The Art of Giving Adjustments
Primary Series Intensive Training

April 10/11 & 17/18
in Karkur

There are several ways to learn yoga and deepen one's practice: some students prefer verbal instructions, others benefit from visual demonstrations, and many respond best to physical touch.

While words can explain a lot and demonstrations provide clear examples, every body is unique. How can you explain the way a posture should feel? Even with instructions like “Put your hand here, your foot there, and twist your body," it pales in comparison to closing your eyes and surrendering to the physical and energetic guidance of helping hands.

Adjustments serve many purposes. As practitioners, we are looking for ideal alignment (not perfect alignment according to some ideal, but ideal position for the individual body). We are looking for depth, clarity, and an intelligent pathway into the posture. The final form is only one aspect of practice; how we arrive there is equally important.

The assistant’s external perspective can reveal possibilities the practitioner cannot see from within, and can help release patterns of tension in the body and mind that are not be directly related to the posture itself.

Learning how to give adjustments is therefore an invaluable skill for teachers, while learning through receiving adjustments is a profound educational experience for students. For this reason, these workshops are deeply valuable for students and teachers alike.

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The training follows the Mysore-style approach: working methodically with one posture at a time, using repetition, observation, and gradual deepening. We will consider different body types and individual needs, progressing gradually through the series.

Quality, not quantity, is the guiding mantram. Nevertheless, over four days we aim to cover all of the postures in the Ashtanga Primary Series that are commonly adjusted.

The day starts with Mysore or guided practice. After a short break we will then look at individual postures, speak about vinyasa, breathing and alignment principles as they apply to different body types, different levels of practice, flexibility and injury. Then we will explore these ideas through adjusting each other in the postures.

Cost 800 ILS

Daily Schedule 10AM-3PM

reserve your spot - space is limited

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Feedback from Previous Adjustment Workshops

"The traditional method of teaching Ashtanga yoga postures is by physically adjusting the student into correct alignment or simply deeper towards the postures' true expression. Guy Donahaye embodies a unique combination of gentleness and power. From the first moment as a student in Guy's hands the sensation was one of security and trust, allowing me to relax and breathe into the posture. It is inadequate to talk only about the physical nature of Guy's adjustments. He communicates a calming spirituality, rooted in tradition, which sets one free into the present moment. For a teacher, learning Guy's approach to adjustment would be priceless. My yoga journey has included many master teachers. Guy is among the very best." - Tom

"I highly recommend GD's intensive adjustment clinic for all ashtanga students who are interested in deepening their practice and for teachers interested in exploring the intricacies of adjusting. Guy's years of experience as a teacher and teacher of teachers comes through as he adds his own philosophy and style of adjusting while grounding students in the traditional methodology of ashtanga as taught to him by Pattabhi Jois. Each day the clinic included instruction, practice and ongoing discussion and feedback. It was a great opportunity to practice adjustments directly on students and to learn a variety of adjustments for each pose of the primary series. Guy is a patient teacher who makes his students feel comfortable; the clinic is both rigorous and tons of fun." Aliza

"In addition to becoming comfortable with using my touch on others, and learning the actual adjustments, I think it also really strengthened my relationship to this practice. I suspect part of that may have come from spending so much time at the shala every day and from the intensity of the experience. Beyond this though, I think we all benefited from having an opportunity to understand many of the principles behind the way you teach and the reason things are done the way they are...

...This workshop has really deepened my respect for teaching. I kept thinking throughout the workshop about what a big responsibility you take on as a teacher. I am beginning to see that although I always thought of my practice as "mine", that the teacher really makes the practice in some sense. The teacher's relationship to the practice and interpretation of the practice is passed on to the student in so many ways." - Julia

"The repetition of adjustments rapidly deepened my own practice. I guestimate that we each received about 30-50 adjustments a day (about 720 adjustments during the workshop). That could be equal to or more than the number I’ve received the last 18 months. (!) This was the most valuable aspect of the workshop for me...

...It was very beneficial and generous of you to demonstrate adjustments again, and again and again if needed. There are many possible adjustments and you were emphasizing a certain style. It became apparent you see a hierarchy of asanas that are most important to adjust." - Katherine

"I would say that the workshop enhances one's ability to learn non-verbally through hands-on instruction. The strength of the workshop as I see it is the time and attention that you, Guy, give to each student as they learn the adjustments. It seemed as if you were always there when needed to guide and answer questions." - Maureen