ABOUT KALA

kala is the curator and host of small-group wellness retreats + global yoga educator with a focus on accessible, beginner-friendly practices, biodynamic + organic food and beverage exploration, yoga for mental health assessing and addressing, and cultural enjoyment!

kala traveled to bali multiple times over the course of two years to immersively study tantra + hatha yoga, which uniquely blend subtle body energy work + the thoughtful use of the physical body as a potent, gentle, and effective combination practice. she specifically uses said practice to help clients address mental health imbalances related to stress, anxiety, depression, and grief. she specializes in working with clients who are either entirely new to yoga, or who are looking to reestablish a healthy foundation in their already-existing practices, and seek to use yoga as a tool for energy balancing and mental health.

kala has spent 15 years traveling, teaching, and exploring diet, lifestyle, yoga, meditation, and wellness in places around the world including LA & NYC, Bali, South Korea, Italy, Ghana, Mexico, England, South Africa, Czech Republic, India, Guatemala, France, Spain, Portugal, Iceland, Australia, Antarctica, and more.

e-mail kala to join an upcoming retreat!

Retreats | Q&A

Q: are these yoga retreats?
A: it’s unfair to call kala‘a offerings “yoga retreats” because while typically at least one gentle, beginner-friendly guided movement practice is indeed offered per day or as the schedule allows, all sessions are entirely optional and meant to enhance the overall itinerary! the morning yoga is simply meant to awaken and prepare the body for the day ahead, but classes are not physically intensive or acrobatic by any means. instead Kala focuses on gentle movement, mobility, and increasingly flexibility. again, these sessions are typically suitable for all persons, regardless of experience level or physical fitness.

you do not need to have taken a single yoga class before to join! when you’re on a trip with kala, you can either skip the yoga entirely, taking advantage only of the parts of the itinerary that appeal to you, or you can take the opportunity to try yoga with kala, knowing the practices are practical and approachable, and that modifications are always available to make it work for your body!

these trips are less “yoga retreat” a la green juices, extra long yoga sessions, and organic vegan food. though we may have a green juice or a vegan meal here and there, the goal overall is to have experiences, strike balance, and feel enjoyment more than it is you being able to touch your toes.

Q: what should I expect from these trips?
A: kala‘s trip offerings are an invaluable opportunity to step out of your everyday routine, social heirarchy, work schedule, and headspace, and instead step into a fully curated, luxury-focused itinerary where you can shut off your brain and simply look to your hostess to tell you where to be next. kala covers everything from pre-departure packing tips and tricks to building and sharing a fully fleshed out day-to-day itinerary that covers your AM-PM schedule, including built in free time, meals, and all activities and excursions as applicable depending on if you’re attending a “rest” or an “adventure” retreat offering.

you’re likely to run into wine tastings, but featuring biodynamic vineyard practices, epic meals featuring local cuisines and flavors, cultural secret spots and sightseeing vs just the touristy stuff, and more. your brain and body, removed from “the usual,” are able to reset and refresh, which creates space for intuition, creativity, and true relaxation, even on our busiest days. and, ideally, you return home with fresh ideas and insights, a renewed sense of capability, having learned a thing or two that you can actually incorporate into your daily life, whether that be a neck-pain relieving move or a new way to shop for wine that doesn’t give you a hangover.

Q: how do I actually sign up and what happens after I do?
A: to sign up, go to the store webpage and you can pay your deposit + click a link to fill out your liability waiver right there! once your deposit has been received as well as your completed waiver, you will receive an email from kala confirming your spot is reserved! additonal information will arrive via email as your trip start date nears, such as packing info, passport info, and arrival info, as well as your trip itinerary. kala is available via email ahead of all retreats to answer any questions you may have along the way, too, so you are supported from the moment you sign up!

while your initial deposit is made via the storefront, additional payments can be made via venmo or paypal (for an additional 3% fee). other payment options may be possible, just discuss with kala ahead of time. the webpage of your chosen retreat will have a “pay-in-full by” date, at which point your balance must be paid-in-full too ensure your spot is secure.

Q: i want to sign up with a friend or loved one, is it possible to share a room?
A: yes, prices are listed for each retreat on a per-person basis, but if double occupancy is available, you will also see a “double occupancy fee” listed. to sign up and share a room, note both you and your guest must submit a deposit and a waiver!

Q: how do i know which type of retreat to sign up for, what distinguishes rest vs adventure?
A: retreat offerings are typically categorized as either a “rest” or an “adventure” retreat offering, and knowing more about each retreat type

REST: these retreat offerings will be include a more leisurely itinerary, with plenty of free time, quiet time, and fewer activities and excursions. yhe yogic offerings may include gentle guided movement practices, breath work, yoga nidra, and other meditation practices offered either one or two times per day.
- past “rest” retreats offerings include:
  - 2019 REST in Winchcombe, Sudeley Castle, U.K. — think silent mornings, yoga on the lawn, a leisurely walk to visit the neighboring castle grounds, wandering the cobblestone streets of our rural town, cooking together and reading by the fireplace.
  - 2023 REST in Puerto Escondido, Mexico — think silent mornings, yoga on the beach, all meals served in the comfort of our villa by on-site chefs, hours per day dedicated to lounging and reading by the pool, evening movie screenings.
  - 2024 REST in Shambala Private Game Reserve, South Africa — think silent mornings, yoga by the fireplace featuring green juice shots and a 2-course breakfast service, exciting yet leisurely game drives and sunset cruises per day with an ever-flowing stream of your favorite local wines, beers, and spirits, leisurely lunches by the private, heated pool, a 3-course dinner and bonfire each night, all supported by door-to-door private car services. spa attendants are on site all week!
ADVENTURE: these retreat offerings are BUSY, offering exciting, jam packed itineraries full of activities, excursions, and fun! the yogic offerings may include gentle guided movement practices, breath work, yoga nidra, and other meditation practices, typically offered just once per day or as the schedule allows. pack your walking shoes and your camera for this one!
- past “adventure” retreat offerings include:
  - 2023 ADVENTURE in Italy: Multi-City “Best of” Florence, Tusancy, and Rome — think morning yoga in the garden, zipping across town to catch a restaurant reservation or sunset on the river, pasta making cooking class, day trip to a half-day biodynamic vineyard tour + tasting, racing the days to see all the sights, museums, and cultural icons of each city, train travel between locations, piazza hiking, overindulging, and more. We walked over 100,000 steps on this one!
  - 2024 ADVENTURE in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia — think morning yoga by the pool, 2AM wake up calls to hike up a volcano for sunset, half-day 6-course cooking class in rural Ubud, excursion to an intensive waterfall hike in Northern Bali, shopping and exploring all around town, 7-course vegan dinner service with biodynamic wine and rice beverage pairing, and more.

Degrees | Certifications | Continuing Edu

M.A. Mental Health Counseling (New York University, New York, NY, USA)*
M.A. Yoga Studies (Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA, USA)
B.S. Health Sciences (University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA)
500 CYT Tantric Hatha Yoga (Ubud, Bali, Indonesia)
100 CYT Yoga, Mindfulness, and Social Change (LMU, Los Angeles, CA USA)
45 CYT Level 1 Mama Tree Prenatal Yoga (Jane Austin, San Francisco, CA, USA)
45 CYT Level 2 Mama Tree Prenatal Yoga (Jane Austin, San Francisco, CA, USA)
Birth Doula Core Training (Natural Resources, San Francisco, CA, USA)
Dissection Livestream Specialty Class: Central Nervous System (Brain, Spine, and Spinal Cord) (Anatomy Trains, Tom Myers and Todd Garcia)
Dissection Livestream Specialty Class: Breath in the Body (Anatomy Trains, Tom Myers and Todd Garcia, Virtual)
Dissection Livestream Specialty Class: Deep Dive into the Pelvis (Anatomy Trains, Tom Myers and Todd Garcia, Virtual)
YS 207 | The Upaniṣads (Dr. Varun Khanna via Yogic Studies, Virtual)*

*in progress

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