yoga teachers
Featured
Featured
Featured
Cara Kalnow is the Creator of Soul House. While traveling in Bali in 2017, she birthed the vision to offer a "retreat center" in Chicago, to create a safe space to center and heal and apply that integration into everyday life.
Cara is a teacher of the Healing Arts, offering Reiki healing and Reiki certification courses, yoga and meditation classesCara's classes are mindful and soulful in nature. They invite you on a journey within to connect to the simple truths of life and your most authentic self. She believes each living person has a specific purpose to their life, designed by their soul. Her goal is to assist in establishing a deeper connection to that purpose and soul identity.
Cara is first and foremost a student of metaphysics with a Masters in Philosophy from University of St. Andrews (hello Prince William, a fellow classmate!). She's a 200hr yoga alliance certified Yoga & Meditation instructor through YogaSix. Cara received her Reiki Master & Teacher certification in both Usui & Karuna® Reiki from Atma Biolfield Therapuetics and Holy Fire® Reiki for World Peace from William Rand, the Founder of The International Reiki Alliance. All Reiki courses guided by Cara are part of The Reiki Professional Program certified by The International Reiki Alliance. Cara often sprinkles Reiki into to her yoga classes and most enjoys connecting with the true essence of the lovely yogis, students and Reiki receivers coming through Soul House :). Sat Nam!
Yoga Teacher & Sound Healer
Aja considers space-holding to be both an honor and an art, and strives to create a sacred container for others to feel held and supported in their healing journey.
Aja began her yoga practice 12 years ago in an effort to cope with childhood trauma, substance abuse, and undiagnosed ADHD. Aja has since completed 500hrs of yoga training with the Zen Den Yoga Yoga School and Sacred Paths Yoga, as well as additional training in trauma-informed yoga therapy and is a Level II practitioner of the Usui Reiki lineage. Her goal is to encourage students to practice from a place of curiosity and compassion while investigating the power of breath-work, movement, mindfulness, and stillness. She is dedicated to helping others cultivate self-awareness and learn to alchemize life in ways that support personal growth, intentional living, and the continued evolution of our collective consciousness. She strongly believes yoga can help us take radical responsibility for ourselves so we can become more effective agents of positive change in our immediate and global communities.
Aja’s classes vary from long restorative meditations and gentle flows to challenging vinyasas, and are introspective, light hearted, and balanced. She enjoys continual learning and is currently receiving her license as a Ganja Yoga facilitator and training with Zen Shiatsu Chicago Massage School for her shiatsu massage license. In 2020 she was thrilled to be accepted into the restorative justice movement by joining Prison Yoga Chicago. She is currently the lead teacher for Division 6 of Cook County Jail and serves on the Board as the Fundraising Chair.
Yoga Teacher & Healer (Reiki & Inner Child)
Amy is honored to be part of the Soul House family, where her love of soulful movement, music, and meditation can fully shine. A seeker at heart, her spiritual curiosity was sparked early—thanks to her grandmother, who introduced her to astrology as a child. Over the years, that spark evolved into a deep and devoted practice rooted in yoga, energy work, and intuitive healing.
Since discovering yoga in 2002, Amy has been drawn to the way it harmonizes body, mind, and spirit. Her classes are known for their vibrant energy, heartfelt presence, and seamless sequencing that invites students into a moving meditation. Whether guiding a dynamic flow or a more grounding experience, she weaves music and intention through every practice to create space for inner connection and transformation.
A Reiki Master Teacher Trainer, Amy trained right here at Soul House and has studied a wide range of healing modalities across the U.S., New Zealand, and Canada—including inner child and womb regressions, past life and between-life work, and future self meditation. Her passion is helping others connect with their own magic through movement, stillness, and spiritual exploration.