Yoga Philosophy Immersion

With Tara Lemerise, E-RYT 200, E-RYT 300, YACEP 

Open to students & teachers!

History of Yoga and Your Lineage
From your sticky mat today all the way back to the banks of the Ganges, this engaging two-hour workshop makes yoga history relevant to you. Tara's dynamic lecture style and generative questions guide you through the complicated history of yoga in a fascinating and accessible way. Who created and named these poses? Why does everyone quote the Yoga Sutras? Is the Bhagavad Gita really "the Bible of yoga" and if so, why have so few yoga students and yoga teachers read it? Understanding the answers to these questions (and many more!) will begin to unpack yoga's history and your place in it.

This workshop helps us all move from cultural appropriation to cultural appreciation, gives important meaning-making context for present-day practice, and inspires you to continue to be a part of the diverse and ever-evolving practices of yoga. The material in this workshop is suitable for curious yoga practitioners, as well as aspiring and current yoga teachers.

2 CEU's are available for yoga teachers registered with Yoga Alliance. This workshop includes lecture/presentation, as well as personal reflection and discussion. We will not be practicing any asana.

Saturday, February 28th | 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Wisdom Traditions of India and The Four Pillars of Yoga Philosophy
While yoga is a diverse and ever-evolving set of practices, the underlying philosophy of yoga is deep and steady. Many practitioners come to yoga for health and fitness and stay for the inspiring but often unnameable "more."

In this 5-hour two-part workshop, Tara explains the nature of reality, the nature of knowledge, and the principles of moral conduct according to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. These Indian wisdom traditions fused to create yoga's philosophical foundations. Come find out answers to questions like: Why do I feel more peaceful after a yoga class? What's the difference between karma and dharma? What do yoga poses have to do with the soul? You'll leave with a satisfying understanding of the four pillars of yoga (dharma, karma, samsara, and moksha), along with a reference guide/dictionary of Sanskrit terms.

Tara is known for making complicated concepts accessible and relatable without glossing over nuance. In this workshop, she will help demystify yoga philosophy in a way that will bring deeper meaning and understanding to your mat practice and to your daily life. The material in this workshop is suitable for curious yoga practitioners, as well as aspiring and current yoga teachers.

5 CEU's are available for yoga teachers registered with Yoga Alliance. This workshop includes lecture/presentation, as well as personal reflection and discussion. We will not be practicing any asana.

Part 1: Saturday, February 28th | 3:30-5:30 pm
Part 2: Sunday, March 1 | 1:00 - 4:00 pm

Yoga Sutras Book Club
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali have arguably become the most influential text to modern yoga. But why? You've seen these pithy lines as captions on instagram posts but what does the text REALLY say about yoga as a philosophy, practice, and lifestyle?

The Yoga Sutras Book club offers you supportive accountability and valuable homework to guide your reading. You'll find lots of what you expect: the ethical guidelines of yoga, the end goal of yoga practice, distractions and the obstacles, and what happens when you near enlightenment. Plus so much more that no one ever seems to discuss.
Sign up for this book club to understand the important context for how and why the Yoga Sutras have gained popularity while you consider what still feels relevant to you and your yoga practice and what doesn't. You'll feel right at home with your fellow nerdy, curious, and kind-hearted seekers in the lively and meaningful conversations about this seminal text. Please obtain a copy of The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali translated by Alistair Shearer. No reading is required before the first meeting and no previous experience with this text is required.

5 CEU's available for yoga teachers registered with Yoga Alliance.

Meeting 1 (in-person): Sunday, March 1 | 4:30-5:30 pm
Weekly Book Club (on-line only via Zoom) 
Wednesdays, March 11, 18, 25, and April 1 | 8:00-9:00 pm

Bringing Yoga Philosophy Into Your Asana Classes
*Yoga Sutras Book Club is a pre-requisite
It's time to put yoga philosophy into action! Incorporating yoga philosophy into asana classes is a powerful way to deepen and broaden the experience of yoga beyond physical practices. To feel confident executing this yoga teaching level-up, you need guidance, practice and feedback.

This half-day workshop offers a structure and an experimental space for you to build the skill of integrating philosophical concepts into all aspects of asana instruction. Honed from 20 years experience teaching yoga, including training more than 100 yoga teachers, the framework Tara shares with you here will empower you to add simple, clearly stated, relatable, and relevant yoga philosophy seamlessly into your teaching. You will be guided step-by-step to craft a dharma talk, sequence poses, and choose cues that will carry your themes through your classes from beginning to end.
Come prepared to practice something new and to participate in asana. Bring your curiosity and desire to be a more effective yoga teacher. Leave with a template and constructive actionable feedback that will empower you to incorporate yoga philosophy into your teaching with confidence, clarity, and authenticity long into the future. This workshop is intended for current yoga teachers and/or folks currently enrolled in a yoga teacher training program who have attended at least one of Tara's history and philosophy workshops or book clubs.

5 CEU's are available for yoga teachers registered with Yoga Alliance.  

 Saturday, April 18 | 1:00 - 6:00 pm

CEUs = 20 total (17 hours plus homework/independent reading)

Total Price: $400 for all 4 Modules
or option to purchase Modules separately, email [email protected] 

Module 1 (History of Yoga & Wisdom Traditions of India and The Four Pillars of Yoga Philosophy): February 28 & March 1 = $200

Module 2 (Book Club): $100

Module 3 (Bringing Yoga Philosophy into Asana): $125