Esalen’s 6th Annual Yoga Festival Embodying the Divine: Five Days, Five Deities June 6-11, 2010 Douglas Brooks, Saul David Raye, Janet Stone, Sianna Sherman & MC Yogi The stories and myths of yoga are one of the most engaging ways to dive into yogic practices. The rich texture of each story carries us deeply into our hearts, imaginations, and the profound domain of self-reflective insight. This sixth annual Esalen Yoga Festival will have a special emphasis on the stories, myths, and essential teachings that transmit the sacred knowledge of the yoga tradition and awaken the inner light of the Self. Your whole self will be honored and engaged to dive into the divine possibilities of expansion and identity. We will gather every day with a different deity for asana practice, storytelling, chanting mantras, breath meditation, music, and dancing. Five luminous teachers will draw from their personal connection to each deity and invite us all to share our sacred story of awakening, both in everyday life and the larger awakening of our planet. As we engage in the practices of yoga, greater clarity begins to infuse every area of our lives. A lightness of being begins to emanate from our very core and we find ourselves more able to expand our hearts even in the most challenging situations. By immersing ourselves in this week of guided living wisdom practices, we will create a solid foundation for each participant to return to his or her home and family with more clarity, ease, and a deeper understanding of how to continue on the yogic path in everyday life. On day one, we will cross the threshold of our exploration by welcoming Ganesha, whose myths, forms, and mantras are gateways to the secrets of the heart. On the second day, we will leap across the ocean of karma to play with Hanuman and see ourselves in the great yoga of commitment, and in the opening of the midline of possibilities. On day three we will move into the subtle light and the revealing darkness of the great Mother Durga, the empowerment of the heart's longing and the protective energy of grace. From Durga's dynamic transformation, on day four we will move to the explosive alchemy of Shiva's expansive consciousness of Self with chant and story, through images of serenity and destruction, and with dance and creativity. On day five we conclude with the power of pure auspiciousness, the bounty and resplendence of the goddess who celebrates life's affirmation, Lakshmi. Five days, five deities: a journey through the maze, the house of mirrors, and the prismatic change that is our gift of human embodiment. The early mornings will be free time to soak in the tubs, stroll the beautiful grounds of Esalen, and meditate on your own while breathing the ocean air. After breakfast, there will be offerings of mid-morning asana classes with the various teachers. Each day, MC Yogi will be with one of the three asana teachers to infuse the experience with rapping, stories, and electric fun. There will be free time after lunch to receive massages, soak in the Esalen hot springs overlooking the Pacific, rest, recharge, and connect with other yogis. Dr. Douglas Brooks will offer late afternoon sessions in which we will explore our understanding of each deity through story, lecture, mantra, and guided meditations. There will be at least one other afternoon offering in addition to the sessions with Douglas, including Acro yoga, sweat lodge ceremonies (weather permitting), and partner Thai yoga. Evenings will include devotional chanting, a concert by MC Yogi, expanded time with Douglas, and a dance party on our final night together. Please note: This festival will be full and spirited. Expect to be in large classes with yoga mats very close together. Please bring your own yoga mat, towel, a zafu (cushion) for meditation, a block, and a strap. Leader Biographies Douglas Brooks is a leading scholar of Hindu Tantrism and the esoteric traditions of the Goddess. In addition to his formal Western education, Douglas lived for many years in India in the house of his teacher, according to the traditions of Guru Kulam in which the student is initiated into all facets of the Indian classical Sanskrit education, including philosophy, yoga, ritual, and worship. WWW.RAJANAKA.COM Saul David Raye is known for his empowering and transformational approach to yoga, healing, and spirituality. He spent several years in Asia and India studying and practicing yoga, Thai massage, Pranic healing, and meditation. Saul's teaching draws on the depth of the yoga tradition, Ayurveda, tantra, and all forms of universal light love and wisdom. He holds certifications in yoga, bodywork, and energy healing, is an ordained minister and musician who infuses his classes with healing music and chants. He is a student of Paramahamsa Nithyananda and continues his studies under his guidance. WWW.SAULDAVIDRAYE.COM Sianna Sherman is an internationally-recognized Anusara yoga teacher who delights in storytelling, poetry, spontaneous dance, and long walks in nature. She has a special appreciation for the mythological roots of yoga and often teaches workshops called Mythic Yoga Flow which infuse Anusara yoga, stories, and music. She began her studies of yoga in 1989, lived in India where she met and studied with Gurumayi Chidvilasanda and subsequently had the great blessing of meeting her primary mentor John Friend in 1995. She studies closely with Tantric scholars Dr. Douglas Brooks and Dr. Paul Muller Ortega. WWW.OPENTOGRACE.COM In 1996, Janet Stone traveled to India, the birthplace of her grandfather, where she met a powerful yogi and became dedicated to a conscious evolution through yoga. As one of San Francisco’s leading yoga instructors, Janet blends a wealth of knowledge and yoga experience to create a unique, vigorous-yet-sumptuous approach to Vinyasa yoga that effortlessly melds awareness with movement and breath. She currently follows the teachings of her two young daughters, India and Lilianna, who shed the light on all things profound and wondrous. WWW.JANETSTONEYOGA.COM MC Yogi, aka Nicholas Giacomini, grew up in Northern California painting graffiti and listening to hip hop. He spent most of his high school years at a group home for at-risk youth, and hip hop culture provided both a soundtrack and a creative outlet during those turbulent teenage years. Then at age 18 he discovered yoga, and began studying the physical forms, as well as meditation, philosophy, and devotional chanting. By combining his knowledge of yoga with his love for hip hop music, MC Yogi creates an exciting new sound that brings the wisdom of yoga to a whole new generation of modern mystics and urban yogis. WWW.MCYOGI.COM Make an online reservation now, or call (831) 667-3005. Get more information about reservations, accommodations and pricing. Share This | Home | Information | In the Air | The Place | Workshops | Sitemap | Contact Us Copyright © 2010 Esalen Institute. All rights reserved. Esalen is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Please email web site feedback to the Esalen webmaster. For general information please contact us. This page contains valid XHTML and CSS code.
