Ashtanga Yoga For The Rest Of Your Life With David Williams
A rare and wonderful opportunity to study Yoga with the man who brought Astanga to the US.

David Williams has been practicing Yoga Daily, without interruption, since 1971. In 1972, David met K.P. Manju, the son of K. Pattabhi Jois, and saw him demonstrate the Ashtanga Yoga 1st series. This was at Dr. Swami Gitananda’s Ananda Ashram in Pondicherry, South India, where David received his six month Yoga teachers training course certification.

In 1973, David began studying Ashtanga Yoga with K. Pattabhi Jois at his home in Mysore, India, and became the first non-Indian to be taught the complete Ashtanga Yoga system of asanas and pranayama directly from Jois. David introduced K. Pattabhi Jois and Manju to America and the western world when he, along with Nancy Gilgoff, organized and sponsored their first visit to Encinitas, California, in 1975.

David is responsible for teaching the Ashtanga Yoga System to many of today’s leading teachers and practitioners, including David Swenson, Doug Swenson, Danny Paradise, Bryan Kest, Jonny Kest, Tracy Rich, Chuck Miller and Maty Ezraty.

A detailed description of the five classes is posted on YogaVermont.com along with a special letter from David to students.
Read more about Davis at Ashtangayogi.com.
David Williams’ Workshop at Yoga Vermont:
October 13-16, 2011
Thursday 5:30-8pm
Friday 5:30-8pm
Saturday 10-12pm &4-7pm
Sunday 10-12pm

Pre-registration requested. Workshop Fee is $250.
Register via email, at the studio or by calling Yoga Vermont at 802.238.0594.

Cumin, Fennel, Coriander Tea (Great for any digestive trouble!)

1 qt.  water
1 tsp. cumin seed
1 tsp. fennel seed
1 tsp. coriander seed
honey to taste – optional

Simply simmer the spices in the water for 10 minutes – then sip!  This will make more than one cup – it will last int he fridge for a few days but it is best to drink warm.  Add honey if you’d like.  Drink up to 3 cups per day for medicinal use.

Fresh Coriander Chutney (A life-changing recipe from Yoga Journal)

This tasty chutney is considered tridoshic, meaning it can be enjoyed by any dosha type. Add 1 teaspoon to your kitchari for some diversity.

1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro or Chinese parsley)
¼ c fresh lemon juice
¼ c purified water
¼ c unsweetened dry coconut
2 T fresh ginger root, chopped
1 tsp. raw honey
1 tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1. Blend lemon juice, water, and fresh coriander until the coriander until the herb is coarsely chopped. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until it is the consistency of pesto.

2. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Basic Kitchari

This staple food of Ayurvedic medicine is designed to stoke the digestive fire and reduce ama, or internal toxicity. This basic recipe is good for vata dosha, and is the base recipe for both pitta and kapha doshas with the noted additions.

Makes 3 cups

1 c basmati rice
½ c organic whole mung beans, soaked for at least three hours before cooking
4 c purified water
2 T organic ghee
1 tsp. black mustard seed
1 tsp. ground cumin seed
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground fennel seeds
2 small pinches hing (asafetida)
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger
fresh cilantro to taste – optional
1/4 c shredded coconut – optional
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. turmeric

You may add up to 2 cups of chopped veggies!  Think root vegetables – golden beets, celeriac, burdock, sweet potatoes.

1. Rinse the rice and mung beans and soak for three hours or overnight. Drain. If using vegetables, cut into cubes.

2. In a pot, warm the ghee over medium-high heat. Add the mustard, coriander, cumin and fennel and sauté for 1 minute or until aromatic.

3. Add tumeric (and if using, other spices), mung beans, and rice. Then add water and ginger and coconut. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer for 40 minutes.  Scoop away any foam.

4. If using vegetables, add starchy ones (burdock or carrot) halfway through the cooking. Zucchini should be added 10 minutes before the kitchari is done. Greens can be added in the last five minutes. If you need to add a more water, do so, but the kitchari should be the consistency of stew when done.

5. Add salt and ghee to taste.  Top with a squeeze of fresh lime, and perhaps some of your cilantro/coriander chutney!

Take a deep breath, and relax to support good digestion, perhaps even lie on your left side!

We are used to the idea of cleansing in the Spring, but Fall is also a good time to detoxify.  This is a different type of preparation, though…we’re not trying get skinny for our bikinis, we’re getting rid of excess heat from the summer, and nourishing and softening up for the long, frigid winter ahead.  A seasonal cleanse rids our body of excess dosha– an Ayurvedic term that implies an elemental combination that has come out of balance within the body.

As we come into Autumn, the elements of Space and Air immediately make themselves known – dry, crisp leaves, rough, cold winds can either fan the built up Fire from summer, or depending on our own constitution, may mingle with elements already present in our body and increase these qualities – cold, rough, light, dry, hard, mobile.

It’s important to take notice of what’s happening in your body, for example: Are you experiencing acne?  Has your skin started to feel dry and flaky?  Have your joints started cracking, or are they painful?  Muscles take longer to warm up for yoga?  Ears ringing?  Constipated or more gassy than usual?

All these are the early signs that the elements have become unbalanced – if we change our days and diets to incorporate activities and foods with these opposite qualities, we can prevent colds and flus during all of this fluctuation.  Most of this comes down to establishing a daily routine – remember dinacharya?  Waking early, a gentle pranayama or meditation (even 5 minutes!), neti and nasya, warm self-massage with sesame oil – these will do wonders!  Think of these qualities: stability, warmth, oily, smooth, soft.

If you’re thinking of doing cleanse, try a week of laying low, self-massage daily, meditation and gentle yoga daily, and eating very simply.  You may also supplement with taking triphala powder in the evening.  Any cleanse is best to do with the guidance of a practitioner – as you can tell, this is just  a very brief over view.  If you’re interested in taking it deeper, send me an email and we can work together!

Traditionally, kitchari is the main affair – it’s easy to digest, warm, home-cooked and full of yummy spices and vegetables.  It’s also a complete protein, so you don’t have to worry about starving!  If you’re hungry during the week, supplement with soaked almonds and avocados.  Here’s a simple kitchari recipe, and a few other ideas for chutneys and teas…

See the Samskrt alphabet in Divanagari, and hear the sounds pronounced by Swami Shivananda.

Vata (along with Pitta and Kapha) is one of the three humors, or doshas, which make up our personal constitutions.  These principles are also present in the world around us, and dictate natural rhythms of our days, seasons and even our lives.

Autumn is Vata season. Vata is characterized by cold, dry, light, rough, clear and hard.  Seems to make sense for this cold weather, right?

Staying warm, hydrated and eating nourishing foods such as soups, stews and warm grains are great ways to stay healthy and grounded.  Another thing to try is a warming grounding Pranayama and yoga practice. (Ashtanga every night at 5:40 anyone?! )

Dirga, or Three-Part-Breath and Ujjayi Pranayama:

Start seated or even lying down. You may use a blanket to cover your body or wrap around your shoulders.

Start by taking deep, slow nostril breaths down into your belly. This way, we expand the lower lobes of our lungs, in turn massaging our internal organs, and signaling to our body that we are safe and happy.

Bring one hand to your side rib cage to start, then you may lower it down as you get used to the breath. The next step is to begin filling the rest of your rib cage with air. Start by filling you belly, then middle rib cage, then right up under your collar bones.  You may even feel the air come into your throat.

As you exhale, do so naturally until you come to the bottom – you may use your abdominal muscles to squeeze the last bit of exhale out.

Begin again, starting with your belly first.

Once you become comfortable with this breath – you may layer a nice, warming Ujjayi breath over this.

Feel your seat grounded into the earth, and at the same time, lift the crown of your head to lengthen the spine. Picture your breath beyond your body – inhales coming up through your tailbone and out the crown of your head. The exhales coming down from the top, along your spine, and back out through the floor below you.

Ujjayi is a loud, ocean sounding breath, made by slightly contracting your throat. It is used in Ashtanga practices, but along with your Bandhas.

Read more about Ujjayi pranayama here.

Namaste.

This two hour workshop will be held on Saturday October 9th from 4-6 p.m.

Ayurveda is an ancient Indian system of holistic healing.  Get an introduction to this science and simple ways you can apply it to your life.

Partner Yoga is known to some as Flying Yoga.  It’s a great way to have fun and work on your asana with others!

$20 or two swipes with your Yoga Vermont card. Just show up!

*Partners provided!