Introduction:
A training of this nature has to be an immersion. Regardless of whether it is two weeks, three weeks, two months, six months or longer; however long one needs to get a taste of it, to feel it. It shouldn’t be just an intellectual concept, it should be an experience. To have an experience of yoga is not always easy. Yoga by its very nature is cleansing. In order for this cleansing to occur one needs the strength and balance of mind to explore one’s thoughts, fears and habits and begin to eradicate those which are not beneficial. The environment which permits this process to occur is created and maintained by the instructor. It is his or her sole discretion to decide (according to their experience and intuition) which is the most optimal format to evoke this yoga experience. And from here the training begins. The format implies the skeleton for the training more like a starting point and overview. What needs to get covered (which is prioritized by the instructor according to time constraints). Yet within all this the group mingles and energy shifts. I’ve experienced this to the degree that the group of students becomes like an extended family. Because of all these energetic subtleties, there needs to be a lot of flexibility pertaining to the specific activities the group endeavors upon, according to the instructor’s experience and intuition as to how best to facilitate the process of yoga. Remembering that yoga is not always easy, there may be activities or conversations or poses that are challenging, confronting, scary and powerful.

The reason the training is set up like this is because of two reasons. Firstly, yoga is strong medicine and not always easy to swallow. Yet how can you ask someone else (your students) to swallow the medicine if you haven’t. Secondly, I have an idea about the practices and activities that I have experienced that have bore the sweetest fruit. These are what I’m sharing with you through the format and activities of this intensive. Some people have yoga narrowed down to such a neat little box that our trainings couldn’t be more different. Be aware if you are signing up for my trainings and you don’t know me through my classes here in Los Angeles or workshops throughout the world, please read my website thoroughly, get to know my perspective, make sure it jives with yours. Call me if you would like to ask any questions pertaining to the different kinds of activities. If you would like a more objective viewpoint of my training, we can provide you the email addresses of prior attendees. You can email them directly and ask specific questions. After all your inquiries, still be open to the unexpected; spontaneity plays an important role.

By the end of the training your experience will be your reward. This is something you now own and may share it however you see fit. If you participated to the degree I see fit you will also get a completion certificate. Remember, to sign up for this training does not mean you are buying yourself a certificate. You are buying an experience. It is my intention that you have an amazing experience.

About the Training:
Teaching is sharing the knowledge of experience. Let's cultivate an understanding of yoga and let's live that understanding. Let the teaching be our life example. What we say and what we do after this is teaching yoga. My intentions are not only to deepen our understanding through dialogue and practice, but also I want everyone to come home feeling amazing, strong and healthy, calm and clear, fresh and energized, motivated to continue this sacred practice of Yoga which seems to be a valid well source of our potential.

Course Topics attempted to be covered:
-Increasing our knowledge in many aspects of yoga, including schools of yoga thought
-Practicing asanas and meditation
-Learning Sanskrit names of asanas
-Learning to correctly perform asanas
-Learning to correct others performing asanas
-Learning how to create and teach a flowing routine
-Creating a dialogue
-Working with injuries, etc...

All courses have a natural flow and chemistry, which means different things may be emphasized in different courses pertaining to the group. Although the above list mentions many of the topics and possibilities, what exactly will happen is hard to know beforehand. Yoga is an immense topic which could never be fully covered in this training or any other training for that matter. I am simply sharing my experience and understanding. Also, there may be things you really want to learn that I am not fit to teach due to those things not being a part of my practice. Please be clear about this training being right for you, because your satisfaction is my highest priority.

Course Goal:
Whatever the direction our journey may be, our goal is to create masters by facilitating a well-rounded understanding of yoga and yoga practice through the knowledge of experience. Another goal is to create excitement about and support for our yoga practice which spills out of each one of us to all that we touch, as well as cultivating the art of sharing, teaching, instructing, and giving.

About Bryan Kest:
Bryan has been involved with yoga practice since he was 15 years old starting in Hawaii around 1978/9 with David Williams, the first person to bring Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga to the USA. He started sharing his new found experience almost immediately through his excitement and deep affinity with yoga thought. Through the years of study, practice and sharing he has acquired a certain amount of experience and understanding that he brings into this program, which include almost 3 decades of practice but also over 15,000 classes he has instructed. He has had successes and has made mistakes, helped people and hurt people, all of which will be laid out for us to examine and learn from.

Bryan's Perspective:
All true wellness and health come from a calm and peaceful mind. A calm and peaceful mind is

• Less dominated by habits and addictive behavior.
• Less reactive to outer situations (less stress).
• More centered and objective.
• More accepting of life and its fluctuations.
• More in tune with the body breath, feelings and intuition.

So, the poses naturally need to be infused with a purpose and meaning which brings insight and energy to an otherwise mundane physical practice of poses, or eastern calisthenics. In this way, the poses become asana or "meditation in motion." As we excel in this practice, our yoga begins to transcend the yoga room and permeates our life. In other words, a strong physical practice needs to be grounded in a strong mental practice.

Before signing up for this training please consider all the information given at this time. If you have any questions that are not answered here please feel free to email them to us at workshops@poweryoga.com. Because of the expense of reserving this special resort as well as the considerable deposit required of us by the resort, if you need to cancel, unless we can replace your spot in the training, all monies are non-refundable. Please note, however, that after payment of only your deposit, a $140.00 service charge will apply, even if you are replaced. After you make full payment, such service charge will be $280.00.

Some Specifics of this 3-week Retreat & Training:
Dates: Sunday, August 8 to Sunday, August 29, 2010
Cost: There are three levels of accommodation. The number of rooms at each level are limited. All rooms are double occupancy. (Single occupancy is available for Beach Front at additional cost. Email workshops@poweryoga.com if interested.)

$4,980 Garden View Room -WAITING LIST ONLY. Will be assigned as available.
$5,160 Ocean View Room -WAITING LIST ONLY. Will be assigned as available.
$5,500 Beach Front Room -WAITING LIST ONLY. Will be assigned as available.

Location: Mexico, 1.5 hour drive south of Cancun in the town of Tulum
Resort: “Maya Tulum” (www.mayatulum.com)

What’s Included in the Pricing:
· Accommodations at the resort
· Food – 3 meals per day vegetarian & non-vegetarian (fish)(dairy) provided by resort
· Bryan’s training and some training materials (recommended reading list not included)
· Use of Yoga supplies (mats, blocks, towels)

What’s Not Included in the Pricing:
· All transportation, air and ground
· Books on recommended reading list
· Resort amenities (e.g. massage, guided tours, rentals, etc.)
· Writing Supplies (paper & writing tools)

How to Register: · To register online, please go to the following link:

Please click here

· Or, email workshops@poweryoga.com, or you may call the studio at 310-458-9510 and register by telephone.

Tentative Schedule :
On Sunday, August 8, we will meet after dinner and have an opening ceremony (introduction). On Monday, August 9, we will begin our full days program. Although I am still considering the specifics pertaining to the curriculum and timetable, it looks like we will start the day before breakfast at 7:00 a.m. and we will go until around 7:00 p.m. with a large 3 – 4 hour break in the middle of the day. The following Saturdays will be half days and Sundays will be free. This way you will also be able to enjoy this magical place that I love so much. There are the Prolific Ruins of Tulum, hidden Jungle cenotes (fresh water pools), snorkeling, some of the best scuba diving on earth, the party town of Playa Carmen or just a sunset stroll down a barren 30 km beach on the sea.

Our time together will encompass interactive classes from discourses to discussions, penetrating to the core meaning of practicing, living and sharing Yoga. The most important aspect of sharing this sacred practice is “understanding” supported by the steady pillars of practice (the well source of all knowledge) and “intention.” This will be the root theme of this training. We will cover an interesting panorama of topics from the elements of a routine to working with injuries, from bhakti to jnana, from touch to kirtan and so much more. These classes will be complemented by a strong, sweaty, deeply physical practice and daily morning beach hikes all synthesized through daily meditation.

Note: If you are wondering if training from this program gives you credit towards Yoga Alliance's certification program, the answer is: "Not that we know of". If you are inquiring about any other certification process, please inquire with the certifying organization directly.

We look forward to meeting all of you, even those we already know!