Inversion Workshop with Hannah Berlin

Finding Serenity in Sarvangasana (shoulder stand)

Sunday, May 21st, 2023 • 2-4:30 pm

Join us IN-STUDIO for this special workshop!

12 in-studio spaces available

$60 each session ($54 for PY828 Members)

Take a deep dive into the Queen of Asana:

• Learn how Sarvangasana (shoulder stand) cultivates serenity – physiologically and psychologically
• Learn openings for neck and chest
• Learn variations of shoulder stand to get the most benefit for your body

Sarvangasana cultivates a sense of serenity and calmness. If you feel burnt out with life, this workshop will allow you to nurture yourself. It will increase your sensitivity, allowing you to focus on what serves you.

Join us in-studio (space is limited). Please note that we will be practicing inversions which might be contraindicated for certain conditions – more on that below.

Shirshasana (headstand) and Sarvangasana (shoulder stand) are the King and Queen of the asana world. They are two halves of the whole. While Shirshasana develops strength, power, and focus, allowing you to perform daily tasks, Sarvangasana cultivates flexibility and openness, enabling you to step back from life and simply be.

Did you miss last month’s Shirshasana (headstand) workshop? That’s okay! You can start your exploration of these powerful inversions with either the King or the Queen. The work you do in this workshop exploring the strength and flexibility needed to enter Sarvangasana will serve you well when you encounter Shirshasana or Shirshasana prep poses in a future class.

These postures provide many benefits, such as strengthening and balancing the five major systems in the body – immune, circulatory, endocrine, digestive, and respiratory. They also allow the practitioner to see a new perspective.

But going upside down can be scary! You may feel uncomfortable in class asking questions or feel general apprehension. On the other hand, you may feel excited to practice these poses but need help figuring out where to start. This workshop will give you the time and space to explore your body. The great news is that you can be partially inverted to experience the benefits!

This workshop is not for you if you experience:

• epilepsy
• had a recent stroke
• glaucoma
• eye problems (any condition relating to pressure in the head or eyes)
• specific neck problems
• high blood pressure (even if medicated)
• certain heart conditions
• acid reflux
• hiatal hernia

In-person attendees are capped at 12 to allow adequate space for all. Masks are optional but encouraged in the studio. 

Hi! My name is Hannah Berlin, and I am so excited to share this knowledge with you. I have been practicing yoga for the past ten years. My training has been exclusively within the Purna Yoga system. I have studied with Letitia Walker, Purna Yoga 828 studio owner, Catharine Eberhart, Purna Yoga East studio owner, and spent the last four years studying with Yoga Master Aadil Palkhivala, the co-founder of Purna Yoga.

In the last couple of years, I developed a love for inversions. I would joke that “I have an aversion to inversions.” Though I knew the practice of inversions was very important, I didn’t take the time to do them. Then I had an epiphany. All this time, I was working on them! For some reason, there was a disconnect – I thought I had to be practicing full headstand and shoulder stand to be “practicing inversions.” I realized that whenever I was in a shoulder opener or Supta Padangusthasana, I set the stage for my future inversion practice. Now that my body is more open and robust, I can move deeper into these postures.

That is something I want to impart to you. Give yourself the freedom to work where you are. My goal for this workshop is to teach you how to practice these postures confidently. Whether that looks like focusing on strength or flexibility, I want you to feel empowered to tune in to your body and feel what is right for you.

Register for one or both of these special workshops below or call Purna Yoga 828

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