Art of Yoga - Peter Hesnack

Non-profit organization

The aim of our non-profit organization, through practice, theory and research, is to both develop and transmit Yoga inspired by the teachings of Peter Hersnack. Peter is no longer with us, but he remains unique, and his teachings can remain in the world! The seeds he sowed within each of us, with such benevolence and faith in our futures, ask only to blossom.


Spirit

To Share

It is unimaginable that such research, such wealth should be forgotten. We are moved to come together to recapture the principle tenets and explore the pathways discovered in Peter’s teaching.

To gather these treasures, to share, to discuss, to explore and to deepen our understanding,

To allow ourselves to be nourished, again and again, by this precious teaching.

To Practice Together

To contribute towards unraveling the confused relationships between body and breath (postures), between breath and mind (pranayama), and even within the mind itself (meditation), to create space, to open and bring life.

In the Peter Way—We practice to establish stable and free relationships between support and direction, to initiate a dialogue between axis and form, inspired by Peter’s ways. We continue to explore the many other avenues of discovery that he showed us.

To explore the Yoga Sūtra

Peter presented the sutra in his very special way, and proposed a point of view born from a long intimacy with this text through meditation.

We have a responsibility to exploit this goldmine at our disposal. Our intention, through sharing, practice and exploration is to both live and give life to these riches.

May we, together, follow in the spirit of Peter:
to open a space for what is living in us, and open ourselves to the living in others and in the world.

Regulations

The founding members, wanting to create an association amongst themselves, set up the following regulations:

  • FIRST ARTICLE: FORM

    The « association » « Art of Yoga - Peter Hersnack » is founded in the form of non-profit organization (NPO) ruled by the general principles of the law applied to contracts and obligations : by the law of the 1st of July 1901 and the decree of the 16th of August 1901 as well as by the present regulations.

  • SECOND ARTICLE: MISSION STATEMENT

    The non profit organization’s mission is to gather the practitioners and sympathisers of yoga who wish to develop the practice, the theory, the research and the capacity of passing down a lively yoga based on the teaching transmitted by Peter HERSNACK.

    In order to achieve this goal, the association will use the following means of action: research groups, meetings, courses, trips, publications and other events in accordance with the law.

  • ARTICLE 3: DURATION

    The duration of the non-profit organization is unlimited

  • ARTICLE 4: LEGAL NAME

    The non profit organization’s egal name is « Art of Yoga - Peter Hersnack »

  • ARTICLE 5: HEADQUARTERS

    The non profit organization’s headquarters are located at:

    « Art of Yoga - Peter Hersnack »
    Colette Hersnack
    7 rue du petit Saint Jean
    34 000 Montpellier. France

    These headquarters can be easily transferred to any other location by decision of the Board of directors.

  • ARTICLE 6: RESOURCES

    The resources the non profit organization’s benefits from are the following:

    1. The subscription fees paid by the members of the association
    2. The price of the goods sold by the association or of the services provided by the association non profit organization’s (NPO)
    3. The capital from savings gained in the annual budget of the non profit organization’s (NPO)
    4. The subsidies that might be granted by the State, the region, the department, the municipality and their public institutions
    5. The potential gits by donors
    6. All other resource which are not forbidden by the laws and regulations in effect.

    The amount of the membership fee is decided during the annual general meeting.

  • ARTICLE 7: COMPOSITION

    7.1 The members of the non profit organization’s

    The non-profit organization (NPO) is composed of the following members

    1. The founding members
    2. The honorary members, who acquired this quality by the decision of the board of directors by reason of the services they have provided to the organization. The honorary members do not need to pay membership fees
    3. The benefactor members qualified by the board
    4. The active or associate members

    7.2 Modification of the composition

    The quality of a member can be lost by

    1. The resignation in writing adressed to the non profit organization’s president
    2. Death
    3. Failing of pay the annual membership fee even after reception after reception of a formal notice
    4. Removal pronounced by the board in the event of serious causes. The concerned person has been invited by registered letter to appear before the board of directors in order to explain himself. The decision of the board can be challenged within three months by the excluded member before the general meeting which must gather for this purpose within this time. 
  • ARTICLE 8: FUNCTIONING

    8.1 Board of directors

    8.1.1 Composition of the Board of directors
    The organization is directed by a board composed of members elected for 3 years, renewable.
    The outgoing members are eligible for re-election.
    In the event of holidays, the board provides for a temporarily replacement of it’s members until the next annual general meeting.
    The board chooses the executive directors, among its members, by secret ballot. The board must designate at least a president, a treasurer and a secretary.

    8.1.2 Meetings of the Board of directors
    The Board is meeting at least twice a year and shall be convened by the president or by request of the majority of the members. The decisions are made by a majority vote. In the event of a tie, the president shall have the casting vote.

    8.2 The General Meetings

    8.2.1 Ordinary General Meeting
    The Ordinary General Meeting consists of all the members of the Association. It is taking place every year for the purpose to decide on the association’s activity report in view of the management report established by the treasurer on the association’s general situation which is presented by the Board’s chairman and, more generally,on any other given question on the agenda. At least two weeks before the fixed date, the Association’s members are convened by the president to recieve the aganda for the meeting.

    8.2.2 Extraordinary General Assembly
    If necessary, or on request of more than half of the registred members, the president may convene an extraordinary general assembly by following the formalities referred to in the article 10.

  • ARTICLE 9: DISSOLUTION OF THE ORGANIZATION

    In the event of a dissolution pronounced by at least two thirds of the members present at the Annual General Meeting, one ore several liquidators are designated by this one and the assets, if there are any, are attributed according to the legal requirements under article 9 of the law of July 1st, 1901 article and of the decree of the 16 th 1901.

  • ARTICLE 10: RULES AND REGULATIONS

    Rules and regulations may be established by the Board which will have them approved by the Annual General Meeting. These rules are intended to fix the various points that weren’t planned by the regulations, especially those which have to do with the conditions of membership and the internal administration of the organization.

  • ARTICLE 11: CONSTITUTIVES FORMALITIES

    All rights are given to Mrs Colette HERSNACK for the purpose of fulfilling the declaration and publicity formalities required by applicable legislation.

The Living Breath

Exploring the interrelationship between body and breath in postures reveals a breath that is far more than just a displacement of volume, a breath that gives awareness to the body and that provides internal support. This living breath invites us into a living relationship with the ‘living’.

- Peter Hersnack

The latest report

Annual General Meeting

August 27th. 2024

PDF

Members

Colette Hersnack

President
At Sylvie’s insistence, I met Peter in Tarbes in 1993. Simply being in his presence had a profound effect on me and from that moment my sense of my life and its direction were transformed. I didn’t really understand what he was saying, but I KNEW it was TRUE. From then on, I became Peter’s curious and attentive student, in teacher training, retreats and individual tuition before becoming his colleague, partner and wife. While he was alive and throughout our partnership, Peter cleared the undergrowth, laid out the major axes, established the principle tenets, to which I then gave form. Now he is gone, my mission is clear, to not give up, to share this rich and precious teaching and to keep it alive. I will do my best, through my role as president of this association, to fulfill this objective.

Claire Prudhomme

Treasurer
Based in Lyon, I practise Yoga alongside my professional activities as executive assistant at the Chamber of Trades and Crafts.  I follow the teaching of Peter Hersnack at workshops and retreats led by Sylvie Palot and Colette Hersnack.  As a teacher, I suggest approaching the practice with concentration and listening, in order to taste and discover the calm and peace inside.

Sylvie Palot

Assistant secretary
A co-founder of the association; I feel indebted to Peter and his teaching, and so it is with great enthusiasm that I have embarked on this adventure with Colette. To share what I have learned, understood and felt through Peter is the obvious course of action for me. I first met Peter in 1989, during a retreat at the end of my first year’s training with another of TKV Desikachar’s students, Claude Maréchal. This retreat was a revelation and I remained Peter’s constant and dedicated student until his death. As a yoga teacher I devote my time, between classes and courses, to a project close to my heart: disseminating the teachings of the great master that Peter was and still is. I currently fulfill the role of association secretary and leader of the retreats and courses we organise.

Tashi Leroy

Administrator
I am currently working as a teacher and researcher at the Paul Valéry University, Montpellier, as well as being visual artist (painter) and yoga teacher. I grew up in the Burgundy countryside and I have retained a love of the contact with nature: animals, vegetation, rocks, the cosmos. I left home at an early age, and between causal jobs, creative work and more ‘serious’ professions I have acquired, I think, a variety of skills which can be of use to others. In the last few years the art of yoga* has emerged as an articulating force from this background: it gives breath to my existence and nourishes a strong desire to serve in spreading the light of Peter’s work. I decided to join the committee: the teacher opens the path and the disciple joins him on the road with humility and joy. That is how it has been for me since my first meeting with him in April 2013 …

Bernard Chemin

Administrator
I teach yoga in Annecy and I met Peter at a workshop in 1993. He didn't speak French yet at the time and his extremely colorful expressions opened my eyes to a whole new perspective. Peter's sudden departure really shook me up. It made me realize the depth and wisdom of the teachings I had received and had been living. This man was able to welcome and accept anyone unconditionally. I felt that I had been deeply touched, right down to my very foundations. It is very important to me to keep this beautiful energy alive, this energy that he awakened in me and in us, by renewing and reviving the message of ancient yoga.

Elisabeth Brechet

Administrator
Meeting Peter was a profound upheaval for me – a dive into the unknown; his vibrant and loving expression fostered a confidence in me and with it the realisation that it was with him that I would go in search of the art of yoga. Shortly before his death, I had decided to leave my job and to devote myself to teaching and sharing what I had received from him: it was like a calling; the time had come. So, it is with joy that I am joining the committee of the association towards the fruition and growth of Peter’s “Art of Yoga”.

Eleanor Dawson

ADMINISTRATOR
I first met Peter in 2008 when he was invited to the studio of my teacher, Hanne Gillespie, in County Dublin, Ireland. I was deeply touched by his capacity to see each individual for who they really are and grateful for the space this gave me to explore freely. At that weekend, Peter brought a copy of his book, La Chair Vivante, and a seed was sown to make the book available to English speakers, which bore fruit as The Living Breath in 2018. Over the years, Peter’s support also helped me enormously in my journey as a musician. Since his death, the teaching continued to grow and deepen for me and is the inspiration in my own teaching. The community of Peter’s students is rich and immensely supportive, and I’d like to give something back by doing what I can to be a bridge between the French and English speakers, to enhance this sense of community.

Carine Tomas

secretary
A magical encounter with Peter led me to sign up for his Yoga teacher training course. Since then, I’ve been travelling on the Yoga path, thanks to the subtlety and finesse of his teaching and with the support of the seeds he sowed. I hope that my presence on the committee of the ‘Art of Yoga’ Association will contribute to the dissemination of this teaching, which I love so much.

Pascale Cavellat

Administrator
I first met Peter in 1989 at the end of my teacher-training with IFY – it was a revolution. Since then, I’ve lived with the little nuggets from his workshops… It’s a slow process of digestion: each time I think I understand, I discover some new detail of his teaching, whether it’s from an anecdote or the lightbulb moment arising from a bhāvana that he suggested. I am ready to bring whatever I can, however small, to keep his teaching alive.

  Date : 27 October 2019

 

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