DARBY & JOANNE

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

(Intensive description click here)

The main emphasis will be concerned with connective tissue, fascia and tensegrity. This knowledge will give a clearer understanding of the anatomical movements of the body allowing us to remove tensions in the body and allow for greater flexibility which will open up the channels for the flow of Prana (Chi). From this we can connect breath and movement (Vinyasa) allowing for a more relaxed and smooth flow to the Yoga practice. Adding Dristhi and understanding its importance in creating smooth movements into the entering and the exiting of Asanas.

The concept of connective tissue and tensegrity seems very simple but with wrong alignment and with the imbalances of posture it can become quite complicated. Throughout the workshop much emphasis will be placed on finding and correcting the alignment and posture allowing you to understand, explore and enjoy your practice

This workshop will be a great benefit for everyone who attends:

  • For those new to Yoga and Ashtanga this information will allow you to continue to explore and grow in your practice with confidence.
  • For those who have been practicing for some time It will be very beneficial, too.
  • For those who are already teaching, this understanding will help you to help your students.

SATURDAY

8:00 – 10:00 Mysore Team-Teach (Darby, Joanne & Chris)

10:30 – 12:30

  • Introduction to Ujjayi breathing
  • Pranayama practice introduction I
  • Analyzing Surya Namaskara A & B with exploration of fascia and tensegrity, movement and breath.

12:30 – 14:00 BREAK

14:00 – 16:00

  • Q & A
  • Study of Standing Sequence of postures.

SUNDAY

8:00 – 10:00 Mysore Team-Teach (Darby, Joanne & Chris)

10:30– 12:30

  • Pranayama practice I
  • Study of Forward Bends.

12:30 – 14:00 BREAK

14:00 – 16:00

  • Q & A
  • Study of some postures of the Primary Series part I.

MONDAY

8:00 – 10:00 Mysore Team-Teach (Darby, Joanne & Chris)

10:30 – 12:30

  • Pranayama practice II
  • Study of spinal twists

12:30– 14:00 BREAK

14:00 – 16:00

  • Q & A
  • Study of some postures of the Primary Series part II.
  • Study of inversions, shoulder stands and headstands.

INTENSIVE DESCRIPTION

TUESDAY (8 hrs)

6:00 – 8:00 Mysore Team-Teach (Darby, Joanne & Chris)

9:00 – 12:00

  • Pranayama practice for the intensive participants
  • Exploration of the posture principle, the interconnection of the whole body.
  • Theoretical knowledge and understanding an approach to your practice that includes and maintains this quality of alignment.
  • Why is sun salutation so important? Using this practice to begin exploring how the theory can fit into the practice

12:00 – 14:00 BREAK

14:00 – 17:00

  • Q & A
  • Study of standing postures.
  • Deeper exploration of breathing, the central role of breathing in the ashtanga practice and how going more deeply into this principle is the key to expanding the potential of your practice.
  • Lower body connections, initiating the study of mula bandha, understanding the standing postures.

WEDNESDAY (8 hrs)

6:00 – 8:00 Mysore Team-Teach (Darby, Joanne & Chris)

9:00 – 12:00

  • Pranayama practice for the intensive participants
  • Forward bends – the groundwork learnt from standing postures can be now utilized and applied to forward bends.
  • We will explore Fascia and its connections throughout our body from the understanding of anatomy trains (meridians) which will allow us to extend and expand into a deeper and more satisfying forward movement.

12:00 – 14:00 BREAK

14:00 – 17:00

  • Q & A
  • Postures of the primary series (part 1)
  • Experiential, using the anatomy awareness to gain a deeper understanding of the yoga alignment and the role of breath in this process.

THURSDAY (8 hrs)

6:00 – 8:00 Mysore Team-Teach (Darby, Joanne & Chris)

9:00 – 12:00

  • Pranayama practice (more pranayama added)
  • Study of spinal twists

12:00 – 14:00 BREAK

14:00 – 17:00

  • Q & A
  • Postures of the primary series (part 2)

FRIDAY (8 hrs)

6:00 – 8:00 Mysore Team-Teach (Darby, Joanne & Chris)

9:00 – 12:00

  • Pranayama practice (more depth added to pranayama)
  • Arm balances
  • Seated postures transitions
  • From alignment to meditation to breath: How all these principles come together to reshape how you approach challenges and gain many new insights.

12:00 – 14:00 BREAK

14:00 – 17:00

  • Q & A
  • Inversions, shoulder stands and headstands.
  • Continuing exploration of fascia and tensegrity.
  • These postures create harmony and balance within the human system.

SATURDAY (8 hrs)

8:00 – 11:00

  • Pranayama practice
  • Led ashtanga class

11:30 – 12:30

  • Revision of the principles we have learnt
  • Q & A

12:30 – 14:00 BREAK

14:00 – 17:00

  • Deepening your understanding of backbends.
  • Allowing the body to move comfortably, safely and expand into a deeper posture from the understanding of connective tissue and tensegrity.
  • This will be a beautiful way to experience and benefit from the work applied throughout the workshop.

17:00 – 18:00

  • Certification ceremony
  • Meditation & Mantra

MARK DARBY

Known to everyone as simply ‘Darby’, Darby is a unique teacher amongst teachers. Indeed, I count him as the major influence upon my teaching.

Darby first visited Mysore in 1979 where Pattabhi Jois almost played matchmaker, putting him in a house next door to the Shala to share a room with his now wife Joanne who had also just arrived in Mysore.

The rest is history as they say and Darby and Joanne ended up staying four-years in Mysore, by which time they had two children -born in Mysore. Often practicing in the Shala alone with Pattabhi Jois, they received a unique level of attention and instruction. Darby mentions being adjusted in every posture, whist Joanne was famously encouraged by Jois into the practice of one-hour headstands.

Outside Darby’s awe-inspiring ability (even at 72 he can still press himself up into a handstand), Darby has a particularly unique trajectory as a teacher and practitioner. For, after spending some time trying to teach, (covering class for Graham Northfield in his native Australia) Darby gave up practice to take a full time job to support his family.

This was, at least he says, due to his lack of popularity in trying to teach in Australia the way he had been taught by Jois in Mysore. He always says that when Graham returned, all bit a few students remained.

It was only when he received early retirement from Joanne’s family textile business that he was free, in his mid-fifties to pursue yoga again. Undeterred, after attending a few workshops with Richard Freeman, Darby says he actually learnt the practice afresh again – this time with the knowledge of what was actually going on in the postures.

Somehow, even at that age, he built up his practice and subsequent teaching again, becoming a renowned teacher and influential to so many with his inexhaustible attention to details and practical explanations.

Darby now spends his time between Montreal, Canada where he has lived most of his life (Joanne is Canadian), and Costa Rica where they have built a small yoga studio and guesthouse (due to his love of surfing).