April 4-9 (Tuesday - Sunday)

This six-day Yoga Intensive with Mark Stephens offers in-depth workshops for teachers and serious students, plus Master Classes ( drop in workshops open to the public) open to beginning to seriously advanced students and teachers. The in-depth workshops cover topics from Mark’s second and third books: Yoga Adjustments: Philosophy, Principles, and Techniques, and Yoga Sequencing: Designing Transformative Yoga Classes. Each class and workshop draws from ancient-to-contemporary yoga philosophies, a variety of yoga styles and techniques, and offers a practical application of functional anatomy, biomechanics, and kinesiology.

Vinyasa Immersion Course with Mark

April 4-9 3500NOK

Tues-Fri  9:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00, 18:00-20:00

Sat-Sun 10:00-12:00, 14:00-16:00

Workshops with Mark

8 Workshops:

April 4-7  18:00-20:00

April 8,9  10:00-12:00, 14:00-16:00

 

Fee for all Workshops 2800NOK

Fee per Workshop 500NOK

 

April 4 Tuesday: 3 sessions

Morning (9:00–12:00)

Topic: The Art & Science of Guiding Yoga Practices – Part I: Philosophy, Principles, Techniques – Applied to Standing Asanas

Description: This Yoga Teacher Intensive focuses on how to best give refined guidance to students, with a primary focus on giving effective hands-on adjustments accompanied by related verbal cues and demonstrations. This first session starts with theory and principles and then applies these insights to Standing Asanas. We will explore a wide range of externally- and internally-rotated hip standing asanas, including modifications, variations, and uses of props for each asana.

Afternoon (14:00–17:00)

Topic: The Art & Science of Guiding Yoga Practices – Part II: Deeper Exploration of Standing Asanas

Description: In Part II of the Yoga Teacher Intensive, we continue with the practical applications we started in Part I, focusing on the refined teaching of a wide variety of Standing Asanas and how best to guide them in flow-style and individualized classes that help integrate and balance energy on the path to Savasana.

Evening (18:00–20:00) PUBLIC WORKSHOP

Topic: Master Class: Balanced Pranayama & Heart Opening Backbends

Description: This Master Class begins with exploration of the breath, introducing natural breathing, ujjayi, viloma, sama/visama vrtti, kumbhaka, and kapalabhati pranayama techniques. We then move into a balanced Vinyasa Flow asana practice designed to guide students deeply into a series of heart-opening backbends, followed by asanas to help integrate and balance energy on the path to Savasana.

 

April 5 Wednesday 3 sessions

Morning (9:00–12:00)

Topic: The Art & Science of Guiding Yoga Practices – Part III: Backbends & Seated Twists

Description: In Part III, first we explore guiding students in each type of Backbending Asana – Contraction, Traction, and Leveraged– including Salabhasana ABC, Bhujanghansana, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, Dhanurasana, Unstrasana, Kapotasana, Setu Bandha Sarvanghasana, Urdhva Dhanurasana and Eka Pada Raj Kapotasana. We will focus on hands-on guidance and adjustments, use of props, and modifications that make the asanas more safe, accessible, and deeper.

Afternoon (14:00–17:00)

Topic: The Art & Science of Guiding Yoga Practices – Part IV: Backbends & Seated Twists

Description: In Part IV, we explore Seated and Supine Forward Bends and Hips Openers, plus Inversions.

Evening (18:00–20:00) PUBLIC WORKSHOP

Topic: Master Class: Arm Balances in Vinyasa Flow

Description: This master class begins with warming Surya Namaskaras and Dancing Warriors designed to open and stabilize the hips and shoulders in preparation for a series of beginning-to-advanced level arm balances (including Bakasana, Parsva Bakasana, Bhujapidasana, Tittibhasana, Astavakrasana, Eka Pada Koundinyasana, Galavasana, Urdhva Kukkutasana and Uttana Prasithasana). This complete practice also includes wrist and shoulder therapy practices to ensure the full integration of the practice.

 

April 6 Thursday: 3 sessions

Morning (9:00–12:00)

Topic: Yoga Sequencing – Part I: Philosophy & Principles – Application to Designing Beginning Classes

Description: This Yoga Teacher Intensive beginning with a lecture on the philosophy and principles of Yoga sequencing. We will then work collaborative to design a variety of Beginning Yoga classes with different Peak Asanas, emphasizing how to make the asanas more accessible, sustainable, and deeply transformational.

Afternoon (14:00–17:00)

Topic: Yoga Sequencing – Part II: Designing Intermediate Classes

Description: This session continues the Yoga Teacher Intensive on Sequencing with the practical applications we started in Part I, focusing on designing integrated classes for more experienced students.

Evening (18:00–20:00) PUBLIC WORKSHOP

Topic: Master Class: Open Hips and Deeper Forward Bends for All Students and Teachers

Description: This Master Class starts with the reality that most human beings have tight hips and difficulties in the low back. Here we will explore a gradual release of deeply held tension that restricts safe and comfortable ranges of motion in the legs, hips, pelvic girdle and spine, offering students with a variety of conditions and intentions set of pathways to healthier and more balanced movement in yoga and life.

 

April 7 Friday: 2 sessions

Morning (9:00–12:00)

Topic: Yoga Sequencing – Part III: Designing Advanced Classes

Description: This session continues the Yoga Teacher Intensive on Sequencing with the practical applications we started in Part I, focusing on designing classes for students interested in more advanced asana forms and deeper integration of asana and pranayama practices.

Afternoon (14:00–17:00)

Topic: Yoga Sequencing – Part III: Designing Chakra Balancing and Restorative Yoga Classes

Description: This session continues the Yoga Teacher Intensive on Sequencing with the practical applications we started in Part I, focusing on energetic balance. We will look closely at the subtle energetic of chakras and at how to design classes for the greatest restorative and therapeutic benefits.

Evening (18:00–20:00) PUBLIC WORKSHOP

Topic: Master Class Hands-On Adjustments & Use of Props

Description: Skillful, sensitive, appropriate touch and verbal cues have the potential to transport students to a more conscious awareness and self-refinement in their yoga practice. But before we touch and speak we must first see and understand the unique qualities present in an individual student's practice. In this workshop, we further develop postural observation skills; learn and practice effective hands-on adjustments that both address common misalignments and encourage inner guidance in a variety of poses; enhance the skill of linking clear verbal cues with tactile cues; and deepen confidence in the practice of giving and receiving as participants learn to better help students find joy and ease amidst the challenges in their practice.

 

April 8 Saturday PUBLIC WORKSHOPs

10:00-12:00      The Art & Science of Sequencing  

Description: This workshop builds on prior learning about all the families of poses (standing poses, backbends, inversions, etc.). Here we focus on how to design complete classes based on the informed ordering of poses. The basic question we address is, “why this pose before or after that pose?” Rather than random or excessively creative sequencing, this workshop is based on how the body works and how to make the practice of asanas as safe, accessible, yet as deep as possible. Includes a two-hour lecture on the essential principles of sequencing and in-depth presentations on how to link poses within and between families of poses. Participants collaborate in small groups to craft a variety of classes for different levels of students, styles of yoga, and class intentions; these are presented to the entire workshop for discussion, critique, and refinement. Applies and expands prior learning about functional anatomy, bio-mechanics, kinesiology and other elements of the practice.

2:00-4:00 Tricky Transitions: Alignment and Energetic Actions in Flowing Asana Sequences

Description: Most asana instruction focuses on asana qua asana, with most attention given to alignment and energetic actions in separate asanas. Yet how we establish these qualities in each asana is largely determined by how we get there. The form and energetics of our Chataranga – along with what happens in every moment of the movement into Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog Pose) – will largely determined the qualities and experience of Up Dog itself. In this workshop we look closely at transitions into and out of poses as well as the fundamental alignment principles, risks and contraindications, energetic actions, modifications, and variations for each of the constituent postures found in dynamic sequences. Detailed breakdown of common transitions that involve challenges to alignment and risk of injury, plus classical sun salutations, surya namaskara A & B, dancing warrior variations, lasya vinyasa, and sirsasana II arm balance vinyasas.


April 9 Sunday PUBLIC WORKSHOPS

10:00-12:00 The Traditional Energetics of Sequencing

Description: This sequencing workshop focuses on the cultivation of subtle energy. We explore and apply the concepts of koshas, prana vayus, chakras, nadis, gunas and doshic constitution to crafting a variety of classes designed for different specific students, intentions, seasons and settings. We also explore the relationship between traditional energetics and western medical models of the body in understanding the effects of different sequences

2:00-4:00 Yoga Teacher Dharma: Making the Teaching Path More Meaningful

Description: Why do you teach yoga? How does this intention align with your core values, you’re your larger sense of purpose in life, with your sense of who you are? How do you approach your sense of skill and limitation as teacher? How might you best make your teaching more meaningful to yourself and to your students? This workshop begins with basic questions of dharma to help build a clearer and stronger foundation for experiencing and sharing yoga in the most transformational ways you can. We start with simple yet profound question: who am I? Then we do deep inside to draw out and better understand what it means to take the seat of the teacher. With exercises designed to further clarify your sense of who you are, why you practice, and how you can connect all the dots of your life in your teaching, you will leave more motivated and prepared than ever for a lifetime of sharing this amazing practice. 

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