WHO:Ramanand Patel, Dr. Velleda Ceccoli, Rodney Yee, Colleen Saidman Yee WHAT and WHY: A Yoga Retreat for Survivors of Trauma
It’s a sad fact that for many people the experience of early trauma makes for difficulty in dealing with life. Since trauma resides in the body as a visceral memory, one can’t just “get over it.”
According to yogic precepts, human beings experience life via the five senses and the thinking process. Traumatic experiences create memories that affect the way even new experiences are processed by the mind.
In this residential retreat, Ramanand Patel will show us how yoga can help to deal with some of the experiences that interfere with daily living. This is done by re-establishing a safe relationship with inanimate objects, and then natural phenomena, plant life, animals, people, and finally the self.
Once the strength of the ego is established by empowering the individual self, we will look at how the REAL SELF is free of time and hence free of trauma.
Ramanand will work with the help of psychologist and trauma specialist Velleda Ceccoli to create a safe atmosphere. Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman will assist with the necessary support.
WHEN: Thursday, May 31 – Monday, June 4
WHERE: Heathen Hill Retreat Center, Franklin, NY www.heathenhillyoga.net HOW MUCH: $1600 – $2300
TO REGISTER: susanliporem@gmail.com
Kay has been dancing professionally in New York since 2010. As a dancer, she has been exposed to diverse movement practices that live and breathe through her investigations as a mover and a teacher. Her desire for a deeper understanding of our structures’ mechanics led her to Pilates. She received her Pilates certification through the Kane School, and continues to study under Eleanor Hullihan at The Swan. She has taught at Finetune, Julliard, New York Pilates, Dynamic Bodies Pilates, and for the ABT summer intensive. Kay looks to explore with students, shaping each session to support the ranges of needs, desires, and interests of the individual. She is now owner of 2nd Story Pilates + Yoga in Jackson Heights, Queens.
From the barely-legal age of thirteen, when she lied her way into a job as popover girl, Christina has been earning her daily bread in the hospitality industry. Stints as a server at notable New York City fine dining establishments; Alison-on-Dominick, Eight Mile Creek and Peasant, provided her with a hands-on, immersive education in both the Old and New Worlds of wine. Finally having grown weary of the late-night lifestyle, and wishing to further tap in to the dynamic wine business in New York, Christina transitioned to Frederick Wildman and Sons to work as a sales representative. Largely self educated, she was eager to deepen her knowledge and was awarded the Wine and Spirits Education Trust Level 3 Advanced Certificate with Merit. These days, she consults as a wine buyer for retail boutique Table Wine in Jackson Heights, which allows plenty of time to be home at night in order to bug her thirteen year old to do his homework. 
Jenny strives to create smart sequencing within the aligned vinyasa style – in each class preparing the body for what’s to come as the practice progresses. She is a student of Rodney Yee and completed her 500-hour training with Natasha Rizopoulis. She owns Yoga Culture in Danbury, Connecticut, the most welcoming studio on earth. The weekend will be a mix of asana practice and her work that she calls ‘Stability for the Yoga Body’ (S4YB) – a series of exercises to create stability in the body made more flexible by yoga practice. See her Instagram account @gimmeprops for a sampling. Arrive Friday night for dinner, two practices on Saturday and then we join with my good friend Tobie Schuerfeld for the Sunday morning practice. This is gonna be fun! Contact jenny@weareyogaculture.com for info or to register.