Tag: Buddhist philosophy Pittsburgh

Buddhist Philosophy and Yoga Anatomy Workshops

August 9, 2016
Posted by Sharon
These workshops are no longer being held fall 2016. Please check back for future collaborations and check out Mark’s website for his teaching schedule.

Philosophy and Embodied Anatomy Workshops

I am honored to host our guest instructor, Mark Chandlee Taylor, the Director of BodyMindMovement to facilitate the following embodied anatomy workshops yoga students and teachers.  All workshops are held at Mookshi Wellness Center in the Regent Square neighborhood of Pittsburgh.  Sessions begin with an hour of practice and discussion of the required text with Sharon which will be followed by a short break and then three-hours of anatomy with Mark.  All workshops are from noon to 4:00 pm.  I recommend that students obtain a copy of “Awakening of the Heart: Essential Buddhist Sutras and Commentaries” by Thich Nhat Hanh and read both his translations and commentaries in preparation for discussions.  Alternatively, I have provided links below where you can find PDF versions of the required texts.

As space is limited, pre-registration is highly recommended.  Workshops are $45 when you register online.  If you are blocked from online registration, please email Sharon Fennimore with your interest and you will be added to the waiting list: sharon@yogamatrika.com.  If space is available on the day of workshops, you will be warmly welcomed for $60 drop-in tuition.

October 16, 2016 (SUNDAY)
Text: Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breath (Anapanasati Sutta)
Anatomy Focus: Anatomy of Movement & Bone

November 6, 2016 (SUNDAY)
Text: The Foundations of Mindfulness_ Satipatthana Sutta
Anatomy Focus: Knees, Hips and Pelvis

December 10, 2016 (SATURDAY)
Text: Heart Sutra (Prajnaparamita Hrdaya Sutra)/New Translation by Thich Nhat Hanh
Anatomy Focus: Spinal Anatomy & Alignment

Ode to Miss Joyce

December 13, 2014
Posted by Sharon

Miss Joyce is the name that I gave, as a young child, to my teacher-ego.  It was clear to me at a very young age that one of the greatest values of knowing anything was to be able to share that knowledge with as many people as possible.  I forced my younger sister to take my reading classes.  Having just learned to read myself, I was quite a passionate teacher.  Whatever I lacked in experience, I made up for in my soul’s dedication to sharing.

The journey continues as I am spilling over with renewed passion for sharing everything I know about yoga and meditation with you.  Even as the news reports of savage pain, increasing violence, poverty and grief beyond measure, I know that we have the ability to gather as a community to embody and disperse healing energy and light.  It is not selfish to make time for your practice.  It is, perhaps, the most powerful thing you can do to make change in the world–one cell at a time.  Yoga and meditation help us build key skills that are necessary for peace.  These skills include awareness, compassion and loving-kindness.  Sure, there are people who may appear to be more inclined towards or talented in these skills than others, but the truth is that they are learned skills.  And, like any skill, whether you have talent or not, the key to improving skill level is practice.  So, please join me as I put on my Miss Joyce hat and share from my heart-mind the wisdom of my practice and the gifts that my own teachers have passed on to me.  All that I have, I share with you.  And, I know that when we are all together, what I receive is an overflowing well of joy, happiness and peace.

Our practices are on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 pm at the Irma Freeman Center for Imagination. Drop-in fees are $15, but these are collected on a sliding scale.  You can pay with cash on site on the evenings of class or pay online with a credit card.  These classes start on Thursday, September 8, 2016.

My teaching schedule can be found HERE.

Matrika Yoga Studies and Teacher Training Program information for 2016-2017 can be found HERE.