What we offer:

Mindfulness:

Mindfulness is present moment awareness. Mindfulness means maintaining a moment by moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. These practices are encouraged through a gentle, nurturing, and accepting lens. 

Yoga, breathing, movement, guided meditation, and journaling are just a few examples of tools to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness, yoga, and meditation have been practiced for thousands of years as means of healing and liberation. We honor these tools and believe they should be available to all especially vulnerable populations. 

Trauma Informed Lens:

Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk defines trauma as anything that impacts the nervous system in a way in which we are unable to cope or respond. There are various levels and types of trauma: acute, chronic, complex, individual, historical. We know that trauma is hard to define on so many levels but has the ability to disrupt all aspects of a person's and community’s health and wellbeing. 

Karuna Community MN believes that providing compassion based mindfulness tools such as yoga and meditation through a trauma informed lens is the safest and most sustainable for the populations served. Our facilitators* have an understanding of types of trauma, signs and symptoms, as well as a basic understanding of the criminal legal system, incarceration, and re-entry/recovery. We instruct using invitational, safe, and straightforward language. It provides awareness, control, grounding and autonomy for individuals. Our programs* can help participants create a sense of release from cycles of trauma, the feeling of stuck and lost of sense of self. Offering these tools in a controlled group setting creates community and connection providing another avenue for healing from trauma. 

*We use the term program/programming instead of “classes” and facilitator instead of “teacher” or “instructor” to limit a hierarchical structure and separation with participants and provide a more welcoming and community connection.