For Yoga Teachers, Practitioners and those who just love Yoga

The Bhagavad Gita is a classic yoga story that takes us along the journey to understanding our path. Utilizing meaningful poses within the sun salutation, phrases for contemplation and moments of stillness we find our own journey to understanding what is important to us, where we are going and why we do what we do.

With travelling, the excitement, energy and learning of the conference we can find ourselves scattered, exhausted and all in our head. Moving through a standing flow series, balance work and stabilizing poses we will take some time to experience where you are, get grounded and find your true center.

One third of all Canadians over the age of 65 will lose their balance and fall this year. Yoga Instructors play an important role in helping participants decrease their likeliness of falling. This workshop will focus on balance training methods designed to improve strength, mobility, co-ordination in active and inactive older adults. Experience a variety of balance training that can be applied to all ages and classes.

Yoga nidra or "yoga rest" is a versatile relaxation technique utilized for deep relaxation, stress management, to harmonize the deeper unconsciousness and awaken inner potential. This workshop will explore the structure and process of yoga nidra including changes in brainwaves during various stages, yoga nidra and the kosha model, restorative asana for yoga nidra, listening to inner guidance, framing and establishing sankalpa (intension), and developing and supporting the transference of prana through voice. This workshop will conclude with a yoga nidra session and questions and answer period. Suitable for teachers and practitioners alike, discover how yoga nidra can help create a portal to creative expression and self discovery.

Free the feet from the confines of the shoe and discover how to improve core and hip stability/ mobility through the workings of the feet. Integrating mobility, stability, strength, balance and fluidity; take tools away that will transform the way you think about the feet's role in your client's alignment, movement, and functional health.

Often when we work with clients we find areas that will not respond to the typical approach. The front door becomes locked, rigid and impassible. Discover corrective exercises that take a different approach through this practical and exploratory workshop. Find new methods for dealing with chronic physical issues through the side door.

These three components are not often integrated together and can lead to minimal benefits, injuries or simple soreness. Investigate the current research on stretching & how to functionally incorporate it into your classes. Learn simple techniques to help your participants feel open, balanced and relaxed without the injuries and delayed onset of muscle soreness.

Examine your own perceptions about appearance and learn how by making small, positive changes in your behaviour, you can do your part to generate a healthier body image in yourself, your clients, and colleagues.

Are your clients experiencing leaking or a split Diastis Recti? Learn how the balance between strength, endurance, release, breath, and awareness are all important to the health of the pelvic floor and inner core. Discover how it may not be issues with the pelvic floor but instead the muscles and connective tissue that surround and interact with its function that may the true culprits to its weakness. As a gateway to stability in the body, a healthy pelvic floor and inner core is vital to our students foundation and can significantly improve the quality of their life.

Explore the anatomy & physiology of the back and how it can be influenced by scoliosis. Experience gentle and effective methods for training your participants to improve posture and alleviate discomfort that can be associated with scoliosis. Learn important modifications for the different types of scoliosis, how to recognize the different between functional and structural scoliosis, and how to deal with those that have undergone surgery.

Over time our bodies develop compensations, habits and movement patterns that lead to pain, injury and fatigue. Discover strengths and weaknesses in your core and how they can translate into compensations throughout the body. Feel how strengthening the key stability muscles and releasing the tonic muscles and myofascial lines allows your body to move more freely and can assist in pain or stress reduction. Explore the common connections and learn how to recognize them and help your students restore their functionality.

We push ourselves, we take it all on, we strive and eventually we break. Learning how to surrender and let go can be one of the most difficult things we can ask of our clients. Explore the world of restorative poses where the body is asked to do nothing and we surrender to our props, position. Learn and experience some of the common results of this surrender and how to work with your clients to help them find stillness, ease and peace.

Do you have the weight of the world on your shoulders? Explore and experience methods for releasing tension and tightness that we build up in our shoulder girdle. Learn the anatomy of the shoulder girdle and its connections to the rest of our body allowing us to feel freedom and lightness in our posture.

The word yoga means union or connection. This can mean the connection of shallow breathing to neck and shoulder tension or the grounding of the big toe to increase the activation of the buttocks in a pose. Join Suzette while we explore  some of the common connections in the body, breath and mind and discover how to recognize them, restore positive pathways and find the ease that yoga can bring to your life.

Teaching yoga requires us to fine tune our teaching techniques to create an environment of peace, ease and stillness. Learn methods for fine tuning your voice, cueing techniques as well as methods for creating the environment. Different Savasana techniques will be covered as well as the use of sound and vibration to allow your students to leave your classes flowing with stillness.

In our busy, sensory overloaded world, it is difficult to find those moments of peace and stillness to connect with yourself and decrease the stresses placed upon ourselves. Discover ways to create outer and inner sacred spaces. Experience simple meditation techniques that students of all levels can enjoy. Learn how to focus the mind, calm the body and connect with the your spiritual essence.