Meet Kari Ann Levine in Central Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kari Ann Levine.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I think it’s difficult to say where and when my journey into yoga and spirituality really began. In some ways, I feel like I’ve always been walking this path. But I guess if I had to pinpoint a specific time, I’d say everything really took off when I was in graduate school studying Sociology at Florida State University. I was stressed out, exhausted — and with a history of anxiety, depression, and an eating disorder — the high-pressure environment was really taking its toll on me. Around this time a friend and colleague of mine invited me to take a yoga class with her. I thought I was going for a workout. But what I found was so much more.

I distinctly remember laying there at the end of class thinking to myself, “Oh my God… this is what I have been looking for!” It was the first time, maybe ever, that I felt fully at home within my body. I knew instantly that this practice would help heal my decade-long antagonistic relationship with my body, and that my journey had only just begun.

What’s more, is that even from that very first class, I caught a glimpse of something that was happening within me that went much deeper than my body. It was like the breath, the movement, and the quiet rest at the end of every class was connecting me to something deep and intrinsic within myself. Something much bigger than me, and yet was me at the same time. Call it God, call it Soul, call it Universe — whatever you call it, yoga was helping me tune in to this expansive yet intimately familiar force, and I was hooked.

When it came time to do my Master’s research, I knew that if I was going to make it through my graduate program, I was going to need a lot of yoga. But also, I simply wanted to be around that energy as much as possible. I wanted it to rub off on me, to infuse my being. So, I did the only thing a rational, probably-too-smart-for-my-own-good graduate student would do — I decided to study Yoga.

Over the course of the next year and a half, I collected 17 in-depth interviews with yoga practitioners and teachers, diving into topics related to spirituality, identity, gender, embodiment, body image, emotions, and personal transformation. It was like a crash course in yoga, which meant it was also a crash course into my own personal healing. It was pretty intense, but it truly changed the direction of my future, and for this, I am incredibly grateful.

After completing this research, I graduated with my Master’s in 2012. I was on track to earn my Ph.D. at the time, but after diving into yoga in such an intense way, the thought of continuing in the program didn’t feel aligned anymore.

I was in a long-distance relationship at the time with my then-partner who lived here in Phoenix. I ended up spending every dime I had to move across the country and enroll in my first yoga teacher training program. While that relationship didn’t last long, everything else has. Seven years later and I have earned the highest recognized level of certification for Yoga Instructors, have a full teaching schedule at some of the best studios in Phoenix, have taught in several Yoga Teacher Training Programs, and am continuing to learn and grow daily in my practice.

Most recently, my practice has led me to explore a whole different aspect of yoga, and that is its intersection with sound and music. Like yoga and meditation, sound is an ancient, tried-and-true technology that helps us connect to that infinite and eternal reservoir of peace, love, and compassion that is always there just waiting for us to tap in to.

After getting certified as a Sound Practitioner in spring of 2018, I learned quickly that I had a lot of music in me that wanted to come out. When I am playing, and especially when I’m singing, it feels like a direct channel is opened between me and that Great Mystery within and without. That I get to share this with others is truly a gift.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I think any time we follow our hearts and choose a path less traveled, we are bound to run into a few obstacles. Okay… maybe a lot of obstacles. Ha! It’s almost required. How else do we learn, grow, and evolve?

I think this is especially true for people working in the realm of spirituality. This is certainly not a path for the faint of heart. Yoga, sound, meditation, and the spiritual philosophies beneath them — these are real and legitimate tools of transformation. And in order for anything to change the form, a period of destruction is a necessary pre-requisite. In my experience, this means that every step forward in my career is proceeded by a period of (often painful) personal transformation.

When I came to this work, I came to it primarily for myself — for my own healing and growth. Like I mentioned before, I have a history of anxiety and depression. For me, this often expresses itself in a difficult relationship with food and body image. And with any healing journey, there have been lots of ups and downs along the way. But the thing is, these practices have taught me how to ride the wave of those fluctuations, and to find love and compassion for myself regardless of my experience. There is so much freedom in that.

I think many people doing similar work feel like they need to have it all figured out in order to claim that they can help others through these transformational processes. But the thing is, we are all in this together, and the people who I work with feel a connection to me in part because of my willingness to authentically share the light and the dark. The healing journey is so much about taking off all of our masks and being seen and heard for who we really are — warts and all. In my work, this starts with me and I do my best keep this space open for others as well.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
Right now, most of my work centers around yoga, sound meditation, and specialty workshops and training.

While I teach many different styles of yoga, I specialize in a practice called Aṣṭāṅga Vinyāsa. This is a traditional method of practice that includes six sequences that are learned progressively. The first series in this style is called Yoga Cikitsa, which means healing yoga or yoga therapy. I like to say that this series is designed to “work out the kinks” not only in the body but also in the mind. Truth be told, this style is a bit of a tough sell. There is no music, there are no flashy poses, and it’s hard. But the thing is, it works. I love teaching this practice, especially in one-on-one settings, where I can really focus on individual needs and help them establish their own practice and empower them to use it, with or without me.

Probably the most quintessential part of my yoga teaching is that at the end of every class I play my harmonium and sing. The harmonium is a deeply meditative instrument used in Indian music. It is the perfect accompaniment to a mantra or Sanskrit chanting. I hear all the time from students how much it moves them. Which in turn, moves me.

When it comes to Sound Meditation, my main offering is a class that I do in Scottsdale every Tuesday night at 6 pm. The studio is called Authentic Yoga, which is a sweet little spot with great energy. Class is offered on a donation basis, and over the last year, a beautiful little community has seemed to form around this class.

It is always my intention in these classes to create a safe and supportive space for people to make each class whatever it is they need it to be. As we settle into each session, I invite students to quietly set an intention for their practice, planting it like a seed within their heart. Then, I invite them to let the sound water that seed as we move through the meditation. From there, I let the energy guide me as I move from instrument to instrument, weaving a vibrational landscape of gong, crystal bowls, rainstick, medicine drum, Native American flute, harmonium, and of course, chanting. Lately, I’ve even been throwing a little guitar in there too. These classes are incredibly rewarding to teach. I have received so much feedback about how they have helped people through some really difficult stuff.

Last but definitely not least — the aspect of my work I am currently most excited about are the workshops and training I have been putting together. I love teaching in these settings because it gives me an opportunity to dive much deeper into the history, philosophy, and science behind these super powerful practices. For instance, the last special event I offered was a chanting workshop. But really, it was so much more than just chanting. It was about empowering people to use their voices and express their truth, not just while we’re singing, but in the rest of our lives too. People say the eyes are the window to the soul, well the voice is how we express what’s in there, and chanting is such a powerful way to open this channel. The workshop was called “Singing the Soul: Embodying the Spirit,” and it really was a transformational experience. I will definitely be offering another one soon.

And of course, I also offer all of these things in private sessions with individuals, small groups, and in organizational settings.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Phoenix is a pretty open-minded city, with a large spiritually oriented community. This creates a lot of space for many different kinds of modalities. I’m not sure I would have been able to grow as quickly in a less progressive place. There just wouldn’t be as many people looking for what I offer.

Of course, some people see this as a drawback, arguing that the market is too saturated with too many teachers to chose from. I have to say that I disagree with this. The more these kinds of practices are shared, the better, and the more our community is going to grow. People are starting to wake up more and more, and we are going to need all sorts of different teachers with messages that appeal to lots of different kinds of people.

At the end of the day, when it comes to building up any kind of business, but especially a spiritual business, the best thing we can do is be as authentic to ourselves as possible. If we just keep doing this, the right people will be drawn to what we offer at the right time. We just have to be consistent, patient, and true to ourselves, and our paths will lead us right where we need to be.

Contact Info:

• Website: kariannlevine.com
• Email: kariannlevine@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jai.kari.ma/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kariannlevine

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