This 4-part workshop series is designed to help you deepen your knowledge of anatomy, enabling you to practice and if you are a teacher, lead your classes safely and effectively. You may attend individual workshops, or register for all four!
In this workshop series, we will explore the functional anatomy of the major joints and muscles involved in yoga postures, with a particular focus on how they work together to create movement. We will also examine common anatomical variations and how they can impact the practice of yoga.
Through a combination of lectures, hands-on adjustments, and visual aids, you will learn to identify the key anatomical features of the body and how they relate to yoga postures. You will also gain an understanding of the biomechanics of movement and how they can affect yoga practice.
- Anatomy of the Spine, Sunday, March 12, 1:30pm-4:30pm
- Lower Limb: Hip, Knee and Ankle Anatomy, Saturday, April 1, 1:30pm-4:30pm
- Upper Limb: Shoulder, Elbow and Wrist, Saturday April 15, 1:30pm-4:30pm
- Breath and the Nervous System, Saturday, May 6, 1:30pm-4:30pm
By the end of this workshop series, you will have a deeper understanding of the human body and how it relates to the practice of yoga. You will be able to apply this knowledge to your own practice and, if you are teacher, you can use it to create safe and effective classes, helping your students to achieve their goals while minimizing the risk of injury.
Your investment
$80+hst per workshop, available in-studio or online
This Second Series immersion will bring both clarity and strength to your practice. We will cover the postures, vinyasas and techniques for the first half of Second Series.
Emphasis will be placed on Pasasana, Kapotasana, Ardha Matsyendrasana, Eka Pada Sirsasana and Pincha Mayurasana – as we explore these key postures we will find how they link directly back to and evolve from postures from the Primary Series.
The day begins with a led practice before we break into techniques. After a short break we will return to techniques in the afternoon and then end the day with pranayama.
Your investment: $175+hst
Earlybird $150+hst before March 5,
$175+hst after.
Sunday May 7th, 10:30pm to Noon
As we know, yoga, community and a sense of trust between teacher and student can help promote regulation and healing. Find out how to better support your students. Guided by Will Derode in this 1.5HR module you will learn:
- What trauma is
- How it affects the human nervous system
- The biological basis for how this all works with a biometric called HRV
- How yogic breathing can positively affect it
Join us in-studio (limited spaces) or online – $40+hst
Location:
Astanga Yoga Ottawa,
200 Bank St, Ottawa ON
Four Weeks of Kinstretch®, starts Monday, May 29 at 6:00am
Join Josie Goffredo live online for a month of mini morning mobility to establish a new routine that can re-shape your day, Mondays through Thursdays at 6am! The sessions feature Kinstretch Functional Range Conditioning principles which are mobility & joint health focused. Josie incorporates a range of postures, movements and breathing exercises which change with each series.
Your Investment: $65+hst
Book Now
This day-long immersion into the Astanga Primary Series covers the postures, vinyasas and techniques for establishing a practice that will last a lifetime. The morning begins with an optional Mysore practice from 8:30-10:30am. The rest of the day is devoted to alignment workshops for the seated primary series postures, backbends and closing postures. This immersion will bring both clarity and strength to your practice. New and seasoned Astanga practitioners are invited and welcomed!
Your investment: $175+hst
Earlybird: $150+hst before September 4