Alpha & Omega of Trikonasana: with Kelly Sobanski

Saturday Afternoon On Zoom

In this workshop, we will experiment with the methods outlined by Prashant Iyengar in his book The Alpha and Omega of Trikonasana.

Alpha & Omega of Trikonasana offers a unique way to approach your practice: “The asana does not merely remain an action but also becomes a ‘creation’ (p.8).”   Kelly has developed an inspired sequence to explore Prashantji’s concept of returning to Trikonasana as a way to reflect and recharge. This laboratory approach involves looking at Uttitha Trikonasana in relationship with a wide variety of various poses which leads to transformations in your body and mind.

What you will discover are dynamic effects and changes each time we do Uttitha Trikonasana. This sequence will literally help you organize individual structures and choreograph parts of your body so that they synchronize. These explorations bring balance and absorption into the entire body, mind and breath. Prashant says “Wholise the part and wholise the whole! (p.81)” Furthermore, through your own intelligence and intuition, this practice will help us navigate your mind-stuff on and off the mat.

We have found that when Uttitha Trikonasana is used as a target pose, we can explore a home…a steady structural base. By rearranging elements within the home and around the home, our mind starts to become curious and inspired.  Warning: Magical ah-ha moments can occur when practitioners systematically feel the effects of doing a pose.

In this workshop, uplifting learning moments will appear as we string poses together creatively and intentionally. Each step of the way, discoveries and integrations will come to the surface which then will become finely tuned within the realms of observation, awareness and curiosity.

Truth be told, this sequence takes dedication and concentration. We will be fine-tuning our senses and perceptions. This is a genuinely involved practice and can help one become creative within the arrangement of kinesthetic movements. Mixing up orientations and applications brings refreshment to the mind, body and breath which then become unified. Prashant calls this “unification yogasana.”

At this frontier of life and yogasana practice, we teach ourselves to engage within the now. This sequence is about calling ourselves back to ourselves over and over again.

Kelly has spent a long time creating this sequence with the intention that these studies will help practitioners be inspired.

You will learn:

• Techniques from Prashant Iyengar’s book Alpha and Omega of Trikonasana.
• To feel effects on one side of your body compared to the other side.
• To feel the deepening effects of returning to a target poses after other pose categories.
• Systematic approaches to understand gross and subtle actions.
• How facets such as action, sensation, perception, pensivity, reflection, and meditation lead to wholism.
• Creative sequencing techniques that encourage fresh experiences within Self discovery.
• How to do poses with various epicenters (areas of focus) and elements of practice.
• Situations to study various gestures within asanas which include: moods, efforts, releases, perceptions and reflections.
• How to study the art of doing poses, observing through poses and witnessing poses.

It is not required to read the book! Practitioners will likely be inspired to read it at some point which can be purchased from Adeline. You can purchase yours from Adeline Yoga – pick up in Berkeley or Oakland.  Order ahead of time and we can ship it . Please do order ahead so you have enough time to pick up at our contactless location in Oakland or have it shipped.

This course is designed for those with at least 2 years of consistent Iyengar Yoga practice and are comfortable with inversions. Modifications can be given if anyone is menstruating during the workshop. Teachers and teachers-in-training who want to learn to better help their students are most welcome.

This workshop is not for students who have complex health conditions. These conditions can be better addressed with private yoga sessions. If you have questions about whether this program is for you, please email info@adelineyoga.com before registering.

This will be a workshop that uses props typical in an Iyengar Yoga class. Please have a belt, blocks and blankets.  If possible, have a bolster backless yoga chair.  You will need a cleared off wall space.

Recordings:

We plan that this zoom workshop will be recorded.  Every registrant will receive access to the recording for one month.  If you cannot attend the workshop live, you can pre-register and receive the recording.

Tuition:

$45 – Early Bird Special – register by October 6th and save $10

$55 per person

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Kelly Sobanski is a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher at the Intermediate Junior III level. Based in Indiana, she has studied directly with BKS Iyengar, Geeta Iyengar and Abhijata Shridar including six months of study at the Iyengar Institute in Pune, India. Kelly has deep knowledge of Iyengar Yoga therapeutics and pain management, gleaned from her own practice and eight years assisting in Lois Steinberg’s therapy classes at Iyengar Yoga Champaign-Urbana and her time at the Iyengar Institute in Pune. Kelly has worked with many students with intricate and in-depth physical challenges. Kelly inspires practitioners at all levels to cultivate wisdom, intuition and luminance through the endless learning that yoga unveils.  She is also a dedicated volunteer including past President of the Board of Directors for the Iyengar Yoga Association of the Mid-West.