THE MAP (Thursday April 2nd)
with Abbie Galvin

The dialogue between the archetypal square and its personal potential is explored by changing its perspective. Historically and mythically seen as a compass on the back of a turtle shell, the magic square becomes personal as we shift its perspective to the belly of the turtle, thus we become the square itself, each of us using it as a map to face the world as an individual with thoughts, feelings and a personal trajectory. In this session we set up the map of the magic square and transform it, by virtue of our imagination, to embody it personally.

THE POLARITIES (Thursday April 9th)
with Ty Watson

In Daoist theory, polarities are mutually arising relationships rather than opposing forces. Yin and yang are not fixed “things,” but phases of a single, ongoing process, each containing the conditions for the other. Polarity describes movement, timing, and context—how we decide when to advance or yield, when to contain or extend, when to act or wait. In this session, we zoom out through Daoism, Zen and number theory to develop a more substantial understanding of how polarity sets the conditions we are constantly negotiating in both our practice and our daily circumstances.

THE WRAPS FOR RAPTURE (Thursday April 16th)
with Chelsea Delle Palme

Once the framework of the magic square is established, we can begin to circle the square and play with the the Wraps for Rapture to engender the experience of being round, whole, complete. Smoothing out the edges of polarity in the pursuit of a more spherical nature requires conscious practice. Ideally and eventually this work will lead us to a state of easy elation, joyful simplicity and total concentration. In this session we explore the evolution of the Wraps for Rapture through theory, breathwork and meditation.

NATURE IN PRACTICE (Thursday April 23rd)
with Evan McClain

The intelligence of nature lies in pattern and using the magic square across various physical forms gives us the opportunity to observe personal patterns and tune ourselves to something larger. In this session we route the Magic Square through our asana practice, discussing the organizing principles of nature and exploring how they appear through both static postures and shapes that move.

THE BODY AS A MAP (Thursday April 30th)
with Chase Connolly

When the body is held in a formal structure, its stories begin to unfold, revealing patterns and habits. In Katonah body reading, we use a rich vocabulary of metaphors and imagery to translate these patterns into insight. It is through developing the skills of observation and cross-referencing that these patterns of habit can transform into potential for reformation. In this session we look at bodies together to explore key aspects of the magic square and through this practice of refined observation, we begin to understand the body as a map of experience.

MAGIC METAPHORS (Thursday May 7th)
with Alex Sharry

A dialogue on how metaphors enhance our lives by making them more dimensional. Organizing our lives and relationships, when enhanced with metaphor, embellishes our circumstances with more perspective, range, understanding and connection. We get an opportunity to see that there’s more than one way to see things, to zoom out of the personal and connect to a greater whole. In this session we explore the many metaphors of the body as a house, seasonal dialogues, explicit and implicit and more.

TAROT NUMEROLOGY (Thursday May 14th)
with Sophia Campana

The tarot is a collection of archetypes that depicts the journey of a souls evolution through its lifecycle. The cards are organized in a numerological structure and arranged in a sequential pattern that can be followed as the route of a narrative thread. In this session we break down the numerology of the tarot and place the cards within the framework of the magic square to better understand their meaning and significance both individually and collectively. When we begin to recognize that each card carries the resonance of a number, the symbolism of the cards becomes much easier to decode and understand.

THE MAGIC FIELD (Thursday May 21st)
with Jason Bacasa

The magic square provides a frame that reveals the power of metaphor, offering a means of personal orientation. While the “body as a house” metaphor is radiant and generous, the integrity of the Magic Square as a system allows us to layer many kinds of information onto the map, inviting an intricate tapestry of patterns and associations. In this session we come to know the Magic Square not merely as a 3×3 grid, but as a living field in which we can situate our lives, with multiple entry points for deeper insight.

THE LO SHU (Thursday May 28th)
with Kyle Henry

We can trace the history of the magic square, the Lo Shu grid, from its origins in Chinese antiquity to its enduring influence across philosophy, medicine, and movement systems, including Katonah Yoga. In this session we explore the origins of this ancient map and how number, pattern and orientation in the Lo Shu became tools for understanding internal and external landscapes.

THE HETU (Thursday June 4th)
with Nevine Michaan

The Hetu is an ancient Chinese cosmological diagram of yin–yang dot patterns and number pairs that symbolize the fundamental structure and balance of the universe and the Five Elements. In this session we explore both theoretically and through breath practice the Lo Shu and the Hetu, the two classic diagrams of Chinese alchemy that underpin the magic square. Embody the geography. Break codes, read maps, travel territory.

THE FENG SHUI BAGUA (Thursday June 11th)
with Kyle Freeman

Home is a mirror to our internal landscape. In this session we explore the magic square in the context of feng shui using the btb school bagua map. This map can be placed over a floor plan to illuminate ways in which our internal patterning is materializing externally. Additionally, it offers an opportunity to adjust our environment to align with our conscious intentions.

THE BREATH ROUTE (Thursday June 18th)
with Ty Watson

The Lo Shu magic square can be approached as a closed, interlaced pathway rather than a static grid. When the numbers are traced in sequence, they form a continuous looping pattern where movement never exits the system and has no beginning or end. Returning to it repeatedly shows us that real novelty is in relationship and limitation and rather than things being expressed or escaping, they are transformed. In this session we explore how to use the magic square as a route for attention - to move in and out of the center - and to begin using these maps as a way of patterning internal change.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS (Thursday June 25th)
with Abbie Galvin

Following the archetypal route from beginning (inception) to the end (achievement of a new perspective) allows us to practically and imaginatively follow a plan, see where we need to go, where we get stuck, fall short, need to repeat, use its polarity or self reflect. In this session we explore how to use the magic square as a practical tool to reconcile a dilemma, tell a story or track a trajectory. We'll playfully find our way up, down and through its meanderings.