Retreat on Yoga and The Alexander Technique

ONLY TWO SPACES LEFT- join this beautiful opportunity now!

Email Pinelopi : pinelopi (at) englishyogaberlin (dot) com

Friday June 16th, 2023 15:00- Sunday June 18th, 2023 14:00

Yoga and the Alexander Technique are a powerful combination that can improve body awareness and break ingrained habits that affect our movements. The Alexander Technique provides small adjustments to improve coordination and overall body function, while yoga enhances strength and flexibility. By integrating these practices, individuals can move mindfully and reduce stress and tension in their bodies. Practicing yoga with the principles of the Alexander Technique can help individuals move more efficiently and avoid unnecessary strain in everyday life.

Where?

Rosenwaldhof– This retreat on “Yoga and the Alexander Technique” will take place in a beautiful place in Brandenburg, 1.5 hours South-east of Berlin, on the river Havel, surrounded by nature.

What is included in the “Yoga and Alexander Technique” retreat:

  • Three Hatha Yoga Sessions
  • Meditations
  • An introduction to the Alexander Technique with Jörg Aßhoff
  • Mandala stone painting
  • Mindfulness Walks
  • Delicious vegetarian/ vegan meals, tea, coffee and fruit
  • Fun awareness games
  • Bonfire, star gazing, and perhaps even swimming (if weather permits)

Prices:

The full cost of the inclusive retreat is 306 –  426€ (depending on your accommodation preference)

Accommodation options plus delicious food:

  • Shared double room with private bathroom
  • Single room with shared bathroom
  • Single room with private bathroom
  • camping with shared bathroom

Please note that payments to Pinelopi for the tuition (200€ incl.19%VAT) and Rosenwaldhof for lodgings and food (136€-226€) will happen separately .

Early registration discount:  Tuition to Pinelopi costs 155€ if you register for the yoga retreat before May 1st, 2023. To reserve your space, please send an email and deposit 50 Euro by bank transfer or paypal.

*The deposit is fully refundable if a cancellation occurs before May 15th, 2023, and 50% refundable if cancellation occurs before May 25th, 2023. After which no refund is possible.

Since space is limited, register early before the spots fill up!

For more details, please write to:

pinelopi (at) englishyogaberlin (dot) com

Worried about canceling due to corona?

I completely understand. You could purchase a “Reiserücktrittsversicherung” (travel insurance) or “Seminarrücktritts-Versicherung” that can reimburse you in case of sickness. In the unlikely case that I get corona and am unable to come, you will get the tuition money back and can still go and enjoy Rosenwaldhof, the lakes and forest, and the wonderful food and accommodation.

About the teachers:

Beginning her yoga journey in 1999, Pinelopi completed a 600 hour Hatha Yoga Teacher and Vedantic Philosophy Training course over a period of two years in Valencia, Spain.  For the last decade, she has worked as a full-time yoga teacher in Spain and in 2010 she founded English Yoga Berlin. She studied Yoga Anatomy with Leslie Kaminoff, and “Injury-free yoga” applying the Alexander Technique postural alignment to all yoga poses with  David Moore.  She is also an Alexander Technique teacher, and has recently graduated from Jörg Aßhoff‘s school in Berlin. Her workshops and retreats are inspired by Tara Brach‘s teachings.

Joerg Aßhoff –  is an experienced Alexander Technique Teacher with a 30 year working experience. He is now the director of the Alexander-Technik-Schule in Berlin, teaching the next generation of Alexander Technique teachers. His expertise includes teaching at the University of Performing Arts, Community schools, and speech therapy schools. He practices Zen meditation since 1990 and studied with a Japanese Zen master for a long period of time.

Semi-supine Audio Guides-Part three

Stretching the Leg Without Compromising the Back

This Alexander Technique audio guide on stretching the leg from the semi-supine is part three of a longer series which you can access here. If you like using these guides, please consider contributing with a small donation through paypal.

Photo by Gianpaolo Antonucci on Unsplash

Today we explore how to stretch the leg without hollowing the back. The idea is that we observe the lower back as we stretch the leg and stop before it hollows. Then we give Alexander Technique directions and wait for the body to adapt. Often, when you wait, thinking your directions, and resisting the urge to interfere and wanting to change… a sort of melting occurs on its own. Your body “let´s go” in a different way to the way you use yourself usually. You are welcomed to write me an email and let me know how you experienced this!

Photo by Gianpaolo Antonucci on Unsplash

About the Author:

Hello! I am Pinelopi and I am an Alexander Technique Teacher in Berlin. I completed my training with Jörg Aßhoff over a period of three years and three months (1600 hours). I love giving Alexander Technique classes and uncovering deep habits. My favorite moments are when a student discovers new ways to use themselves and an “A-ha” expression lights up their face! If you want to book a class, contact me. To find out more about my background click here.

For me, the Alexander Technique is a way of life, and as such can be combined with any activity of life. I love to combine it together with the practice of Hatha Yoga. If you would like to see how that works, I invite you to join the “Yoga and Alexander Technique” class starting on March 9th, 2023. The yoga poses do not change, the experience of them does though!

Design the meditation Posture that fits your specific body

How to find a meditation posture with less tension through the help of the Alexander Technique

Is your back in pain when you meditate? Do your legs go numb within the first minutes or get ankle pain? Do your shoulders tense up and affect the back of your neck? Have you had a meditation teacher tell you to simply sit through the discomfort without giving you individual support for your posture?

All these things are habitual when sitting in meditation, but are they actually necessary? Freeing the mind of thoughts is difficult enough, so why not spending some time understanding how to make the posture more suitable to your individual needs?

We all have different types of flexibility, postural habits and body structures. Suggesting a one-solution fits all is not helpful in the long run. This is why we created a workshop to give both general and personalized tips on how to make the posture work for your specific body by applying Alexander Technique principles to your meditation posture.

This workshop includes:

  • Looking at the postural habits that bring about pain.
  • Understanding how to engage the feet while meditating.
  • Finding your personal meditation posture in sitting and in walking with the help of an experienced Alexander Technique teacher plus an experienced yoga teacher
  • 20 minute meditation session where you can try-out your new found knowledge

When?

Sunday October 16th, 2022 – 11.00 -13.00

For whom?

This is for anyone who would like to reach a position more at ease while meditating. You do not have to be an experienced meditator to join… to be curious is enough!

Maximum 12 participants

Where?

English Yoga Berlin – Görlitzerstr. 39. 10967 Berlin

Price: 45 Euro

Early registration discount: 10 € discount if you register before September 20th, 2022. The workshop is refundable unless cancellation occurs later that October 4th, 2022, after which 50% refund. After October 4th, 2022, no more refunds are possible. Please register before the spots fill up!

What to bring:

Materials will be provided at the studio. However, you are also welcomed to bring your own cushion or meditation bench.

How to sign up:

Please write an email to:

pinelopi (at) englishyogaberlin (dot) com

or

book directly your place here.

About the Teachers:

Joerg Aßhoff –  is an experienced Alexander Technique Teacher with a 30 year working experience. He is now the director of the Alexander-Technik-Schule in Berlin, teaching the next generation of Alexander Technique teachers. His expertise includes teaching at the University of Performing Arts, Community schools, and speech therapy schools. He practices Zen meditation since 1990 and studied with a Japanese Zen master for a long period of time.

Pinelopi Sioni is in her third year of the Alexander Technique teacher training course, studying with Jörg Aßhoff in Berlin. She completed a 600 hour Hatha Yoga Teacher and Vedantic Philosophy Training course over a period of two years in Valencia, Spain. For over a decade, she has worked as a full-time yoga teacher in Spain and in 2010 she founded English Yoga Berlin. She then studied Yoga Anatomy with Leslie Kaminoff;“Injury-free yoga” applying the Alexander Technique postural alignment to all yoga poses with David Moore. Her workshops and retreats are inspired by Tara Brach‘s teachings.