Yoga & Psyche Immersion Level I Live, Livestream, and Distance Options Spring, 2015
Visit the Yoga & Psyche Project on Facebook: www.facebook.com/yoganadpsyche or “friend” me at Mariana Caplan Follow @MarianaCaplan on Twitter Learn More About The Yoga & Psyche Project: by visiting www.RealSpirituality.com
Module II Applying Somatic Practice to Asana
(Left to right): 1) Trigger; 2) Become aware of trigger and resource with meditation, visualization (nature, spiritual imagery, etc.), breath/pranayama, light or intense asana, or any other resource that works for you. Note: even spiritual resources are not limited to yoga or any religion or tradition. The principle is “trans-‐religious”; 3) Pendulate toward wholeness, goodness, happiness. Overview of the Day
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1.Welcome (Mariana) and Invocation (Anastasi and Marya) ●
2. Overview of the Day: Applying Somatic Practice to Asana ●
3. Receiving/Integrating/Sharing/Envisioning Present and Future Growth ●
LUNCH ●
4. Music Meditation/Practice on Titrating Fear and Love ●
5. Asana and Pendulation a) Overview b) Demo 3) Theory; 4) Practice -‐ dyads in person and alone if at a distance 5) Sharing in Dyads; 6) Questions ●
6. Titrating Fear and Love in Asana a) Overview b) Demo 3) Theory; 4) Practice -‐ dyads in person and alone if at a distance 5) Sharing in Dyads; 6) Questions
Mariana’s Personal Growth
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Sought Guidance and Protection from living Elders/Mentors in new phase of vocational/
spiritual/personal growth: Lewellyn Vaughan-‐Lee and Hameed Ali (A.H. Almaas) ●
Closing private practice to create 2 groups, 1 retreat, conference, complete book, re-‐release musical Zen Boyfriends & Namaste Bitches, and launch my new business, that will launch Fall, 2016, in its first of 3 phases, with the release of Sounds True Yoga & Psyche. ●
Two business mentors: Gary Shemano and Dost Deniz, and the skillful eye of Tami Simon helping me to envision Mariana’s ●
Two paid employees: Haley Roth and Kristine Tom, and several more to come ●
Continuing Education: Studying Business and Psychiatry and other forms of consultation with “peers”, Christina Sell (tomorrow) and yoga privates with friends, personal therapy.
We can have many effective mentors, even if none are the “perfect spiritual teachers.”
Mommy Life
The Growth that has Occurred in the Class
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A few openings that Mariana is aware of in the course: ●
1. Shinay & Shannon (introduce their new function) ●
Haley in Harvard ●
Many are coming out of isolation and into community. Dyads: 1. Person A speaks for 5 minutes and Person B received, while tuned in somatically to their own embodied awareness 2. Bell rings, switch. 3. Switch person A & B (5 minutes)
Tara from UK: I see an image of myself on top of a mountain, arms outstretched. I sense the words ‘ Time to spread my wings.’ I’m looking up, head back, to the vast sky above me, the might of the landscape around me, feeling the earth beneath my feet and the whole universe around me. I’m a part of it: it’s a part of me: I’m at one with it. I feel filled with life: I wear a huge smile on my face as I slowly spin around, embracing, and being embraced by, life. I know my place in the universe and feel safe and protected and loved. I feel totally free, and totally held. The limitless opportunities of life seem to mirror my own inner potential. Everything matters and nothing matters. Whatever happens, it’s the living and the being that are important. I can make my own way. I had received the answer before I knew I had asked the question: it seems to be time for me to move on. And, yes, it does feel so right.
PRACTICE Receiving/Integrating/Sharing/Envisioning Present and Future Growth
Inquiry Topic: This is a time when we are reflecting on what you have learned and how you have grown in the past month. Your subtle and great insights. The challenges you have experienced and if and how you have applied the tools you are learning both from the course and other aspects of your life, in a way that has felt growthful – which includes times you have not been able to apply the tools and what you are learning from that. What types of new connections have you made? What kinds of connections are you still hoping to make? What actions can you take today and the coming weeks to create those types of connections? 3 Practices Offered: to create optimal conditions for people assisting the training livestream and at a distance. Participants are welcome to experiment with other options if they prefer to, regardless of where they are located. Sharing options will follow each practice. Practice Options
1. Dyads: 1. Person A speaks for 5 minutes and Person B received about the Inquiry Topic, while tuned in somatically to their own embodied awareness 2. Bell rings, switch. 3. Switch person A & B (5 minutes) 4. Group Share/Questions 2. Livestream: Participants journal for 10 minutes about the Inquiry Question, and then “imagine” telling a new or trusted friend in the class about their experience 3. Distance: Participants journal for 10 minutes about the Inquiry Question, and then for 10 minutes imagine telling a dyad partner about your experience, and then for 5 minutes imagine someone telling you something wonderful and insightful they experienced from a different perspective.
Our sources of study/teachers for the day
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10 Steps for Applying Somatic Practice to Asana (Mariana Caplan) ●
Yoga Psychotherapy: The Integration of Western Psychological Theory and Ancient Yogic Wisdom (Mariana Caplan, Adriana Portillo, Lynsie Seely) ●
Touching Enlightenment Through the Body (Reginald/Reggie Ray) ●
Toward a Psychology of Awakening (John Welwood) ●
Buddha’s Brain (Rick Hanson)
Thematic Questions Emerging
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1. Yoga & Psyche and Children (see work of Maggie Kline, LMFT, School Psychologist & Therapist; senior faculty at Trauma through a Child's Eyes Awakening the Ordinary Miracle of Healing, Trauma-‐Proofing Your Kids A Parents' Guide to Instilling Confidence, Joy and Resilience, It Won't Hurt Forever Guiding your Child through Trauma (Mothering Magazine, 2002) 2. Difficulty with owning one’s own gifts 3. Fear of greatness 4. Persistent Shame (of isolation, body, appearance, psychological diagnosis, relationship history for singles and couples, and an infinite variety of shame “complexes.” 5. Recurrent Anxiety and the lack of public awareness in mainstream, psychological, and spiritual communities, about its pervasiveness LUNCH BREAK
Before you leave the room, find three different people and say hello. You can do this online too! If those in the room are looking for, or would welcome others, to join them for lunch – raise your hands… connect! COME BACK ON TIME OR KALI WILL BE MAD… and so will the livestream participants!
participants! Practice: Pendulating Fear and Love (with and without asana and other yoga practices)
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Overview ●
Demonstration ●
Practice (in-‐person, livestream, and live options) ●
Sharing and Questions
Additional Practices to Explore:
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Pendulating Anger & Love (with or without asana) ●
Pendulating Sorrow/Suffering & Love (with or without asana) ●
Pendulating Anxiety with Nature Resources (with or without asana) ●
Pendualting Sorrow with Gratitude ●
Pendulating Grief with Self and Other Compassion (with or without “pranayama” practice of Buddhist Boddhisattva Breath ●
After you explore these, or possibly well before you go through the list, you will begin to understand the principle in your own body and psyche, and then you will begin to spontaneously generate images and practices that are perfectly and uniquely situated according to your own Inner Healer / Inner Physician (Jangalykayamane in Ashtanga Yoga Invocation)
3 Leadership Positions Available, p.1
Seeking for Immediate Work Trade, and Possibly Long-‐Term Work Trade or Hire
1. Administrative Assistant: Seeking an efficient, flexible, and high operating administrative assistant to field emails, manage scheduling and field communication for Yoga & Psyche International. Candidate must be extremely computer friendly and have knowledge of Microsoft Office and ability to use Google docs, calendars, et al. We are looking for a grounded and open communicator who can work at lightening speed at times, a quick pace at others, with joy! Supervised under Haley Roth, Harvard Grad school. Please send your resume to [email protected]. Applicants must have 5 hours/week to begin, and be available to go to 10 hours/week, and up to 20 hours week if and when the position becomes paid. 2. Academic Editor (Short term; now -‐ June): Needed for immediate work on the First Edition of the Yoga & Psyche Journal. Please send resume and editing work samples to [email protected]. This is a paid position depending upon experience. 3. Research & Editing Intern: Seeking an experienced researcher and editor for two six month positions, assisting Dr. Mariana Caplan's final research details for her new book, YOGA & PSYCHE, to be published by Sounds True in Fall of 2016. Mariana is offering the position in 2 phases -‐ she is hiring for Phase A, which is April-‐August, 2015, will be researching details under Mariana's direct guidance -‐ this will include academic, popular, and online research. Applicants are ideally PhD students who have successfully written and scored highly on academic papers. MA students or grads who possess these skills are welcome to apply. Phase B will be September, 2015-‐March, 2016, will require proofreading and copy editing services before sending to and communicating with the publisher. Please send resume with relevant experience, letter of interest, and samples of editing work that demonstrate these abilities. If you have any published academic papers, please include sample. MUST BE WIDELY AVAILABLE THE SECOND TWO WEEKS OF APRIL AND ALL OF AUGUST AND EARLY SEPTEMBER TO APPLY.
Skillset I am looking for: Computer social media skills, editing (academic, popular, content, line editing, copy editing), joyful/positive attitude, ability to work at light speed when needed, a spirit of service, gratitude, humility, whip smart, leadership skills, youth and age, diversity, yoga, leadership, psychology background (formal or informal), communication skills. MA/PhD/Post-‐Grad preferred (even if in-‐process). Most important: INTEGRITY.
3 Leadership Positions Available, p.2
Terms: Whomever fills these positions gains free entry (($650 value) to The Yoga & Psyche Immersion, which is a Live, Livestream, and Distance Program, held locally in Fairfax, CA. This is a 5 month, one-‐Saturaday/month program, that began in February and ends in June. Enrollment is still open and everything is video recorded and livestream so it is easy for you to catch up. See the immersion here: http://realspirituality.com/yoga-‐psyche-‐immersion-‐
spring-‐2015/
The Yoga & Psyche Method: Resourcing, Pendulating, and Titrating Through Asana
10 STEPS FOR APPLYING SOMATIC
TECHNOLOGY TO ASANA PRACTICE These steps can also be modified for meditation
and self/dyad psychological inquiry and therapy
sessions, whether with or without physical contact
10 STEPS
1.
Assume a comfortable seated or standing position, or a restful, nourishing yoga pose (savasana or child’s pose) and take a few breaths to relax and bring presence to the body 2.
Locate resource in the body through pleasurable or healing image or asnsa 3.
Track the sensation and allow it to change, move, and deepen by attending to sensation while noticing any emotions, images, memories, and insights that arise 4.
Choose an asana to practice with. You might choose an asana you have a certain “emotional resistance” to, or something more easeful. Both have distinct and equally useful benefits. 5.
Enter into the posture and find your edge. Then back out of the asana so you feel no physical strain but can still feel the asana (at least 10% -‐30% or more)
10 STEPS
6. Bring LOVING attention to sensations and emotions arising, and enter into the emotion or sensation 2%-‐5% for a short period of time (30 seconds to 1 minute but not longer), until you have a deep understanding of the method and your own trauma 7. Back out of the asana to comfortable pose (mountain pose, or child’s pose are good options) and return to resource 8. (Optional): Re-‐enter (titrate) the asana following steps 4-‐6, perhaps entering into the sensation 2%-‐5% more deeply, and/or slightly deepening asana THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SOURCES
OF KNOWLEDGE AND PROTECTION.
MAY WE BE PERFECTLY IMPERFECT
VEHICLES OF PERFECT LOVE.