The Obstacle is the Path
Weekend Workshop with Desirée Rumbaugh
February 26-28, 2027
“What stands in the way becomes the way.” — Marcus Aurelius
What if the tension, frustration, weakness, or limitation you experience in your physical yoga practice wasn’t something to fight against — but the very thing that could guide your growth?
This immersive weekend workshop invites you to explore the transformative power of awareness through movement, breath, and intelligent alignment. Drawing from the timeless teachings of yoga and the refined principles of Anusara Yoga®, you’ll learn how to work more skillfully with your body and mind, which will in turn help you navigate the challenges of living through these transitional times.
Together, we’ll investigate how conscious practice can shift old patterns, awaken strength, and create space — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
In this workshop, you will explore how to:
Deepen your awareness of breath and discover how it influences focus, stability, and energy in your practice
Identify patterns of chronic tension or discomfort and learn creative, practical techniques to strengthen weak areas and release tight ones
Apply the alignment principles of Anusara Yoga® to unlock greater freedom, balance, and possibility in familiar poses
Train the mind to move beyond fear, distraction, and negativity toward clarity, resilience, and presence
If you’ve studied with Desirée before, you already know: no two workshops are ever the same. Her teaching continues to evolve through decades of dedicated study, curiosity, and embodied experience. After forty years of practice, Desirée still approaches yoga as a living exploration — one that continually reveals new layers of strength, insight, and transformation.
Whether you’re feeling stuck, seeking inspiration, or ready to deepen your understanding of practice, this workshop offers an opportunity to reconnect with the intelligence of your body and the power of conscious awareness. For more information please visit www.desireerumbaugh.com
It is highly recommended that you plan to attend the entire weekend. The teachings are cumulative, and you’ll experience deeper, more profound benefits for both mind and body when the material is received gradually over the course of the weekend.
The classes are thoughtfully structured to help open and awaken the fascial lines throughout your body. By Sunday, you’ll have had the opportunity to integrate and more deeply embody new movement patterns.
Each class will include standing, seated, and lying poses. Arm balances, backbends, and inversions will be offered where and when appropriate. Straps, chairs, walls, and other props may be used to support and enhance the process.
Centered Yoga is a fully equipped studio. Please bring your own yoga mat if you have one.
Friday, February 26: 6-8:30 Release tension: Spine, Hips and Hamstrings
Saturday, February 27: 10-12:30 Open up and breathe fully: Back, neck and Shoulders
Saturday, February 27: 2-4:30 Thoracic expansion: Twists and Forward Bends
Sunday, February 28: 10-12:30 A New You! Full Spectrum practice
Cost for the weekend workshop:
Price: $225 before January 15, 2027 (early bird), $255 afterward
Single class registration will be available on January 15, 2027 for $75 per class
To register, please send money via:
Venmo Friends and Family to @Desiree-Rumbaugh or via Zelle, using her phone number: 602-615-8445 or desyoga@gmail.com
Personal checks will also be accepted by mail. Inquire for more information and the address by e-mailing Desirée.
Refund Policy: This workshop is expected to sell out quickly. As the workshop date approaches, we may need to turn other participants away, so withdrawals for any reason are subject to the following refund policy. A $25 administrative fee will apply to all cancellations made after reserving a space. After February 1, 2027, no refunds will be issued unless we are able to fill your spot with another full-paying participant. In that case, you will receive a full refund, less the $25 administrative fee.
Saturday Night Dinner: It is our tradition to gather at Angie Santucci’s home on Saturday evening for dinner and fellowship. It’s always a wonderful opportunity to connect with old friends and make new ones, and we hope you’ll join us immediately following the afternoon class.
Please RSVP to Angie at angiesantucci@gmail.com. Angie is happy to provide most of the food, and those who attend are welcome to make a small donation or bring something to share. Directions to Angie’s home will be sent to those who RSVP. She lives very close to the studio.
Soul Salve
Evon Hart, CYI 2003
communityyogaphoenix.com
Sundays: September 6, October 4
10am-12pm • $25 per session
Connect with all parts of yourself in this sweet salve for your soul. Dharma talk, mixed level yoga practice, meditation and a restorative yoga session to close the practice.
Partner Yoga
Evon Hart, CYI 2003
Saturday, August 15
4-6:00pm • $50 for two
communityyogaphoenix.com
Partner yoga poses help us go deeper into our capacity while we get to have fun and connect to someone special: a friend, significant other, family member. If you want to attend and need a partner, let us know!
The Magic of Breath
Mary Beth Markus, CYI E-RYT 500
Saturday, September 19 • 2-4pm • $40
communityyogaphoenix.com
The breath is an elixir for body and mind, essential for healing and thriving. Explore a variety of breathing techniques designed to calm the nervous system, increase vitality, sharpen awareness, and support a more conscious and vibrant way of living. There will be a few gentle postures to support fuller breathing and chest openers.
There are certain teachers who shape an entire yoga community, and Mary Beth is one of them. As the longtime director of Desert Song Yoga, which served the community for close to 40 years, she guided generations of students and teachers.
The Science of Me: The Practical Path to Feeling Whole
Caroline Cucchiara, E-RYT 500
Two-part workshop:
Saturday, October 10, 1-3pm
Saturday, October 17, 1-3pm
$60 per person
What is the secret sauce to feeling like you are living to your utmost with joyfulness and meaning while feeling vibrant in your body and mind?
Long ago, Yoga and its sister science Ayurveda conceived of the human anatomy not just as a collection of organs, but as a complex, interwoven series of five layers, or aspects of being, called the kosha. Each contributes to our sense of self and well-being. Each is to be deeply felt and nurtured.
In this two-part series, we will:
work to uncover each of the koshas on a meaningful level
practice techniques from both Yoga and Ayurveda to release held tension and disturbance methodically in each of the koshas
open ourselves to new possibilities.