Helena's Story

You won't see the hardware anywhere in the modest studio on US1 in Melbourne, Florida where hundreds of students continue to walk through the doors and walk out "feeling like a new person" (just check the testimonials for transformations!). However, Helena Conneen, who is credited by the community for introducing Brevard County to the age-old healing practice, is an original and internationally known "yogi" and champion.

 

Yoga competition in the USA was in its infancy in 1995 when Helena won the Silver Medal both at Regional's in Florida and at Nationals in Los Angeles. Then, at Internationals, after coaching two students, one of whom placed 2nd globally (5th nationally and 1st regionally), Helena was spontaneously called to compete despite not intending to nor training accordingly; miraculously, she delivered an astounding and mostly flawless routine (until the very last pose!) and placed 6th. This is how each class goes: no pressure, Helena brings her magic! 

 

Only a few years before, in 1995 at age 19, a couple years into coaching gymnastics, Helena trained at the famous Bikram's second training ever. A passionate student turned leader of the art form, she became a long-time facilitator of their teacher trainings at the LA headquarters, and participated in continued education for years directly with Bikram and his staff.

 

But, Helena's story wouldn't have unraveled this way without a chance encounter with a man named Stan, inspired by a family that "saved any animal they ever saw": anything to help anyone, Helena's parents taught Stan their "Fruitarian" ways, which led to his "Karma-less" diet and the nationally acclaimed Glaser Organic Farms. This natural approach also prompted the unprepared yet impressively smooth delivery of Mira (Helena's sister and YWH Instructor, sisters pictured balancing on top of each other), thanks to Stan and mere intuition. So, by the time Mira was 3 and Helena 9 not to mention with a little brother, he had introduced the entire family to a bunch of poses on a scorching Miami driveway (talk about hot yoga!) where they dabbled for as long as three hours at a time.

 

This was a relief to their mother and hand-standing-on-a-dime father compared to the more expensive and all-consuming gymnastics that Helena was getting "too tall" for anyway. By age 12,  practicing with an audio cassette tape of Bikram alone in her room, Helena reports having a past life experience, simply loving the yoga and not knowing or questioning why. Her parents often drove nearly an hour each way to Viera for her and her brother to do a 45-minute class. A homeschooling lifestyle allowed the pursuit of their passion.

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Furthermore, this path also enabled Helena to find the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza, Louis Hay, Marianne Williamson, and Deepak Chopra among others, relatively early in life. Both in class and in her coaching, Helena pulls from vast knowledge in topics on the psyche to nutrition, and a lifetime practically void of mainstream conditioning, enabling connectedness to the earth and all its beings. Helena truly cares and authentically shows up each class. She plans to study psychology more formally when her children go off to college. Her youngest daughter is currently enjoying boxing and wrestling, and her eldest who is still in high school, has competed in USA Yoga herself, carrying the family legacy.

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​Helena continues to share the beauty of the mind & body-opening practice of Bikram at her studio throughout the week, empowering students of all levels and backgrounds to use their body to access the mind: to heal their inner selves and find the courage to step out of their comfort zone while being present and in tune. With her guidance, it is easy to get swept right in. Helena's hope is that her students experience even a glimpse of the joy that the practice has brought to her. ​