Yoga och Meditation: Katherine Dunne

450-Hour - Certified Assistant Yoga Therapist (AYTh) - Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute

Hybrid online and onsite in Lonavala, India - Ongoing

Currently enrolled in foundational courses in applying the principles of yoga therapy through knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and traditional yogic scriptures. This 450-hour course certifies one as an assistant yoga therapist, emphasizing the importance of embodied practices in the healing process.

200-Hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Certification - Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute

Hybrid online and onsite in Lonavala, India - June 2024

Completed comprehensive training in teaching yogic philosophy, asana, pranayama, and meditation techniques. Founded in 1924, Kaivalyadhama is one of the oldest and most respected yoga institutions in the world, known for its dedication to preserving traditional Hatha Yoga classes while integrating modern scientific research.

https://kdham.com/

Embodying the breath of compassion with Kia Naddermeier - Yoga Shakti

Stockholm Sweden - January 2024

6-day immersion in the primary Ashtanga vinyasa series including meditation, pranayama, and pedagogy.

14-hour Pranayama course - Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute

Online - June 2023

7-week course in pranayama tradition, technique, and science.

6-month Sutta Study Group - led by Ulla Koenig

Online - Jan--June 2023

A monthly gathering of students of Buddhist suttas where we reflected and discussed under the guidance of teacher Ulla Koenig. We read: Kesamutti Sutta, The Noble Search, Vattha Sutta, Sabbasava Sutta, and Anapanasati Sutta.

7-week meditation/sutta course: The Path of Letting Go - Juha Penttilä

Online / Gaia House - January 2023

Explored the three characteristics of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-selfhood as ways of looking that can facilitate an easing of suffering and lead to meditative letting go. These three characteristics are key meditative practices in the development of insight in the early Buddhist teachings, and we explored them both in formal meditation practice and in the midst of our daily lives.

5-week meditation/sutta course: Cultivating Goodness, Exploring Fabrication - Juha Penttilä

Online / Gaia House - October 2022

Explored how cultivating metta – kindness and the fundamental goodness of heart – colors our perceptions of self, other, and world. By cultivating metta in these ways, we also explored the themes of fabrication and the emptiness of phenomena to deepen our understanding of the conditioned nature of experience.

10-day Vipassana Silent Retreats

Nordens Vipassana center - Dhamma Sobhana - March 2022, 2023

Completed two 10-day silent retreats. These are intensive training periods in vipassana meditation techniques in complete silence, developing deep concentration and equanimity.

Pranayama

2023 - Present (2 years)

I started practicing pranayama after taking a 7-week course from Kaivalyadhama. It has been one of the most fulfilling yogic practices for me, and my favorite part of any session. I utilize preparatory practices like Agnisara, Kaphalabhati, ujjayi, and pranayamas such as nadi shodhana, bastrika, sheetli, and bhramari. As a beginner in breath retention (kumbhaka), I find these embodied practices deeply enriching.

Asana

2022 - Present (3 years)

I dabbled in yoga for several years before committing to a regular practice when I discovered Bikram yoga in 2021. I loved how it made me feel and was particularly drawn to the discipline and meditative aspects of the 26x2 series. My desire to explore more styles of yoga led me to ashtanga vinyasa, where I practiced the primary series at home and in Mysore style at a studio in Stockholm. The discipline and energetic flow of the series captivated me, and I cherished the community aspect of Mysore style, where I received one-on-one attention from a teacher. However, I sought to delve deeper into the spiritual side of yoga rather than just the asana. In 2023, I found my home in Hatha Yoga classes within the Kaivalyadhama tradition, embracing the holistic approach of yoga therapy.

Meditation

2017 - Present (8 years)

I practice meditation in three main areas:

Vipassana/Emptiness Practice: Insight meditation focusing on sensations and impermanence.

Non-Dual Awareness: Practices focusing on the dissolution of the subject-object distinction and resting in pure awareness.

Other Buddhist Practices: Including metta, zazen, and samatha.