John Schumacher

John Schumacher is the founder and director of Unity Woods Yoga Center, Washington’s premier yoga studio. He has practiced yoga for more than 40 years and has taught in the Washington area since 1973. John continues to study in India with B.K.S. Iyengar, the world’s foremost Yoga teacher, and is a certified advanced Iyengar Yoga teacher, one of only 13 teachers in the U.S. to hold that level of certification.

John’s clear, precise style and his engaging sense of humor have made him one of the country’s leading yoga teachers. Yoga Journal described him as “one of 25 teachers shaping yoga in America.” John has written for a variety of publications and has appeared in numerous local and national media, including The Washington Post, Washingtonian Magazine, The Washington Times, PBS, Yoga Journal, and many others. He has spoken about the practice and benefits of yoga on radio and television and at conferences and events around the nation. In 2007, he was a keynote speaker at the first NIH conference on alternative health.

In his 37 years as a teacher, John has taught thousands of students, including many of the Washington area’s most prominent yoga teachers. The studio he founded in 1979, Unity Woods Yoga Center, has grown to encompass four locations in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. It is now the largest Iyengar Yoga center in the U.S. and one of the largest and most respected yoga centers in the country. Over the more than 30 years of its existence, Unity Woods has worked to foster health, serenity, and awareness for more than 45,000 students who have taken classes at the center.

Workshop – Advanced Asana in June: Backbends

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Date: June 2
When: 3:30-6:00 pm
With: John Schumacher
Cost: $50
Location: Woodley Park

Saturday, 3:30-6pm. For students who can do Urdhva Dhanurasana with straight arms, Dwipada Viparita Dandasana easily, and hold free-standing Sirsasana away from wall and Sarvangasana for ten minutes each. No therapeutics.

Workshop – Advanced Pranayama in June

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Date: June 3
When: See description
With: John Schumacher
Cost: $30 each level
Location: Bethesda

Sunday, 2:30-4pm (LEVEL V) and 4:15-5:45pm (LEVEL VI). For students with an experienced pranayama practice, these special classes are your opportunity to ask questions and try more advanced techniques with the guidance of a yoga master. Please note prerequisites before registering.

Discussion Group: MAITRI – Looking Back at the Highlights of the Southeast Regional Conference

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Date: June 3
When: 6:45-8:30 pm
With: John Schumacher
Cost: Free
Location: Bethesda

Sunday, 6:45-8:30pm. Whether or not you were at MAITRI, come share in the sense of community that the conference provided and find out more abouth this remarkable tradition of Iyengar Yoga.

Workshop – A Weekend for Teachers and Serious Students: The Tricky Business of Teaching Beginners

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Date: 3 full days of Classes: Friday - Sunday, June 22-24
With: John Schumacher
Cost: $385 (Accommodations not included in fee.)
Location: Serendipity Retreat

We'll explore the subject by practicing beginning poses to deepen our understanding of their essential elements, by practice teaching a beginning class, and by observing what our beginning students are showing us and learning what we should do with what we see.

Workshop – Advanced Asana in December: Backbends

Full Details • Printable Registration Form

Date: December 1
When: 3:30-6:00pm
With: John Schumacher
Cost: $50
Location: Woodley Park

Saturday, 3:30-6pm. This class is for dedicated practitioners who can do Urdhva Dhanurasana with straight arms, Dwipada Viparita Dandasana easily, can hold a ten minute free-standing Sirsasana away from the wall, and can hold Sarvangasana for ten minutes.

Workshop – Advanced Pranayama in December

Full Details • Printable Registration Form

Date: December 2
When: See times in description.
With: John Schumacher
Cost: $30 each level
Location: Bethesda

Sunday, 2:30-4pm (LEVEL V) and 4:15-5:45pm (LEVEL VI). For students with an experienced pranayama practice, these special classes are your opportunity to ask questions and try more advanced techniques with the guidance of a yoga master. Please note prerequisites before registering.

Discussion Group: Topic TBD

Full Details • Printable Registration Form

Date: December 2
When: 6:45-8:30pm
With: John Schumacher
Cost: Free
Location: Bethesda

Sunday, 6:45-8:30pm. Topic TBD.