The Hum of the Heart: Exploring Embodied Nonduality with Meditation, Breathwork, and Soundscape

Join Cynthia Abulafia and Mitsuko Conner Newlan in an exploration of nondual self-inquiry through meditation, breath work, and various sound experiences, including gong work and crystal bowls.  As a long time yoga teacher and yoga therapist, Cynthia Abulafia teaches an approach to nondual self-inquiry based on awakening our curiosity and integrating the ups and downs of the spiritual process, highlighting the power of breath and meditative focus to unite the physical and energetic bodies. Mitsuko's intuitive teachings, filled with spiritual joy and enthusiasm, create a safe space for self-discovery, inner resilience, and deep rest, integrating a variety of powerful sound instruments, breath exercises, and Yoga Nidra to empower participants in supporting their well-being.

Are you interested in deepening your practice as a student or as a yoga teacher? This workshop brings together Cynthia Abulafia, Jazmin Ment, and Dora Chan- the three leads of Yoga Soup’s 300 hour professional teacher training titled the “Heart of Awareness.”

This is a special training, and the only professional level training for yoga teachers in Santa Barbara county.

Hosted by Yoga Soup, the teacher training runs the first full weekend of the month in Santa Barbara, California, starting in September of 2023 and going until May of 2024. The second half weekend is dedicated to embodied anatomy, subtle body, and practice teaching.

Cynthia, Jazmin, and Dora will come together at Yoga Soup for this one day workshop to play and teach. Cynthia will guide a meditation and pranayama, as well as some sacred text discussion, Jazmin will lead an asana flow for 50 minutes, and Dora will lead a Yoga Nidra session for deep recovery and restoration. This workshop braids together the offerings of these three teachers in a micro-format, which should give inspiration and flavor for the full 300 hour experience.

If you are curious and would like to meet the teachers, please join us for this public workshop to meet us, play with us, meditate with us, move with us, laugh with us, and rest with us.

Cynthia guides Tantric based approaches to embodied self-realization in all of her classes. This workshop is about finding the heartbeat of the pelvis, the inhalation, and the exhalation of the pelvis. This creates a deep stability from the core of the spine into and through the heart. This work helps to harmonize the physical body with the energetic body and our own inner agency.

The workshop brings together over 20 years of study and teaching in modalities like functional anatomy, Yoga asana, Yoga Therapy, Pilates, fascia flossing, and Kundalini energy awareness. So long as you are breathing and you have a pelvic floor you are welcome to join! The workshop is available to all ages and levels of ability. Breath-work forms the foundation of this important work.

Breathe the Pelvis Workshop (Part 2: Can be taken alone or as a pair)

Cynthia guides Tantric based approaches to embodied self-realization in all of her classes. This workshop is about finding the heartbeat of the pelvis, the inhalation, and the exhalation of the pelvis. This creates a deep stability from the core of the spine into and through the heart. This work helps to harmonize the physical body with the energetic body and our own inner agency.

The workshop brings together over 20 years of study and teaching in modalities like functional anatomy, Yoga asana, Yoga Therapy, Pilates, fascia flossing, and Kundalini energy awareness. So long as you are breathing and you have a pelvic floor you are welcome to join! The workshop is available to all ages and levels of ability. Breath-work forms the foundation of this important work.

In this Sunday workshop we will explore deep pelvic stability using several techniques that Cynthia has put together as well as some techniques unique to her understanding and offering of the pelvis and deep core. The workshop is physical but accessible to all levels of practice and all ages. It is also energetic. The pelvis represents the base of the energetic core which helps to ground us and resolve physical, emotional, and energetic patterns that may build in that important area of the body. When the pelvis starts to release the jaw and neck can also respond in interesting ways. The workshop is powerful for all levels.

In this event Dr. Raj Govind and Cynthia will explore two paths of yoga: the classical Vedic path that includes in depth Vedic Astrology and energy systems from Classical Yoga and the non dual Kashmiri Shaivism influenced Tantric system of self-inquiry and self-reflection. This Shiva-Shakti energy weaves together in a small and tailored workshop that will assist in self-exploration, insight, meditative self-inquiry, and chart reading.

Dr. Raj Govind is an Author, Speaker, Teacher, Vedic astrologer and Spiritual Mediator.   He belongs to the Bharadwaja lineage, one of the most revered sages of Vedic Ages in Ancient India. The word Bharadvaja is a Sanskrit word that means “bringing about nourishment.”

Dr. Raj Govind comes from the family of traditional Priests and Astrologers from Northern India. His maternal side traces their Ancestry back to Rajpurohits, a community of Brahmins who were royal Priests.  His interest in Vedic astrology started very early when he was a teenager. Since 2009, he started sharing his intuitive gift and knowledge outside of family. More recently, his interest grew into the area of Vastu Shastra and Vedic Meditation. Vastu is a traditional Indian system of Architecture based on ancient texts that allows harmony and positive energy at home/or workplace.

During this workshop will chant the Gayatri Mantra and discuss the traditional Vedic ritual, including doing Puja, with Vedic astrologer Dr. Raj Govind. With Cynthia we will drop into intention setting and heart centered meditation for bringing in the New Year with light and clarity.

Tickets are $25. Space is quite limited as this is held in my private residence in sacred space in Montecito.

Please email Cynthia directly for tickets. CynthiaAbulafia.com

This workshop will be held at Flow Yoga in Santa Barbara. In this course we will look at the ethical foundations of yoga. According to the Ashtanga system of classical Yoga, the foundation practices of yoga are not physical or postural, not breath related or meditation focused, but relational. How do we relate to others? How do we relate to ourselves? Each one of these ten ethical codes of yoga is a complete practice. Some include non-violence, truth, not-coveting, contentment, and faith. Cynthia will look at the classical application of these practices and also bring the practices home into our direct experience by turning the practices inward. This workshop will be primarily lecture based but will also include space for journaling, meditative self-inquiry, and discussion.

Please see Santa Barbara Flow Yoga website for more information and to sign up.