what is sva sadhana?
Sva Sadhana is a 9-month Yoga & Ayurveda training that teaches you the tools and practices from these ancient sciences to live a healthier, more holistic, and more connected life. Sva translates as 'of the Self', and sadhana is 'an instrument, or means’… the Sva Sadhana training is an invitation to a journey of radical self-discovery with the support of a dynamic group along the way.
Whether you’re relatively new to Yoga and Ayurveda, or have studied for some time, but don’t yet feel like you’re taking your practice off the mat, this training invites you to begin to live these sciences - taking them from something you do - to someone you are. A way of being that permeates and shapes your daily life.
Ayurveda, the science of life, is used to create the level of wellness needed to do your work in the world. Yoga is the science of self-knowledge, that allows you to see clearly the true nature of yourself. Using the sister sciences of Yoga and Ayurveda, the Sva Sadhana Training delivers tools from these ancient sciences that will shape your modern daily life to bring you greater health, purpose, and clarity.
Sva Sadhana leads the way to living your yoga, discovering the innumerable benefits of an Ayurvedic lifestyle, cultivating a friendlier relationship with your mind, and finding a community to support you in these practices.
Do you have 2 days a month to create a happier, healthier, more integrated you?
“The training was a perfect fit for what I had been seeking, as I did not want to do a 'teacher training' and have always been curious to delve into Ayurveda. At the end of every weekend I felt and feel so grateful for the breadth of your wisdom, the culmination of our time together and the togetherness I feel with my fellow yogis.”
—Jen Wendling Holm
who is this training for?
This nine month program is a training program for students who want to deepen into self-study and practice.
You sense how powerful the practice of Yoga & Ayurveda can be, but you’re not living them yet. You know that healing the collective has to include a healthy individual (you!). You have a full life, but when it comes to taking care of yourself - you know there’s got to be a better way. The tools in your toolbox don’t feel personalized and effective. You want to take a more holistic approach to life: the foods you eat, the medicine you use, the way you care for loved ones - and Yoga & Ayurveda just make sense to you. But, you’re not quite sure where to start to bring these practices home, to personalize them, and get them working for you to create more wellness in body, mind, and spirit.
The experience of Sva Sadhana provides the tools for self-exploration, growth, and transformation within the supportive container of a community. Our students represent a large span of ages, levels of yoga experience, and life paths. We learn from each other as much as we learn from the teachings of Yoga & Ayurveda. You’ll graduate the program with a community of friends who are walking this path with you.
* A minimum of six months of yoga asana experience are required prior to the start of Sva Sadhana. If you have completed less than 6 months of regular, in-person, guided asana practice; then an on-demand, foundational asana course with Kara will be required prior to the start of the program.
* This training also counts towards Continuing Education Units (CEU) for Yoga Alliance registered teachers.
the committed beginner
You’re determined and curious. This training will connect the dots and invite you into a deeper understanding and practice of these sciences than you’ll find in weekly class.
the established yogi
You desire to take your practice off the mat. You’re ready for an in-depth study of Yoga and Ayurveda and to take these sciences home to live them.
the yoga teacher
You’ve got the theory but you don’t feel grounded into your self-practice. This presents an opportunity for you to focus on your study, growth, and healing.
the path to practice; how you’ll engage the teachings
In this 150 hour training, focus is given to creating a supportive container for growth and exploration.
In addition to weekend immersions; 25 weekly classes, a private session with Kara, a 100+ page course manual, and digital resources are included in the training. This course will use asana as just one tool on the path of self-mastery, and will focus on exploring the extensive practices of Ayurveda as well as the subtle aspects of pranayama, meditation, bandha, mudra, and Yoga nidra. Sva Sadhana will provide you with tools that you can use at home and off the mat, in your everyday life.
The group will meet live (online or in-person) September 2023 - May 2024. Each month you’ll have self-study, at-home practices, guided practices, and a training partner to support your continued learning between sessions.
the steps of practice; what you’ll learn
Ayurvedic theory & self-application: doshas, bhutas, gunas, vayus, and so much more
Yoga philosophy & classical texts: including Yoga Sutras & Bhagavad Gita
Asana: alignment, six categories of asana, sequencing, and doshic approaches
Ayurvedic diet & lifestyle: theory and self-application
Ayurvedic recipes & cooking
Dinacharya: the science of daily rhythms and routine
Sanskrit Terminology: understanding the basics of this language unlocks a deeper understanding of the science
Bandha & Mudra: how to accelerate your evolution within your asana practice
Pranayama: the science of breath
Meditation: the science of the mind
Yoga Nidra: the science of yogic sleep
Mantra: the science of sound
Tantra: the science of energy
Living your yoga off the mat
Yoga through the lens of Cultural Appropriation vs Cultural Appreciation
“Kara is such an incredible teacher that I honestly feel like she could teach me how to change a light bulb and I would learn something new and insightful. The way she teaches and breaks complex things down into bite size, easy to digest chunks is absolutely incredible. I learned so much in this program and it was so digestive for me to be here. Sva Sadhana strengthened my foundations in Yoga and Ayurveda and has made me a better human... oh and also a better practitioner, yoga teacher, and partner, too.”
— Kristin Linde, 2023
your guide on the path
Kara’s dharma is teaching. Whether instructing yoga asana, educating clients clinically, sharing the tools of Ayurveda that foster increased health and wellness, or imparting the theory of these beautiful sciences - Kara makes these ancient and profound Vedic sciences accessible and practical. With her guidance you’ll find yourself living your yoga and ayurveda .
She brings 20+ years of teaching yoga asana to the mat. She’s an Ayurvedic Practitioner, Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist, ParaYoga certified teacher, an E.RYT 500 with Yoga Alliance, and the founder of the Ayurvedic Wellness Center. As such, Kara is part of a cohort conveying a living tradition of Yoga that is committed to improving individual lives and the world we live in.
Kara is one of a handful of practitioners internationally that has been invited to work alongside her teacher, Dr. Vasant Lad, at his Vasanta Institute of Ayurveda in Pune, India. She’s been blessed to teach AyurYoga, clinical skills, herbology, and Ayurvedic bodywork therapies in residential learning programs, as well as clinically oversee Pañchakarma clients.
She also serves as faculty for various national Ayurvedic Health Counselor programs.
Her passion for these sciences is contagious, and her commitment to your healing and evolution on and off the mat means you have a teacher and an advocate in your corner.
Kara is aware of how crucial these practices of physical and mental wellness, capacity, balance, and self-knowledge are, particularly in times like these. She welcomes you to a nine-month experience of growth, discovery, and connection.
“The biggest change has been to daily habits around eating, sleeping and building a better lifestyle routine using the information taught. Realizing the practice extends beyond just a mat...”
— William Norris
“While it is a huge commitment, it is worth every second of the time and energy that it needs. It is such a beautiful gift to yourself, which in turn helps others. This program exceeded ALL expectations that I had. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
— Wendy Horton-Bierema
when does sva sadhana start?
The next session of Sva Sadhana will start in the fall of 2024. In the interim, you can join the monthly Sva Sadhana drop-in sessions, and get on the waitlist for the next cohort.
“I'm stronger and more grounded mentally, energetically and physically. I'm more in control and confident of my thought patterns and my voice. I move through the day with a conscious effort of curiosity over judgement and can more readily remind myself of the non-duality of life's happenings. I am more conscious of my perfection tendencies. Clearly I have more work to do, but I am ready with tools for the journey. I see more clearly who I am and why and enjoy a knowingness of my purpose.”
—Bridget Timmeney
“I have learned so much about who I am, what my values are, and how I can live my values. I feel as if I am no longer racing through life expending energy every which way. Sva Sadhana has taught me Yoga: to SLOW down, contemplate, direct and keep my prana, correct doshic imbalance, react better to adversity, appreciate nature, and take care of myself. Sva Sadhana is the ultimate self care!”
— Lisa Keller, 2023