The Hatha Yoga Pradipika text is not an intellectual exercise. It is an instruction manual. These are not ideas to be memorized but rather deep practices that lead to the purification of the body and mind and profound states of realization.

And so simply receiving these instructions is not enough. These practices are short on instruction and long on practice, so we need feedback. We can only learn from a text so much, and to do this properly, there is nothing better than the retreat experience. This allows us to gain a personal experience of the practices and enhances our capacity to integrate them into our daily routines.

In this retreat, we will focus on the following:

• Meditation
• Asana
• Shatkarmas, or cleansing practices
• Pranayama, or breath control techniques
• Dinacharya/Ritucharya developing a personal daily practice and seasonal routine according to Ayurvedic principles

During the retreat, students will receive daily instructions and engage in group practices in the morning and afternoon and then have the evening to experience a deep retreat in their own retreat cabin. In this way, students will have the opportunity to be guided in the practices and time to integrate them on their own.

To ensure you get the most out of your time at Diamond Mountain, we will send out a series of emails in advance of the retreat that explains how to best prepare your mind and body.

Teachers

Earle Birney used the Pradipika as his source for hatha yoga during his three-year retreat. He has extensive experience in the shatkarma practices and can lead students through these sometimes complicated practices safely and with grace.

Earle will be joined by his yoga teacher, Lisa Schrempp, who has spent over 30 years training in these practices. Lisa brings an extensive knowledge of Ayurveda and will integrate this wisdom in her teachings on asana, pranayama, and self-care practices.