We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Karuna Schwartz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Karuna below.
Karuna, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
My purpose is to bring the timeless benefits of meditation to as many people as I can in this lifetime. I came to meditation, like many people, with a little bit of skepticism and a lot of hope. I hoped that meditation would fix all of my problems, but of course, I realized very quickly that it wasn’t a magical elixir. Rather, it was something that took a little effort, time, and instruction. Over time, I have fixed all my problems with meditation. It doesn’t mean that life isn’t hard or unfair; I just know how to work with those moments in an entirely different and helpful way. I’m kinder to myself and others, and I aspire to be more thoughtful and present, whether I am with my friends, work colleagues, family, or out in the world. Those changes are 100% attributable to my meditation practice. Once I understood the mechanics of creating a meditation practice that I look forward to every day (especially when life gets hard), I knew that I wanted to share that gift with others. To be honest, I see a lot of pretty shoddy advice out in the world on how to meditate. I know, from my personal experience and the thousands of people I’ve taught and guided on Mind Oasis, that the methods I use are helpful for anyone wishing to befriend their mind.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Karuna Schwartz is a meditation and transformation guide who helps people connect with their heartfelt desire, life’s intention, and the healing art of mindfulness. She is the founder of Mind Oasis, a nonprofit online space that’s been on a mission to be the oasis of inspiration and connection for anyone aspiring to live well and befriend their mind through meditation since 2017. We offer tools and techniques for people to live a life without regrets and to transform their life experiences into fodder for lasting joy. Each day, we host Community Meditation, our signature program that offers live online group meditation for inspiration and developing consistency.
Through her annual Mind Oasis Meditation Immersion, Intermediate and Advanced Meditation Immersions, Meditation Retreats, and one-on-one coaching program, Karuna helps people live a life that inspires. A frequent contributor to Elephant Journal, it is her humor and no holds barred approach to life both on and off the cushion that makes her stories and offerings relatable for her readers and students.
At the midlife age of 46, the exact age her mom died unexpectedly, Karuna decided to pick up one of the most challenging sports in the world, mountaineering. Using the extraordinary combination of meditation, intention, and goal setting as the foundation for her athletic pursuits, she has climbed mountains and volcanoes in Central and South America, Africa, and a 20,000-foot remote mountain at the border of Tibet and Nepal. She is currently training to summit the eighth highest mountain in the world, Manaslu.
Raised in the Midwest, Karuna got to the mountains as fast as she could. She lives in Colorado with her husband, two dogs, one cat, and six chickens. She is currently working on her first book, “Circle of Intention: An Extraordinary Midlife Transformation Tool.” Connect with her at extraordinarykaruna.com or mindoasis.org.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The first and most important skill or bit of knowledge I received along my journey was the instruction of having a teacher. This is a Buddhist principle, that we learn best under the tutelage of a teacher. However, I have applied this to all aspects of my life. Rather than reading a book or downloading an app, I found a wonderful meditation teacher and a profound Buddhist teacher. I have a training and nutrition coach and mentors for my mountaineering expeditions. I feel strongly that when we undertake something new, teachers are the way to go!
The second quality that has helped me along my journey is my athletic pursuits. From yoga to running to rock climbing and hiking, I believe that taking care of our bodies is essential for living a happy life.
And none of this would matter without the skills I’ve learned in my meditation practice. Without peace of mind, athletic pursuits, spiritual pursuits, and life itself isn’t nearly as sweet!
How would you describe your ideal client?
I love teaching the Mind Oasis Meditation Immersion. It’s hosted in the fall every year and it is online so people can join from anywhere in the world. We offer two different times to accommodate most people wherever they are. Ideally, people who join the Immersion are meditation-curious. It is a profound experience whether you have a beginning practice, no practice, or have had a meditation practice for years. The method I’ve developed is based on ten stages as presented in The Mind Illuminated by John Yates, PhD, plus the training I’ve received. The Immersion is nourishing and inspiring. It offers step-by-step instructions for getting and keeping a meditation practice that is as helpful off the cushion as on the cushion. Ideal clients are interested in finding more peace of mind and presence in their home, at work, and out in the world.
Some of our clients opt to become meditation guides themselves. They are the volunteers who host Community Meditation, our daily live online group meditation sessions on Mind Oasis.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mindoasis.org
- Instagram: /extraordinarykaruna
- Facebook: /themindoasis
- Youtube: @themindoasis4224
- Other: Immersion: https://bit.ly/MindOasis-Medi-Immersion-2024
Image Credits
Mind Oasis Community Meditation Guides: Flavia and Alexis.
Flavia has the dark hair. Both photos are good to use.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
