Karla Castillo is an engineer by day and a student, practitioner, and teacher of the most subtle aspects of yoga, Ayurveda, and Vedic philosophies at all times. She brings her calm and relaxed personality and discipline to her teaching, creating an environment that allows her students to confidently immerse themselves in the deeper benefits of the practice. Her teachings connect you to the roots and origins of these ancient wisdom traditions.
Karla infuses empathy, compassion, and authenticity into every practice, workshop, and training, creating a comprehensive, relaxed, and tranquil experience that leaves her students feeling renewed, grounded, and connected to their true essence.
Her practices blend Vinyasa, Haṭha, Yin, and Restorative yoga, incorporating the wisdom of Ayurveda and Vedic philosophies. These practices foster a connection between body, mind, spirit, and the natural rhythms of nature.
This connection to nature's rhythms helps students find the equanimity needed to transcend the physical level of practice and connect with deeper levels of consciousness, allowing them to discover the inner peace that can extend into every aspect of their lives.
Karla firmly believes that yoga can be integrated into daily life, enabling us to cultivate a clear mind and make conscious decisions that contribute to the harmony of our surroundings. She emphasizes practicing without attachment to outcomes, as it is in releasing a specific result that we allow our entire being to fully emerge in the practice.
Originally from Nicaragua, Karla earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Astrophysics from the University of Arizona. She began practicing yoga in 2010 as a way to cope with a stressful work environment. Like many new practitioners, her first introduction was to the physical aspects of yoga: the postures, or asanas. Gradually, she began to notice that the benefits of yoga transcend the physical practice; they create a connection to our inner wisdom, allowing us to reconnect with the essence of who we truly are. This connection reminds us that our true nature resides in peace, love, and harmony. The harmony gained from the practice of yoga begins to permeate all aspects of our lives and the lives of those around us. Experiencing these deeper benefits of the practice sparked her curiosity, leading her to undertake her first yoga teacher training in 2018.
When she enrolled in that initial training with YogaWorks, her intention was not to become a yoga teacher but to deepen her understanding of yoga for personal growth. By the end of the training, she was eager to learn more; the training had planted a seed that was slowly flourishing into a tree of knowledge. This hunger for greater understanding led her to complete the professional 300-hour YogaWorks certification. It was during this illuminating journey that she discovered the subtle aspects of the practice, where we connect to our inner wisdom, which in turn reconnects us with our true essence and enables us to contribute to universal harmony. Halfway through this training, she realized that the wisdom and benefits of yoga must be shared; it would be selfish to hold on to this knowledge. However, she also recognized that marginalized communities, who could benefit the most from yoga, often lack access to it.
She began teaching voluntarily to ensure that everyone could access the benefits of yoga. She brings the practice to low-income communities and individuals with Parkinson’s disease. It is her mission to ensure that everyone has access to this transformative practice. She never turns anyone away simply because they cannot afford it; she always welcomes them with open arms and a warm smile.
Karla is a yoga instructor, therapist, and Āyurvedic guide, as well as an eternal student of Vedic philosophies. She integrates these wisdom traditions to reconnect her students with the true origins of these ancient practices. Through Yoga Cikitsā (yoga therapy rooted in Āyurvedic teachings), she helps students slowly reconnect with the natural rhythms of nature, enabling them to find equanimity, health, and wisdom in all areas of their lives.
She has studied in Southern California and India (Kerala, Goa, Rishikesh) with teachers and guides who focus on returning to the true origins of these practices.
Yoga is a transformative practice accessible to everyone.
