Teacher Bios
"Through the sacred initiation of Parampara, the time-tested wisdom of Yoga is passed down from teacher to student in an unbroken lineage of dedicated practitioners inspired by love and service"
Karen Weber-Manz, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, YACEP, LMT is a Parayoga Teacher, Certified Yoga Therapist & devout Bhakti who has been teaching Yoga since 2002. Karen is proud to be a part of a time-tested, living lineage of Himalayan Masters. Her classes focus on building awareness through mindful movement & breath, creating the condition for a stable mind. With emphasis on bandha, kriya, meditation & mantra she helps guide students toward Self-realization. She co-owns Garaj-Mahal Studios in Batavia, IL with her husband & Yoga Photographer Mitchell Manz. In 2014, she founded & created Fox Valley Yoga Teacher Training’s 200 & 500 hour programs. She leads Blue Lotus Kirtan & is blessed with 3 beautiful children. She has recently authored a coming-of-age, YA SciFi/Fan novel called The Secrets of Arcane Kingdom. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book go directly in support of Annamrita Foundation a program serving nourishing meals to children in India. For more information please visit www.karenweberyoga.com
Luke Wilczak E-RYT 200 holds a B.S. degree in Philosophy and is actively pursuing an M.A. degree in Philosophy from Northern Illinois University. In addition to philosophy, his undergraduate studies have thoroughly surveyed modern science, including human anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, and physics. Luke has been studying yoga and meditation for several years, primarily with the Himalayan Tradition of Yoga; he has been able to train and study in the USA and India with a living tradition.
Through study and practice, Luke has developed a reverence for the wisdom within the teachings of yoga: in his life, he strives to make these teachings a living reality.