Traditional Mindfulness Training Day Workshop

Spiritual Roots and Clinical Applications with Dr Elliot Cohen Chartered Psychologist
The day will include a comprehensive introduction to a wide variety of mindfulness meditation practices; sitting, standing and moving - so there should be something to suit everyone. We will explore the practice of mindfulness for effectively treating stress, anxiety states and depression. The workshop will also feature the Hold and Release Practice; a practice pioneered by Dr Cohen, and featured on TV's Made in Leeds' 'Everyday Yoga with Helena', which is a gentle and accessible way to demonstrate the relationship between one's posture, breath and state of mind.  
About the teacher
Dr Cohen previously worked as a Psychotherapist in the NHS and private practice.He has over twenty years experience in the practice of mindfulness and meditation. He is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. He has been a senior lecturer in Social Psychology and Interdisciplinary Psychology for over ten years; supervising PhD students and serving as the MA module leader for 'Mindfulness Based Approaches' at Leeds Beckett University. As part of this role he has also designed and run British Psychological Society approved Mindfulness training workshops.
Testimonials
From Dr A Mohan, Lead Psychiatrist for Adults of Working Age, Royal Oldham Hospital Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust Dear Dr Cohen, I write to thank you for the private Mindfulness class that you kindly made time for recently. You made the learning relevant and enjoyable and gave tips on how to overcome common barriers to progress. You took time to go through the techniques with me and answered my numerous questions with great patience and wisdom. Needless to say, I will be in contact soon to arrange further sessions. I greatly appreciate your help and would highly recommend your Mindfulness training. Many thanks and with best wishes --------- From senior Buddhist Monk - Venerable Akurala Samitha, Dhamma Nikethanaya Buddhist Academy, Centre for Education, Meditation, Psychotherapy and Counselling I am deeply convinced concerning his profound and academic understanding of Buddhist Perspectives in Meditation Psychology & Psychotherapy, in addition to his academic qualifications and personal practical experiences in Western Psychology and Psychotherapy. Dr Cohen has a broad understanding about all the different Buddhist Schools and especially Theravada Buddhism. I wish him all the best for the benefit of a needy humanity!  
Date
Saturday 8th September 2018 12pm - 5pm
Where
Studio 17  Egerton Road South Heaton Moor SK4 - the studio is just past the end of Langford Road-From Heaton Moor Road, drive towards the A6/Stockport Road. Look out for the train station (on left) and Mary’s Flowers (on right) shop, take the right turn onto Egerton Road South just over the pedestrian crossing. Continue down this road, there are houses on your left and the railway line on your right. Drive straight down, passing Langford Road on your left. Look out for the double grey gates on the left about 50m further on. If you get to Lawton Road you have gone too far. The grey gates are the entrance for Studio 17.
Cost
£65 - this price includes a Zafu (meditation cushion worth £30 ) . For students who already have a Zafu the price is £45. Please note that cancellations within 4 weeks of the event will be subject to a 50 % loss of payment. Total refunds will only be considered in special circumstances. Refunds given outside of the 4 weeks period will be subject to a 20% administration fee.      
USA Zen Meditation Master Brad Warner is back in town. Brad will be leading a short afternoon workshop at Studio 17 in Heaton Moor, answering all those questions you had about Zen but were afraid to ask. Brad will be elucidating on what it means to be called a Zen master and the burdens that tag brings. He will also be talking about modern problems that we all face and how to deal with them. There'll be both practice and Q&A sessions at this afternoon workshop. For more info on Brad please see his website  Please bring along a meditation cushion if you have one, alternatively you can bring something comfortable to sit on like a cushion or a pillow etc. BRAD WARNER Woody Allen Manchester info About Brad Warner Brad Warner is an ordained Zen Master (though he hates that term) in the Soto lineage founded in Japan by Master Dogen Zenji in the 13th century. He's the bass player for the hardcore punk rock group 0DFx (aka Zero Defex) and the ex-vice president of the Los Angeles office of the company founded by the man who created Godzilla. Brad was born in Hamilton, Ohio in 1964. In 1972, his family relocated to Nairobi, Kenya. When Brad returned to Wadsworth three years later, nothing about rural Ohio seemed quite the same anymore. In 1982 Brad joined 0DFx. 0DFx caught the attention of a number of major bands on the hardcore punk scene. But they soon broke up leaving a single eighteen second burst of noise, titled Drop the A-Bomb On Me, as their only recorded legacy on a compilation album called P.E.A.C.E./War. In 1993, Brad went to Japan to realize a childhood dream to actually work for the people who made low budget Japanese monster movies. To his own astonishment, he landed himself a job with one of Japan's leading producers of man-in-a-rubber-dinosaur-costume giant monster movies. Back in the early 80s, while still playing hardcore punk, Brad became involved in Zen Buddhism. The realistic, no bullshit philosophy reminded him of the attitude the punks took towards music. Once he got to Japan, he began studying the philosophy with an iconoclastic rebel Zen Master named Gudo Nishijima. After a few years, Nishijima decided to make Brad his successor as a teacher of Zen. In 2003 he published his first book, "Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies and the Truth About Reality." In 2007 he followed that up with "Sit Down and Shut Up," a punk-informed look at 13th century Zen Master Dogen. His third book is "Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate.In 2010 Brad's controversial book Sex Sin & Zen was published. His latest book There is no God and He is always with you was published in 2013.  
This is a 3 day (Weds-Fri) early morning Mysore intensive at Studio 17 in Heaton Moor led by Matt Ryan. The 3 day intensive includes both self-practice and ‘talk-through' led classes. Matt will also be leading an optional 15 minute period of zazen meditation at the start of each class with a longer 30 minute sitting on the Friday morning. Zazen is the Zen form of meditation, it has a direct correlation with Dhyana - the 7th limb of the Ashtanga Yoga system. If you have a zafu - meditation cushion please bring this along with you. How to do Zazen. There are limited spaces available on each course.

Daily Itinerary

Weds & Thurs 5-30 am - 5.45 am Zazen (optional) 5.45 am* - 8.00 am Mysore self-practice *Start is 5.45 am - this means you can turn up to start your practice anytime from 5.45 am (unless you are attending the Zazen session at 5.30am) but your practice must be finished by 7.45 am. Friday 5.30am - 6.00am Zazen (optional) 6.00am - 8.00am Primary Series 'Led' Classs In a led class the teacher calls out the names of the postures in sequence and counts the correct vinyasa in traditional Sanskrit with all students moving together as a group. Learning the correct vinyasa gives the student a deeper understanding of the practice. If you have any questions or need any information about the practice please feel free to ask in this session.

Where

Studio 17  Egerton Road South Heaton Moor SK4 – the studio is just past the end of Langford Road-From Heaton Moor Road, drive towards the A6/Stockport Road. Look out for the train station (on left) and Mary’s Flowers (on right) shop, take the right turn onto Egerton Road South just over the pedestrian crossing. Continue down this road, there are houses on your left and the railway line on your right. Drive straight down, passing Langford Road on your left. Look out for the double grey gates on the left about 50m further on. If you get to Lawton Road you have gone too far. The grey gates are the entrance for Studio 17. Please call should you need more precise directions.  

Bookings

As there are limited spaces available on the course, we operate on a first come first served basis. To book yourself a place, please get in touch.

Mysore ‘Aftercare’

As we continue to search for another venue to host the morning Mysore classes, Matt is always available via email or telephone  to discuss any parts of the practice.

About Mysore

The term ‘Mysore-style’ refers to the way the Ashtanga Yoga method is taught by Sri K Pattabhis Jois in Mysore, India. The Ashtanga yoga system follows a therapeutic and progressive sequence of postures. Each student is encouraged to memorise the series and develop a personal practice. In a Mysore-style class each student is taught individually and is given a one-to-one lesson within the group setting. The student is taught progressively according to his or her individual needs. Ashtanga yoga is an exact and detailed method that is learned over the course of several years.

About Matt

Matt has been 'authorised' level 2  to teach the Ashtanga Yoga method by Guruji Sri K Pattabhis Jois & Sharath Rangaswamy. The KPJAYI is the governing body of Ashtanga Yoga and is the only organisation that is eligible to authorise Yoga students to teach the Ashtanga Yoga method.    
Have you ever stopped not to think? Reduce stress, anxiety and mental tension. Increase peace of mind,calm & mental clarity A one day workshop in Meditation with Dr Elliot Cohen

About Meditation

In meditation we learn to still and focus the mind. Meditation may be used to enhance concentration, help to cultivate a sense of well-being, as well as significantly reduce stress. Gradually, through practice, one learns to creatively respond to oneself and the world as opposed to habitually reacting to it.

About the course

In the day's workshop you will learn:
  1. Preliminary practice: Finding balance and stillness in posture
  2. Preliminary practice: Following and attending to the breath - building the bridge between the mind and body
  3. Enhancing Awareness through Mindfulness
  4. Mindfulness of breathing
  5. Watching the mind within the mind (the Metacognitive and Transcognitive)
  6. How to just sit

About the teacher

Dr Elliot Cohen is a Chartered Psychologist, Chartered Scientist and Psychotherapist. He is a senior Lecturer at Leeds Metropolitan University and Director of the Manchester Academy for Transpersonal Studies. He has been practicing meditation for over 20 years .

Student Testimonials

"Absolutely loving the meditation course.I’m finding it to be of huge benefit and I'm recommending the course to everyone - from my GP to family & friends. I'm practising every day." - J. Boughey
"I didn't know what to expect from this meditation course or even what meditation would actually achieve for me, but having now done the course, things are far clearer. In fact, clarity is exactly what you get from meditation; think of the mind as a glass of muddy water being constantly stirred by our thoughts and resulting in the water always being murky, but if you can slow down or even stop the stirring, then the water begins to clear and the light can shine through." - D. Pugh
"Yoga Manchester's mediation course was truly inspiring. A 50 / 50 mix of accessible theory and practical methodology, it was a great introduction for the complete novice, but, as someone who has been practicing for some years, I found it both stimulating and reaffirming." - S. Hall
"Elliot's gentle, simple and thoughtful instruction provided a great start to an essential daily practice of mindfulness." - J. Farrell

When

Saturday  21st January 2017  12pm- 5 pm. There will be a lunch break and a couple of tea breaks - please bring your own lunch with you.  

Where

Studio 17  Egerton Road South Heaton Moor SK4 - the studio is just past the end of Langford Road-From Heaton Moor Road, drive towards the A6/Stockport Road. Look out for the train station (on left) and Mary’s Flowers (on right) shop, take the right turn onto Egerton Road South just over the pedestrian crossing. Continue down this road, there are houses on your left and the railway line on your right. Drive straight down, passing Langford Road on your left. Look out for the double grey gates on the left about 50m further on. If you get to Lawton Road you have gone too far. The grey gates are the entrance for Studio 17. Please call 07983 605 295 should you need more precise directions.

Cost

Cost £65 for the 1 day workshop- this price includes tuition in meditation and mindfulness techniques and a Zafu (meditation cushion worth £25) Please contact us to organise payment by bank transfer. Please note that cancellations within 4 weeks of the event will be subject to a 50 % loss of payment. Total refunds will only be considered in special circumstances. Refunds given outside of the 4 weeks period will be subject to a 20% administration fee. Paypal: info@yoga-manchester.co.uk

Info & Bookings

Please contact us for more information. Profits from the course will go to Charity