JANUARY ORGANIC STRETCHINGSM WEEKEND WORKSHOPS CONTINUE

With a successful launch of the new weekend workshop series for Organic StretchingSM (at Pura Vida Spa in November), dates for January 2011 have been released…January 7 – 9 at the Pat Henry Studio in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle (near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) and January 14 -16 once again at Pura Vida Spa/Rancho el Limon (also near Puerto Vallarta).

This brief video provides a glimpse of the work we do in both classes and workshops.  It looks so simple…almost like nothing is happening, but inside each body there are profound, gradual shifts.  Each of the five sessions (2.5 hours) in a workshop explores a new aspect of the principles that guide the work and the ways we move.  
Following discussion, the coach/leader guides students in a session employing the new information.  From that point each student begins to practice on his own using the guidance of the body and input from the teacher to move deeper into the connective tissue system and begin to experience movement in the restrictions gathered over the years.

HOW DOES A WORKSHOP DIFFER FROM CLASSES?

Twice-weekly classes of an hour each focus on one aspect of the program and over ten weeks students gain an understanding of the overall system and can feel changes slowly evolving.   Personal work between classes can make this even more effective.  However, not everyone manages to maintain a personal at-home program, making class even more important.  Classes also feature partner and group work that takes us even deeper into the structure.

In a weekend workshop, all of the material is covered over two and a half days allowing students to build one concept on top of another while it is still fresh in both mind and body.  As an improvisational system, body memory is the primary goal.  The more quickly we move from mental control of our movements to being able to let the body lead our movements the more rapid are the changes.  A workshop, however, is only the beginning.  Time spent in classes and personal work are necessary to move a body back to a healthy state or to gain a level where maintaining healthy joints is possible, but the concentrated workshop structure can help “kick-start” the process.

Many people have been interested in taking Organic StretchingSM classes, but they don’t live near the studio or are only in the area on a holiday.  The weekend workshops are a great way to experience the program in a compressed way and to gain a beginning understanding to allow them to do some work on their own…while they wait for teachers to develop in their home location.

Pat Henry Studio is located two blocks from a public transportation line out of Puerto Vallarta.  It is a sweet, little fishing village with many nice restaurants for lunch on Saturday and Sunday and a terrific Sunday market a short walk from the studio.

Pura Vida Spa at Rancho el Limon (an organic ranch) is located between Ixtapa and Las Palmas in a verdant valley nestled between the mountains northeast of Puerto Vallarta.  They offer overnight accommodations and spa services by arrangement.  Organic lunches are available for purchase by day spa users.

For more information see additional posts on workshops and classes, and call or write with any questions.