Leg Swings | We will kick off our journey into the practice with Chezho Tozhil, the traditional warm-up exercises that open the practice. Afterwards it is time to take our first steps forward in Kal Ettupu, the leg swings of the Northern Kalari tradition. Kal Ettupu is a powerful core exercise that mobilizes and strengthens the body, while simultaneously cleansing the nadis, the subtle energy channels of the body. We will familiarize ourselves with important principles of posture, movement and how to support our practice with sensory awareness.

Animal Postures | Our second session of the weekend will focus on Vadivu, the Animal Postures of the Northern Kalari Tradition. Practicing these ancient, simple, and yet profoundly powerful and deep postures alone can trigger a powerful process of transformation. They constitute the psychophysical foundation of the Kalari practice. Become familiar with the concept of posture in Kalari, and also learn how it differs from what you might have learned in other traditions like Hatha Yoga.

The Salutation Form | The third session will finally take us into the heart of the practice: Physical Sequencing.The Salutation Form has been opening the space for Kalari practices, as well as ritual duels for millennia. Its practitioners utilizing its subtle power to enter a state of detached clarity and awakened energy. This ancient sequence is flowing with sublime grace, yet grounded and structured at the same time. The Salutation is the gatekeeper to the practice of body forms and the intermediate stages of the practice.

Introduction to Body Forms | Male and female sequencing will be merely an outlook at this stage, but it takes us deep into the heart of Vadakkan Sampradayam, the Northern Style of Kalarippayat. We will start with the Male Form, tapping into what the scriptures call “transformative fury” with a one-pointed focus, which is ultimately a fierce invitation for our Kundalini to rise, as well a powerful tool of personal transformation. Afterwards we will take a look at the female form, moving fast with a wide focus, striving towards the state that the scriptures describe as “when the body becomes all eyes”.

Cultivating Flow | Kalari practitioners are called Abhyassis, „the repeating ones“. In the closing session everything we have learned this weekend culminates and comes together in its traditional order and tempo, providing you with a taste of how a traditional Kalari practice feels like. We will let our bodies do the talking and cultivate the flow. Surrender, and maybe you will get a taste of what it could feel like „when the body becomes all eyes“.