This special one-day workshop aims to facilitate a conversation on women and the feminine in yoga, from the historic to the most contemporary critical issues.

We will take various perspectives – such as the history of women in yoga, awareness of an individual’s lived experience, power dynamics and the gendered esoteric yogic body – to explore the picture of women and the feminine in yoga. Gender issues in yoga affect multiple aspects of practicing and teaching yoga, and are embedded in the story of yoga’s past, both historically and philosophically. This area has seen an upsurge in attention in recent years and this workshop is an opportunity to think and feel our way through the facts, theories and possible opportunities. Eunice Laurel and Ruth Westoby will co-facilitate this discussion, combining their respective research to present a practical, theoretical and resource-rich workshop on women in yoga.

This workshop offers:
• The history of women in yoga led by Ruth Westoby
• Sexual trauma: the history of a survivor’s body led by Eunice Laurel
• Critical gender issues in modern yoga co-facilitated by Eunice Laurel and Ruth Westoby
• Trauma-aware yoga perspectives for a general class co-facilitated by Eunice Laurel and Ruth Westoby

Learning outcomes
This workshop will equip participants with a felt experience and historical framework within which to situate critical enquiries around women and gender in yoga. Eunice and Ruth will present interactive and discussion-based learning in a respectful environment to process the material and develop personal viewpoints. Participants will take home comprehensive resource guides to continue their studies in this area.

Certification
You will receive a certificate of completion. This is not a trauma-informed training course to enable you to teach to specific trauma populations.

Eunice Laurel
Eunice is the founder of independent yoga programme, Movement for Healing, that offers free and sliding-scale trauma-inclusive yoga and self-care tools to women who have experienced sexual violence. She partners with female-centred rape crisis support and advocacy organisations in London, as well as serving private clients and groups. Eunice has been studying yoga since 2000, and teaching for nearly 15 years. 
www.movementforhealing.org
www.eunicelaurel.com

Ruth Westoby
Ruth Westoby is fascinated by yoga both in academia and practice. Ruth began practicing yoga over twenty years ago, started teaching fifteen years ago and is researching for a doctoral degree on gendered constructions in haṭha yoga at SOAS under the supervision of James Mallinson. The teachers who have influenced Ruth include Hamish Hendry and Richard Freeman. Ruth works on Yoga Teacher Training courses teaching history and philosophy, as well as various workshops and writings. 
www.enigmatic.yoga