Karen
Karen Kenney is the owner and director of Quest Yoga Studio. Karen grew up in Lawrence, MA and was introduced to yoga when she was a sophomore in college. She graduated from Boston University in 1990 and a year later moved to Los Angeles where she became a certified personal trainer, played Women’s Baseball for Mike Boyd (brother of former Red Sox pitcher – Oil Can Boyd) and later worked for her spiritual teacher and mentor, best selling-author, Marianne Williamson.
Karen explored yoga on her own through books and classes until 1996 when she traveled to Egypt on a spiritual pilgrimage with Marianne Williamson. Marianne’s yoga teacher was also on the trip and Karen was invited to practice with her. They rolled out their mats right across from the Great Pyramid of Giza. The dynamic energy of mystical Egypt combined with the postures, breath and meditation was one of the most powerful and healing experiences of her life.
In 1998, Karen returned to the East Coast and studied various styles of yoga before receiving her certification from the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. She then completed her teacher training in the Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga with David Swenson and Shelley Washington and also has received her Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training with Avantika Waleryszak.
She is a registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance and is a member of the Kripalu Yoga Teachers Association and the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She is also a certified Reiki practitioner and a Wellness Educator for the Concord Cooperative Market.
Karen is a certified Thai Yoga Bodywork Practitioner (Levels 1-4) and has studied directly with Kam Thye Chow, founder of the Lotus Palm School which is the foremost institution in North America specializing in traditional Thai Yoga Massage. She also assists Thai Yoga Massage Trainings at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY with Lotus Palm Senior Teacher, Shai Plonski.
Karen is the creator and host of “The Yoga Show with Karen” on Concord TV, Channel 22 – voted best CCTV SHOW in the 2010 Hippo Press! For the past seven years, “The Yoga Show” has brought free yoga classes into the homes of over 15,000 local residents, businesses and institutions in Concord, NH.
She is featured in two Quest Yoga DVDs: a “30 minute Yoga Flow & 15 minute Gentle Practice” and a “60 minute Vigorous Yoga Practice” that were filmed in beautiful Jamaica, by Damon Timm (Web Developer Extraordinaire).
She is also a motivational speaker, published author and a member of the New Hampshire Writer’s Project. She has studied with Barbara Abercrombie, Nancy Slonim Aronie, Natalie Goldberg, Mel Allen and Mary Carroll Moore. She is blessed to have the support of her incredible writing coach, Sarah Lovett. Karen is currently working on a memoir.
Karen is a vegan, animal lover and a passionate believer in animal rights. She is inspired by the tremendous work of all the local NH Animal Shelters, the Concord SPCA, the NH SPCA as well as the the amazing efforts of ADAR Rescue and ADAR New England. They are shining examples of Karma Yoga – selfless service in action. Please visit their websites to see all the beautiful animals that need a “furever” home or learn more about how you can help.
Karen continues her education by attending yoga workshops, classes and teacher trainings. She’s had the opportunity to study with many instructors from diverse traditions including: the beloved Sri Dharma Mittra whose grace and wisdom has forever changed her, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and his grandson Sharath Rangaswamy, Kathy McNames, David Swenson, Doug Swenson, Baron Baptiste, Todd Norian & Anne Greene, Rodney Yee, Rajashree Choudhury, Deb Neubauer, Kam Thye Chow, Shai Plonski and many gifted teachers at Kripalu, Omega and in the NH Yoga Community.
Karen also learns from her students, her own practice and from reading the wisdom of Eknath Easwaran, Swami Kripalu, the Bhagavad Gita, other yoga texts and books.
She is deeply grateful for the inspirational women that have taken her under their maternal and spiritual wings along the way: “Miss” Kae LeFebre, Daphne Rose Kingma, Marianne Williamson and Sarah Lovett. Karen’s life would not be the same without the love of these amazing teachers, mentors and friends. As a young woman without a mother, they have played a crucial role in shaping the person that Karen continues to become. With their support, grace and guidance ~ she hopes to keep shining the love and light that they’ve helped her discover.