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 April 2008
ANANDAMAYA
Healing Music And Yoga Project
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
www.myspace.com/healingmusicandyogaproject
musicandyoga@hotmail.com
Give a brief bio about yourself and/or your studio
The Healing music and yoga project was born out of a desire to spread healing vibrations through sound. It has long been known the power of sound in the healing process. In India of course, music is a form of yoga itself, so to marry yoga asanas with live music only seems appropriate. Either in solo or duo, the musicians improvise on Indian ragas and melodies, flowing to the rhythm of the class, inuitively building or lowering the energy as is needed.
CHERYL DURST IS A CERTIFIED TEACHER IN HATHA YOGA. SHE BEGAN HER JOURNEY OF YOGA WHILE LIVING IN CALGARY 8 YEARS AGO. HER FIRST TEACHER TRAINING WAS A MONTH LONG INTENSIVE STUDYING THE PRIMARY SERIES AT ONE OF THE FIRST ASTANGA YOGA CENTERS IN CALGARY CALLED YOGA IN MOTION. FROM THERE THE JOURNEY CONTINUED WITH DAVID SWENSON'S FIRST SERIES TEACHER TRAINING, FOLLOWED BY 3 MONTHS IN MYSORE, INDIA WITH SRI K. PATTABHI JOIS AND SHARATH.
FOLLOWING THE TRAINING IN THE STYLE OF ASTANGA YOGA CHERYL DIVED DEEPLY INTO AN 18MONTH TEACHER TRAINING AT THE YOGA CENTRE OF BURLINGTON (YOGA ALLIANCE APPROVED). THIS TRAINING WAS MAINLY BASED ON THE APPROACH TO ASANA IN THE STYLE OF IYENGAR YOGA, AND INCLUDED A PORTION OF ASTANGA YOGA AS WELL. THE COURSE ALSO COVERED YOGA PHILOSOPHY, ANATOMY, MEDITATION, CHAKRA STUDIES AND ARYUVEDA. IN 2005 CHERYL TRAVELED ONCE AGAIN TO INDIA AND STUDIED WITH THE IYENGARS FOR ONE MONTH.
BRIAN WALL HAS BEEN STUDYING AND PERFORMING CELTIC, WESTERN CLASSICAL, AND INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC FOR OVER TEN YEARS. HE HAS BLENDED THE VARIOUS TECHNIQUES FROM EACH TRADITION, CREATING HIS OWN UNIQUE STYLE.
IN 2003, HE RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE SHASTRI INDO-CANADIAN INSTITUTE TO FURTHER HIS STUDIES OF INDIAN MUSIC WITH PT. SUKHDEV PRASAD MISHRA. AMONG OTHER PERFORMANCES, ON MARCH 9, 2005, HE PERFORMED IN A CONCERT WITH "RAGAFFAIRE" AT CBC'S GLENN GOULD STUIDIO IN A CBC RADIO CONCERT AS PART OF THE "ONTARIO MUSICIANS IN CONCERT" SERIES.
BRIAN IS CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE CONTEMPLATIVE MUSICIANSHIP PROGRAM THROUGH THE CHALICE OF REPOSE PROJECT IN MT. ANGEL, OREGON. ONE IF HIS GOALS IS TO CONTINUE HIS STUDIES IN MUSIC AND PROVIDE HEALING MUSIC FOR HOSPICES AND HOSPITALS.
1. IN THE SUMMER OF 2007, BRIAN AND CHERYL DID A TOUR FROM ONTARIO TO BRITISH COLUMBIA, OFFERING MASTER CLASSES IN HEALING MUSIC AND YOGA. IN NOVEMBER THEY TRAVELlED TO NOVA SCOTIA TO TEACH AT THE ATLANTIC YOGA CONFERENCE IN HALIFAX.
What styles of yoga you teach? / Do you or your studio specialize in one?
Cheryl teaches primarily a Vinyasa flow for these classes, but knows and teaches Ashtanga, Iyengar, and Restorative as well
What makes your teaching or studio unique?
The improvisational music creates acts as a support for the students to work on top of. The music supports students in difficult poses and also relaxes them in Shavasana and in other held poses. It helps to keep us all focused on the present moment. The music is inspired by the movement as the movement is inspired by the movement, so it is an exchange where all benefit.
4. Do you or your studio provide other services other than yoga?
Yes. I also offer music lessons and we both do Kirtan Chanting workshops and World music concerts.
What is your favorite yoga posture? And why?
I would say that the Bridge is my favourite posture- it was one of the ones that helped to heal and strengthen my back when it was injured in India a few years ago.
Who is your favorite yoga teacher?
No favourites at the moment, though I took a class with Frank Jude Boccio in Halifax- very nice- he integrates Buddhism and yoga and it was a great class.
How long have you been doing yoga?
Cheryl has been doiing yoga fulltime for about 8 years. I have been doing yoga on and off for about 12 years. I also took my first Vipassana Meditation course at about the same time.
How long has your studio been around?
The healing music and yoga project was started in December 2006.
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