TF05: FOUNDATIONS Mat as Mirror, Mat as Metaphor: Yoga Philosophy in Action

Presenter bio: Laura Ahrens, MA, C-IAYT

Philosophy is the foundation of yoga practice, yet many postural practice settings exclude it entirely, leaving students to learn more through chance encounters in workshops or teacher trainings. Putting yoga philosophy into practice is possible in every moment through both inner orientation and practical action.

Embodying yoga philosophical teachings is transformational, and this session is for those interested in more deeply understanding, internalizing, and integrating yoga philosophy on and off the mat. Although asana has its own benefits on physiological and psychological levels, including yoga philosophy in our client work can uniquely energize asana so that its practice prepares us to live in alignment with yoga. This session will accessibly explore philosophical precepts from key ancient and premodern yoga texts without diluting their messages. We will also consider how yoga therapists can learn to use the mat as both a mirror and a metaphor to integrate asana back into the larger scope of yoga practice for themselves and clients.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify and explain foundational yoga philosophical precepts.
2. Integrate yoga philosophical concepts into postural class settings.