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Sample Workshop Themes
If you would like to host Michael for a workshop, retreat or training in
your area please email invitations to michaelgannonyoga@gmail.com.
GPVY — Gannon Power Vinyasa Yoga
After 15-years of practicing Classical Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, as blessed by his late Guru, Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois, Gannon has experienced the natural process of where tradition often leads other long-term yoga teachers. And that is evolution and freedom. The freedom to adapt what our own experience on the mat has lead us to discover and create for ourself. Challenge yourself to a powerful, vinyasa based practice that is not for the narrow minded and not for the weak. Always with the stimulating, rocking playlist that has becomes Gannon’s driver of a high-energy practice.
Yoga for Meditation
All asana practices can be used to prepare us and take us into a meditative state (Dhyana). When we just breathe and move, Ashtanga can become a moving meditation. We will start this class with a guided Ashtanga practice, turning into and awakening our energetic body. We will then take this lite energetic awareness into a 30-minute guided charka meditation. If your week at work or home has been stressful and making your mind rampant, this session will scrub it clean setting the tone for a relaxing weekend.
All levels welcome.
The Magic of Bandhas
How do I jump thru and jump back?! How do I do handstands?! When will I float?!
The seemingly magic of bandhas that allows us to fly is a gradual process that is developed over time with steady practice. But, if we can’t understand the basic physics of activating our core, we can remain stuck to the earth indefinitely.
In this workshop we will break down individual elements that allow us to experience weightlessness in all elements in our practice.
All levels, all styles of practicioners.
Opening Your Heart – Elements of backbending
Some of us have a spine like cooked linguini and don’t need to think about backbending. Some of us begin to hyperventilate when we attempt basic backbends. In this workshop we will break down individual elements that allow us to backbend with control and comfort. Working with partners we will explore shoulders, hip flexors our front, our foundation and our breath. All levels, all styles of practitioners. Based on Michael’s latest DVD.
Led Primary Series
Michael will guide the primary series of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga using the traditional Sanskrit count of each vinyasa. Hands on adjustments will provide a deeper and practice experience. Open to all levels with experience in Ashtanga.
Awaken Your Life Force and Quiet Your Mind
A Yogic breathing and pranayama workshop
This workshop will support the idea that the Breath is the most powerful aspect of Ashtanga yoga. We will enhance our breath awareness to deepen our asana practice and develop a basic seated pranayama practice.
By incorporating this practice — slowly, slowly you will be able to utilize the control of breath and bandhas to harness energy (prana) and flow with synchronicity from asana to asana, taking your practice experience to another level. Based on Michael CD used by practitioners around the world since 2005.
The Power of Words and Talking with Your Hands
Yoga Adjustments…The most powerful part of giving Ashtanga is in the touch. It is not what we can guide so much as what we can feel, touch and breathe. And more is less in this simple yet powerful approach. The breath is the guide, which allows us to line up our students or ourselves by using brief verbal and tactile clues to move in and out of an asana, without disrupting the breath. Working with partners, we will learn some of these subtle adjustments that are as important to understand while you are being adjusted, as they are when you are giving adjustments.
Mysore Class
Mysore classes teach new and experienced yoga practitioners in the traditional form that Ashtanga is taught in Mysore, India by our Guru Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois. Beginners and advanced practitioners work side by side, but at their own pace. One to one guidance and adjustments are given base on each student’s specific needs. Like a private lesson, in a group energy setting. Only recommended for schools that have a thriving mysore program.
Full Vinyasa Practice –The Science of the Vinyasa System
In Ashtanga Yoga we can go through the motions or we can REALLY do the practice. With awareness, with rhythm, with control, following the breath….with the correct vinyasa. We will start by exploring the science of the Vinyasa System, where it came from, what it REALLY means and why it’s use and understanding is invaluable to our practice. We will discover how to truly use the breath as the primary guide for each and every one of our movements throughout the practice. We will break down the primary series to learn the Correct Vinyasa Count (breath/movement pattern) for moving into, through and out of each asana. And we will understand how the original practice of “full form” of the vinyasa system had each and every asana start and finish in samastitihi. Then we will move together through the original Full-Form Vinyasa of Primary Series, following the correct vinyasa count in Sanskrit. Few practitioners and teachers understand this ‘full form” and even fewer teach it. A rare opportunity. Open to all levels with experience in Ashtanga.
Asana Playground
An opportunity to work on whatever is currently up for you in your practice. How to get in or out of a particular asana? How to deepen your experience in a posture that has been challenging you? Ask for special tricks for any part of the practice that frustrates you. We will choose a bunch of individual issues from the group and go through them all, interactively. As the name implies….very fun stuff!!!
First Time Weekend Workshop Program
A popular, recommended workshop program when hosting Gannon for the first time:
Friday Night (2hours) — Yoga for Meditaiton
Saturday Morning (3 hours) — Opening Your Heart–Elements of Backbending OR Gannon Power Vinyasa Yoga
Saturday Afternoon (2 hours) — Opening Your Lotus–Elements of Sitting OR Awaken Your Life Force and Quiet Your Mind
Sunday Morning (3 hours) — Full Vinyasa OR Killer Arm Balances
Asana Pranayama Dhyana — Postures, Breath and Meditation
A 4 hour workshop covering the 3 practical limbs of Ashtanga — Postures, Breath and Meditation. We start with pre-asana pranayama. This stokes our agni (internal fire), charges the body with prana and scrubs the mind calm. We are then ready for a full guided asana practice. Finishing with a deep guided relaxation. After a short break, we continue with Q&A, additional pranayama and guided meditation. Can be tailored to a 2.5 hour session.
Killer Arm Balances
Circus Tricks! The fun stuff that we used to do with our bodies as indistructable tykes. We used to be so much more comfortable being upside down when we were kids, and so much closer to the ground. Use your yoga practice in a way that can help you defy the laws of gravity again… as a big kid. Moving through a guided practice, firmly grounded in the breath and the bandhas, we will stop and explore the parts of the practice allowing us to move into arm balances. Working with partners, balancing yourself on your hands in challenging positions is guarenteed to make you laugh. All levels, all styles of practicioners.
GAVY Teachers Clinic — Real Yoga for Real Beginners (50 hour training over 3 to 5 days)
For those with an established practice who would like to become teachers, or develop their own practice further.
This Teacher Training Intensive workshop is designed to enhance each trainee’s existing yoga practice, cultivate teaching skills and increase yogic awareness. The curriculum is derived from Michael’s 200-hr RYT training course, accredited by Yoga Alliance.
It is suitable for all levels of trainee teachers. This workshop requires students to be familiar with the Primary Series of the Ashtanga System. Participants should be open to transformation though practice – physically, mentally and emotionally.
While this workshop will also deepen each practitioner’s own experience on the mat, it is much more than an intensive practice week. Students will come away with real, useful techniques they can put into action every day. Michael will teach specific, hands-on methods, words and movements that teachers at all levels will be able to use in their teaching, right away. Those new to the teacher’s path will learn how to use the original Ashtanga system to share the basic elements of the practice with beginner yoga students. Experienced teachers will learn new and relevant ways to see, feel, tell, touch and guide students at different levels.
Some of the content covered includes:
Standing & Seated asana sequence disection
Tristana – Breath, Bandhas & Dristi
The Real Vinyasa System
Finishing – Inversions, Final Seated, Yoga Nidra
Activating your Core – Jump-thru & Jump-back
Pranayama Lecture & Practice
Magic of Bandhas
Mysore Style & Hands on Adjustment Techniques
Partner Work & Teaching Simulations
Opening Your Lotus – Elements of Sitting
For many of us, putting ourselves into Padmasana is NOT easy. And sitting there comfortably for more than 60-seconds can be like a Tapas practice of will and determination. This class will use a sequence of seated asanas to slowly, slowly free the restricted parts of the body that need to be loose to comfortably come into Padmasana and sit in peace. We can then use this new Asana, or seat, to ground ourselved for pranayama and meditation. All levels welcome.
Ashtanga Rocks
Bust out of the traditional rules and add a little Rock & Mantra to your practice! Let’s flow through the Vinyasa System to the rockin beats of Gannon’s funky playlist. Ohhhhhh Yeeeeeeaaahhhhh!!!
