Gary Kraftsow began his study of yoga with T.K.V. Desikachar in 1974. As founder/director of the American Viniyoga Institute, he teaches classes, leads workshops, and trains teachers in the Viniyoga approach to yoga and yoga therapy. He is the author of Yoga for Wellness and Yoga for Transformation, and he designed the protocol for the National Institutes of Health study on low-back pain. His two new DVDs Viniyoga Therapy for Anxiety and Viniyoga Therapy for Depression were released by Pranamaya in August 2011. Learn more at viniyoga.com.
Gary Kraftsow's Yoga Classes at the 2013 Colorado Conference + Yoga for Anxiety and Depression
Yoga for Anxiety and Depression Instructor: Gary Kraftsow
Explore the yoga therapy perspective and methods for working with anxiety and depression. We'll focus on psychological aspects of the human system, explore models of the integrated personality that emerge from Vedic teachings, and discover the science of meditation that the ancients developed for reducing suffering and cultivating our higher human potential.
Course ID: ALKRAF -- Level: Therapeutic,
Mixed Levels
Thursday, September 26 — 9:00am - 4:30pm
All-Day Intensives
Reading the Body and Observation for Teachers Instructor: Gary Kraftsow
Come explore Vijnana Darsana--reading the body, understanding what we are seeing, and developing appropriate adaptations in asana practice to produce specific effects. We'll delve into Vinyasa Krama, the art of sequencing, learning the principles for creating a safe and effective sequence of asana for both personal and group practice.
Course ID: M2KRAF -- Level: Continue Your Education
Friday, September 27 — 10:30am - 12:30pm
Main Conference
- Session 2
+ Panel Discussion: Is Yoga Risky? Can We Make it Safer?
Panel Discussion: Is Yoga Risky? Can We Make it Safer? Instructor: Baron Baptiste &
Gary Kraftsow &
Timothy McCall &
Elise Miller
The topic of yoga injuries has been controversial, in part due to overblown media reports on the dangers. Still, ahimsa, or nonharming, forms the philosophical basis of the entire practice of yoga, and it's vital to do all we can as teachers and practitioners to lessen the risks. Are particular poses like Headstands simply too dangerous, or are there ways to teach even challenging poses safely? How do we weigh the risks and the benefits of different practices for different students? How can yoga professionals respond to inaccuracies in media reports, and get the truth out? Join the discussion with Baron Baptiste, Gary Kraftsow, Timothy McCall, and Elise Miller.
Course ID: SP_FRI_PANEL
Friday, September 27 — 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Special Events
- Session sangha
+ Meditation, Mantra, Visualization
Meditation, Mantra, Visualization Instructor: Gary Kraftsow
One of the great insights of the yoga and Tantra masters was nature consciousness. In the normal waking state, the consciousness is drawn through the mind via the senses toward the objects around us. When we are disconnected from the senses, consciousness is drawn into the twists and turns of memory and the past, which conditions our thoughts about ourselves. Meditation begins as we master the fluctuation of attention and direct our minds rather than being pulled along. Once we gain this control, we can set a new direction for our lives. We'll focus on meditation, including mantra and visualization, as a way to realign our action with our priorities.
Course ID: M3KRAF -- Level: Contemplative,
Mixed Levels
Friday, September 27 — 3:30pm - 5:30pm
Main Conference
- Session 3
+ Lower Back, Sacrum, Hips
Lower Back, Sacrum, Hips Instructor: Gary Kraftsow
Learn and experience specific therapeutic sequences for the lower back, sacrum, and hips that are designed for therapists, teachers, and individuals who suffer from any type of back pain. We'll focus on working with chronic and acute structural conditions associated with the lower back, sacrum, and hips and experience a sequence of adapted asanas designed to relieve symptoms as well as strengthen these areas of the body.
Course ID: M5KRAF -- Level: Therapeutic,
Mixed Levels
Saturday, September 28 — 11:00am - 1:00pm
Main Conference
- Session 5
+ Quantum Transformation: Chetana, Chakra, Mantra, and Prana
Quantum Transformation: Chetana, Chakra, Mantra, and Prana Instructor: Gary Kraftsow
Mind-body medicine has confirmed what Tantric yogis have recognized for thousands of years: self-awareness, emotional balance, and physical health are intimately interrelated. Directing our self-awareness into the chakras by means of the flow of prana, we'll invoke the power of mantra to transform the deeper dimensions of our personalities.
Course ID: M6KRAF -- Level: Mixed Levels
Saturday, September 28 — 3:30pm - 5:30pm
Main Conference
- Session 6
+ Yoga and the Chakras
Yoga and the Chakras Instructor: Gary Kraftsow
Enhance your ability to understand the chakra model in this practical, hands-on experience. During this in-depth look at one of the most easily recognized models of the human system, we'll learn more about the structure of this model and experience how asana, pranayama, and chanting can be used together to create personal transformation.
Course ID: M7KRAF -- Level: Mixed Levels
Sunday, September 29 — 8:00am - 9:30am
Main Conference
- Session 7
Gary will be teaching at the
Yoga Journal Conference: Florida Conference (October 31 - November 3, 2013)
