Karuna is the divine quality of compassion. Tenderness in feeling the pain of others and devoted action to alleviate suffering.
Beyond Renewal
with Paul Menard & Kristin Althea O’Connor
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Sunday, June 28th
12:30 pm - 2:30 pm
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
$180 for 2 hours of Shiatsu & Acupuncture
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A 2 hour personal shiatsu massage & acupuncture experience Relax and deeply unwind in this back-to-back shiatsu massage/acupuncture duo. This special offering is a chance to receive the ultimate therapeutic experience. You’ll get an hour of each modality: A Five Element Shiatsu session with Paul where he will help you bring your body into a brilliant, balanced ease. A Five Element Acupuncture session with Kristin to detox your body from buzzy energy and bring out a brighter you. Each session is dependent on what you bring into the space with you. These sessions are influenced by you, your needs, your current state, the season, and any other influences that show themselves.
Ravi Ravindra Returns
with a special talk & workshop
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(Fri, Oct 9th)
Spiritual Search & Scientific Research
a talk by Ravi Ravindra
(Sat, Oct 10th)
Practice of Yoga for Freedom from the Ego-Self
a workshop with Ravi Ravindra
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Spiritual Search & Scientific Research
The emphasis in this talk will be on the goals, intentions, attitudes and practices of the people engaged in scientific research or spiritual search. The purpose of spiritual search is a radical transformation of the searchers in order for them to be free of their egoistic self for discovering their essential unity with the Highest Reality variously called God, Brahman, Absolute or simply That.
In scientific research the quality of being of the scientist is irrelevant. Some highly regarded scientists have been wonderful human beings and some quite self-centered and fearful. And for some great scientists, scientific research itself has been a spiritual path. Precisely because of their large knowledge of the cosmos, they are able to appreciate the limitation of scientific knowledge and feel the call to be free of being excessively attached to our usual transient self. Here is a remark of Albert Einstein, certainly in harmony with all spiritual sages: "The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which he has attained liberation from the self."
Practice of Yoga for Freedom from the Ego-Self
In all spiritual teachings, the strong suggestion is that in order to be blessed by the mysterious spiritual energy coming from the Divine Source I need to be free of my attachment to me-me-me. This gets expressed in several different ways such as 'leaving your self behind', 'freedom from my fears and desires', 'dying to my attachments', 'dying to my ego-self', etc. In the Yoga Sutras the great sage Patañjali says: "Yoga is for cultivating samadhi and for weakening the hindrances... Samadhi is the state when the self is not, when there is awareness only of the object of meditation." [Yoga Sutras 2:2,3:3]. In this workshop we will explore in detail how the practice of Yoga can lead to freedom from our ego-self.
Shiatsu Training Program
starting Fall 2026
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Training Program led by Paul Menard starting September 14, 2026
Join the program to enrich current massage/bodywork practices or participants may like to become a Certified Shiatsu Practitioner through the AOBTA with additional anatomy credits.
View the new Shiatsu Training Page for more information.
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Join Paul Menard for a free sample of what the training has to offer before it begins later this fall.
Sunday, June 28th
10:00am-11:30am FREE
Affordable self-care & community connections.
Low-Cost Options
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Shiatsu with Paul
Experience a 5-Element Shiatsu treatment with Paul. This bodywork technique utilizes the applying of pressure with fingers & thumbs, along with techniques such as stretching & joint mobilization. It is often a method used as preventative care treatment & to enhance health. Shiatsu addresses imbalances of the vital energy of our body or Qi (pronounced “chee”).
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Acupuncture with Kristin
Join Kristin Althea O’Connor for regular 5-Element Acupuncture treatments on Wednesdays at Karuna. This treatment reaches the ROOT of the patient, helping achieve balance in all aspects of life to ensure you are thriving & not just surviving.
Pricing & Availability can be found on the Healing Arts page.
Wednesdays 10am - 1:30pm
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Daily Meditation
Karuna offers daily meditation as a free service to the community (donations are accepted). Mostly online but there are some days we come together in person. For a full schedule, links to attend, etc, click below.
FREE every Morning at 9am
Join our group today.
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Attend a Yoga Class
Karuna offers a myriad of classes throughout the course of the week. Classes are available in person, online, and a hybrid option of the two.
Are you ready for yoga?
View our full class schedule & more by clicking below.
Join Karuna & attend Berkshire Yoga Fest 2026
(at a discounted price!)
Online or In Person Appointments Available
Are you looking for individual instruction? Growth? Book a private session with Paul.
“Incredibly beautiful studio, and wonderful, masterful teachers! So grateful to be a part of this community.”
—Sarah B.
Karuna Offers Shiatsu & Body Work
What are the benefits of Yoga?
Yoga means union of body, mind and spirit. Many people in the West know of yoga as a collection of physical postures to be performed. In fact, yoga is one of the six major classical Indian philosophies, and it is a method for reducing suffering in all aspects of one’s life.
Benefits of Yoga
Yoga has many benefits. It promotes strength, flexibility, healthy breathing, relaxation, a sense of inner peace, increased mental focus, and healing from physical injuries and emotional pains. Whatever one’s primary reason for studying yoga may be, the longer one continues to practice yoga, the more its positive effects deepen, strengthen and multiply, bringing one into closer harmony with one’s true nature.
SCENT-FREE ZONE
Karuna Center for Yoga and Healing Arts is a place where all can enter safely. We request that you make an effort to refrain from using scented products. We understand the challenges of this request; please know that we are all in the process of increasing our awareness and sensitivity.
Please refrain from using any perfumes, colognes, scented oils (even natural ones), or aftershave—when coming to be a part of the space. Less obvious sources of fragrances include cosmetics, laundry detergent, fabric softeners, drier sheets, soaps, shampoos, hand lotions, face creams, deodorants, and sunscreen. Even air freshener, incense, and scented candle aroma can be absorbed in clothing and hair. Sweaters, jackets, and fabric purses will also pick up fragrances.
Thank you for being mindful and making Karuna a welcome space for everyone.
