Spotlighting Level 3 CIYTs – Peace and Contentment in Asana Practice – Mary Pappas-Sandonas

IYNAUS is delighted to present Spotlighting Level 3 CIYTs.

IYNAUS scheduled a day each month to spotlight one Level 3 CIYT, offering them an opportunity to contribute their time and teach a one-and-a-half-hour class.

April 26, 11:00 a.m. ET – Spotlighting Level 3 CIYTs – Peace and Contentment in Asana Practice with Mary Pappas-Sandonas

“Yoga allows us to find an inner peace that is not ruffled or riled by the endless stresses and struggles of life.” B.K.S. Iyengar

The niyama of contentment, like yoga, is not a destination but constitutes a dynamic and constructive daily practice that can bring inner equanimity and unsurpassed joy. It requires effort, mindfulness, surrender, and compassion. Contentment is necessary before we can experience the true peace that takes us beyond the veils of illusion and suffering and into the peaceful spaciousness of the intelligence of the heart, the stillness of the body, and the peacefulness of the breath and mind while in an asana. Join us in this illuminating and joyful practice as we explore dynamic alignment, the reflective intelligence that leads to skillful action, the cultivation of gratitude and a positive mindset, and the letting go of the fruits of our actions as a pathway to stillness within the movements, vibrant alertness, and the fullness of these special moments of contentment and peace within the asanas.

About Mary

I took my very first yoga class while at a spa. While in Upavistha Konasana, the ethereal-like yoga teacher glided across the room in rhythm to the mellifluous background music. “Get yourself into a yoga class,” she leaned down and said to me.

As providence would have it, between October 1992 and July 1993, I began studying with John Schumacher and Patricia Walden, my dear mentors, and I met B.K.S. Iyengar for the first time. In each class, I was captivated by the precision, progression, and clarity of the method, the creation of physical and mental space through its “meditation in action,” skillfully taught with joyful dedication and care. Over the years, I have been blessed by many teachers and colleagues who have contributed to my education. I’ve been a certified Iyengar teacher since 1996, hold a Level 3 teaching certificate, and am certified in yoga therapy by IAYT. I’ve studied twice at the Iyengar Institute in Pune, India, and continue to study regularly online with Abhijata and Prashant Iyengar, as well as many other gifted Iyengar teachers.

I have led yoga therapy departments in a primary care integrative healthcare facility and a hospital-based integrative medicine department. My degrees in psychology/neuroscience and an advanced degree in exercise physiology led me to work in research and cardiac rehabilitation. I have served as a round table panelist, authored articles and DVDs, and presented yoga therapy case studies, including at the Smithsonian Symposium, Yoga: The Art of Transformation. I began teaching at Unity Woods Yoga Center in 1996, having apprenticed with John. I teach virtually for Pose Repose Yoga, my virtual studio, and in person at Sweetbay Yoga and Harmony Functional Wellness Center.

In my classes, I encourage a warm, lighthearted, and compassionately supportive learning style. My teaching is known to be energetic, methodical, detail-oriented, and precise, partnered with keen observation and adjustments in the physical postures. I enjoy weaving yoga philosophy and its practical use into my classes. I aim to create an inviting presence in a heart-centered space where students can appropriately challenge themselves while refining their practice, exploring their limits, and finding the space, peace, and contentment on the mat and beyond to be the light in this world that they truly are.

Member Price
Free to members as a member benefit. Donations appreciated.

Non-member Price 
$108 This price includes access to all classes in the series and an IYNAUS membership.
$30 for a single class for non-members

Recordings
IYNAUS will send the class recording to all registered participants as soon as possible.
Recordings will be posted on the member benefits page one month after the live event. These classes and recordings count as Continuing Education hours.