Our Ashtanga system brings us to a transformative gateway: the art of following our breath. Beginners often feel that they must force the body to move, bend or align into a certain shape. But with time, the actual mastery reveals itself. The breath moves the body. The bandha draws our awareness back to our skillful breathing. With an internal focus and conscious breath, the entire practice opens up. Jump-backs and jump-throughs develop more effortlessly with correct breathing. This workshop is open to one and all who wish to manicure their breath, refine their vinyasa and deepen their Ashtanga practice.
About Dylan Bernstein
Dylan had the good fortune to be introduced to yoga and zazen meditation in 1988, at the ripe age of 14 and a half. Since then, he has surveyed various practice methods and courses of study. He has maintained a daily Ashtanga practice for 15 years. Dylan has learned immensely by travelling widely and leading Mysore programs in Vietnam, Bali, Hong Kong, China, Istanbul and Prague.Though the soil and conditions around him are often shifting, the practices keep him grounded internally, allowing for stability even when in the midst of change.
In addition to time spent in Mysore with Shri K Pattabhi, Saraswati and Sharath Jois, Dylan has been blessed to connect and learn with many other brilliant senior teachers, monastics and scholars. He holds a Master’s Degree in Buddhist Studies and was been granted authorization to teach by the Shri K Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute in 2012.
Dylan regularly teaches on four continents and continues to be influenced by many teachers and diverse traditions. Perhaps his primary inspiration has become his dynamic and inquisitive students. He is forever indebted to all the teachers, students and fellow practitioners who have helped him along the way.
A student of teaching techniques, Dylan has a background in pedagogy and cognitive development. His classes are designed to put students into direct contact with their own true internal teachers. Yoga has never been limited to āsana for Dylan and yet, he values the critical role that the physical practice can play in bringing light to one’s whole being.
Essentially, Dylan remains a pluralist, believing in many kinds of truth and many manners of realization. Though entertainment is not his focus in teaching, there is always room for laughter in his classroom. Ashtanga coupled with other sitting practices continue to be the foundations of his understanding and teachings.
