About
What is a Sapper?
Sappers are known to be brave, strong, versatile, and resilient. The Sapper is a symbol of determination and ingenuity.
Sapper is the name of my dachshund who was my faithful companion for nearly 17 years. He was the best friend that I ever had and I miss him very much.
The term "Sapper" is a title used by many militaries around the world. In the United States Army it refers to combat engineers and their motto is "Sappers Lead The Way!" My dog's name was inspired by my brother, who was going to attend Sapper School when I made the [best] mistake of my life getting a puppy and shocking my college roommates (a story for another day!).
In medieval times, Sappers tunneled underground to penetrate castle walls. In modern military operations, Sappers play a crucial role, operating ahead of the front line to facilitate the movement, defense, and survival of allied forces while impeding the enemy. They lay and clear minefields and build bridges, roads, and airfields. Sappers are also trained and equipped to serve as infantry.
Sap is also mentioned in Danna Fauld's poem about my lineage called "Their Lanterns Light The Way."
Meet Julianne Serpa
Julianne recognized from an early age that her passions are gifts meant to be shared with people – as a pianist, an equestrian, and now a yogi. Julianne always envisioned herself teaching yoga someday, perhaps in retirement when she would be older and wiser! However, the events of 2020 catalyzed a profound shift in perspective and sense of urgency. With this newfound clarity, she recognized that it was time to begin.
With a background in psychology and a career dedicated to service, Julianne approaches her teaching with empathy and a unique understanding of disability and resilience. Her focus has always been on empowering others, recognizing that she is just a facilitator humbled to witness another’s journey of growth and self-discovery.
She took her first yoga class in high school and was immediately hooked after experiencing savasana! Her practice has deepened and evolved over the course of nearly two decades, particularly during times of personal hardship. Julianne’s commitment to honoring the ancient roots of yoga while simultaneously “living as a normal person in suburbia” led her to select the Pranakriya School of Yoga Healing Arts for teacher training, enriching her practice and guiding her approach to sharing yoga.
Julianne's teaching is deeply influenced by her practice with Pranakriya teachers Kimberly Murphy and Pam Blum, as well as esteemed local yoga therapists TIna Lanzoni and Jessie Rhines. She draws inspiration from Swami Kriaplu, Yoganand Michael Carroll, and Matthew Sanford's approach to teaching individuals with disabilities. Her strong asana foundation was built through years of dedicated practice, primarily with Lesley Fightmaster's Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series on YouTube and 26&2 hot yoga with the Vendemmias and their exceptional team in Annapolis, Maryland.
Julianne embodies a philosophy of "Choose Your Own Adventure," both on the mat and in life, and endeavors to impart this spirit to her students. Committed to fostering compassionate spaces free from judgment and dogma, Julianne gives students permission to explore their unique experience of yoga and receive their discoveries with curiosity and grace.
Her interests outside of yoga include anything that gets her outside like camping, hiking, paddling, and taking it slow on a good mountain bike trail. (Most of all, she loves taking her yoga outside!!) She enjoys spending time with family and friends, being an aunt to 7 nieces and nephews, traveling to new places and attempting new recipes. Lately, Julianne has been curious to learn about tai chi, 5Rhythms dance, and how to play the harmonium. Her guilty pleasures are making silly dachshund+yoga memes on Instagram and laughing hysterically at raunchy, provocative comedy. Maybe someday you'll see her on the Improv stage or doing a stand-up set!
Julianne is an aspiring Yoga Therapist and plans to launch the Sapper Spirit Foundation in the future to break down barriers to accessing genuine, in-person teachers -- spreading the Light of yoga and human connection to All Beings, Everywhere.
What is Pranakriya?
Pranakriya Yoga is rooted in ancient traditions, adapted for modern active living. This yoga is inherently trauma-informed, accessible, inclusive, and empowering for students of all ages and all abilities.
This practice of yoga creates a path to inner awareness to become more fully alive on and off the mat.
Pranakriya teachers provide transformative yoga instruction for the modern Western practitioner that are rooted in Tantric Hatha traditions taught by Swami Kripalu. Classes incorporate meditation, pranayama (breathwork), and postures (asana) that are true to the heart of yoga.
The teachings of Swami Kripalu were the inspiration behind Kripalu Yoga© as developed by Yogi Amrit Desai and taught at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, Massachusetts, the largest yoga retreat center in North America that has trained thousands of teachers from around the world.
The teachings of Swami Kripalu are also the inspiration behind Pranakriya Yoga. Pranakriya Yoga was developed by Yoganand Michael Carroll, a long time student of Amrit Desai, Swami Kripalu, and other teachers in Swami Kripalu’s tradition. During his 15 years as a resident of the ashram, Yoganand dove deeply into renunciate practices. While drawing heavily from Kripalu principles, Pranakriya is distinct as it places a greater emphasis on pranayama techniques and integrating deeper Tantric and Hatha Yoga concepts.
Who is Swami Kripalu?
Swami Kripalu (1913-1981), also known as Kripalvananda or Bapuji, was an ascetic yogi and kundalini yoga master whose intensive practices led him to a very deep understanding of yoga. He called himself "a pilgrim on the path of love" and said many times, "Only love can bring unity and remove the separation between all living beings." Revered in India as one of the greatest saints, he meditated 10 hours a day for 30 years and spent a decade in near complete silence and seclusion.
He had an extraordinary stay in the United States from 1977-1981, where he broke his silence of many years in order to spread yoga and spiritual teachings in America. He was instrumental in reviving an ancient form of the practice that he called yoga sahaja, or natural yoga, which is also known by many other names including kundalini yoga* and "surrender yoga." Swami Kripalu believed that natural yoga is the source of all other yogas and should be accorded the highest place.
Swami Kripalu embraced both spirituality and science, approaching his study of yoga with a methodical, almost scientific rigor. Drawing from his own experiences, the teachings of his guru, scripture, Ayurveda, and modern sciences, he played an important role in bridging the wisdom of the East with innovations emerging in the West.
He also had many talents and interests aside from the yoga. He was an accomplished musician and composer, playwright, poet, storyteller, and writer.
"Nothing could have prepared me for my first encounter with Swami Kripalu. When he walked into the room, my mind was catapulted into a state of focused awareness deeper than anything I'd ever experienced. Swami Kripalu was a lightning bolt wrapped in an orange robe."
-Richard Faulds, author of Kripalu Yoga: A Guide to Practice On and Off the Mat
*It is important to distinguish Kripalu kundalini yoga described above from that of the kundalini brand popular in the West from the teachings (and abuses) of Yogi Bhajan. While the name is shared, the Sanskrit term kundalini refers to the universal energy that is said to lie at the base of the spine. Through the practice of yoga, one is said to awaken this life force energy and transform their body, mind, and spirit. So in essence, all yoga is "kundalini yoga" and is not "owned" by one specific person or lineage. It is your birthright to discover it and feel more fully alive!