Integrating Meditation into General Yoga Classes

Workshop Description

Meditation is a core element of the yoga traditions, fundamental to the teachings of the Buddha, and also features in many other ancient wisdom traditions. Secular ‘mindfulness’ practices have also become exceedingly popular in recent years.

This workshop gives you practical tools and techniques to develop your knowledge of how to skillfully integrate meditation into general yoga or movement classes.

What Will We Learn?

We will start the workshop with a fully integrated yoga session including movement, breathwork, meditation and inquiry. This will provide a baseline we can then refer back to.

We’ll then explore:

• An overview of different meditation approaches and techniques
• How to prepare body and mind for meditation through postural practice and breath work
• The effects of particular preparation practices on the nervous system
• Different meditation postures, how to work with them, and when and why to choose them, including various seated postures, standing, walking and lying down
• Key elements of structuring and teaching a guided meditation
• An overview of cautions and obstacles when teaching meditation
• The importance of language
• Postures to release the body after meditation
• An outline of the purpose and process of post-meditation inquiry
  

After the workshop, you will have a deeper understanding of how to set up and structure guided meditation as part of your movement classes.

Included in the workshop:

• Taught practises of movement, breathwork, and meditation
• Group discussions and feedback
• Lecture
• Practical teaching exercises

Who is this for?

This workshop is aimed at any teachers and trainees of yoga or related modalities of movement (e.g. tai chi, qi gong, pilates, dance, etc.) with a foundational meditation practice who are looking to skilfully integrate meditation into their classes.

Replay

Recordings of the opening practice, talks and teacher led discussions will be available for replay for 21 days after the workshop.

Certification & Hours

This workshop qualifies for 6 hours CPD with Yoga Alliance Professionals. You will receive a Yogacampus certificate of completion after the workshop.

Meet the Teacher

Isabell Britsch started her teaching journey in 2009 and now teaches yoga, mindfulness and meditation privately and at studios around London at a senior level. She also trains new yoga and meditation teachers. Her teaching is inclusive, and infused with warmth, care and humour.

Her flowing vinyasa yoga classes interweave yoga philosophy and thoughts on the psychology of the mind with intelligent, imaginative (and often somewhat unusual), fun sequences. Connection to the breath, attention to alignment, and encouragement to develop clarity and awareness off the mat are integral to her teaching. Isabell’s classes typically include hands-on assists and eclectic playlists.

Isabell trained as a yoga teacher with Yogacampus and in her ongoing advanced training is mainly influenced by Richard Freeman, Doug Keller and Rod Stryker.

Isabell’s mindfulness and meditation teaching is influenced by her long standing Vipassana and mindfulness practice. Courses and workshops cover a range of subjects including mindfulness, self-compassion, resilience, eastern philosophy, modern psychology, neuroscience and more. She also regularly gives talks on wellbeing, managing stress and building resilience in corporate environments. Every year Isabell leads several yoga and mindfulness retreats in the UK and abroad.

Isabell has taken extensive training in mindfulness and yin yoga with Sarah Powers, mindfulness and self-compassion with Karen Atkinson at MindfulnessUK, and trauma-sensitive mindfulness at an advanced level with David Treleaven. She trained in neuroscience with Dr Sarah McKay at the Neuroscience Academy.

Every year Isabell leads several yoga and mindfulness retreats in the UK and abroad. And she usually attends 3 weeks of silent meditation retreat every year at Amaravati Monastery in Hertfordshire, Gaia House and with her teacher Burgs. She is also influenced by the teachings of Tara Brach, Rick Hanson and Jack Kornfield.

Isabell holds accreditation by the Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body, the British Wheel of Yoga, and Yoga Alliance.

Visit her website for more info on yoga, mindfulness and meditation: www.bodyheartmind.co.uk