The Body of Yoga: Anatomy for Asana with James Brown

We name yoga poses according to the shape that the body takes. That shape is determined entirely by the position of the skeleton’s many joints. Practicing and teaching asana works better with an understanding of the parts and forces that make the body’s shapes. 

This series starts by developing a fluency in anatomical terms, followed by a guided tour of the musculoskeletal system, including information about special conditions like common anomalies, injury management and prevention; and modifying for pregnancy. 

This series is presented entirely in English. It can only be taken as a whole, there are no a la carte offerings. Each lesson builds upon the previous ones.

• Workshop 1. October 20, 10.00 – 13.00: Transform the Body: Understanding Joint Movement & Position
• Workshop 2. October 20, 14.00 – 17.00: Your Right to Bear Arms: The Shoulder Area; Elbow Anomalies; Healthy Wrists
• Workshop 3. October 21, 10.00 – 13.00: From the Waist Down: Hips, Knees & Ankles
• Workshop 4: October 21, 14.00 – 17.00: The Truth About Core 

James Brown’s classes are based on the central defining concept of practice as presented in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. That is that, when we endeavor to willfully focus on specific aspects of the human body and mind, while in a posture that is simultaneously standing firm and letting go, we shift identity away from the impermanent ego construct and toward identification with the true and unalterable self. 

During the practice of asana, you will be guided to the point of depth that will best serve to strengthen your weak areas and open tight ones, while learning how and where to work. Finding this point, called “the tapas point,” provides the practitioner with the tools needed to bring the body to a higher level of functionality, while the challenges inherent in the process will provide copious opportunities for self discovery and lasting wisdom about what is and what isn’t real.

James started teaching in Washington, DC in 1996, where he was American University’s first Adjunct Professor of Yoga and the private teacher to the family of Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore while he was Vice President of the United States. 

In 2001 he started teaching at YogaWorks. James helped developed their teacher training curriculum, which he then introduced in foreign markets. He was YogaWorks’ Director of Yoga Content until December 2012 and is the founder of American Yoga School. He is currently the Senior Advisor for Yoga Content and Head of Online Education for Yogayama Global, based in Stockholm.