Exploring Ashtanga Yoga & Buddhism - Where the Mat Meets the Cushion

With Cory Bryant of Yoga Shala Nashville & The Spiritual Pilgrim

For well over twenty years Cory has been exploring yoga and Buddhism. At times feeling more drawn to yoga and at other times more to Buddhism, until one day he realized it doesn’t have to be one or the other. 

These two rich philosophies/histories/practices — sadhanas — share incredibly rich and sacred roots. Over the past ten years it has been his great pleasure to embrace their integration. In this weekend workshop he’d like to share that experience with you!

Join Cory for this special weekend of lecture, discussion, and practice focused on the common ground of yoga and Buddhism. We will draw from the teachings of Patanjali and the Buddha along with contemporary teachers like Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, Joseph Goldstein, Richard Freeman and Lama Willa Blythe Baker. Our time together will be interspersed with guided meditations ranging from 3 to 30 minutes with plenty of time for group discussion and support.

SCHEDULE:

Saturday

8-9am Session 1:  Introduction to Yoga, Buddhism & Meditation – An overview of the practices and how they may be integrated, regardless of one’s personal belief system, to enhance our experience of yoga. Cory will introduce the śamatha (calm abiding) method of meditation and lead a short sitting practice.

9-9:30am Break

10am-12pm Session 2:  Yoga & Buddhism:  Common Ground – A deeper dive into theteachings of the Buddha and Patanjali with an emphasis on the areas of commonality, which it turns out there are many! We will continue to explore śamatha meditation as a means to develop greater ease with sitting practice.

12-1pm Break

1-3pm Session 3:  Tibetan/Vajrayana Buddhist Approach: Good Fit for Ashtanga –  A distinguishing feature of both Tibetan Buddhism and Ashtanga Yoga is their shared tantric roots. In this session Cory will introduce the theory behind tantra – and don’t worry, it’s not the erotic mumbo jumbo that’s often associated with tantra – and how we can benefit from this aspect of practice. We’ll wrap up the day with a 30 minute guided meditation that invites you to explore open awareness.

Sunday

8-10am Session 1:  From the Mat to the Cushion – Here we’ll explore the transition from the mat to the cushion. It’s quite common to consider these as separate, even unrelated, practices — asana and meditation, but they don’t have to be. There can be so much meditative value gleaned from movement-based practice. We’ll use this time to look at how to approach this integration and elevate the impact of our time on the mat. This session will include some asana practice – nothing major, just simple sun salutation and standing postures. Please bring your mat.

10-10:30am Break

10:30-12pm Session 2:  Focusing on the Cushion – This last session will focus on bringing it all together with a series of 3 meditations interspersed with inspirational teachings from great masters including the Buddha and Patanjali. We’ll explore ways to make meditation something you look forward to!

Meditations (mainly seated with possible inclusion of walking practice within the room) will be included throughout the sessions and range from 5 to max 30 minutes each. 

Investment: $150 for whole weekend; $35 per session A La Carte (if price is an issue, please reach out for scholarship and/or sliding scale options)

Bio

Cory Bryant is the Founder of Yoga Shala Nashville – Ashtanga Yoga in East Nashville, TN and The Spiritual Pilgrim – yoga & meditation pilgrimages in Nepal, India and soon, Bhutan. His yoga journey took root at Jivamukti Yoga School in New York City just after 9/11 in 2001 and hasn’t stopped since. A practitioner of Ashtanga for over ten years, he’s been teaching yoga for 16 years and has studied intensively with David Life, Sharon Gannon, David Garrigues and Tim Miller and more recently Tim Feldmann. A PhD scientist and a student of Tibetan Buddhism, he draws from his understanding of the scientific method to explore the intersections between Buddhism and yoga to provide an integrative approach to practice and life. Cory has made 12 trips to Nepal since 2010 where he has taken up extensive study and practice. After a successful career in international food policy he and his husband relocated from DC to Nashville in 2019 where they live with their three dogs, Buddy, Bella & Puja.  IG: @yogashalanashville @the_spiritual_pilgrim @coryyoga

Canellation Policy:

Cancellations made up to 14 days prior to the start of the Workshop will receive a refund minus any credit card fees already accrued. No refunds will be given for cancellations made within 14 days of the start of the Workshop.