Weekend Yoga Intensive with Mary Richards

June 9-11, 2017

We are pleased to welcome Mary Richards, M.S., eRYT500, CYT, and senior teaching assistant to Judith Hanson Lasater, for a weekend of yoga intensives. Each class will include an opening lecture, active and/or restorative pose practice, guidelines regarding modifications, and Q&A. Select and/or combine several classes to create your own learning experience! Guided by 25 years of practice experience, clinical training in movement therapeutics and a robust belief that “a little yoga goes a long way,” Mary looks forward to sharing her enthusiasm for anatomical reality, steady and comfortable asana, and parasympathetic dominance.

Re-Wilding the Feminine: Restorative Yoga for Women

Friday, June 9 ~ 5:30-8:30pm

Join us for a walk into the wilds of the Divine Feminine. Mary will share principles and techniques of restorative yoga as it pertains specifically to women’s health, while practicing restorative poses to connect to women’s inner vision and creative energy. She will offer evidence-informed practices to address concerns of PMS, perimenopause, organ prolapse, pelvic floor dysfunction, fertility concerns, and pre and postnatal wellness. Bring an eye cover and your favorite fuzzy socks. Those with baby on-board are welcome.

YogaMoves: Asana for a Healthy Back

Saturday, June 10 ~ 9:00am-12:00pm

Many of us experience intermittent and chronic low back pain. Many of us come to yoga classes with hope that the mat practices can alleviate pain and restore function. Guess what? We are on the right track! However, to safely practice, we must understand the structure of the vertebral
column, how it moves, and how the muscles of the core work to create stability and movement.

During this workshop, you will learn simple range of motion exercises and accessible yoga poses that may help to alleviate low back pain, relieve sciatica, improve your core strength, and balance your pelvis. You will also learn basic anatomy and kinesiology of the vertebral column with an emphasis on load sharing and lumbosacral stabilization. If you aren’t sure what facet joints are and why they matter or how your levator ani and transversus abdominis relate to one another, these classes are for you. Handouts of home practice sequences designed to address common situations such as low back pain and sciatica are included with tuition.

Blood and Earth: The Pelvis and Its Elements

Saturday, June 10 ~ 2:00-5:00pm

Did you know that the largest and heaviest region of the body is the pelvis? Not only does the pelvis form a basin from which the vertebral column grows, it also houses the body’s center of gravity as well as organs of elimination and reproduction — hence the nomenclature “blood and earth.” The pelvis is also the locus for the body’s rudder, i.e., the sacrum, and primary axis of movement, i.e., the hips. Consider the chakras and vayus that correspond to the pelvis and suffice to say, it behooves us to descend into the primordial cave of the body and connect to our visceral center.

Join Mary for a foray into the structure of the pelvis, basic organ function, intricacies of female vs. male SI joints, kinesiology of the pelvic floor, and how tucking your tailbone affects your body’s harmony. We will practice active and restorative poses during this workshop, so come ready to move and rest.

The Neck and Upper Extremity: Anatomy and Yoga Therapy

Sunday, June 11 ~ 9:00am-12:00pm

The neck is often described as painful. How many times have you “slept funny” and felt neck pain for several days afterward? Many of us experience chronic, uncomfortable tightness in our neck and upper shoulders, pain in our elbows and wrists, and numbness, tingling or pain in our hands and fingers. Of course, some of us also want to be able to “stand” safely on our heads, forearms and hands.

Explore the basic structure and normal movements of the neck, arms, wrists and hands in this workshop. We will practice yoga poses and functional movements to work with restrictions and pain, and poses that may help us develop the necessary strength and range of motion for inversions like headstand. Finally, we will end our session with a supported rest specifically designed to create head, neck, shoulder and wrist comfort.

Knee Rx: Lower Body Strength and Mobility

Sunday, June 11 ~ 2:00-5:00pm

Asana practice as well as our activities of daily living strain our feet, ankles, knees and hips. Many of us also make additional demands on these joint segments as sports enthusiasts, fitness buffs, and hobbyists.

For many people, the knee is the weak link in the kinetic chain of the lower extremity. Pain and movement restrictions may lead us to “take a knee” and opt out of our favorite activities. Take heart! There’s so much we can do on the mat to facilitate knee function. Learn the relationship between the knees, hips and ankles as well as asana techniques and therapeutic modifications that may reduce pain and inflammation, improve range of motion, and increase strength.

Investment:

All five sessions before May 20th: $200. After May 20th, $225

Individual sessions before May 20th: $45. After May 20th, $50

About Mary:

Mary Richards began practicing yoga in 1992, and teaching in 2002. For over 10 years, Mary studied primarily in the Iyengar tradition with additional study in other lineages. In 2002, she attended her first workshop with Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., PT. Mary felt an immediate resonance with Judith’s work; she has studied regularly with her ever since. Mary assists Judith at various workshops around the United States and serves as her lead therapeutics and anatomy teaching assistant. She and Judith are currently co-developing a digital movement literacy course for yoga practitioners and teachers, which will launch Dec. 18, 2017.

Mary’s teaching and practice are informed by her deep, abiding interest in and study of anatomy and kinesiology. Mary has completed credited coursework with labs in anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, cadaver dissection and biology. She has also completed volunteer observation hours at physical therapy facilities specializing in orthopedics and sports medicine. Additionally, she will graduate on July 23, 2017, from Maryland University of Integrative Health with a master’s of science in yoga therapy.

Mary is passionate about sharing her experience in yoga therapeutics and other healing modalities to help others cope with — and ideally, prevent — injury to the joint segments of the body, especially the weight-bearing joints of the lower extremity. She understands firsthand the challenges of mobility impairment and chronic pain due to severe knee and hip injuries, thanks to her weekend warrior activities as an avid hiker and backpacker. She offers evidence-informed education in asana, anatomy and kinesiology; respiratory function and pranayama; yogic philosophy and heart-centered communication; and instruction in meditation, yoga nidra and restorative yoga techniques. In her private yoga therapy practice, she specializes in joint health education, sleep difficulties, stress resilience and self-management of chronic pain.

Mary has been married for over 20 years. She and her husband have a son and daughter. They live in Alexandria, Virginia, where Mary teaches syllabus-based classes, sees clients privately, and trains body workers and yoga instructors. For more information about Mary, visit her website at maryrichardsyoga.com.

Cancellation Policy for Workshops at Trails Within

Workshops fill on a first come, first served basis. Your spot is not guaranteed unless you prepay for it.

Cancellations 7 or more days prior to start of a workshop will receive a full refund.

For cancellations less than 7 days before the workshop, we will only be able to issue a refund or studio credit if you are able to find a replacement for your reserved space.

Cancellations within 48 hours of the start of the workshop, if you do not show up, or if you leave an event early for any reason, no credit or refund is available.

Thank you for understanding.