Detailed Listing of Open Weekend Presenters

Fri Jan 20–Sun Jan 22, 2023

go to: Iyengar Presenters
Mon Jan 16–Fri Jan 20, 2023
go to: Full List of Festival Presenters  

Stan Andrzejewski | | Victoria Austin | | Sherri Baptiste | | Gitte Bechsgaard | | Sophie Boller | | Paul Cabanis | | Anna Delury | | Erin Ehlers | | Aileen Epstein Ignadiou | | Gabriella Giubilaro | | Gloria Goldberg | | Eden Goldman | | Alan Goode | | Gail Grossman | | Jeanne Heileman | | Juliet Heizman | | Holly Hoffmann | | Gary Kraftsow | | Maya Lev | Elana Maggal | | Amey Mathews | | Ginny Nadler | | Jayne Orton | | Aadil Palkhivala | | Larry Payne | | Neil Pearson | | Shane Phillips | | Jennifer Prugh | | Ila Sarley | | Antonio Sausys | | Carrie Schneider | | John Schumacher | | Wendelin Scott | | Peter Sterios | | Maxine Tobias | | Patricia Walden | | Lisa Walford | | Amy Weintraub | | Anat Zahor | | Kate Zuckerman | |

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Maya Lev
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BIOGRAPHY: Maya LevMaya Lev was introduced to Surya Namaskar as a warm up when she was trained to bellydance at the age of 8. But it was not until she attended UCSC that she was introduced to Iyengar yoga by Sarah Pepper, who had just returned from Pune and strode about the studio insisting that students hold virabhadrasana II for what seemed like hours. A few years later she became a student of Ruth Hille, one of the founders of Yoga Center Santa Cruz, who noticed her love and reverence for yoga and encouraged her to consider teaching. Maya attended the Teacher Training Program at Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco, where she studied with many excellent instructors including Patricia Sullivan, Janet MacLeod, Ramanand Patel, and Judith Lasater, and she began teaching yoga in 1993. She is profoundly grateful to Kofi Busia, her primary teacher for the past 27 (but who's counting?!) years, for inspiration, guidance, and insight into the subtle mechanisms of the asanas and their effect on the body and the mind. Maya has been the owner and director of Yoga Center Santa Cruz for over 22 years, and is currently actively engaged in the search for a new space to rebirth the Yoga Center post-Covid. In her teaching, Maya combines a rigorous physical practice with a deep appreciation for the spiritual transformation yoga offers to each student. 
Maya also holds a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology from CIIS of San Francisco, and maintains a private practice as a licensed MFT in Santa Cruz. She feels grateful to have not one but two meaningful and rewarding jobs, and to live in the beautiful and vibrant community of Santa Cruz. Her other preoccupations include a wonderful partner, two awesome children, two enlightened cats, and two chickens a-laying. She doesn't have much time to read yet! 

List of Maya’s Sessions

Title:

The True Meaning of Yoga in Asana: Connection, Deep and Wide

Type:

[A] On The Mat / Asana Class

Level:

Intermediate / Advanced

Length:

2.5 hour(s)

Description:

In this class students will investigate their physical, mental, and emotional experiences within the asanas. By his diligent, intently focussed, and immersive practice, as well as his keen and insightful observation of his students, BKS Iyengar bequeathed to us his knowledge of the "correct" or "true" aspect of each asana. He said, "Alignment is enlightenment," and also, "What makes you want to come out of the pose?"

We will utilize these two statements as guides towards our own inward journey, to deepen and expand the connections between body and mind, conscious and unconscious, front and back, inner and outer. In Adho Mukha Svanasana, Utthita Trikonasana, Sirsasana, and many other familiar postures, students will take the outer form of the asana and then explore what is occuring within. In addition, students will also consider what may be preventing them from seeing or sensing accurately what is occuring in their bodies during their practice.

Notes:

This class is intended for students who have a well established practice (in and/or out of class,) who are capable of maintaining postures for 3-5 minutes or more, and who are willing to explore their pre-conceived limitations.

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Maya Lev
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