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The story of SKaSTA
SHri Kali Sva-Tantra Ashram
1100+
Certified Students
18+
Years Established
Yoga Alliance
Certified Teacher Training Courses
>50%
Immersion Participants are Returning Alumni
Kaula Tantra
Traditional Tantra Teachings
Our history
Shri Kali Ashram (SKA) began as Shri Kali Publications from 1991 to 2021, resulting in two published works and several unpublished works. Afterwards, Ma Kristina encouraged Shanmukha to share his knowledge of Vedas, Agamas and Tantras and preserve the parampara or lineage at a sanctury or ashram, first in Koh Phangan, Thailand and then in Kudle Beach, India in 2017.
By 2020, SKA was one of the largest centers of Traditional Tantric learning in the world, with 1000's of certified teachers around the world and a vibrant residential community.
During the covid pandemic, Shri Kali Ashram was forced to pause its residential programs and Bhagavan Shanmukha left the organisation, relocated to Georgetown, Penang, and reopened as Tantra Mela. Ma Kristina continued to hold the Shri Kali Ashram community virtually.
In 2022, she collaborated with Whitney Wheelock and together they revived the Shri Kali system and opened SKaSTA Tantra Yoga Ashram in India in 2023.
Sva-Tantra Ashram
In 2019, Whitney opened Sva-Tantra Ashram in Bankikodla, a small village near Gokarna, Karnataka, South India. Whitney spent 10 years learning and eventually running the day to day programs at Shri Kali Ashram (SKA) .
In 2020, the covid pandemic interrupted international travel and Whitney returned to the USA to be with family and friends. In 2022, Whitney returned to India to explore various opportunities to reopen Sva-Tantra. It was during this time Ma Kristina and Whitney decided to rejoin and hold space for those looking for a place to explore traditional tantra.
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SKaSTA Tantra Yoga Ashram
In 2023, Toma Ivanauskaite joined Ma Kristina and Whitney as an integral member of the Shri Kali and Sva-Tantra Ashram leadership team. Later in 2023, Ma Kristina, Toma and Whitney official merged Shri Kali Ashram and Sva-Tantra Ashram and SKaSTA was born.
At SKaSTA we celebrate svatantra: the Divine's expression of her infinite, blissful potential. Non-dual tantra understands that YOU ARE the Divine. Devi, the creative (feminine) aspect of the Divine, is expressing Herself as YOU. At every moment you are Her celebrating your svatantra. Even if you don’t know it yet.
We share tantric, ayurvedic and modern perspectives and practices which allow us to dis-cover our ānanda: ever-present innate bliss. We share through āsana practice, active dialogues on traditional tantric topics, modern communication/relating modalities, introspection practices and more to dis-cover our ānanda.
Traditional systems understand that consistent, repetitive practice quickly integrates new habits and perspective. This ancient knowledge has recently been confirmed by studies on neuroplasticity which show new neural habits can be formed within a few weeks/months by consistent and repetitive activity in a relaxed environment (see the work of Profs. Richard Davidson, Wisconsin University and Gerald Hüther, Göttingen University). Through the practices at SKaSTA you will optimize your prāņic (vital life force), hormonal, and neuralogical processes to support a life of expansion and celebration.
The blissful absolute is celebrating her svatantra AS YOU. She/you chose to celebrate life here and now as this human being. Through prāņa optimising practices like āsana (physical postures), prāņāyāma (breathing practices), bandhas (internal contractions/holds), dhyānam (meditation), nyāsa (infusing the body with divine self-identity), etc. traditional tantra allows us to unveil ourselves and celebrate our innate bliss/ānanda/kāma.
Essence of SKaSTA
Tantra Yoga Ashram
PLAY, Celebration & Bliss
KRĪDĀ, LĪLĀ & ĀNANDA
Divine Potency
SVATANTRA
At SKaSTA we share that all aspects of life—joyful or scary, mundane or exotic—are expressions of the Divine’s blissful play. This perspective empowers us to celebrate life as the microcosmic version of the universal play.
Through Kaula Tantra tools and teachings, SKaSTA enables us to consciously re-condition and re-cognize our divine agency and infinite potential.
Community
KULA
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SKaSTA is home to a thriving residential community, where over half our members are returning alumni. We are also a global collective of affiliate schools and 1,000+ certified teachers worldwide.
Kula
COMMUNITY
SKaSTA is home to a vibrant residential community with decade-long returning students and a global network of 1,000+ certified teachers and centers worldwide.
What the Community is Saying
"I’ve spent 5 weeks with Whitney and Toma at Shri Kali Sva Tantra Ashram in Kovalam. I see it as profound time on my journey that went from states of deep bliss and divine recognition that morning rituals and evening asana practices brought me to, through the states of unbearable boredom & frustration I was truly fearful and avoiding to feel for a long time in my life. Recognizing that my lows are also bliss, that SHE, The Divine wanted to feel as me, was another layer of revelation and recognition. Throughout this whole time in the ashram I felt held, guided and supported by Toma & Whitney at the same time I was given enough space and freedom to explore and play as myself with and through myself, embracing everything that was moving beyond my comfort zone . I know this time here will significantly benefit my life, as it already is. From that standpoint I bow to the ancient wisdom of Kaula Tantra and those who share it 🙏🏻"
Agni Chandra, Portugal
