Yoga Moving Mind, Body & Soul

“Freedom of movement is vital and essential for both our physical and emotional well-being.  Chronic tension, injuries, and stress negatively affect our daily life.  Critical Alignment (CA) is a movement method that releases tension and stress and combines medical anatomical insights with psychological knowledge.  Through the CA practice, people will break the downward spiral of tension and stress, and finally be able to perceive feelings like ease, lightness, energy, and space.

The primary goal of Critical Alignment Therapy and Yoga (CAT/Y) is to mobilize the spine and to restore the physical and emotional balance.  When the spine moves freely, it can interact with gravity. In this collaboration, we can release tension even during active movements. When the arms, shoulders, pelvis, and legs are well connected to the spine, there will be no tension in the body during passive and active postures.

CAT uses uniquely developed props that mobilize the spine and restore the connection to gravity and positive feelings.  This anatomical change increases mobility and stability in the body, and the psychological change gives the body a new meaning. Negative emotions, such as doubt and uncertainty, turn into feelings of strength and independence.” van Leeuwen, G. 05/08/2022 https://criticalalignment.com/

Darlene Diminutto is a Certified Manual Osteopath, a RMT, a Certified CST Therapist, a Certified Anusara Instructor, a Certified Level 4 CAT Instructor and a Certified Clinical Somatics Educator.  As a manual osteopath, she teaches from a deep understanding of the interrelationship between structure and function within the body.  By weaving these modalities together, Darlene is able to help participants to identify their own movement patterns.  This gives the participants the ability to move deeper in to asanas or just move with more ease through their day.

Darlene is visiting us from Calgary where she lives with her husband, son and dog. While on Vancouver Island, Darlene will be visiting her daughter who recently moved to Nanaimo and also taking in her annual kayak/camping trip on the west coast. When not working or studying, Darlene enjoys playing pickleball and badminton, walking the dog and cooking (homemade sourdough and pies have become her specialty). 

This workshop is for anyone that is looking for freedom of movement.  No yoga experience is necessary.

For yoga instructors, this workshop will count towards continuing education with the Yoga Alliance.  Minimum of 1 day of attendance required to qualify for a certificate towards Techniques, Training and Practice. Please advise you wish to obtain a certificate for this workshop at time of registration. 

Thursday, August 4 

9:30am to 12:00pm

Session 1 - Introduction to Critical Alignment Therapy: explorations of the spine

You will be introduced to the spinal strap, the thin roll and the thick roll. The focus for this session is on curves of the spine. The spinal strap and the rolls support the natural curves of the spine resulting in a more resilient and mobile spine.

No yoga experience required.

Thursday, August 4 

2:00pm to 4:30pm

Session 2 - Critical Alignment Yoga: functional movement to asana

We identify life with movement. We feel more alive when we move well. Functional movements are everyday movements. When we can no longer move freely throughout our day, our quality of life has been reduced. By exploring functional movement, innate patterns are identified and reinforced. It is from theses innate patterns that asanas should be practiced in order to further cement the functional movement in our central nervous system.

No yoga experience required.  Everyone will be working at their own pace.

Friday, August 5

9:30am to 12:00pm

Session 3 - Exploring and balancing the thoracic inlet, respiratory diaphragm and the pelvic diaphragm with breath

The body is divided into cavities. These cavities hold organs. There are three diaphragms that help to support the bony structure of the body and define the cavities. You will explore the thoracic inlet, respiratory diaphragm and the pelvic diaphragm. Tension in thoracic inlet, the membranous diaphragm that is at the top of the thoracic cavity, affects the neck, shoulders and arms. Tension in the respiratory diaphragm, the muscular diaphragm that is between the ribs and the abdomen, affects the organs of both the thorax and the abdomen. Tension of the pelvic diaphragm, also known as the pelvic floor, affects the organs of the pelvis as well as the legs. Balancing these diaphragms are the first step to correcting structural imbalances and improving the function of all the systems of the body.

No Yoga experience required.

Friday, August 5

2:00pm to 4:30pm

Session 4 - Critical Alignment Yoga: grounding

We will explore the ability to ground both upright and upside down. With the use of a backbender, we will experience weight transferring from the pelvis to the shoulders. We will be working on standing poses as well as inversions.

No yoga experience is required. Everyone will be working at their own pace.

Course cost: $62.50/session or $212.50 for entire workshop

We will contact you for payment after you have registered.

Register online under reservations or by email at yogawithross@gmail.com