Last month I went back to my roots.   I spent ten days with Larissa Carlson directing a ten-day training called "Exploring the Energy Body:  Teaching Pranayama and Meditation."

This professional training program is designed for certified yoga teachers working toward their 500-hour professional degree.  I felt right at home with these 55 dedicated and time-tested yogis and yoginis.

I've always felt that sincerity in practice is one of the highest attributes we can cultivate, and these folks brought not only authenticity, but deep dedication to their practice.

We weren't easy on them. Each day started early and ended late, with hours of pranayama, kriyas, bandhas, asanas and meditation of various forms.

As meditation has taken more of a front seat in my own practice, I'd moved away from formal asana and breathing practices and I felt renewed and reinspired to kick back into the willful breathing techniques.

We'll be offering this again next year and I look forward to the adventure.  If you're working toward your 500-hour degree and want an immersion into practice as the core foundation of your teaching, this is a great event.