Today we’d like to introduce you to Keval Kaur Khalsa.
Hi Keval Kaur, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am many things:
– A Sikh, a yogi, a spiritual being in this human incarnation;
– A white, heterosexual 67-year old woman;
– A daughter, mother, grandmother, wife;
– A movement professional, teacher, teacher trainer, mentor, business owner;
– An enthusiastic student of life.
I was born and raised on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg – Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples, otherwise known as Lansing, Michigan. Water has always been an important part of my life – the Grand River that flowed through Lansing; the lakes and rivers in northern lower Michigan; the Great Lakes. I now live on the ancestral lands of the Tuscarora, Occoneechi, Tutelo and Haliwa-Saponi peoples, otherwise known as Durham, North Carolina. The river that flows through my life now is the Eno River, and I treasure visiting Ocracoke Island and witnessing the power of the Atlantic Ocean.
I love being in a human body (which is 60-70% water) and I love embodied expression, be it dance, singing, chanting, yoga. I love teaching – helping people to be more at home in their bodies and experiencing the body as a vehicle for Spirit. As an elder, my focus is now on mentoring young people so that the embodied knowledge and wisdom I have learned and experienced can be passed on.
Being in this human body allows us to literally stand up for what we think is right. In this moment on earth, we need to stand up for our Mother Earth, for justice and equity, for the basic rights of all humans and the species that can’t advocate for themselves.
I believe we are here on this earth to enjoy life and to be a lighthouse for others.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I have been blessed with good health and the opportunity to do work that I love.
I have benefitted from white privilege, being born into a middle-class family in the US in the 1950’s, and coming of age at a time when it was still very affordable to access higher education.
As a young adult, I experienced inner struggles that came from a lack of connection to something bigger than myself. It wasn’t until my early 40’s that the practice of Kundalini Yoga and the path of the Sikh faith were revealed to me, and I found the deeper connection for which I was unknowingly yearning.
Now, in a greater sense, I see misperceptions, misunderstanding, close-mindedness and a lack of education as the greatest obstacles in life. From these sources spring all the “isms” that, if left unacknowledged and unchallenged, lead to systemic injustice, conflict, war, genocide.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
For 32 years, I was a member of the Duke Dance Program faculty, teaching courses in dance, theater for social change, and yoga. The position at Duke opened up via work with my dance mentor Clay Taliaferro, to whom I’m eternally grateful. For 19 years, I was co-Artistic Director of 2 Near The Edge dance company with my collaborator L.D. Burris. Co-creating and performing with L.D. was a true joy. We did a lot of educational work, and my favorite audience was always young people.
Through my passion for working with young people I discovered the non-profit organization Y.O.G.A. for Youth and the amazing woman who would become my yoga mentor, Krishna Kaur. I have been affiliated with Y.O.G.A. for Youth for 18 years and counting in a number of roles – Teacher, Teacher Trainer, Mentor, Director of Programming in North Carolina, Board Member.
Currently, my work flows from my studio — Kundalini Yoga Durham. The studio was built in 2018 behind our home in the Morehead Hill neighborhood in southwest central Durham. My vision for the studio was an inclusive, welcoming, cozy, sustainable space to foster community around the practices and lifestyle of Kundalini Yoga. I wanted a space where I could train Kundalini Yoga teachers and Y.O.G.A. for Youth teachers as well as offer donation-based community yoga classes and special events. I am blessed that this vision is now a reality.
What matters most to you?
My Sikh faith is both an expression of my values and a methodology for living those values. According to the Sikh worldview, we all come from One Source, and we all have a direct connection to that One Source. So I try to remember that all my thoughts, words and actions have a ripple effect. From the Sikh viewpoint, each of us has the ability to cultivate our relationship with Source, and it is a living, dynamic relationship. It matters very much to me to cultivate this relationship through my daily yoga/meditation practice, through my interactions with others, through my honest work on self-knowledge and self-acceptance, and through my work serving my family and community.
As a Sikh, lifelong learning is important, as is serving one’s community and standing up against oppression/for those who are being oppressed. It’s both my responsibility and desire to expand my knowledge of the histories of oppression in this country and beyond so that I can advocate for change. Aligning with organizations that are working towards a more sustainable and just present and future matters to me, and is why I’m a longtime member and current Board member of NC WARN, working to build people power for energy and climate justice.
Pricing:
- Community Classes are donation-based: Suggested donation of $14/class, $7 fulltime student/limited income
- See Kundalini Yoga Durham website for pricing for Level I and Level II Teacher Training courses, Y.O.G.A. for Youth Teacher Training course, and special events.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kundaliniyogadurham.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kundaliniyogadurham/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kundaliniyogadurham
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keval-kaur-khalsa-10a2621a/
