Karuna Erickson is a devoted yoga teacher as well as a psychotherapist, practicing in both fields since 1970. The focus of her work is the integration of body, mind, heart, and spirit. She is the director of the Heart Yoga Center, a registered yoga teacher training school with the Yoga Alliance. She has trained yoga teachers for over 20 years. She teaches yoga internationally, interweaving Sufi poetry and Buddhist practices of mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation. She leads annual retreats in Costa Rica, Canada, and Bali.
Karuna has assisted Rodney Yee in several of his yoga teacher training workshops and courses. She has taught many workshops, classes and retreats with Andrew Harvey. Karuna and Andrew have co-authored a book titled: On Fire: Heart Yoga, which has received outstanding reviews from teachers such as Caroline Myss, Shiva Rea, Seane Corn, and Judith Lasater, and they plan to publish it in 2010.
She draws upon her profession as a psychotherapist in her yoga teaching, to explore the union of body and mind. Her style of teaching is compassionate and heartfelt, and her students experience transformation on many levels. Karuna has lived in the mountains of British Columbia for over 35 years, and her teaching and practice are inspired by her love of the peace and beauty of the mountains.
Education and degrees:
- B.A. cum laude, Psychology, Stanford University, 1968
- M.S.W., Psychiatric Social Work, University of California, Berkeley, 1970
- D. Min. (student) Wisdom University
- Registered Counselor, Canadian Counseling Association
- Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher E 500 (experienced)
- Interfaith Minister, Metaphysical Interfaith Church, 1998
“Karuna is delighting us with her authentic and intense inquiry into spirit. Her yoga is inspiring!”
– Rodney Yee
