Kara Schmidt, Certified Yoga Instructor

Yoga studies 1997 – Present
Yoga teaching 2001 – Present
Anusara®-Inspired™ Instructor

I took my first yoga class in January of 1997. I was in my early twenties, feeling restless and unfulfilled. I was looking for a spiritual practice to give me guidance. Through Kripalu Yoga classes with Jenny Bartlett in Elkhart, I began to catch glimpses of the person that I wanted to become - someone at home in her own skin. I continued my yoga practice as regularly as I could with Jenny and after a few years began to expand my exploration with other area teachers, such as Teji (Ruth) Dilley and Jo Ulrich.

Through yoga I began to tap into parts of myself that I had forgotten. I gained confidence and began to feel more creative. The significant impact yoga had in my life gave me the desire to share it with others. In 2002 I began Hatha Yoga Teacher Training through All People Yoga Center in Indianapolis under the direction of Nancy Schalk. As a part of the requirements for Teacher Training, I had to explore different teachers and styles of yoga. It was through this process that I discovered Anusara® Yoga. In my first Anusara® Yoga class, I knew I had found what I had been seeking. The life-affirming philosophy, emphasis on community rather than competition, and the alignment principles brought so much clarity to my body and my practice – I was hooked.

Since then, almost all of my yoga practice, study, and teaching has been in Anusara® Yoga. I have had the great fortune to study with some of the best Yoga teachers in the world, including John Friend, Jamie Allison, Desiree Rumbaugh, Betsey Downing, Todd Norian, Sianna Sherman, and Martin and Jordan Kirk. Through these and other wonderful teachers, I have not only learned much about the art of teaching but also expanded my personal understanding of the Anusara® philosophy and practice.

I opened the Spacious Heart Yoga studio in 2004 and moved full time into teaching in 2008. The studio and full-time teaching provides me with the opportunity to do the things I love most, studying anatomy and learning the beauty and intricate workings of the body, helping people feel better, meeting new people and making new friends. When I’m not at the studio, I love gardening, biking, being outside, hanging with friends, traveling, reading and spending time with my husband, Andrew.

Also instructing at Spacious Heart Yoga:

Rachel Inks

Angie Nisley

Jo Ulrich

Sheri Bontrager

Meet the Spacious Heart Yoga apprentices:

Karen Chandler