Ashtanga Weekend Workshop
with David Swenson
October 3, 4 & 5, 2025
In this workshop we’ll be focusing on underlying principles of Ashtanga Yoga as well as refinement of the intricacies of practice. David’s expertise as a practitioner is matched by his ability to share a wealth of knowledge in a very personable, fun and down-to-earth manner filled with joy!
David began practicing yoga in 1969 at the age of 13. His older brother Doug was his first teacher. They practiced hatha yoga from whatever books they could find.
David’s introduction to Ashtanga came in 1973 when he met David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff in Encinitas, California. In 1975 David and Nancy brought K. Pattabhi Jois to the U.S. for the first time and Swenson was fortunate enough to be there. He then initiated studies directly with the master. Swenson made his first trip to Mysore in 1977 and learned the full Ashtanga system as it was originally taught by K. Pattabhi Jois.
David Swenson is recognized today as one of the worlds foremost practitioners and instructors of Ashtanga Yoga. His courses are presented in a supportive and compassionate fashion making it accessible to all levels of practitioner to participate.
This workshop will be taught in English. It will be followed by David’s 40-hour Teacher Training / Yoga Immersion >>
Program
FRIDAY, OCT. 3rd
18:00 – 20:00 Ashtanga Yoga Half Primary – Half of the practice with all of the fun!!!
This class is designed for those wanting a softer more gentle experience of Ashtanga. The pace is slower than a standard flow and vinyasas will be left out between right and left sides. The class will move about one half of the way through the First Series including finishing postures and at about half of the normal speed and then slide right into a guided deep relaxation to round out the experience. David will offer plenty of alternatives for the vinyasas and asanas in order to make the class accessible to All Levels of practitioner. This class is a great way to experience the flow of Ashtanga while moving at a nice mellow pace.
The rhythm is like a gentle flowing stream.
SATURDAY, OCT. 4th
9:00 – 11:00 Fully Led Primary Series Flow – Dancing with the Breath in a First Series Rhythm
This class is designed for those already familiar with the First Series of Ashtanga Yoga yet it is open to all levels of proficiency from the daily-practicing aficionados to the novice fit-it-in-when-I-can weekend warriors and everyone in between. The class will be conducted like a choreographed dance flowing all of the way from the opening sun salutations to the closing savasana. David will spend time at the beginning of class to introduce alternatives to some of the more challenging asanas as well as offer user-friendly vinyasa options. Class will be followed by an open discussion allowing students to ask David questions about any topics of interest.
Required Items: Mat and Breath
12:00 – 14:30 Really Hip Openings for the Hips – A Pleasant Exploration of Gentle Methods To Open the Hips
Tight hips can cause problems in other areas such as the knees and back. David has devised an approach of exploring the hips through slow and gentle movements, stable holding of postures and deep breathing which all combine to bring greater openness to the hips without forcing or pushing. To create stability David will share methods of activating one area in order to relax another. This balanced approach is both safe and effective and can be applied to other regions of the body as well. As always, David will manage to make this enjoyable experience.
Bring Those Tight Hips In For a Tune-Up!
15:00 – 16:30 Breath, Bandhas and Pranayama – Exploring the Subtle yet Powerful Internal Realms of Energy
Our first act of life as we enter this world is to inhale and our last act before departing is to exhale. Breath is our most elemental form of life and unites all of humanity yet we think little about it. The ancient yogis gave it great thought and in so doing developed intricate methods of harnessing breath to gain control of the mind and to see the world with greater clarity.
Buckle Up It’s a Wild Ride!
This class will delve into the realms of specialized Yogic Breathing as well as the subtle and highly misunderstood internal energy valves known as Bandhas. There is much confusion surrounding these mystical tools and the part they play in the regulation and control of pranic flow. David will share information he gained directly from K. Pattabhi Jois as well as a series of practical exercises he has developed himself to assist the practitioner in gaining a greater understanding of these subtle yet powerful energy gateways of yoga. David has an amazing ability to convey complex ideas in simple terms. All are sure to leave with new insights and useful tools for personal practice regardless of their system.
Come and Feel the Prana!
SUNDAY, OCT. 5th
9:00 – 11:00 Half & Half Fun Fest – Half First Series and Half Second Series Makes for Full Fun
This class is a talk-through of Half of Primary Series and Half of Intermediate Series. In Ashtanga the traditional approach for entering the Intermediate Series is to use the Primary Series as a yogic springboard to propel the student forward. Intermediate Series can be intimidating yet David has a way of presenting it in an accessible and engaging manner. Those that feel a bit uncertain about taking that first step into the realms of the Intermediate Series will find comfort in knowing that David always keeps it Fun, Safe and Incredibly Informative as he guides the group along in a compassionate and thoughtful manner using the first half of Primary Series as a wonderful gateway into Intermediate.
Come and experience the joy and wonder of exploring new asanas or deepening awareness and ability for the ones you are already familiar with!
12:00 – 14:30 Inversions & Backbends – Building Roots and Growing Confidence
Whether you are frightened of inverting or love to hang out upside-down and whether you have a flexible back or a stiff board-like spine there is much to be learned from David’s insightful tools for building confidence and gaining control in Inversions and Backbends. David will take the class on a journey of exploration into the unseen world of Gravity and share methods of how to utilize this perpetual energy as a stabilizing force for establishing our roots from which we can grow into inversions and backbends with greater ease and more confidence.
He will teach the participants methods to expand the front of the body and open the heart rather than collapse the back in order to discover greater depth in a backbend with less effort and more grace and efficiency.
David likes to encourage patience when he teaches. He phrases it like this: “The strongest trees in the forest grow the slowest!”
Take the seeds of information he shares and plant them within the fertile ground of your personal practice and watch them grow!
15:00 – 16:30 Eight Limbs & Daily Life – How does this practice apply within the context of daily living?
Underlying the mysterious and complex philosophy of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras there is a truly profound simplicity that may be applied within the context of our daily lives. This class will discuss the Eight Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga and explore their applications within our day-to-day life. What is the use of Philosophy without real application? We may memorize quotations or stanzas from great writings but unless we can apply them within our life they are merely words spoken rather than knowledge realized.
Price
Early bird price (before March 31, 2025): 310 euros
Normal price (after April 1, 2025): 340 euros
Or 60 per session
Register
Priority goes to those signing up for the whole workshop.
Cancellation Policy
An admin fee of 30 euros will be deducted for cancellations made more than 21 days before the workshop.
Only half of the sum paid will be returned 8 to 20 days before the workshop.
Sum paid is non-refundable 7 days before the workshop.
Refunds are processed based on the date we receive your RIB/IBAN, which determines the amount refunded per our policy.
We don’t accept transferring of a paid reservation to another person after 2 weeks before the workshop.
We advise to those coming from out of Paris to purchase travel insurance as travel issues will not change this policy. Medical issues will also not change this policy.
As the teacher is confirming their presence and is guaranteed the amount of people who are attending 21 days before, we ask for your understanding of this policy.
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LOCATION
Ashtanga Yoga Paris
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Highlights from David’s previous weekend workshop at AYP
See also: 40-hour Teacher Training / Yoga Immersion (Oct. 2025)