STUDIO MILE END
Sam Silversides & Monica Arellano
yoga festival 2024
Ashtanga Primary Series
thursday 12th of september at 4pm
The Primary Series of Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga is a bit of a misnomer. Primary Series is the flowing series of yoga poses that every beginner in Ashtanga starts out with, but it is not exactly an elementary sequence of postures and vinyasas. Also known as Yoga Chikitsa, meaning “Yoga Therapy” in Sanskrit, the numerous postures and linking movements compress, bind, twist, and release vital areas of the body which stimulate flow of various bodily systems to therapeutic benefit.
The Primary Series can take years to master. Even once the full sequence of sun salutations, standing poses, seated postures, backbending, and then finally the finishing sequence has been learnt and integrated, practitioners continue to refine the skills in the Primary Series as part of their regular practice.
Join Sam Silversides and Monica Arellano for a special Primary Series class at STUDIO MILE END which will aim to give you extra alignment details and concepts to help you in the cultivation of your Ashtanga practice. Monica, a seasoned practitioner and teacher of Ashtanga, will enhance the experience with her wise instruction and skillful assisting.
biography
MONICA ARELLANO
Monica Arellano is a student and teacher of Ashtanga Yoga, pranayama and meditation practices. First connecting to yoga in 2010, she was naturally drawn to the movements of asana, their supporting philosophies, and a daily practice to reflect her lifelong inclination towards spirituality. Monica completed a 2-year Ashtanga Yoga apprenticeship with an emphasis on the mysore style method at Miami Life Center in 2018. After making multiple trips to India, she received a formal blessing to teach from R. Sharath Jois. More recently she completed a yearlong philosophy immersion with Ty Landrum, a month-long teacher’s intensive with Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor and an adjustment intensive with David Swenson. Monica is the Program Director at Omstars, an online yoga platform and community founded by Kino MacGregor.
Being a student of yoga is a never-ending journey that keeps her connected to herself, others, and a desire to share this practice. Monica’s classes emphasize the breath, internal movements, and self-exploration to give space for authentic expression in each student. Through sincere practice, she believes we can deconstruct unhealthy patterns, facilitate healing on many levels, and find our way back to the most honest expression of ourselves.
Sam Silversides has been a student of yoga since 2010. After 5 years of practice he met his master in Richard Freeman, and has since then completed multiple advanced trainings with him and his wife Mary Taylor in Boulder, Vienna, and Berlin. Sam continues to assist his friend and mentor Ty Landrum at his various international intensives and trainings. Over a decade later Sam has taught Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga classes and workshops around the world to diverse groups of students including in India, the birthplace of the practice.
Sam is honoured to carry the yoga tradition forward into our modern world and greatly enjoys the teacher-student exchange, whichever side of it he happens to be on. In his life, yoga practice keeps him humble and grounded. He believes any keen and earnest seeker can reach the zenith that yoga has to offer and is honored to help any student on their journey.
