Workshops with Leah

Three principals Leah encourages in all her workshops are;

Trying Softer by gently releasing the polarities in your thoughts and movements you allow for the effortless possibility of immediate awakened presence.
 
Intuitive Intelligence comes from listening to your inner most voice with your whole being in each minute to encourage self-awareness on all levels.

Loving Acceptance of the moment for what it is and yourself for exactly who you are brings the element of ease to your practice.

Meditation Based Exercises

The Art of Sitting- Discover a few helpful tips on posture and stretching that will help you sit in a comfortable position for your meditation practice. Use meditation to understand yourself better and reinforce ease and peace
in your life.

Mantras- Sanskrit chanting has a soothing and spacious effect. Silence may come naturally to the group and at times we will just allow ourselves to become absorbed by the peace. You may choose to learn a chant or simply enjoy listening.

Balanced Breathing- By calming the breath, your body and mind follow its lead. Pranayam is a timeless technique used to encourage balance in the body and mind. 

Moving Meditation- Walking in silence helps you to find your personal rhythm and you easily become aware of your breath and heartbeat. This allows you to listen closely to your immediate inner needs.

Deep Relaxation- An essential part of assimilating all that you have worked towards in the retreat.

Comments from the participants of classes, workshops and retreats;

“Leah’s free and playful style carries you right into the moment encouraging you to feel your body’s inmost voice.” 

“The Yoga of Spontaneous Being will inspire your bones to know where to move your body next and how long to enjoy the pose you discover.”

 “She promotes self-empowerment and trust in every way. Using innovative techniques, Leah shares her current approach to inspire a fresh outlook in your yoga practice.” 

Topics that can be covered with Leah in Workshops are;

Movement Based Exercises

Body Mapping the Mind-Body Connection- This workshop covers a series of experiments that illustrate the fascinating ways in which we can train our brain to work better for our body. You will also see how your sense of self does not only include your physical body but extends into the space around you.

The Art of Walking- During this workshop we will examine how we walk and the basic movements we depend on for walking. We will have fun watching each other walk and see how our personality may come through our walk. We will learn some stretches and exercises that assist in helping us walk freely and with good alignment. This workshop is inspired by the Somatic Walking exercises of Thomas Hannah.

Body Mirroring, Pairing Up for Positive Reflection- How we see ourselves may not be the way other people see us. In this workshop we will pair up and mirror back positive reflections to help our partner gain even more body awareness about their posture and how they hold certain yoga poses. This is a great workshop because by learning to check your friend’s posture you will also learn about how you hold your own body.  

Spontaneous Yoga, Gentle Movement- In this workshop we will learn to move the body spontaneously between yoga postures. There are many helpful movements that help relax the body and prepare it for the next yoga pose. We will explore how our muscles relax more quickly when we use targeted massage on them during the pose. Learn to become intuitive and feel how free movement makes you feel more comfortable in your practice. 

Warrior Stretching- Through this dynamic strengthening series learn the philosophy behind the warrior sequence. Incorporate mental stamina with your physical stamina. Inspired by the Bhagavad Gita.

Shakti Asana Sequence- Eight flowing meditative movements combined with deep regulated breathing are designed to create an equilibrium of energy in the body and mind. Sustaining the flow of balanced energy, the movements help to break down muscular knots and gently massage the internal organs.

Micro Movements- Usually done lying down, very small internal stretch and strengthening mico-movements expand your understanding of the inner body. Understand where all your organs sit in your body through guided imagery.

Self Massage- Strategic muscles in the body relax with pressure and massage releasing tension that stretching doesn’t always reach.

Neck and Shoulder Release- Using the McKenzie method we will discover ways that we can effectively manage our own neck and shoulder tensions.

Back Care Basics- Learn to maintain a strong and supple spine and relieve back tension as they arise to prevent long term back troubles with Somatic movements.

Mindful Inquiry Exercises

Positive Thinking- What are thoughts? Where do they come from? Turn negative thinking around and come up with creative ideas to help it become less frequent in your life.

Mindful inquiry encourages clarity about life principles, goals and values. All topics introduced are to inspire a sense of oneness, strength and self-awareness.

Writing from the Bones- Let the words just flow, no time to edit or worry about the spelling. Undedited expression can bring a sense of contentment and relaxation. All writing is just for you and will not be shared. 

Speaking from the Heart- A chance to speak uninterrupted, ask questions and listen wholeheartedly is given to all participants many times throughout the retreat. However, volunteering to express is completely optional.

Light of Knowledge- The aphorisms of the Patanjali uncover ancient wisdom that bring self-awareness to the present moment;
1. Be the independent investigator: free from traditions, gurus, lineages or scriptures. Learn to access your nearest and dearest teacher the Self who dwells within your being or attributeless source.
2. Learn how to take the philosophy of yoga and make it a personal practice.
3. Understand how holding a non-dual approach allows yoga to be a holistic, integrative and interdependent system.
4. Yoga is for enlightened birth, living and dying; it is timeless and universal.