Beyond Presence: Ripening into Consciousness

Yoga philosophy teaches us that the world is a sacred place because everything contains at least a drop of consciousness.

 A famous saying states: “Awareness sleeps in the stone, dreams in the flower, awakens in the animal, and flowers in the human being”.

How can we nourish our own flowering of consciousness?

We start with becoming Present. Presence is the beginning of our spiritual journey.

The practices of yoga, especially asana, pranayama, and meditation all point to this consciousness, this Presence. It is up to us in our own yoga to trust this flowering and to cultivate our recognition of the sacred that exists within us.

Why this course matters to you as a yoga teacher and / or a dedicated practitioner:

It is incredibly valuable to have a touchstone for what it means to be an integrated teacher and practitioner:

• The focus of the immersion will be on unveiling our own Presence
• Spend time savouring your own practice, resourcing yourself 
• Like a retreat, these 5 days are an opportunity to replenish your inspiration

Course of study:

• each day will begin with short talks and discussions on our topic;
• we will then proceed to soft active Asana practice;
• the afternoons will focus on Restorative yoga, pranayama, and meditation.

Props:

The venue does not provide any props, so you will need to bring your own (props can be stored at the Hellenic Centre overnight during the immersion). At a minimum this will be:

•  sticky mat, eye cover, firm bolster, two 6 inch x 4 inch yoga bricks (22cm x 11cm x 7cm), three blankets, one 6 foot D ring yoga belt
• If you have the ability to do so, ideally you would have an extra two blankets and a firm foam roller (6 inches x 3 feet).

Yogacampus Diversity and Accessibility Bursary

We are offering two bursaries (50% off the full course price) to dedicated yoga students with a demonstrated financial need and active involvement in a community that could benefit from yoga. This bursary is provided by Yogacampus – The Life Centre Education, a not-for-profit educational body committed to sharing knowledge and making yoga accessible to all.

Bursary places will be awarded to a teacher or trainee who has the ability and commitment to take the course teachings into a disadvantaged community and play their part in the drive to increase accessibility to these profoundly healing practices. Priority will be given to those who themselves are from marginalised or vulnerable groups or are from a minority ethnic background.

Those awarded the bursary will be required to assist with some practical and administrative duties during the training. Below is an outline of the commitment required. For each bursary recipient, there will be approximately 60 minutes of being on site and assisting each day:

• Bursary 1 (Morning assistance): Be at the Hellenic Centre 40 minutes before the start each day along with 20 minutes of lunch time work each day.
• Bursary 2 (Evening assistance): Stay behind at the Hellenic Centre for 40 minutes at the end each day along with 20 minutes of lunch time work each day.

Here are some examples of the assistance we need:
- help set up / tidy up the room
- help with sign-in sheets
- help point people in the right direction
- help with book sales

On your application form, please state whether you have a preference for assisting in the morning or evening.

To apply, please complete our online form before the closing date of 16 March 2025. Notification of bursary outcome will be sent out shortly after the closing date.