I just attended a weekend workshop with Master Iyengar teacher, Dean Lerner. Dean is an Advanced Iyengar Instructor, just so you know, this is NOT an easy thing to achieve. He has been teaching since 1980 as well. Having studied directly with Mr. Iyengar and Geeta Iyengar , i feel it a great honor to be taught by him.
As always with an Iyengar practice, attention to the beautiful, precise details of the body were constantly addressed, all the while remaining soft and passive in the mind, eyes and heart.
We worked on foundational asana (poses) over and over. Like Tadasana ( mountain pose) , Trikonasana (triangle), Virahabdrasana 2 (warrior 2), Uttanasana ( standing forward bend), Ardha Chandrasana (half moon) and of course Sarvanghasana (shoulder balance) and Sirshasana (head balance).
These are just a few of the asasa that were addressed over the course of the weekend. With each instruction, you are expected to know the Sanskrit name for the asana as well as give your full and undivided attention. Dean will walk around the room, giving adjustments ....then stopping us to come and watch as he guides a student into the pose properly. All the while, using humor, analogies, anecdotes to further bring us all into our yoga beings. Dean has a light, but stern side, as i was admonished for touching another yogi while working on an asana in pairs. But his advice was so on and correct that i had to move forward and take his words, as if they were coming straight out of Mr. Iyengar himself.
This was my second workshop with Dean, and i will study with him again when possible. Having held my longest inversions ever, i know i grew over the weekend into a better teacher and even more dedicated to my home practice.
I would LOVE for my students to one day attend one of these deeply organic yoga learning workshops. Let us work towards more yoga in our daily lives, taking to our mats at home for even 5-10 minutes. You will see how your body/mind begins to change in positive ways. Your yoga deepens and each asana you practice, will help you in other areas of your life. It has happened to me, and with your continued practice, it will happen to you too....and we can all attend a master teacher workshop together.
peace, and namaste,
Diane
