Sun, Fire & Light
Yoga for Winter with Hannah Penn
- Saturday 5th December, 10 – 4pm
- Sheffield Yoga School, South Road, Walkley
During the winter the light withdraws and the weather changes; we tend to spend more time indoors. At the same time, the lead up to Christmas can be very busy and time seems to speed up.
This day is an opportunity to pause, re-energise and reconnect with Nature, with Sun, with Fire and with Light.
About the day
In this workshop we’ll be harnessing and appreciating the transformative power of the Fire element, Agni.
Without the Sun, the fire in the sky, there would be no life on our planet.
Morning session
In the morning we will greet the Sun through variations of Surya Namaskar using the extra power of mantra.
We will explore some breathing techniques to create heat and boost energy when we are feeling low.
There will also be a long Yoga Nidra with visualisation of Golden Light.
Afternoon session
In the afternoon we will practice a Havan.
A Havan is a wonderful way to come together and appreciate the importance of Fire and to use it as a tool for transformation.
About Havan (Fire Ceremony)
No matter how cold or dark it becomes, one never comes across the spectacle of cows lighting either a candle or a fire. It may be that the breakthrough from animal to human level evolution is somehow connected with the ability to employ fire.
John O’Donohue
A Havan is a wonderful way to come together and appreciate the importance of Fire and to use it as a tool for transformation.
On a simple level control of fire means we can keep warm, cook food and light our living spaces. On a symbolic level fire gives light dispels darkness and ignorance, removes the dross, reminding us of our true nature as pure awareness.
The sense of inner light has different names in different cultures, ‘Holy Spirit’, ‘divine light’ from Christian world, ‘Shen (heart fire) from Qi Gong, or ‘Atman’ thumb sized flame of light residing in the heart space (from the Upanishads).
Havan comes from the Tantric tradition and uses mantra, mudra and Yantra to create a sacred space. We will create a mandala around the ‘kund’ fire pit using seasonal leaves, seeds, flowers and berries
There are many forms of ‘Havan’ ritual, the form we will use is simple enough to practice on your own. One of the mantras used is the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra, the healing mantra for the relief of suffering.
Part of the beauty of a havan is the opportunity to give to the fire the things we no longer need, negativity, habits, things that hold us back from shining.
We also offer the best of ourselves, all our positive qualities, so we can better care for ourselves and for others. In havan we repeat the mantra ‘Swaha’ which means ‘I offer myself’.
Hannah Penn
Hannah Penn is a director of Sheffield Yoga School. A full time, professional Yoga teacher she qualified initially with a 3 year British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) Diploma Course. She subsequently trained with Satyananda Yoga UK.
Hannah began practising yoga as a child in the 1970s. She taught her first Yoga class in 1995 and has been teaching full time since 1998.
Book a place
The fee for this workshop is £55
If you cannot afford the full fee contact us and you can pay less.
The venue
This workshop is held in Sheffield Yoga School, a beautiful and unique Yoga Centre in the heart of Walkley.
