Not everyone can do yoga poses, but everyone can do yoga actions.

Our Creating Space: Yoga Actions books are the foundation of both our 200-hour Teacher Training and 300-hour Advanced Teacher Training programs. We offer these training packages through yoga studios to individuals interested in deepening their own personal practice as well as their diagnostic and teaching skills. For us, yoga has been our primary vehicle for navigating the current stresses and demands during these times of radical transformation. Because most life challenges faced in today’s complex world are unsolvable alone, radical transformation is a co-creative journey—whether your tools are yoga, meditation, painting, writing, gardening, etc. More and more, humanity must come together in collaboration in order to contribute in meaningful ways.

A creative collaboration between two friends and yoginis.

Fortunately, as humans, we have wise reserves to draw upon, both within and around us, for our times of need. YOGA ACTIONS began as a creative collaboration between two friends and yoginis, Candace Propp and myself, Helen Maupin. Our original intent was to write one book in an attempt to capture even a small portion of the knowledge and wisdom we gained from practising yoga. That modest intention mushroomed into —

six yoga actions books focusing on specific areas of the body,
two teacher training programs (200- and 500-hour) complete with facilitator manuals and student handbooks,
a bi-monthly yoga column in the Winnipeg Free Press, and most importantly,
a deeply-rewarding sisterhood filled with peace, love and joy.

As always, journeys of creation and discovery, whether on or off the yoga mat, take us beyond the scope of our imagination into the Universe’s intentions and gifts. As plant and stone archetypes, Candace and I opened up whole new worlds of learning and possibility; more than we could imagine or accomplish alone.

Our bodies always tell us the truth about what we are experiencing.

Yoga postures emerged in response to an understanding that tension, tightness and painful suffering can be alleviated and eliminated by tapping into the body’s cellular healing capacity. Our bodies always tell us the truth about what we are experiencing. Unfortunately, we are often too busy or too blind to pay attention. To better utilize our body’s innate ability to heal, we must awaken to how it speaks to us. Yoga poses (asanas) help us to discover where our pain and tension lie. Yoga Actions, such as release the thigh bone back and the shin bone forward, take us deeper into our inner experience thereby bringing us ever closer to the source of our suffering. Yoga actions also help us to concentrate our awareness in the present moment. Through this intimate mindfulness of our direct experience, we learn what truth is.

The body must tell one what to do, not the brain. BKS Iyengar

Bless you, for joining us on our co-creative journey into the joy of yoga. Whether in your home, office or wherever you and your computer travel, may our yoga action practices seed collaboration and co-creation in your beautiful life. And, may this connection between us seed even greater compassion and spread peace, love and joy around the world.

Namaste

2024/25 Yoga Actions 300-hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 8

September 28, 2024: THE BANDHAS — Hasta & Pada

NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information, or register online.

1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST = $84.

In yoga, the five bandhas are often described as “energy locks.” They enable us to tone and lift the spine despite gravity’s ever-present downward magnetic pull. From a physical perspective, an activated bandha engages specific muscle fibers to aid this anti-gravity lift. From an energetic perspective, this activation in the subtle body lifts weight off our joints thereby lightening our load and preventing injuries.

In this workshop, you will use your Hasta (hands) and Pada (feet) Bandhas to reduce weight bearing on your joints as experienced in inversions and backbends.

Pratyahara, pranayama and meditation will accompany the asana practice.

This workshop is also part of Serene Yoga Studio’s Advanced Teacher Training program, where 200 RYTs can accrue these hours towards the 500-hour certification. Serene Yoga Studio is a Canadian Yoga Alliance CYA-RYS Gold Yoga School. All Serene Yoga Action Workshops are eligible for accreditation and credits with the Canadian Yoga Alliance.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Workshops“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

October 19, 2024: TAKING FLIGHT – All About Inversions

NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information, or register online.

1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST = $84.

Trust, courage, and detachment are required for and received from a regular inversion practice. Inversions turn our world upside down allowing us to directly experience our personal capacity for trust and courage. There is no right or wrong attached to what we discover. There is only what emerges for us to witness, reflect upon, and respond to in whatever means appears appropriate. Of course, this response without judgment is the ultimate definition of detachment.

In this workshop, you learn to work safely with a partner while experimenting with cellular mula bandha breathing in inversions. During inversions, we face fear and open physical and energy pathways. Pratyahara, pranayama, and meditation follow increasing the amount of energy flowing through the asana-opened passages. The reward – our ability to remain detached, trusting, and courageous, no matter what confronts us.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Workshops“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

November 09, 2024: HIP THERAPY — Stabilizing & Opening

1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST = $84.

The yoga sutra “sthira sukham asanam” teaches that asana is intended to balance stability (tone, strength, steadiness, grounding — sthira) with ease of movement (flexibility, comfort, peace — sukha). Our human tendency to emphasize one over the other — strength over flexibility or flexibility over strength — results in weakness. What shows up is either compression (too little space) in the overly strong, inflexible body and/or collapse (too much space) in the flexible, loose-jointed body. Both states contribute to the medical statistic in which 70% of adults can anticipate a hip replacement in their lifetime.

In this workshop, you will initially experience muscular-skeletal yoga actions (earth element) to balance hip stability and openness. Then, to experience the difference between doing and being, you will shift to working with subtle actions (air and water elements) that simultaneously work on the symptoms and the source of the issues in our tissues. Pranayama, pratyahara, and meditation are also on the agenda.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Workshops“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

December 07, 2024: OPENING YOUR THROAT, HEART & POWER CHAKRAS

1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST = $84.

The collar bones are only one element of the complex structure we refer to as the shoulder girdle, which also comprises the shoulder blades, five joints, five muscles, and the sternal notch. However, when we affect one aspect of this complex structure, we affect all aspects. By isolating and focusing on the collar bones, we still involve the entire shoulder girdle and expose where our instability and/or rigidity exists.

In this workshop, you will initially practice muscular-skeletal collarbone actions to explore your capacity — strength and openness. Then, you will deepen your experience and capacity with subtle body actions. These more subtle yoga actions activate the necessary movement and space within the shoulder girdle generally and the collar bones specifically to balance sthira (stability, effort) and sukha (flexibility, ease).

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Workshops“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

January 11, 2025: SAMSKARAS — 9 PREDICTABLE OBSTACLES to Overcome

1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST = $84.

In Yogic, Buddhist and Taoist terms, the “wheel of life” or the cycle of birth and death is an ongoing and evolving experience. In these ancient belief systems, humans are vulnerable to continuously repeating the birth-death cycle, unless we refine our awareness. What causes our vulnerability or suffering is the latent impressions and imprints (samskaras) we absorb through our human birth and growth process. Once we become aware of the life patterns holding us in this repetitive cycle, we can break free from what no longer serves us by altering our intentions and actions.

Thus, samskara is the life cycle or energy (both positive and negative intentions and actions) that keeps us in human form. Enlightenment, on the other hand, is the evolutionary process of using our intentions and actions to elevate our consciousness and free ourselves from suffering and delusion. The “bad” news is, these samskaras (conditioning and delusions) are always present and cannot be completely destroyed. The “good” news is, there are nine delusions or obstacles, they are predictable and they can be transcended.

In this and February’s workshops, you will use your asana, pranayama and meditation practices to become aware of how each samskara is present in your life, and how you can break free from its associated suffering. For more on samskaras.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Workshops“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

February 08, 2025: YOGA THERAPY for ANXIETY & DEPRESSION—Opportunities for Cultivating Emotional Balance

1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST = $84.

Both anxiety and depression disguise and yet lead us to the deeper meaning we seek in our lives. Awakening to our physical holding patterns, which we default to under distress, has the added benefit of revealing our emotional patterns. These default samskaras are deeply rooted in our unconscious and very difficult to see or feel. However, their symptoms — anxiety, depression, trembling or instability in the body, and irregularity in the breath — are consciously visible. By releasing these symptoms through restorative asana, we peel back, layer-by-layer, our holding patterns until we come face-to-face with our source issue.

This workshop’s focus sets the stage for transforming your emotional patterns via the deep relaxation of restorative yoga, regulated breathing, and present-moment awareness. Come and learn about your emotional type. The workshop’s practices are designed to balance anxiety by calming the body and mind as well as lift depression by energizing the body and mind). For more on samskaras.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Workshops“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

March 08-09, 2025: VINYASA — Exploring Flow Sequencing

1 pm – 5 pm (Saturday & Sunday) $200 + GST = $210.

Vinyasa yoga is an active, flowing practice synchronizing breath and movement. The active linking of postures through dynamic movement married with breath is like dancing with the energy of the universe. This style allows for a lot of variety. At times a class may be fast or slow, alignment-oriented or exploratory in nature. Its strength is in its diversity.

The focus of this workshop will be exploring vinyasa flow while threading in instructions from the annamaya kosha, the gross body of muscles and bones, and the pranamaya kosha, the breath body of prana, nadis and chakras. Anatomical instructions serve to deepen our understanding of primary action and alignment. Breath instructions move us beyond the physical world into the energetic experience of spiritual beings living as humans. In addition, focused attention on detailed instruction acts as a concentration tool leading to a meditative state of mind. Pranayama and meditation are also on the agenda.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Workshops“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

April 12, 2025: MINDFUL MEDITATION — Moving, Meditating, & Writing with Present Moment Awareness

1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST = $84.

Everything is indeed yoga. Being aware of and true to the many layers of being within allows us to integrate our physical cellular intelligence with our spiritual intuitive wisdom. When this magical alliance occurs, our mental-emotional body no longer needs to dominate and manipulate our experiences. We come to know confidently what is true, and, as a result, we freely express the joyful creations arising from our collaborations with all of life. To live recognizing and honouring all our relations is the yoga of deep collaboration.

In this workshop, you will use your awareness and deep-felt experience in collaboration with spirit to free and express your creative self. Restorative asana, pranayama, and meditation are on the agenda. Bring your mystery and your journal.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Workshops“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

May 10, 2025: BUILDING A YOGA CORE — Engaging the Subtle Body

1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST = $84.

In yoga, we refer to the subtle body as the Pranamaya, Manomaya, and Vijnanamaya sheaths or layers of our being. Interestingly, the closer our practice comes to targeting our core and engaging our subtle body, the less muscular effort is required to achieve a state of equilibrium and effortlessness. Thus, the yoga actions, asanas, pranayama, and meditation practiced in this workshop are intended to set the conditions for the natural or effortless engagement of the Mula, Uddiyana, and Jalandhara Bandhas. Each bandha’s effortless activation often releases not just one but several holding patterns. This release allows us to become more familiar with the hidden source of our patterns and activate our potential for new growth.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Workshops“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

August 18 to 22, 2025: DIAGNOSING BODIES — Moving from the 4 Diaphragms

9am – 1pm $400. + gst = $420.

In the early years of our yoga practice, we focus on grounding and aligning our bones as well as expanding and lengthening our musculature and tissues. In this way, we increase our capacity to effortlessly flow energy in the form of food, oxygen, blood, life force, etc. through the various systems in our body. When we bring breath, awareness, and movement into each successive layer of our being, eventually we come face-to-face with our “inner space”. Using the body’s four diaphragms—pelvic, respiratory, thoracic, and brain—this workshop explores the element of space. With asana, pranayama, and meditation, you will become familiar and comfortable with your inner space, thus allowing you to be comfortable in any external space. This ripple effect outward is how we influence, indeed change, our outer world.

PANCHA VAYUS: The 5 Currents of Prana (life force)

— An Asana-breath Practice —

1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST = $84.

Breathing sustains life. Our inhaled and exhaled breaths directly connect us to the vast inner system of energy processing that mobilizes our entire array of human functions—absorption, circulation, temperature, digestion and elimination.

Yogis refer to these vital functions that serve our whole being as vayus (lifeforce winds). These five divisions of pranic energy are housed within the chakra system. Thus, an imbalance in a vayu disturbs the chakra associated with it. In this workshop, you will experience each of the vayus—Apana, Samana, Prana, Udana and Vyana—through a deliberate asana-breath sequence, including pranayama and meditation.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

2025-26: YR. 4 & 9

BALANCING INNER ENERGY: The 3 Gunas

The word guna literally means “strand” or “fiber” and implies that, like strands of a rope, the gunas are woven together to form the objective universe. Philosophically, the theory of the gunas explains what this universe is made of and how it came to manifest itself as mind and matter. But more importantly for yoga practitioners, awareness of the gunas tells us whether we are genuinely moving forward in life (sattva), running in place (rajas), or losing our way (tamas). Rolf Solvik

The gunas not only represent the three forces (sattva, rajas and tamas) that make up our universe but also what drives our fundamental human nature. Getting to know these forces (contentment, agitation and lethargy; respectively) is key to understanding our mind, that is, our mental-emotional sheath–manomaya kosha. All three gunas exist within each of us, but life’s events and how we interpret them may demonstrate a conditioned tendency or habitual preference toward one guna over another. Being mindful in one’s choice of response—contentment, agitation or lethargy—to each of life’s events is one definition of discernment.

In this workshop, you will practise a full asana sequence. There will be time allowed for assessing your guna responses as well as practising pranayama, pratyahara and meditation.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

2023/24 Yoga Actions 300-hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 7

Location: Serene Yoga Studio, a registered Canadian Yoga Alliance CYA-RYS Gold Yoga School. All Teacher Training & professional development programs are eligible for Canadian Yoga Alliance accreditation/credits.

Helen Maupin (CYA RYT500)

Eight 4-hour workshops: Saturdays (1 to 5 pm)
Two Retreats/Intensives: 8-hr Winter – Saturday & Sunday (1 to 5 pm)
20-hr Summer – Monday to Friday (9 to 1 pm)

4-hr Workshop Design:
Hour 1 — Philosophical teaching appropriate to class content
Hours 2 & 3 — Asana & Pratyahara exploration
Hour 4 — Pranayama, Dharana & Meditation

September 23:

THORACIC SPINE HEALTH – Flexion, Extension & Rotation

NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. September 23, 2023, 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

Back pain affects over 80% of North Americans at some point. Although lower back pain is often the issue, our technology-based careers, more sedentary lifestyles, and cold climates contribute to upper back rounding and stiffening.

Once-felt stability in the thoracic spine can tend toward rigidity, especially as we age. Without backward mobility in the thoracic, the rib cage collapses restricting the respiratory diaphragm and lungs, which are our breathing workhorses. Hampering our breath in any way reduces our ability to strengthen our nervous system and to manage our emotional experience.

In this workshop, you will practice yoga actions that support thoracic flexion, extension and rotation, including lateral flexion and extension. These preventative therapies guard against our more mobile cervical and lumbar spines from compensating and becoming overly mobile. Pratyahara, pranayama and meditation will accompany the asana sequence.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

October 14:

SENSING OUR JOINTS – Listening with Intuition

NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. October 14, 2023, 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

Inner sensing is not thinking, visualizing, or imagining. To listen with our Intuition or Vijnanamaya Kosha, is to take our mind from streaming the outer world of things, people, and events and turn it inward to streaming S.E.T. (sensations, emotions, thoughts). Such self-awareness of our inner experience is the definition of practicing the fifth limb of yoga — Pratyahara.

The Pratyahara practice also begins to shift us from operating only in our physical body (Annamaya Kosha) or our energy body (Pranamaya Kosha) or our mental-emotional body (Manomaya Kosha), the latter of which is where most Westerners reside. When listening to our inner experience with the Vijnanamaya Kosha, we move beyond the body’s messaging systems that feed us information from our muscles, bones and tissues, or from our nadis, breath and organs, or from our emotions and thoughts.

In this workshop, your pratyahara and asana (Kaiut and Iyengar) practices focus on sensing with intuition. Pranayama and meditation are also part of the agenda.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

November 04:
YIN YOGA — Digging Deeper with Acupressure

NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. November 04, 2023, 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

Yin yoga offers a means to slow down and ameliorate physical and mental deterioration, which begins early in our 20s. By then, our fascia has begun to shrink wrap around our tissues and joints making it vital to address the fascia in beginner students even before addressing the muscular body. We do this by extending our holds in poses. Yin teachings suggest a minimum hold of three minutes building up to five minutes otherwise the fascia remains untransformed.

Fascia layers are filled with nerve endings directly accessing our nervous system. Changing the fascia changes the nervous system. For this change to occur, we must work weekly at the level of the nervous system. Yang yoga’s skeletal alignment and muscular stretching take us under the fascia layer bypassing this direct access and inhibiting our overall healing and growth.

The focus of this Yin workshop is to experience longer holds in various postures. With the addition of acupressure techniques, a deeper release in the fascia, joints and muscle tissues will activate the spontaneous healing of our cellular body and subconscious intelligence. In addition, pratyahara, pranayama and meditation are on the agenda.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

December 09: MINDFUL MEDITATION — Awaken, Breathe, Create

Meditating, Writing & Moving with Present Moment Awareness

NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. December 09: 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

Everything is indeed yoga. Being aware of and true to the many layers of being within allows us to integrate our physical cellular intelligence with our spiritual intuitive wisdom. When this magical alliance occurs, our mental-emotional body no longer feels the need to dominate and manipulate our
experiences. We come to know confidently what is true, and, as a result, we freely express the joyful creations arising from our collaborations with all of life. To live recognizing and honouring all our relations is the yoga of deep collaboration.

In this workshop, you will use your awareness and deep-felt experience in collaboration with spirit to free and express your creative self. Restorative asana, pranayama and meditation are on the agenda. Bring your mystery and your journal.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

JANUARY 20:

THE DOSHAS — A Practice for Your Ayurvedic Body Type:
Vata, Pitta, Kapha

NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. January 20: 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

Because our emotional, mental and physical health issues are rooted in our body, it is vital to understand our predominant body type (dosha). With this knowledge, we can better choose those movements/asanas, foods and experiences most suited to our health. Those wholesome choices feed our unique energetic constitution. We are energy beings, and our Ayurvedic Dosha significantly influences how we interact with life.

In this workshop, you will discover your prominent dosha type(s) and practice a sequence specifically designed to balance it. Pratyahara, pranayama and meditation are also part of the workshop agenda.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

FEBRUARY 17:

STANDING POSES — Yoga Actions for Alignment & Integration

NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. February 17, 2024: 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + gst

Yoga is the path of Self-realization in which we move beyond our personality (small s self) to fully know our divine Self (large S Self). This divinity within us (Satchitananda) has three qualities:

Sat – ever there (ever existing),
Chit – ever aware, and
Ananda – ever joyful.

Standing Poses ground us to the earth situating us in the present moment, which is where we expand our sense of self and encounter our divine Self. The strength and flexibility gained from this foundational practice align us physically, energetically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

In this workshop, each participant is requested to bring 1 to 3 standing poses in which s/he is currently challenged and seeking more refined instruction. An integrated standing pose practice as well as pranayama and meditation will be experienced.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

MARCH 09-10:

TONING NEURAL PATHWAYS – Yoga Actions & Poses to “Rest & Digest”

NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $200 + gst

The vagus nerve is the prime component of the parasympathetic nervous system which regulates our “rest-and-digest” or “tend-and-befriend” responses.

There is growing evidence that we combat inflammation, and thus ill health, by engaging the vagus nerve and improving “vagal tone.” Research specifies that such well-being can be achieved through the following four practices – posture (yoga poses), breath (pranayama & resonance breathing), vocalization (chanting/ohming), and behaviour (yamas/niyamas & meditation).

In this two-afternoon workshop, you will practice yoga poses, yoga actions, breathing techniques and meditation to strengthen and tone your vagus nerve, your parasympathetic nervous system, and your overall wellbeing.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

April 13: A STILLNESS PRACTICE — Open Hips to Open Heart

From Yoga Nidrasana to Yoga Nidra

NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + gst

In this workshop, you will open your hips, hamstrings and heart in preparation for the deep forward bend of Yoga Nidrasana and the deep relaxation of Yoga Nidra. Both Yoga Nidrasana and Yoga Nidra draw our attention inward stimulating pratyahara, which is the deep peaceful relaxation that emerges when we withdraw our five senses from the outer world.

[During Pratyahara,] we learn to surf between the states of wakefulness and sleep, where our body finds its natural state of equilibrium (homeostasis) – the breath balances and becomes quiet, unconscious, and conscious aspects of the mind reveal themselves, and we fall into an innate state of deep, blissful awareness. James Reaves

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop

MAY 11: SPINAL HEALTH — Lumbar Length & Sacrum Strength

NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + gst

Many yoga practitioners use asanas to stretch muscles and increase flexibility. In time, this emphasis on stretching can overextend and misshape our musculature, which creates even more imbalance. Instead, the asanas are meant to reveal where our muscles and bones are out of balance. From there, we can learn to anchor and stabilize or create length and ease where our body indicates the need. This balancing act takes weight off the spine, which liberates and returns it to its natural curves.

This workshop focuses on activating the lattisimus dorsi to stabilize the sacrum while broadening and lengthening both the lumbar and thoracic portions of the spine.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

AUGUST 12-16

DIAGNOSING BODIES — Seeing the Action
(20-hr Monday to Friday Retreat: 9 am to 1 pm)

During asana practice, when we focus awareness and intention on each of the seven spinal chakras, we feel and see their unique impacts on our body and being. As receivers of life-force energy, each chakra centre or wheel transforms ‘prana’ into the vibrational frequencies needed to nurture and sustain our lower layers of being (our physical body – Annamaya kosha, our energy body – Pranamaya kosha, and our mental-emotional body – Manomaya kosha). By activating and then expanding the capacity of each chakra, we access the dormant pool of energy lying at the base of our spine. Raising our ‘Kundalini power’ to meet and mix in our heart chakra with the descending cosmic wisdom entering from our crown enables us to transform physical energy into spiritual energy. This integration is the heart of manifestation.

In this 5-day retreat (9am – 1pm), various yoga actions will be introduced that facilitate expanding the chakra energy centres and deepening the yogi’s practice. A felt experience of standing poses, inversions, backbends, forward bends and restorative practice, including pranayama, silent practice and meditation, will be used to encourage self-diagnosis, right practice and an awakened spirit.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!
Serene Yoga Studio
485 St. Anne’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

AUGUST 24: RESTORATIVE YOGA & MEDITATION – Chakra Activation

Yoga Actions for Seeing & Sensing Chakras

1 to 5 PM ($80 + gst)

As receivers of life-force energy, each chakra centre transforms ‘prana’ into vibrational frequencies that nurture and sustain our physical body (Annamaya kosha), our energy body (Pranamaya kosha), and our mental-emotional body (Manomaya kosha). With activation and expansion of each chakra, we access dormant energy at the base of our spine. Thus, we raise our ‘Kundalini power’ to meet and mix in our heart chakra with the descending cosmic wisdom entering from our crown. This integration enables us to transform physical energy into spiritual energy, which is the heart of manifestation.

In this workshop, various yoga actions are used to expand the chakra energy centres and deepen your practice. A felt experience of restorative poses, pranayama, and meditation encourages self-diagnosis, right practice, and an awakened spirit.

This workshop is also part of Yoga Action’s Advanced Teacher Training program, where 200 RYTs can accrue these hours towards their 500-hour certification.

Open to all levels of practice.
Register by e-transferring $84. to [email protected]
In your email, indicate your ranked preference of workshop format (#1 and #2) for In-studio and/or On-line
1. In-studio: 122 Worthington Ave., Winnipeg, MB or
2. Online: Zoom account required.

2022/23 Yoga Actions 300-hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 6

Helen Maupin (CYA RYT500)

Eight 4-hour workshops: Saturdays (1 to 5 pm)
Two Retreats/Intensives: 8-hr Winter – Saturday & Sunday (1 to 5 pm)
20-hr Summer – Monday to Friday (9 to 1 pm)

4-hr Workshop Design:
Hour 1 — Philosophical teaching appropriate to class content
Hours 2 & 3 — Asana & Pratyahara exploration
Hour 4 — Pranayama, Dharana & Meditation

September 24: INVERSIONS — Shouldering Our Weight

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. September 24, 2022 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

POSTURE PROBLEMS previously corrected in yoga can resurface when students begin work on inversions. It’s as though we revert to old patterns and habits when we’re turned upside down, just as people often revert to old coping mechanisms when stress is high. Julie Gudmestad

Although inversions such as Sirsasana (Headstand), Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand) and Pincha Mayurasana (Forearms Balance) can be energizing, the increase in energy is often not only the excitement of lifting off our feet but also doubt or fear as to whether we can ‘shoulder our weight’ on our head or our hands. During inversions if we cannot hold our body weight off of our spine, the sensational warning is pressure in the skull. This workshop focuses on bringing awareness to any such rising pressure and taking corrective action to relieve it. In addition, head alignment actions using the hyoid bone will be practised so old postural problems are not inhibiting or compressing the spine.

You will utilize yoga actions, asana, pratyahara, pranayama and meditation to purify your body, breath and mind while liberating your true spiritual nature.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under Workshops

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB

October 15: A PARTNER PRACTICE for Aligning Your Spine

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. OCTOBER 15, 2022 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

The practice of yoga yokes or unites our mind, body and spirit. When we participate in a partner practice that union within is also intended to occur between you and your partner. In order to yoke ourselves to another human, the resulting increased intimacy requires trust and respectful physical contact. Physical intimacy often challenges our conditioned patterns with regard to boundary setting.

A partnered asana practice provides the opportunity to look at and listen to your conditioned boundary patterns. In addition, the use of yoga actions, along with pratyahara, pranayama and meditation techniques, will reveal conditioned patterns that have contributed to spinal misalignment.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Workshops”

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB

November 12: Yoga Therapy for Knees

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. November 12, 2022 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

Knee and hip replacement surgeries are increasing exponentially. These joint imbalances, from over- or under-use, suggest a need to understand better their source of dis-ease as well as the prevention. In our yoga practice, we know that awareness is key. Only with awareness can we then turn around or transform our experience from what is out of balance to what serves us better.

In this workshop, yoga actions will be practiced that balance the inner and outer quadriceps’ work and enable the knee to track properly in its groove. Strengthening the inner thigh muscle and opening the outer thigh muscle impact the knees’ ability to extend but not hyperextend. Pratyahara, pranayama and meditation are also on the agenda.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Workshops”

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB

December 10: MINDFUL MEDITATION — Awaken, Breathe, Create

Meditating, Writing & Moving with Present Moment Awareness

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

Everything is indeed yoga. Being aware of and true to the many layers of being within allows us to integrate our physical cellular intelligence with our spiritual intuitive wisdom. When this magical alliance occurs, our mental-emotional body no longer feels the need to dominate and manipulate our
experiences. We come to know confidently what is true, and, as a result, we freely express the joyful creations arising from our collaborations with all of life. To live recognizing and honouring all our relations is the yoga of deep collaboration.

The workshop is also part of Serene Yoga Studio’s Advanced Teacher Training program, where 200 RYTs can accrue these hours towards the 500-hour certification. Serene Yoga Studio is a Canadian Yoga Alliance CYA-RYS Gold Yoga School. All Serene Yoga Action Workshops are eligible for accreditation and
credits with the Canadian Yoga Alliance.

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB

January 07, 2023: ARMS & SHOULDERS–Yoga Actions for Individual Alignment

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

An often-shared experience among beginner yoga practitioners is a lack of arm power in Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Dog), Plank, Chaturanga Dandasana, and Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Up Dog). Fortunately, many other yoga poses help to strengthen weak upper and/or lower arms. Increasing our arm strength and shoulder flexibility enable a more fluid flow through the Sun Salutations’ sequences. In addition, as yoga practitioners progress into the intermediate practice of inversions and backbends, stable elbows are necessary to bear and balance the body’s weight on the arms or hands.

In this workshop, yoga actions will be practiced to open, balance and stabilize your shoulders and elbows. Pratyahara, pranayama and meditation are also on the agenda.

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB

February 18, 2023: SHOULDER BLADES — Yoga Actions for Individual Alignment

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

For most yogis, the upper back is one of the most challenging places to awaken in the body. Bringing consciousness and movement to the numbness or tension in the upper thoracic spine and shoulder blades constitutes breaking through life-long, deeply held habits or defense mechanisms. At one time in our lives, these ways of reacting to life experiences served their purpose, but as with any overused habit, they eventually cause us pain and suffering.

For the purpose of today’s workshop, you will practise three shoulder blade actions that concurrently stabilize, strengthen and open your upper thoracic cavity, shoulder joints and neck. All of which positively impact both the heart and throat chakras. Pratyahara, pranayama and meditation are part of this practice.

April 15 & 16, 2023: STERNAL BODY – 3 Parts of the Breast Bone

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio for two afternoons. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $200 + GST

“Drop the shoulders” and “lift the sternum” are two popular yoga actions taught at the beginner level. Unfortunately, many beginners and even intermediate practitioners do not have the body awareness or capacity to do either of these broad-based actions. Emotional holding is likely the culprit given the heart space is a major storehouse of repressed emotions.

The sternum or breast bone is part of the front ribcage that shelters the heart from physical damage. Thus, when we awaken and open the breast bone to allow for greater movement, we are also opening the heart space. Greater openness in our heart aligns with greater overall health due to the release of unresolved emotions accumulated from our past experiences.

In this workshop, yoga actions are practised that directly impact both openness and movement of the sternum’s three bones – manubrium, sternal body and xiphoid process. Both the heart and throat chakras are stimulated. Pratyahara, pranayama and meditation are also part of this practice.

2023 May 13: Get Grounded To Open Your Back Knees

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

If you are a gardener, you know the personal benefits of grounding by connecting your hands and feet to the Earth. Because we are bioelectrical beings, direct contact with our electrical planet provides us with an energy infusion that harmonizes our rhythms, boosts our healing potential, reduces inflammation, and increases our sense of well-being and calm … so says the Heart MD Institute. And therein is why every yogi practices in bare feet.

Specific yoga actions for grounding the femurs and opening the back knees focus practitioners’ self-awareness on uniting the mind and body, which is essential for healing and transformation. Many other healing benefits emanate from a grounded being:

— a balance between stability and flexibility
— a minimized strain on the hip joints
— freedom of the breath
— a release from damaging holding patterns in the outer hips
— the prevention of hyperextension in the knees
— a return of the spine’s natural curves

Also included in the practice agenda are pratyahara, pranayama and meditation.

This workshop is part of Serene Yoga Studio’s Advanced Teacher Training program, where 200 RYTs can accrue these hours towards the 500-hour certification. Serene Yoga Studio is a Canadian Yoga Alliance CYA-RYS Gold Yoga School. All Serene Yoga Action Workshops are eligible for accreditation and credits with the Canadian Yoga Alliance.

May 27, 2023: Core Layers – 4 ABDOMINAL MUSCLES & 3 BANDHAS

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

The abdominal muscles, when used as they were intended, create an anatomical boundary, not unlike a bandha, to effectively move energy along the spine. The impact generated lengthens the lumbar and opens the upper thoracic spine allowing us to move into our areas of restriction in increasingly effortless ways.

From superficial to deepest, the four layers of the abdominal muscles are the rectus ‘six-pack’ abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, and transverses ‘core’ abdominis.

The retraining of these four muscles is a clear demonstration of how yoga returns us to our true nature. The more our core transverse muscles take over as the abdominal workhorses, the more the body, breath and mind quiet. Thus, wholistically, we achieve the integration of our Annamaya (physical sheath), Pranamaya (energy sheath), and Manomaya Koshas (mental-emotional sheath). It is this holistic integration that opens us to experience our Vijnanamaya (intuitive wisdom sheath) and Anandamaya Koshas (bliss sheath).

In this workshop, yoga actions for retraining the four abdominal muscles as well as activating the three bandhas will be practised. Pratyahara, pranayama and meditation are included in this practice.

August 14 – 18, 2023: INTEGRAL GATEWAYS – Groins, Quadriceps & Hamstrings

NOTE – This 5-morning retreat is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 9 am – 1 pm $400 + GST

The yoga path for beginners and more advanced practitioners starts with three principles – tapas (self-discipline), svadhyaya (self-study) and Isvara pranidhana (surrender to the divine).

In a retreat setting, self-discipline, self-study and surrendering the ego move us day by day into experiencing and more deeply understanding how to be ‘at one’ with the natural wisdom of our body. One of the primary locations in the human body to witness these three principles at play is the major intersection of the hip joints. The hip joints are most stable when the head of the femur is centred in the hip socket. When our bones are centred in this way, the nervous system sends out a message of stability to the surrounding muscles and tissues, which release unnecessary stress, tightness and knots around the joint. The muscles are then freed to move both the bones and the bodily fluid with ease and efficiency.

In this retreat, yogis will open their groins, quadriceps and hamstrings with yoga actions that enhance this free flow of bodily fluids. Pratyahara, pranayama and meditation will accompany the daily asana sequences.

2021/22 Yoga Actions 300-Hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 5

Helen Maupin (CYA RYT500)

Eight 4-hour workshops: Saturdays (1 to 5 pm)
Two Retreats/Intensives: 8-hr Winter – Saturday & Sunday (1 to 5 pm)
20-hr Summer – Monday to Friday (9 to 1 pm)

4-hr Workshop Design:
Hour 1 — Philosophical teaching appropriate to class content
Hours 2 & 3 — Asana & Pratyahara exploration
Hour 4 — Pranayama, Dharana & Meditation

September 25: YOGA ACTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL ALIGNMENT — Shoulder Joints & Armpits

During our first 5 to 10 years of yoga practice, we are intent on understanding and developing our capacity through the five external limbs — yamas, niyamas, asana, pranayama and pratyahara. These five yoga practices enable us to discover and experience the difference between that which is matter and movement (prakriti) and that which is non-material, unchangeable and unmoveable (purusha).

Once our external capacity matures, our practice deepens to experience the last three limbs — Dharana (concentration or single-pointed focus), Dhyana (contemplation or meditation) and Samadhi (integration or self-realization). The simultaneous practice, thus coalescence, of these three subtle internal limbs is referred to as Samyama. This workshop incorporates subtle yoga actions to support aligning your shoulder joints and armpits while opening your body and mind to the natural experience of Samadhi. Pranayama and meditation are also part of the workshop.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

October 16: THE KLESHAS — The 5 Causes of Suffering

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. October 16, 2021 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

Klesha, in Sanskrit, means poison of the mind. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali reference five kleshas (self-inflicted suffering), which inhibit our ability to experience the present moment as it is. The good news is whenever we find ourselves suffering, we know we are operating from one or more of these poisons. The five causes of suffering are — Avidya (spiritual ignorance), Asmita (egoism), Raga (attachment/attraction), Dvesha (aversion) and Abhinivesha (clinging to life/fear of death). It has been said, that with true knowledge (vidya), all poisons can be avoided. Vidya is the true spiritual knowledge that rises from within.

Point of fact—the deltoid muscles of the shoulders are meant for movement not stability or strength. Thus, overly muscular deltoids inhibit open and fluid movement in the shoulders, which in turn, restricts the rib cage’s ability to expand and twist. Opening the shoulders by releasing the deltoids liberates both the lungs and heart, which eases respiration and circulation.

This workshop utilizes yoga actions, asana, pranayama and meditation to purify your body, breath and mind while liberating your true spiritual knowledge.

Open to all levels of practice.
Sign up online under “Personal Development“!

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

November 13: YOGA ACTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL ALIGNMENT — Sirsasana & Sarvangasana

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. November 13, 2021 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

When most of us turn our world upside down, we discover what accompanies such change is a new perspective. This is the case in day-to-day life as well as in the yoga inversions of Sirsasana (Headstand) and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand). New perspectives bring new wisdom, which bolsters our self-awareness and our self-confidence. The two poses are worthy inclusions in our yoga experience given their many other benefits, such as — increased blood flow and nutrients to the scalp, calmed rejuvenated brain, preventative for headaches and diabetes, improved focus and digestion, strengthened arms and shoulders, and removal of toxins from the body.

This workshop utilizes yoga actions, asanas, pranayama and meditation to deepen your practice of what is familiarly called the king and queen of yoga poses. The workshop suits you if you are a beginner practitioner ready to take on more challenge or an intermediate to advanced practitioner wanting to refine your skills and knowledge.

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

December 11: YOGA ACTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL ALIGNMENT — Adho Mukha Vrksasana & Pincha Mayurasana

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. December 11, 2021 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

The complexity of Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand) and Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance) increases in large part due to the upside-down position, which disorients the brain. As a result, mental focus along with physical strength, balance and flexibility are the building blocks for reaping the significant benefits of these inversions. Interestingly, practising the kick-up in AMV and PM increases energy in the body flooding the brain and muscles with blood from an elevated heart rate. However, these more intense inversions also have a calming effect on the nervous system. All that fresh oxygen and blood in the brain triggers the parasympathetic nervous system to reduce its production of cortisol (the stress hormone), thus combatting depression and/or anxiety.

This workshop utilizes yoga actions, asanas, pranayama and meditation to deepen your practice of these energizing and calming poses. The workshop suits you if you are a beginner practitioner ready to take on more challenge or an intermediate to advanced practitioner wanting to refine your skills and knowledge.

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

January 08: BUILDING A YOGA CORE — Sensing Our Hip & Shoulder Joints

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. January 08, 2022 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

Our Proprioceptive System helps us to sense where we are in space … the sense that lets us perceive the location, movement, and action of parts of the body. Sensations arise from electrical signals of sensory receptors in the muscle, skin, and joints.

For the most part, muscular sensations are the signals that attract our attention as we move through daily life. They are obvious. In yoga, we would say they are not subtle. Moving into the body’s subtle sheath of electrical energy requires a deep awareness of the sensory receptors located within our joint cavities. It is these receptors that notify us as to whether we are compressing or creating space inside our joints. In this workshop, the focus is on learning to read these sensory receptors in the hip and shoulder joints in order to relieve compression and create space. Asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, and the meditation of sound vibration are on the agenda.

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

February 19, 2022: MINDFUL MEDITATION — Meditating, Writing & Moving with Present Moment Awareness

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

Everything is indeed yoga. Being aware of and true to the many layers of being within allows us to integrate our physical cellular intelligence with our spiritual intuitive wisdom. When this magical alliance occurs, our mental-emotional body no longer feels the need to dominate and manipulate our experiences. We come to know confidently what is true, and, as a result, we freely express the joyful creations arising from our collaborations with all of life. To live recognizing and honouring all our relations is the yoga of deep collaboration.

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

March 12 & 13, 2022: Patanjali’s YOGA SUTRAS — An Introduction to Book 1

NOTE – This 2-day workshop is in-studio & virtual. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $200 + GST

The Yoga Sutras are a practical textbook to guide your spiritual journey of remembering who you really are. Roger Gabriel

Although pain is inevitable in every human life, yoga teaches us that suffering is optional. Suffering exists due to our delusion of separation between our individual consciousness from Universal Consciousness. Patanjali’s yoga sutras stand as practical guides to remembering that union.

The Yoga Sutras were first written by Patanjali, an Indian man, who lived between the second and fourth centuries BC. Because yoga began as an oral tradition, each sutra is a short phrase or thread meant to remind us (much like a cue card) of the greater body of knowledge attached to it.

In this workshop, classical and contemporary interpretations of the sutras will be discussed. As time permits, asana and meditation will be practiced to facilitate understanding and integration.

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

April 16, 2022: YOGA ACTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL ALIGNMENT — Backbends

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio & virtual. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

Although many of us, during our early childhood, might remember easily pressing up into Urdhva Dhanurasana (Bridge Pose), it is very unlikely this is the case today. I still recall teaching my first yoga class filled with tweens whose spines had significantly contracted. In such a short time (one to two years at most), they had lost the capacity to bend over backward as well as forward. One of the boys could not reach his hands beyond his knees. As a yogi and a teacher, this experience served to remind me that when a dramatic contraction has occurred in the body, emotional trauma preceded it. It is because of such trauma that beginner yoga students are not taught backbends. In this workshop, you will learn the proper asana sequencing to warm, open and stretch the arms, shoulders, legs, hips and spine in preparation for backbends. Pranayama and meditation are also on the agenda.

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

May 14, 2022: YOGA ACTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL ALIGNMENT — Forward Folds

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio & virtual. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

Yoga is not a PE class. Yoga is an inquiry into the truth. You’re teaching students how to start feeling free, spontaneous, and intuitive. Erich Schiffman

Erich Schiffman speaks of yoga as both an inquiry into truth and a realization of freedom. By truth, he means that which is free of ego. The freedom he refers to is not only from the ego’s effortful striving and driving that is a habit for so many of us but also freedom from physical suffering. This workshop incorporates a Schiffman technique for energetically accessing previously inaccessible aspects of our being. Asana, pranayama, pratayahara and meditation are part of the agenda.

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

August 15-19 (9am to 1pm): DIAGNOSING BODIES — FOUNDATION ~ FLOW ~ FREEDOM

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio & virtual. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online.

THIS WORKSHOP IS OPEN TO ALL LEVELS OF YOGA PRACTITIONERS

The intention of this annual five-day urban retreat is to strengthen our capacity physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Daily yoga practice such as this brings transformational awareness, healing and growth.

Each year a different focus is explored across the five days. Past topics included: strengthening our foundation through subtle energy actions; moving from the four diaphragms; awakening the seven
chakras; revealing our deep-rooted patterns. This year, the focus is on the three crowns of the head — front, top and back. A great deal of stress and tension can be held in the brain and five senses of the face, all of which are impacted positively when we can relax and align the skull.

The Retreat’s five daily sessions flow from standing poses and twists into inversions, backbends, seated & forward folds. One of the days is dedicated to a silent practice, and each of the days includes asana, pranayama, pratyahara and meditation.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY!

Serene Yoga Studio
891 St. Mary’s Road
Winnipeg, MB See map Click here to sign up for the workshop.

2020/21 Yoga Actions 300-Hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 4

Helen Maupin (CYA RYT500)

Eight 4-hour workshops: Saturdays (1 to 5 pm)
Two Retreats/Intensives: 8-hr Winter – Saturday & Sunday (1 to 5 pm)
20-hr Summer – Monday to Friday (9 to 1 pm)

4-hr Workshop Design:
Hour 1 — Philosophical teaching appropriate to class content
Hours 2 & 3 — Asana & Pratyahara exploration
Hour 4 — Pranayama, Dharana & Meditation

September 26: YOGA ACTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL ALIGNMENT — Standing Poses

Standing poses in asana are both strength building as well as flexibility enhancing. In particular, they ground us to the earth thereby establishing a solid foundation from which to safely respond and move into life’s emerging experiences. In other words, they enable us to “stand on our own two feet” no matter what life throws at us. For those days when you need to centre and ground yourself, a standing pose practice is your best choice. The accompanying sense of ease and comfort from such a practice increases with continued repetition and mastery.

In this workshop, each participant is requested to bring 1 to 3 standing poses in which s/he is currently challenged and is seeking more refined instruction. For all attending, an integrated standing pose practice as well as pranayama and meditation will be experienced.

October 17: BALANCING THE GUNAS — Our Forces of Nature

The gunas represent the three forces (sattva, raja and tamas) that make up our fundamental human nature. Getting to know these forces (contentment, agitation and lethargy, respectively) is key to understanding our mind, that is, our mental-emotional sheath–Manomaya kosha. All three gunas exist within each of us, but life’s events and how we interpret them demonstrates our conditioned tendency or preference toward one guna over another. Being mindful in one’s choice of response—contentment, agitation or lethargy—to each of life’s events is one definition of discernment.

In this workshop, each participant will practice a full asana sequence allowing them to witness what guna they actively express in each pose. There will be time allowed for assessing their responses as well as practising pranayama, pratyahara and meditation.

November 14: SPINAL HEALTH — Creating Strength & Space in the Cervical Vertebrae (Neck)

Considerable controversy plagues the health and fitness industries, including yoga, with regard to how much weight-bearing is appropriate for our cervical spine. Poses such as headstand (Sirsasana) and shoulder stand (Sarvangasana) are viewed either as strengthening and healing or injurious to the fragile vertebrae of the neck and the four joints of the shoulder girdle.

In this workshop, yogis will practise a sequence designed to both strengthen and create the space necessary for safely executing what are considered the King and Queen of all yoga poses. In addition, pranayama, pratyahara and meditation will be experienced by those attending.

December 12: TRANSFORMING THE SUBTLE BODY — Creating Space For Organic Healing

There are many practices or therapies dedicated to healing our physical body — the Annamaya kosha. However, yoga is the only practice that specifically creates healing for the organs of the body. In yoga, an organic practice moves away from the Annamaya kosha of bones and muscular tissue (the earth element) into the water and air elements. The flow of circulation and breath through the lungs, heart, kidneys, liver, stomach and respiratory diaphragm is its fundamental focus. Through enhancing the circulatory system, we directly feed energy into and heal the organic system.

In this workshop, our focus is on creating “breathing” space in and around the organs in the torso and pelvis. The activation and release of organic subtle energy requires longer holds and often more supports than we might use in other forms of practice. Thus, transforming from the organic body invites more restorative poses. Pranayama, Pratyahara and Meditation are also practised in the workshop timeframe.

January 09: ACTIVATING THE BANDHAS — Mula, Uddiyana & Jalandhara

A more traditional approach to activating the three bandhas (energy locks) of the torso consists of intense muscular clenching, which moves us in the direction of more effort and more gripping rather than effortlessness. However, with the support of specific yoga actions, we can gently strengthen our ability to free and move energy where it is required. Creating the conditions for the Mula, Uddiyana and Jalandhara bandhas to perform effectively and involuntarily then becomes a natural occurrence of a regular yoga practice.

In this workshop, yoga actions will be introduced to gently activate the three bandhas during asana. Pratyahara, pranayama and meditation are also part of the program.

February 20: MINDFUL MEDITATION — Meditating, Writing & Moving with Present Moment Awareness

Everything is indeed yoga. Being aware of and true to the many layers of being within allows us to integrate our physical cellular intelligence with our spiritual intuitive wisdom. When this magical alliance occurs, our mental-emotional body no longer feels the need to dominate and manipulate our experiences. We come to know confidently what is true, and, as a result, we freely express the joyful creations arising from our collaborations with all of life. To live recognizing and honouring all our relations is the yoga of deep collaboration.

13 & 14 March: BALANCING THE BREAST BONE — Stability & Space

This two-afternoon workshop begins with awakening, stretching and lifting the breastbone. Saturday afternoon’s focus is on directing vayu breath patterns in a restorative practice while we watch the awakening unfold within our sternum. Sunday afternoon, you will explore how effective this breath opening has been in deepening your experience of backbends while balancing the three parts of your breastbone. Pratyahara, Pranayama and Meditation also accompany the asana sequences.

17 April: YOGA ACTIONS for Twisting the Rib Cage

Because the rib cage serves multiple purposes, weight-bearing, organ-protection, deep-breathing, etc., it is vital to optimize its ability to move in all directions. Maximum movement potential in the rib cage occurs as a result of the ability to twist and side-bend. Among other things, your rib cage supports your shoulder girdle and head. Thus, the more expansion you can create in the base of your throat (sternal notch), the more you are able to balance the weighty shoulders and head evenly and effortlessly on your rib cage. Greater space anywhere means greater freedom of movement everywhere. Pratyahara, Pranayama and Meditation are also part of the workshop agenda.

15 May: EFFORTLESS EFFORT — Tapping into the Kidneys

Balance (sattva) for yogis requires us to move from muscular-skeletal action (effort or rajas), into the effortless effort of depth practices. In particular, subtle movement (tamas) at the organic level gently eases us into deeper-felt experiences of both the self and the divine. In this organic practice, the focus is on gently moving the kidneys to facilitate effortless freedom in one’s overall movement in and experience of each pose. Rigidity in the kidneys reduces both their fluidity and flexibility. Healthy kidneys allow us to maximize our energy potential with a minimum of effort (sattva). Gentle twists and backbends stimulate effective kidney functioning. Pranayama and Meditation are also part of the workshop agenda.

16 – 20 August Urban Retreat: DIAGNOSING BODIES — Healing Hardened Patterns

Life is paradoxical. For each of us, considerable effort is required to first learn who we are and then to heal our often self-inflicted wounds. Only then can we move into ease, effortlessness and enlightenment. Understandably, no matter what lineage of yoga we choose to practice, it takes commitment to become effective at surviving and healing and then to shift into thriving.

This week-long retreat’s intention is to strengthen our capacity not just physically but also mentally, emotionally and spiritually. In order to thrive, we move beyond the level of our physical body into the subtleties of our thoughts, feelings and intuitions. This next level of awareness and growth develops the resilience and trust in ourselves required to meet whatever life has in store for us. Herein lies the paradox —in order for us to uncover our innate strength, we need to uncover our hardness in our attitudes, body armouring, numbness, and avoidance of emotion. Through returning to our foundation (feet, ankles and lower legs), but from a subtle body exploration, we align, balance and create with greater ease and effortlessness. Pratyahara, Pranayama and Meditation are also part of the workshop agenda.

2019/20 Yoga Actions 300-Hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 3

Helen Maupin (CYA RYT500)

Eight 4-hour workshops: Saturdays (1 to 5 pm)
Two Intensives: 8-hr Winter – Saturday & Sunday (1 to 5 pm)
20-hr Summer – Monday to Friday (9 to 1 pm)

4-hr Workshop Design:
Hour 1 — Philosophical teaching appropriate to class content
Hours 2 & 3 — Pratyahara & Asana exploration
Hour 4 — Pranayama, Dharana & Meditation

September 21 SPINAL HEALTH

— Flexing, Extending & Rotating the Thoracic Spine

Back pain affects over 80% of North Americans at some point in their lives. Although lower back pain is often the issue, our technology-based careers and more sedentary lifestyles contribute to upper back rounding and stiffening. Without backward mobility in the thoracic spine, the rib cage collapses restricting the respiratory diaphragm and lungs, which are our breathing workhorses. Hampering our breath in any way reduces our ability to strengthen our nervous system and to manage our emotional experience. In this workshop, you will practice yoga actions that support thoracic flexion, extension and rotation, including lateral flexion and extension. These preventative therapies guard against our more mobile cervical and lumbar spines from compensating and becoming overly mobile.

October 26 BALANCING THE 5 PRANA VAYUS

— An Asana-breath Practice

November 30 HIP THERAPY — Stabilizing & Opening

The yoga sutra “sthira sukham asanam” teaches that asana is intended to balance stability (tone, strength, steadiness, grounding, sthira) with ease of movement (flexibility, comfort, peace, sukha). Emphasizing strength over flexibility or flexibility over strength results in weakness. This amounts to compression or too little space in the overly strong, inflexible body and collapse or too much space in the flexible, loose-jointed body. Both states contribute to the medical statistic where 70% of adults can anticipate a hip replacement in their lifetime.

In this workshop, you will initially experience muscular-skeletal yoga actions (earth element) for balancing hip stability and openness. Then, to experience the difference between doing and being, you will shift to working with subtle actions (air and water elements) that simultaneously work on the symptoms and the source of the issues in our tissues.

December 14

OPENING YOUR THROAT, HEART & POWER CHAKRAS

The collar bones are only one element of the complex structure we refer to as the shoulder girdle, which also comprises the shoulder blades, five joints, five muscles and the sternal notch. However, when we affect one aspect of this complex structure, we affect all aspects. By isolating and focusing on the collar bones, we still involve the entire shoulder girdle and expose where our instability and/or rigidity exist.

In this workshop, you will initially practice muscular-skeletal collar bone actions to explore your capacity—strength and openness. Then, you will deepen your experience and capacity with subtle body actions. These more subtle yoga actions activate the necessary movement and space within the shoulder girdle generally and the collar bones specifically to balance sthira (stability, effort) and sukha (flexibility, ease).

January 18

SAMSKARAS — 9 PREDICTABLE OBSTACLES to Overcome with Yoga

In Yogic, Buddhist and Taoist terms, the “wheel of life” or the cycle of birth and death is an ongoing and evolving experience. In these ancient belief systems, humans are vulnerable to repeating the birth-death cycle over and over again, unless we refine our awareness. What causes our vulnerability or suffering is the latent impressions and imprints (samskaras) we absorb through our human birth and growth process. Once we become aware of the life patterns holding us in this repetitive cycle, we can break free from what no longer serves us by altering our intentions and actions.

Thus, samskara is the life cycle or energy (both positive and negative intentions and actions) that keeps us in human form. Enlightenment, on the other hand, is the evolutionary process of using our intentions and actions to elevate our consciousness and, thereby, free ourselves from suffering and delusion. The “bad” news is, these samskaras (conditioning and delusions) are always present and cannot be completely destroyed. The “good” news is, there are nine delusions or obstacles, they are predictable and they can be transcended.

In the January and February workshops, you will use your asana, pranayama and meditation practices to become aware of how each samskara is present in your life, and how you can break free from its associated suffering. For more on samskaras.

February 29

ANXIETY & DEPRESSION—Opportunities for Cultivating Emotional Balance

This workshop’s focus sets the stage for transforming your emotional patterns via the deep relaxation of restorative yoga, regulated breathing and present moment awareness. Come and learn about your emotional type. The workshop’s practices are designed to balance anxiety (calm body and mind) as well as lift depression (energize body and mind). For more on samskaras.

March 14-15

THE ANATOMY OF VINYASA — Exploring Vinyasa Sequencing

Vinyasa yoga is an active, flowing form of yoga, synchronizing breath and movement. The active linking of postures through dynamic movement married with breath, is like dancing with the energy of the universe. This style allows for a lot of variety. At times a class may be fast or slow, alignment-oriented or exploratory in nature. Its strength is in its diversity.

The focus of this workshop will be exploring vinyasa flow while threading in instructions from the anatomical layer, the gross body (skin, muscles, bone). Anatomical instructions serve to deepen our understanding of primary action and alignment. At the same time, focused attention on detailed instruction acts as a concentration tool leading to a meditative state of mind.

April 25

MINDFUL MEDITATION — Meditating, Writing & Moving with Present Moment Awareness

Everything is indeed yoga. Being aware of and true to the many layers of being within allows us to integrate our physical cellular intelligence with our spiritual intuitive wisdom. When this magical alliance occurs, our mental-emotional body no longer feels the need to dominate and manipulate our experiences. We come to know confidently what is true, and, as a result, we freely express the joyful creations arising from our collaborations with all of life. To live recognizing and honouring all our relations is the yoga of deep collaboration.

May 23

BUILDING A YOGA CORE — Engaging the Subtle Body

In yoga, we refer to the subtle body as the Manomaya and Vijnanamaya sheaths or layers of our being. Interestingly, the closer our practice comes to targeting our core and engaging our subtle body, the less muscular effort required to achieve a state of equilibrium and effortlessness. Thus, the yoga actions, asanas, pranayama and meditation practiced in this workshop are intended to set the conditions for the natural or effortless engagement of the Mula, Uddiyana and Jalandhara Bandhas. Each bandha’s effortless activation often releases not just one but several holding patterns. This release allows us to become more familiar with the hidden source of our patterns as well as our potential for new growth.
Until further notice, this workshop will be offered virtually.

August 17 – 21

DIAGNOSING BODIES — Moving from the 4 Diaphragms

In the early years of our yoga practice, we focus on grounding and aligning our bones as well as expanding and lengthening our musculature and tissues. In this way, we increase our capacity to effortlessly flow energy in the form of food, oxygen, blood, life force, etc. through the various systems in our body. When we bring breath, awareness and movement into each successive layer of our being, eventually we come face-to-face with our “inner space”. Using the body’s four diaphragms—pelvic, respiratory, thoracic and brain—this workshop will explore the element of space. With asana, pranayama and meditation, you will become familiar and comfortable with your inner space, which then allows you to be comfortable in any external space. This ripple effect outward is how we influence, indeed change, our outer world.

2018/19 Yoga Actions 300-Hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 2

Helen Maupin (CYA RYT500)

Eight 4-hour workshops: Saturdays (1 to 5 pm)
Two Intensives: 8-hr Winter – Saturday & Sunday (1 to 5 pm)
20-hr Summer – Monday to Friday (9 to 1 pm)
Annual International: 15-hr Retreat – Tuesday to Sunday (9 to 11:30 am OR 9 to 10 am & 5 to 6 pm)

4-hr Workshop Design:
Hour 1 — Philosophical teaching appropriate to class content
Hours 2 & 3 — Pratyahara & Asana exploration
Hour 4 — Pranayama & Meditation

September 22 A STILLNESS PRACTICE — From Yoga Nidrasana (Open Hips) to Yoga Nidra (Open Heart) (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

[During Pratyahara,] we learn to surf between the states of wakefulness and sleep, where our body finds its natural state of equilibrium (homeostasis) – the breath balances and becomes quiet, unconscious and conscious aspects of the mind reveal themselves, and we fall into an innate state of deep, blissful awareness. James Reaves

October 13 OPENING ENERGY CHANNELS — Feet, Leg & Arm Loops (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

In Asana practice, we begin by opening and strengthening the outer, gross body — skin, muscle and bones. Once greater capacity is achieved, we move deeper into the energetic body — organs and nadis (energy channels). In this workshop, you will get in touch with and access various energy channels in the body, which will enable you to address deeper, concretized habits. By concentrating our focus on moving energy rather than fascia, muscle or bone, we can open hardened physical habits where even the breath has not succeeded.

November 10 KAIUT YOGA — Detoxing Our Major Joints (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

As a Chiropractor, Francisco Kaiut blended chiropractic medicine, Tibetan Buddhism, Yoga and cranial sacral therapy into what he calls “Yoga for Everybody.” He was shot in the left hip as a child and spent many years in constant pain. His search for relief for both himself and his patients led him to create the Kaiut lineage of yoga. Kaiut Yoga emphasizes long holds where pressure is applied at a variety of angles in order to work deep into the joints. Kaiut postures light up and reprogram the central nervous system, stimulate circulation and, with time and patience, increase mobility while reducing pain. One of Kaiut’s students described the practice as “Anatomical Diplomacy.” This workshop includes two Kaiut sequences, discussions and observations.

December 15 EXPLORING THE FLEXIBLE BODY — Building Towards Stability (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

When students are asked why they do yoga, many say, “to be more flexible”. They talk of tight hips, strong quads, and stiff shoulders. For them, flexibility is their needed component for balanced health. However, yoga also attracts people who are already flexible and some who are too flexible or hypermobile. What they need from their yoga practice is often quite different than other bodies. In this workshop, we will address the following questions:

How can we as practitioners:

– know where we are on the sturdy to hypermobile scale?
– know what our body needs and interpret the yoga actions to meet those needs?

How can we as teachers:

– identify our flexible and hypermobile students?
– design sequences to meet the needs of the flexible body as well as the sturdy body?

January 19 BALANCING THE SHOULDER BLADES — Stability & Movement (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

Yoga teaches presence, that is, awareness. In the early years of our yoga practice, we are only superficially aware of imbalances and stressors in our body. Nonetheless, any imbalance in the body reflects an imbalance in the mind and breath. By bringing awareness to where these imbalances exist, the yoga practitioner begins a journey of using sensation as a guide to deeper intimacy (awareness) and recovery (integration).

Yogis begin by grounding their legs and pelvis so they can stand with balance and move with freedom. With this capacity, the journey moves up the spine into the heart space and shoulder girdle. This workshop focuses on bringing awareness, stability and movement into the shoulder blades. A variety of heart-opening poses, pranayama, dharana and dhyana (meditation) will be part of the learning experience.

February 02 THE DOSHAS — A Practice for Your Ayurvedic Body Type: Vata, Pitta, Kapha (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

Because our emotional, mental and physical health issues are rooted in our body, it is vital to understand our predominant body type (dosha). With this knowledge, we can better choose those movements/asanas, foods and experiences most suited to our health. With such knowledge, we feed our unique energetic constitution. We are energy beings, and our Ayurvedic Dosha significantly influences how we interact with life.

In this workshop, you will discover your prominent dosha type(s) and practice a sequence specifically designed to balance it.

March 16 & 17 YIN TEACHER TRAINING — Exploring Various Approaches
(8-hr Saturday & Sunday Workshop)

Yin yoga is a slow, meditative yoga practice with postures held for periods of time ranging from one to five minutes or more. Holding poses applies moderate stress to the connective tissues of the body with the aim of increasing circulation in the joints as well as improving flexibility. More importantly, Yin yoga creates the conditions necessary to engage with our deeper awareness and inner silence and brings to light the interconnection of body, mind and spirit.

In the Yin Teacher Training workshop, you will learn:

– the many benefits of Yin
– the many poses and methods of sequencing
– the concept of working back of “your edge”
– the difference between pain and sensation; tension and compression
– when to prop and when not to

You will be guided through a variety of practices, group discussions and creative sequencing exercises by Candace Propp.

April 27 MINDFUL MEDITATION II — Meditating, Moving & Writing with Present Moment Awareness (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

Everything is indeed yoga. Being aware of and true to the many layers of being within allows us to integrate our physical cellular intelligence with our spiritual intuitive wisdom. When this magical alliance occurs, our mental-emotional body no longer feels the need to dominate and manipulate our experiences. We come to know confidently what is true, and, as a result, we freely express the joyful creations arising from our collaborations with all of life. To live recognizing and honouring all our relations is the yoga of deep collaboration.

In this workshop, you will use your awareness and deep-felt experience in collaboration with spirit to free and express your creative self. Bring your mystery and your journal.

May 25 SPINAL HEALTH II — Lumbar Length & Strength (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

Many yoga practitioners use the asanas to stretch muscles and increase flexibility. In time, this emphasis on stretching can overextend and misshape our musculature, which creates even more imbalance. Instead, the asanas aremeant to reveal where our muscles and bones are out of balance. Then, we can learn to anchor and stabilize or create length and ease where our body indicates the need.

This balancing act takes weight off the spine, which liberates and returns it to its natural curves. This workshop focuses on activating the lattisimus dorsi to stabilize the sacrum and lumbar spine while broadening and lengthening the thoracic.

August 19 to 23 DIAGNOSING BODIES — Seeing the Action
(20-hr Monday to Friday intensive: 9 am to 1 pm)

During asana practice, when we focus awareness and intention on each of the seven spinal chakras, we feel and see their unique impacts on our body and being. As receivers of life-force energy, each chakra centre or wheel transforms ‘prana’ into the vibrational frequencies needed to nurture and sustain our lower layers of being (our physical body –Annamaya kosha, our energy body–Pranamaya kosha, and our mental-emotional body–Manomaya kosha). By activating and then expanding the capacity of each chakra, we access the dormant pool of energy lying at the base of our spine. Raising our ‘Kundalini power’ to meet and mix in our heart chakra with the descending cosmic wisdom entering from our crown enables us to transform physical energy into spiritual energy. This integration is the heart of manifestation.

In this 5-day intensive (9am – 1pm), various yoga actions will be introduced that facilitate expanding the chakra energy centres and deepening the yogi’s practice. A felt experience of standing poses, inversions, backbends, forward bends and restorative practice, including pranayama, silent practice and meditation, will be used to encourage self-diagnosis, right practice and an awakened spirit.

2017/18 Yoga Actions 300-Hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 1

Helen Maupin (CYA RYT500)

Afternoon Workshops ($80 + gst each) – Saturday 1-5 pm
2 Day Workshop ($200 + GST) – Saturday 1-5 pm / Sunday 1-5 pm
Intensive ($400 + GST) – Monday to Friday 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

September 23: TAKING FLIGHT—All About Inversions (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

In this workshop, you will learn to work safely with a partner while you experiment with a cellular mulha bandha breath during an inversion practice. Inversions, allow us to face our fears and open our physical and energy pathways while pranayama increases the amount of energy that can then flow through these opened passages. Thus, our ability to remain detached, trusting and courageous is strengthened, no matter what confronts us.

October 28: SPINAL HEALTH I—Exploring the S-curves (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

In yoga, our aim is to move from Dukha (suffering; unease) to Sukha (well-being, ease, happiness, lightness of being). Deviations from Sukha are registered in the S-curves of the spine. This workshop practices yoga actions that bring your spine back into Tadasana alignment (Sukha), no matter what pose you take.

November 18: HEALTHY KNEES—Prevention & Correction (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

Much of our unresolved emotional suffering (Dukha), is held in our larger joints—knees, hips, shoulders, ankles, wrists. The focus of this workshop is on opening and strengthening our joint cavities, in particular, the knee joints. To undo old holding patterns and prevent further strain on this naturally unstable joint, yoga actions for asana and pranayama are practised.

December 16: MINDFUL MEDITATION I—Meditating, Writing & Moving with Present Moment Awareness (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

Since yoga’s birth, unexpected energy releases, sensations, imagery, convulsions or even forms of levitation are reported by yoga practitioners. These more mysterious or mystical aspects of yoga are often revealed to us when we quiet our mind during asana movement, Savasana and meditation. The focus of this workshop is to experience meditative movement in asana and to explore your “mysterious energetic” experience(s) through insight meditation, sharing and journaling. Bring your mystery and your journal.

January 27: INTRODUCTION TO KAIUT AND YIN YOGA—Joint & Fascia Release (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

Asana opens up the communication pathways between all aspects and systems of our being, in particular, the nervous system (spine) and the tissues (muscle, bone, fascia, etc.). This is significant because in our 20s our bodies begin aging and our muscles get weaker and looser while our fascia shrink wraps around these tissues. Of course, emotional reactions, such as applying our will, add to these aging effects, which is why it is important to address the fascia in beginner students even before addressing the muscular body. Additionally, when we impose our will on what is emerging in our body, we block our subconscious intelligence from maintaining and nurturing our involuntary systems. The focus of this workshop is to experience longer holds in postures while facilitating the spontaneous healing capacity of our cellular body through the use of a cellular mulha bandha breath technique.

February 17 & 18: 5 KOSHAS—A Practice For Each Sheath (8-hr Saturday & Sunday Workshop)

For millennia, human beings have sought certainty, wellness and immortality outside themselves in the physical world. In actuality, such forms of permanence abide within one’s soul or eternal unchanging self. As yogis, we access our soul by removing the layers of accumulated conditioning and reactive habits currently blocking its true expression. In this workshop, we free our soul by tapping into our koshas—five increasingly deeper layers (sheaths) of being housed within our bodies. You will experience a practice for each sheath—physical, breath and life force, mental, intuition, and soul. A regular, thoughtful eight-limb practice integrates these five koshas providing us with mind-body-spirit wellness.

March 24 : THE BANDHAS I—Hasta & Pada (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

In yoga, the five bandhas are often described as “energy locks.” They give us the ability to tone and lift various parts of our body despite gravity’s ever-present downward magnetic pull. From a purely physical perspective, an activated bandha engages specific muscle fibres to accomplish this anti-gravity lift. A primary purpose of engaging the bandhas is to prevent injury by lightening our load, in particular, taking weight off our joints. In this workshop, you will use your Hasta (hands) and Pada (feet) Bandhas to reduce the weight bearing on your joints as experienced in both inversions and backbends.

April 28: SENSATION-AL YOGA—Shifting From Doing To Being (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

Layer by layer, the eight limbs of yoga release us from our unhealthy patterns so we can live in the present with discernment. As a result, we move from doing yoga as a sometimes practice to being yoga (authentic) in each moment of our lives. Our yoga practice provides us with many opportunities to experience the mystery of being—accessing our direct/felt experience—which is the focus of this workshop.

May 26: BUILDING A YOGA CORE I — Balancing the Pelvis (Saturday 1 to 5 pm)

Stabilizing, lengthening and broadening are the primary intentions of all yoga actions. In order to build our container so we can adequately respond to everything encountered in our daily lives, we need to strengthen where we are weak, lengthen where we are contracted and broaden where we are restricted. In this workshop, you will practice muscular, skeletal and breath/organic actions to balance the pelvis and optimize your core capacity.

August 20 to 24: DIAGNOSING BODIES I — Space & Stability (20-hr Monday to Friday intensive: 9 am to 1 pm)

The practice of yoga is meant to awaken us to our true self. This only becomes possible when we become aware of the layers of conditioning and the wounds blocking our authenticity. The body gives us clues in the form of sensations to help direct our attention to these areas of numbness and/or holding. This 5-day intensive focuses awareness on inner sensations to diagnose whether space, stability or both are required in one’s yoga practice and life. A felt experience of standing poses, inversions, backbends, forward bends and restorative practice, including pranayama and meditation, will be used to encourage self-diagnosis, right practice and an awakened spirit.

Workshops

2024/25 Yoga Actions 300-hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 8

September 28, 2024: THE BANDHAS — Hasta & Pada

October 19, 2024: TAKING FLIGHT – All About Inversions

November 09, 2024: HIP THERAPY — Stabilizing & Opening

December 07, 2024: OPENING YOUR THROAT, HEART & POWER CHAKRAS

January 11, 2025: SAMSKARAS — 9 PREDICTABLE OBSTACLES to Overcome

February 08, 2025: YOGA THERAPY for ANXIETY & DEPRESSION—Opportunities for Cultivating Emotional Balance

March 08-09, 2025: VINYASA — Exploring Flow Sequencing

April 12, 2025: MINDFUL MEDITATION — Moving, Meditating, & Writing with Present Moment Awareness

May 10, 2025: BUILDING A YOGA CORE — Engaging the Subtle Body

August 18 to 22, 2025: DIAGNOSING BODIES — Moving from the 4 Diaphragms

PANCHA VAYUS: The 5 Currents of Prana (life force)

— An Asana-breath Practice —

BALANCING INNER ENERGY: The 3 Gunas

2023/24 Yoga Actions 300-hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 7

September 23:

THORACIC SPINE HEALTH – Flexion, Extension & Rotation

October 14:

SENSING OUR JOINTS – Listening with Intuition

November 04: YIN YOGA — Digging Deeper with Acupressure

December 09: MINDFUL MEDITATION — Awaken, Breathe, Create

Meditating, Writing & Moving with Present Moment Awareness

JANUARY 20:

THE DOSHAS — A Practice for Your Ayurvedic Body Type: Vata, Pitta, Kapha

FEBRUARY 17:

STANDING POSES — Yoga Actions for Alignment & Integration

MARCH 09-10:

TONING NEURAL PATHWAYS – Yoga Actions & Poses to “Rest & Digest”

April 13: A STILLNESS PRACTICE — Open Hips to Open Heart

From Yoga Nidrasana to Yoga Nidra NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + gst

MAY 11: SPINAL HEALTH — Lumbar Length & Sacrum Strength

NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + gst

AUGUST 12-16

DIAGNOSING BODIES — Seeing the Action(20-hr Monday to Friday Retreat: 9 am to 1 pm)

AUGUST 24: RESTORATIVE YOGA & MEDITATION – Chakra Activation

Yoga Actions for Seeing & Sensing Chakras

2022/23 Yoga Actions 300-hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 6

September 24: INVERSIONS — Shouldering Our Weight

October 15: A PARTNER PRACTICE for Aligning Your Spine

November 12: Yoga Therapy for Knees

December 10: MINDFUL MEDITATION — Awaken, Breathe, Create

Meditating, Writing & Moving with Present Moment Awareness

January 07, 2023: ARMS & SHOULDERS–Yoga Actions for Individual Alignment

February 18, 2023: SHOULDER BLADES — Yoga Actions for Individual Alignment

April 15 & 16, 2023: STERNAL BODY – 3 Parts of the Breast Bone

2023 May 13: Get Grounded To Open Your Back Knees

May 27, 2023: Core Layers – 4 ABDOMINAL MUSCLES & 3 BANDHAS

August 14 – 18, 2023: INTEGRAL GATEWAYS – Groins, Quadriceps & Hamstrings

2021/22 Yoga Actions 300-Hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 5

September 25: YOGA ACTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL ALIGNMENT — Shoulder Joints & Armpits

October 16: THE KLESHAS — The 5 Causes of Suffering

November 13: YOGA ACTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL ALIGNMENT — Sirsasana & Sarvangasana

December 11: YOGA ACTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL ALIGNMENT — Adho Mukha Vrksasana & Pincha Mayurasana

January 08: BUILDING A YOGA CORE — Sensing Our Hip & Shoulder Joints

February 19, 2022: MINDFUL MEDITATION — Meditating, Writing & Moving with Present Moment Awareness

NOTE – This workshop is in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + GST

March 12 & 13, 2022: Patanjali’s YOGA SUTRAS — An Introduction to Book 1

April 16, 2022: YOGA ACTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL ALIGNMENT — Backbends

May 14, 2022: YOGA ACTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL ALIGNMENT — Forward Folds

August 15-19 (9am to 1pm): DIAGNOSING BODIES — FOUNDATION ~ FLOW ~ FREEDOM

2020/21 Yoga Actions 300-Hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 4

September 26: YOGA ACTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL ALIGNMENT — Standing Poses

October 17: BALANCING THE GUNAS — Our Forces of Nature

November 14: SPINAL HEALTH — Creating Strength & Space in the Cervical Vertebrae (Neck)

December 12: TRANSFORMING THE SUBTLE BODY — Creating Space For Organic Healing

January 09: ACTIVATING THE BANDHAS — Mula, Uddiyana & Jalandhara

February 20: MINDFUL MEDITATION — Meditating, Writing & Moving with Present Moment Awareness

13 & 14 March: BALANCING THE BREAST BONE — Stability & Space

17 April: YOGA ACTIONS for Twisting the Rib Cage

15 May: EFFORTLESS EFFORT — Tapping into the Kidneys

16 – 20 August Urban Retreat: DIAGNOSING BODIES — Healing Hardened Patterns

2019/20 Yoga Actions 300-Hr. Advanced Teacher Training Curriculum

(60 Hours): Yr. 3

September 21 SPINAL HEALTH

November 04:
YIN YOGA — Digging Deeper with Acupressure

THE DOSHAS — A Practice for Your Ayurvedic Body Type:
Vata, Pitta, Kapha

From Yoga Nidrasana to Yoga Nidra

NOTE – This workshop is led by Helen Maupin in-studio. Please contact Serene Yoga at 204-504-YOGA, by email for more information or register online. 1 pm – 5 pm $80 + gst

DIAGNOSING BODIES — Seeing the Action
(20-hr Monday to Friday Retreat: 9 am to 1 pm)

March 16 & 17 YIN TEACHER TRAINING — Exploring Various Approaches
(8-hr Saturday & Sunday Workshop)

August 19 to 23 DIAGNOSING BODIES — Seeing the Action
(20-hr Monday to Friday intensive: 9 am to 1 pm)