IN THE WORKS

Yoga postural practice uses repetition of shape and movement to gain greater access to our bodies, our breath, and our own peace of mind. Training relies heavily on actions, skills, and drills of performance to create a greater capacity to bear load or force - defined as body weight or outside weight. When you think about what mobility means, do you think of it as the intersection of strength, flexibility, and neurological control? Some systems of training do. Mobility training refers to ways we strengthen and then increase space in the joint capsule: think hip joint, shoulder joint, spine, etc. When we have more strength and space in the joint capsule, the joints move more freely (and without pain) and can bear greater load over time.  The way we train our bodies is by training our brains (mindbody connection), which then allows us to learn new things, work in new ways, and adapt to our ever-changing environments & circumstances.

In this 3 hr workshop, we will focus on the Upper Body as we explore both Arm Balances & Backbends and how the shapes carry to us a point - and how actions will carry us beyond that point in function and depth.  Whether your backbends already feel great, or you are interested in creating a deeper understanding of how your joints work within these classes of poses, you will carry away tools that you can keep working with in your own practice. "

This in-person workshop brings together two wisdom traditions: the Sefirot of Jewish mysticism and the Chakra system of Yoga. This experience is especially for people who are curious about embodied spirituality, interested in cross-cultural wisdom traditions, or seeking a grounded, experiential way to explore meaning, energy, and connection.

Through guided Yoga practice, text learning, and reflection, we’ll explore how these inner maps offer parallel ways of understanding human physiology and spiritual life channeled directly in the body.

Rather than approaching these systems only as abstract concepts, this workshop invites direct experience. We’ll notice where energy flows easily, where it feels held or constrained, and how awareness-based somatic practice can open space for connection, grounding, clarity, and hope.

No prior experience with Yoga, meditation, or Kabbalah is required. The space is designed for curiosity, presence, and embodied exploration.

We look forward to practicing together.

As part of RUACH’s ongoing program development, this workshop is free. RUACH will be accepting donations (with no expectation), 25% of which will go to one of 3 aligned nonprofit causes advancing social justice. Everyone who comes gets a vote where the funds go. 🗳💥 Your presence, practice, and feedback make this work so powerful and rewarding.

Facilitators: Andrea Fotopoulos and Yaakov Ginsberg-Schreck