Yoga 101: A 4-Week Exploration of the Foundations of Yoga

Yoga 101 is a four-week yoga workshop at Epic Yoga & Fitness in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, for anyone who wants to understand the foundations of the practice. It suits people stepping onto a mat for the first time, students who want to feel more at ease in regular classes, and long-time practitioners who would like to revisit the basics with fresh eyes. It is led by Alison Réaume, a yoga teacher, teacher trainer and somatic educator.

What to Expect

Regular classes don't always leave room to stop and ask questions. Where should I feel this pose? What is alignment actually for? When is a prop useful? What am I supposed to be doing with my breath? This series slows the practice down so those questions can be asked and explored.

The workshop meets for four weekly sessions on Wednesday evenings, from 7:45pm to 8:45pm. Across the four weeks, familiar parts of a yoga practice get more time and attention.

- Asana and movement: common poses and transitions, functional alignment, props and variations, and ways to adapt the physical practice to your body. You will look at how poses relate to one another and begin making your own choices rather than worrying about whether you are doing something "right."
- Breath and pranayama: the relationship between breath and movement, foundational breathing practices, and different ways pranayama can be explored.
- Meditation and awareness: approachable meditation practices, and chances to notice more of what you are experiencing throughout your practice.

Because the series runs over several weeks, there is room to experiment, revisit and ask questions instead of rushing to the next pose.

About Alison Réaume

Alison Réaume has spent more than 17 years teaching yoga and training teachers. She teaches in Maple Ridge and works across the Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver. Her work rests on the belief that yoga should make room for the person practicing it, and that the pose is only part of the practice.

Her own approach changed over time. She describes a long period of pushing, working hard and expecting her body to keep up. At 28 she had surgery to remove a large, life-threatening tumour from her abdomen, and recovery gave her a deep respect for the body's vulnerability and resilience. Her questions about yoga gradually moved from what she could make a body do to what can be learned by paying attention to it. Her teaching draws on movement, somatic awareness, philosophy, breath and self-study.

The Setting

The sessions take place at Epic Yoga & Fitness in Maple Ridge, British Columbia.

Before You Go

All levels are welcome. The series is designed for complete beginners and equally for experienced practitioners who want to return to the fundamentals. The workshop is taught in English. Tuition covers all four weekly sessions, with instruction in asana, alignment and props, and an introduction to pranayama and meditation.