Sedona Yoga Festival 2019

Session Title: Asanas as a Path to Compassion and Self-Acceptance

Session Description: Our relationship with ourselves is the foundation to our life – our
emotional states, our relationships with others, our successes/accomplishments.
With asana practice there is no hiding out if we allow it. Our tightness, body rolls,
frustrations, and injuries will present themselves. We can restrict our awareness by
judging our condition with an idea of how things should be OR open to freedom and
inner joy and wisdom by noticing with acceptance. Awareness transforms our
internal state and our bodies and brings us to that “No Problem” open state. This
practice of awareness without judgment can be carried into all yoga styles and into
living with Freedom rather than Resistance.

Bio: Practicing and teaching yoga is my time for presence and being open to what shows
up. It happens without force or struggle. Gratitude, acceptance, light-heartedness
naturally expands to that “no problem state.” This is what I encourage in my
students. I’m blessed to have the guidance of amazing teachers and lineages, ranging
from Gentle Hatha, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Yin, Restorative, Anusara, Bikram, and
AcroYoga over the past 40 plus years. My teaching blends these styles as needed. In
addition, I offer private Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy and Interactive Guided
Imagery sessions to connect with trust and inner wisdom.

Requirements & Preparation: Mobility & fitness level: All participants must be capable of hiking 2-3 miles on uneven surfaces as well as navigate various gradients of terrain without the assistance of a walking aid or third party. Each participant must maintain a current health level that is conducive to hiking at 4000 + elevation without preexisting health conditions that could jeopardize the safety of self or others.