WORKSHOP INFO

The Subtle Anatomy of Yoga and Iyengar Yoga Practice: Awaken Your Inner Energy Anatomy for Deeper Sadhana

During this year’s Sadhana Enrichment curriculum (composed of 7 different a la carte workshops) we will explore the foundations of the ‘Inner Energy Anatomy’ and its relation to Yoga Sadhana. 

According to the Yoga Upanishads, and the ancient texts of Hatha Yoga and Tantra, our subtle body (Suksma shariram) is an interdimensional system composed of 2 major aspects. 

The more tangible aspect of the subtle body is a tapestry of inner energy channels called nadis – it is through them that the life force energy of the five pranas flow. 

If someone’s body and mind are filled with impurities (like the shadowy energies of the gunas, tamas and rajas) the five forms of lifeforce energy cannot flow properly.  This is why purification (bhuta shuddhi) is emphasized.

The chakras (also known as padmas) are esoteric pools of energy that compose the other half of the subtle anatomy of yoga. Together with the sun and moon channels of Pingala and Ida Nadi, along with the central channel of Sushumna, these chakras represent the ‘structures’ of the pranic field, the pranamaya kosha. 

During Gloria Goldberg’s component of these workshops, she’ll direct you to the next level of energetic practice and refinement of pranic lifeforce. These energy-focused asana teachings will help you to connect, and practically apply, the energetics as you’ll learn from the ancient Yogic texts.

We delightfully look forward to seeing you during one or all of the weekend workshops that compose this year-long course curriculum. 

SUBTLE ANATOMY WORKSHOP 4: Utilizing the Five Pranas for Energetic Practice

The concept of prana is ancient and can be found in the Atharva Veda, where five types of this ‘bio-energy’ are described. All functions of our body and mind are performed by them, and our health is dependent upon their proper flow. According to the Upanishads, the cavity of the heart is the seat of these vital powers and ‘the abiding Self’.  

In Ayurveda these five pranas are called the vata-subdoshas or prana-vayus: 

• Prana

• Apana

• Vyana

• Samana

• And Udana

During this workshop, we will explore how these five pranas mysteriously govern different types of asanas. This framework can help us strengthen a weak prana and create balance between the five pranas. It can also help us uncover practical approaches to fine-tune our energetic systems through asana sadhana. In this way the sequences of asana sadhana are vehicles through which we can direct and balance the pranas.