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Ashtanga vinyasa, pranayama and meditation with Francesca di Rosso and Christophe (bilingual course, French and English)
17 July 2016 - 23 July 2016
€780Event Navigation
Participants must be familiar with the primary series of the ashtanga vinyasa system and be able to practice it without help at least up to Navasana, as most of the morning asana classes will be Mysore style self practice.
Francesca has received her teachers’ blessing to teach both primary and intermediate series, so this course is suitable for most levels of practice, including yoga teachers.
The main focus of the retreat is to learn to work more skillfully with the breath, both to deepen asana practice, and to find and maintain the balance between physical and meditative practices.
In the afternoon classes with Christophe, we will explores a unique approach to breathwork, drawing from both the Buddhist perspective exposed in the Anapanasati sutta and the practices of classical pranayama, as well as from Taoist breathing practices, and look at how this approach can be used to improve our asana work.
Some meditation experience (or at least an interest in the subject) is recommended, as formal meditation practice is an important part of the retreat.
Please note that this is a bilingual course (French / English). Both teachers are fluent in English and French.
Cliquez ici pour un formulaire d’incription en francais.
Cost of the course is 780 euros. If your application is accepted, a 390 euros deposit, payable online by Paypal or by bank transfer, will be required.
Cost of the course is 780 euros and includes:
- Six nights accommodation (sharing in twin/double rooms)
- All meals (delicious organic vegetarian food, most vegetables grown on our farm)
- About 30 hours of tuition in ashtanga, pranayama and meditation
- Return ferry to the island (normal price is 17 euros).
Number of participants on this course is limited to 12.
Francesca started studying yoga in 2003 in Brussels, then deepened her practice at Macalla farm with Ciara and Christophe. This will be her 10th visit to Macalla farm.
Franscesca is now a senior student of Nancy Gilgoff, the first Western woman who studied with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore (South India) in the Seventies and who was part of the first group of yoga students that brought Ashtanga to the West. Francesca has been studying extensively with Nancy in India and Europe as well as on Maui (Hawaii) where Nancy lives, taking part in many of Nancy’s workshops, including two Primary Series Adjustment Clinics and one Second Series Adjustment Clinic. Francesca assisted Nancy Gilgoff when she came to teach in Brussels in June 2013 and 2014 and has received Nancy’s blessing to teach. Aware of the importance of keeping the traditional knowledge up-to-date, she regularly follows workshops with senior teachers and she travels to India (Mysore) and/or to Maui (Hawaii), at least once a year to deepen her practice.
She has also been studying extensively with Manju Jois, Pattabhi Jois’s son, completing both a Primary and an Intermediate teacher training with him.
Francesca is a dedicated Ashtanga practitioner, passionate about her own practice and proud to be able to share this living tradition with her students. She is the founder of the Ashtanga Space Brussels.
Christophe has been studying and practicing yoga since 1994. He originally trained as an Iyengar teacher in the late 1990s, but his practice and teaching have since been influenced by a number of other yoga styles, particularly ashtanga vinyasa and the atma vikasa style of Acharaya Venkatesh (from Mysore, India).
Pranayama (which he has studied for a number of years with Sri OP Tewari, as well as with other senior teachers in Europe and India) has also been an important part of his practice from early on.
More recently, his quest for a more balanced practice led him to study the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha, whose teachings on ethics and meditation he found to complement and enrich his hatha yoga practice. He regularly practices anapanasati (mindfulness of breathing) and metta (loving kindness) meditation and attends retreats in various traditions of Buddhist meditation.
Christophe is certified by the Independent Yoga Network as a senior (1000 hours) teacher.
Sunday *
5.15 pm Depart Roonagh Pier for Clare Island (time to be confirmed)
6.00 pm Arrival at Macalla Farm, settle into accommodation
6.30 pm Dinner followed by introductory talk
8.00 pm Evening meditation with Christophe
Monday to Friday
8.30 am Meditation or breath work with Christophe
9.00 am Mysore morning with Francesca
11.00 am Brunch
4.00 pm Afternoon restorative yoga class with Francesca
or, on alternate days
4.30 pm Walking meditation with Christophe
5.00 pm Pranayama, meditation and philosophy with Christophe
6.30 pm Dinner
8.00 am Sitting meditation
Saturday *
8.30 am Meditation or breath work with Christophe
9.30 am Led class with Francesca
11.00 am Closing session followed by brunch
12.30 pm Departure from the centre for 1.00 pm ferry
*timetable for first and last days subject to change as they depend on ferry times.