Adam Keen workshop May 26th – 29th 2022
Adam Keen (Keen on Yoga) Workshop May 26th – 29th 2022
Registration is closed
Bio
Adam Keen started a daily practice after his first class in Hatha Yoga in 1999. After suffering a period of bad mental health whilst studying for a degree in philosophy, he recognised right away the most obvious benefit.
Around 2 years later, this worked its way, via an interlude in Iyengar to the ashtanga practice. So, at this point Adam has practiced on a daily basis for over 20 years and taught for almost the same time (there were few teachers around then, so almost anyone practicing was in high demand to teach).
However, after diving in at the deep end, Adam has spent long periods in Mysore where he finally completed the advanced A series there with Sharathji, a unique accomplishment. He also spent time helping to run Purple Valley Yoga (his other work is as a vegetarian chef), where he met his wife, at the time his boss. This meant that he was able to learn from a whole range of teachers that passed through.
For this reason, Adam’s style is very open, non-dogmatic and eclectic. The direction and cues are clear and precise, although, offered as suggestions, the teaching style he works with values supporting the individual to develop confidence and autonomy in their own practice.
Adam has taught all over the world as well as spending over 10 years running a Mysore program in the heart of the financial district in his native London, UK. He now teaches mainly online having relocated at the start of the pandemic to the south of France.
The importance of thinking, sharing and debating are still very much at the forefront of Adam’s interests ever since his background in philosophy. He tries to inspire deeper reflection around yoga as well as encourage each person in their unique, safe and effective path in order to progress their asana.
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The Keen on Yoga team: Theresa and Adam
Schedule:
Afternoon workshop: Thursday 5.00 – 7.30 pm (afternoon): An Introduction to The Inner Stretch in a Guided Half Primary Series
Taking it a little more slowly, you are still going to work hard here. Although, perhaps, in a different way than you are used to. What Adam refers to as the inner stretch is a easy way in to unlocking the true power of the breath in yoga. For, often talked about, it is never truly explained what this means. That, in fact, what lies at the centre of our being, our true core-strength, in fact, is the diaphragm.
More specifically, the unbelievable potency of the diaphragmatic breath. Elusive and hard to access, its actually easiest explained through the action of what we are trying to achieve as the work in the postures. It is for this reason, indeed, that we talk of bandhas; for they facilitate the kind of conditions that are fundamental for making a true breath possible.
If this sounds a little complicated, over the course of this session, you will get clear and definitive instruction as to how this might uplift, moreover, transform the humble primary-series into something quite different. Adam will guide the class from the front, demonstrating as he talks it through, so you will receive the benefit of seeing the difference with your own eyes, not just hearing about it.
Friday 6-8 and 8.15-10.15 am Mysore (morning)
There are ways to adjust and be adjusted that are not dangerous, intrusive and don’t involve being pushed into the postures. Instead, they use energetic pointers and resistance-stretches so as each individual can progress naturally and safely as their own body actually dictates.
This session will be a practical exposition of how the deeper work in what we are doing relates to compression; the ability to balance opposing forces in your own body, in contrast to simply pushing your body in one-direction only. This is not only likely to keep you injury free, it’s actually a way more effective way to progress.
Everyone will be treated as an individual here, everyone will be given ways to move forward without simply being stopped because they can’t yet achieve a certain expression of a particular pose.
Afternoon workshop: 5.00 – 7.00 pm workshop: Practice and philosophy Chat
A chat on the philosophy of The Bhagavad Gita and what it has to do with yoga asana. Or, how we might find its’ principals re-affirmed in our physical yoga practice, and how the work of the yoga practice is there to be continued in a particular method when we step off the mat in daily life.
This will be an alternative take on what can often descend into moralising or clichés. Rather, The BG is a science of the emotions in action, just as The Yoga Sutras is often referred to as a science of the mind. An immensely practical book if you read behind the obvious injunction to simply follow you dharma, to inquire as to what, exactly, this might actually look like for us in the current age we live within; The BG is far from a dusty old medieval battle in a far-away land.
Instead, the battle is inside us all; between the fear of turning away from the world towards self-obsession, and, having the courage, indeed, finally, the understanding, that the only (happy), outcome of our internal-battle is to turn and face the world. Moreover, share ourselves, our care and our creativity with it.
The inspiration to do so is always through clarity, so a better grasp of the deeper, personal instruction of the book will always effect the change that we ultimately always want to see; to lead a meaningful and connected life in the world. Evidently, one has to dive into this book and make it a companion in our daily life. To which end, the hope is that each individual can discover their personal relationship with what is still the seminal book regarding yoga philosophy.
Saturday 7-9 and 9.15-11.15 am Mysore (morning)
There are ways to adjust and be adjusted that are not dangerous, intrusive and don’t involve being pushed into the postures. Instead, they use energetic pointers and resistance-stretches so as each individual can progress naturally and safely as their own body actually dictates.
Afternoon workshop: 1.00pm – 3.00pm: Lighter Lifts
Whether you are completely lost as to how to begin lifting your bodyweight, half-way there but could use a little help, or, completely there, but feel like you might benefit from making the effort more efficient, this workshop is relevant.
Primarily focussed on the ubiquitous jump through/back movement, we will explore in depth exactly what is happening in this complicated movement that takes a split second to do, whilst often a lifetime to master.
Of course, almost everyone has attended a workshop along these lines. However, this one promises to be different. For, if you break the movement down into bite-sized chunks and then apply the power of imagery and visualisation to it, you will find a direct pathway to the often unconnected inner-muscles required.
Indeed, this is not hard as such physically. Instead, it generally only demands the right mental keys in our awareness to unlock our latent potential. It’s in everyone, to differing degrees; no one has too short arms, or, not enough core strength, to make headway.
Sunday 7-9 and 9.15-11.15 am Mysore (morning)
There are ways to adjust and be adjusted that are not dangerous, intrusive and don’t involve being pushed into the postures. Instead, they use energetic pointers and resistance-stretches so as each individual can progress naturally and safely as their own body actually dictates.
Afternoon workshop: 1.00pm-3.00 pm workshop: Behind the Asana
Quite often simply making the shape is taken as the start and the end of engaging with our yoga-postures. However, the shape is just the start. Rather, it’s the work behind the shape that matters. So, how do we find our way to the more hidden face, in fact, the engine room of the asana?
There are numerous ways into the inner-body, and in this workshop we will explore how to pass beyond the obvious pushing an pulling ourselves into a more comfortable, harmonious (As well as efficient) use of the asana. The cues are subtle, indeed, as the path inside is, so come prepared to be very focussed!
This workshop will build on the principles (or, re-explain them for those that didn’t attend), the first workshop. The final destination, the diaphragm and how to harness the profound current of the breath (prana), that is running through us all, yet, often we are found neglecting or even swimming against this tide.
So, instead, here, we shall try to -re-link up to the seat of our power, the full diaphragmatic breath, already within us and waiting to guide us. It is only then that the work in the asanas becomes clear, and the whole thing stops feeling like a such a workout.
Once again, this is open to all levels. This deeper work can be done from the beginning or introduced later on when the individual perceives they’ve hit a plateau and don’t know where else to go (apart from inwards), in order to continue moving forward.
Prices
- Full Workshop (1 Guided Half Primary Thursday + Workshop Friday + 3 Mysore classes + 2 Additional workshops Saturday and Sunday) DKK 2.000.
- Full Workshop except Guided Thursday DKK 1.850
- Weekend Package (Workshop Friday + 2 Mysore classes + 2 Additional workshops Saturday and Sunday) DKK 1.700
- Friday workshop: A chat on the philosophy of how we might find yoga asana‘s principals re-affirmed in our physical yoga practice. DKK 420
- Saturday additional workshop: Lighter Lifts DKK 600
- Sunday additional workshop: Behind the Asana DKK 600
- One class (Morning Mysore) DKK 420
- Two classes (Morning Mysore) DKK 840
- Three classes (Morning Mysore) DKK 1260
If you have any trouble signing up please contact us – we are happy to help.
How to pay and enroll in 2 easy steps (registrations are now closed):
1) Follow this link: Register and buy now and scroll down to the combination you choose – either ‘Full Workshop’ or some of the other combinations.
Then return to this page
2) When you have signed in and payed, you’re not quite done yet: We have to know which Mysore classes you want to attend – so now you just go to classes and book your spots through this link: Sign up Mysore classes
There are two morning Mysore classes Friday-Saturday-Sunday. You choose which ones you want to join. Then it says “Free Class”. Thats only because you have already paid by choosing one af the packages or a number of classes.