Anna Billingham, Dip. B.W.Y.
Worcester, United Kingdom

The ExTension and Recovery Yoga Lecture is essentiallythe story of two journeys. It is firstlythat of yoga from its beginnings several thousand years ago in India to its arrival in the Western world; and secondly, that of Sam Dworkis from his initial experience of yoga through the development of the teaching method he uses today. Throughout the Lecture, you will be invited to consider two important questions: "What is yoga?" and "How does it feel?"

The Lecture invites you to verify from your own experience as an aging (over 28) person or a chronically ill person, the truth of his claim that yoga must be adapted for the Western body in order to "maximize potential and minimize risk."Sam focuses on the physical body as the primary tool of awareness to create a sense of balance between body, mind and spirit.

As a qualified Neuromuscular Therapist, he uses several visual aids, such as the Bachin Charts to explain how understanding the differences in soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia) can affect the quality of your yoga practice and help produce a balanced yoga body. 

He then clearly explains various neurological principles and laws and how understanding them can affect your yoga practice. For example, he explains how understanding Hilton's Law can avoid inappropriate stress now, which ultimately helps your yoga practice later on; and how applying Hilton's Law can also reduce the effects of dysfunctions such as fibromyalgia.

ExTension and Recovery Yoga is pro-active, which means it is a movement towards the perfection of Bachin alignment without adding stress to an already stressed system. It is essentially non-aggressive, using the breath, particularly the gentle Ujjayi breath, as a catalyst for positive change. 

I like how he defines yoga: “There is no specific goal to be reached except that of experiencing the feeling of the exercise as it is; not how you wish it would be.

Appropriately practiced with awareness in the present moment, this method promotes a movement towards balance of body, mind and breath, which is what yoga truly is.”

Never boring, often humorous, and always informative, Sam speaks directly to his audience and thus to you, the viewer. I have no hesitation in recommending this Lecture to yoga students and teachers alike