Training With Edward Clark

I have the privilege to train with one of the yoga Masters, Edward Clark this weekend.

He is running 3 day workshop all about Tripsichore (prounounced trips- sick- corey) yoga in Exeter. If you happen to be in town, it's not too late to sign up for today or tomorrow! You might be wondering, what is Tripsichore yoga? I sure was, if you had asked me to explain it before yesterday I would have struggled.

What I've learned so far! Tripsichore yoga is a style of yoga grounded in traditional ashtanga yoga principles like Ujjayi, Bandhas, and Ekagrata with a dance background. And was founded by Edward Clark in 1979. It's the first time in the 5000 year history of the practice that dance and yoga have been married together, and oh my is it beautiful!.

It really is a true vinyasa flow class. Every move is connected to the breath, and you never pause or stop moving. With every inhale and exhale you have a continuous movement that flows from the origin (or root) of the spine to the tips of the fingers and toes. And there is an incredible focus on growing from your mulhadara chakra, root or origin and not blocking the flow of energy in any way.  

As Edward explains, with every inhale and exhale you radiate prana (imaginary energy) in every direction, like it's RADIATING (imagine the word crescendoing as you say it) from you. This prana (energy) flows through your body and out your limbs, but in order for you to do this you must have incredible ekagrata (focus) that you aren't breaking the energy line with a bent elbow or hyper extended fingers!! 

Now this approach to yoga really challenges most of what I have been taught over the years. This concept of moving from the root, and letting the arms go to a natural place with relaxed, but firm hands is so different than traditional Ashtanga or Iyengar yoga.  

The idea that you grow long on the inhale and even longer on the exhale is hard to do. Try it. With your best ujjayi breath, take a deep inhale, expanding through your ribs and letting your arms float naturally out and up to the sides (slightly forward of your sideline and below the shoulders) and now as you exhale, try to send your pelvis down and back while drawing your navel up and in.

I could have sworn that's what I've been doing for the last 10 years, but clearly not (as Edward ever so politely said that is terrible, and proceeded to correct me!). I think once I finally master it (might take me a while) I will make a video for all of you to see what he means by it and how it's done. 

Well that's all for now! Stay tuned for more on what I've learned! 

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