‘The practical application of humanistic/yoga principles to the physical practice of yoga.’

This workshop is suitable for enthusiastic bodyworkers and body-mind workers of all traditions, yoga students and teachers looking for depth. It is open to all but it also serves as an introductory workshop to the Acquaviva Yoga and Teacher Development Short Courses running in 2019.

Saturday will be led by the renowned Pete Blackaby: Yoga Teacher, Osteopath, Naturopath & Author of 'Intelligent Yoga'.

Pete was the first of Marc's significant teachers when he came back to yoga as an adult. Pete will be sharing his highly investigative look at functional movement within the context of yoga practice. His interest in humanistic principles make straight forward common-sense of this 'revolution' that is currently going on in Yoga.

"Yoga is a broad church, spanning many styles and belief systems. The approach I am working with at the moment has its roots in a humanistic philosophy. To understand as clearly as one can the rationale for yoga practice, and then to encourage practice with attentive curiosity. So that practice becomes your own, and you grow to be your own teacher." "I've also taken issue with some of the modern asanas than I feel may cause harm if practiced regularly. Many of these asanas are part of the lexicon of modern yoga, and have remained un-critiqued for over 50yrs. It is time to re-evaluate, and that is what I have started in 'intelligent yoga'. - Pete Blackaby -

On Sunday Marc J Acquaviva, the author of course content at the Acquaviva School of Yoga, will be leading a practical inquiry into the direct application of yoga principles to physical practice. Marc's approach is sourced in the same principles of self-inquiry and truth-seeking as Pete's, but in his own yoga journey within the 'Scaravelli-inspired' approach, he realise that the revolution in yoga that Vanda Scaravelli began was simply an adherence to rather obvious principles (humanistic/yoga/common-sense) in the direct approach to posture work.

There will be some reference to and questioning of the meaning of the first few of Patanjali's sutras as well as an investigation into the direct application of these things to physical practice (including a deeper look and possible re-interpretation of the Yamas and Niyamas), but this will involve plenty of direct mat-time in guided exploration.

" As time goes on and my teaching progresses, it becomes more and more obvious that what is needed in the yoga world is a simple re-direction of attention. The moment I can persuade someone to stop organising the body from a series of learnt 'shoulds and shouldn'ts', and take their attention directly into the quality of their own interactions with both the earth, and with the space that they occupy, then 'doing to the body' ceases, and an awakening to the higher-intelligence of the body itself begins. Actions and responses naturally begin to align with each other as they adjust to accommodate the base-line intention to experience greater harmony, simplicity and grace in movement and support.

When someone becomes aware of just how quickly and deeply the body rewards them for such a loving and respectful interaction, the penny drops and a true yoga practice is born ...' - Marc J Acquaviva

This workshop is also the first weekend of the 6-part full-immersion series in Brighton (running through til June 2019). If you really enjoy this weekend, and you are able to commit to the subsequent dates, it may be possible for you to continue with us. The full 6-series makes for an 84hr CPD - appropriate for anyone wanting depth and expert guidance on their very personal yoga journey, but also suitable for teachers and bodyworkers from all traditions looking for real solutions in their work. (more...)