Have you ever tried to change a habit and found yourself hitting a wall? Or maybe you’ve explored a dozen paths, but none seem to fit just right. There’s a reason for that tension between what you want and what you actually do, and it’s not just willpower.
This course is designed to help you shift from the inside out, using self-compassion as your secret ingredient.
Let’s be honest, it takes guts to meet yourself exactly as you are, while still dreaming about where you want to go. Through the foundation of mindfulness, we’ll build self-kindness and insight, unpack the inner critic, and shine a light on those protective shadows that keep us from real change. Only when we can truly sit with how we are can we start to respond in ways that support our needs and move us closer to our goals.
This free online course is designed for young adults surfing the waves of life, seeking balance and a little more ease. You’ll get weekly live classes, practical instruction, guided resources, community mindfulness practice, and reflective journal prompts.
No meditation experience required—just a willingness to show up for yourself.
What We’ll Explore Together:
How to spot and shift limiting self-beliefs
Using self-compassion to quiet the inner critic and stop shame spirals
Recognizing when you’re ready to let go
Why self-compassion can feel hard—and how to make it easier
Balancing tough emotions with kindness
How mindfulness rewires your brain for compassion
The Details:
Thursdays: Oct 30, Nov 6, Nov 13, Nov 20, Nov 27, Dec 4, Dec 11
7:00 pm – 8:45 pm ET
Free Registration, donations to Sarana Institute are always welcome
The recordings will be sent the day after if you can’t make it or want to tune in again.
Q&A:
Do I need to participate live?
No, you don’t need to, but we encourage it. Of course, the live calls will give you access to directly working with our facilitators and receiving peer support. Our Signal chat will also be active to support you in between calls to digest the material.
Do I need to be on camera?
Short answer: Yes. We really encourage the real you to come forward. The Shift happens when we can be real with ourselves. And, if you can’t have your camera on for whatever reason, you are still welcome to come.
Is there a replay?
Yes. The recording will be sent out the following day.
Our Facilitators
Andrew Blake is Registered Psychotherapist, Buddhist Chaplain, and Meditation Teacher. He’s also one of the Co-founders of Sarana Institute. He brings his decades of experience navigating the inner territory and how this reflects in our lives, his BIG capacity, and a really great laugh.
Maxine Iharosy has been teaching with Sarana Institute since 2017 as one of the core members for the Yana Program. She’s a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, and Embodiment Coach. Maxine brings her courage for inner transformation work, her heart and her depth.
Together, Maxine and Andrew have navigated many real moments in their relationship as co-teachers, co-workers, and members of Sarana. They bring their bond, honesty and skills to this workshop.
What is the Yana Retreat?
The Yana Retreat is founded on the principles of mindfulness, compassion, and awareness of food and nature. You will learn mindfulness practices that help you meet inner and outer challenges with greater acceptance and grounded intention. The retreat is supported by a network of facilitators, mentors, volunteers, and past participants who will encourage and guide you.
Through mindful listening and relational skill-building, you'll explore the impact of your family of origin and cultural experience. You'll connect with your relationship to food and the ecological crisis, and learn ways to address coping patterns that may no longer serve you, allowing you to expand into your potential.
This experiential retreat helps you understand the roots of your patterns and ignite positive change. The Yana Retreat offers a rare and essential opportunity to develop compassion for your limitations and conditioning while nurturing your strengths, supported by mentors, community, and the natural world.
The Yana Retreat is for anyone aged ~18-35 who wants to build a deeper connection with themselves, others, and the earth.
Join us for a weekend-long deep dive where together we’ll:
Learn mindfulness and meditation skills
Navigate emotions with compassion
Connect and listen with (and to) nature
Reflect inwardly on patterns, skills, and challenges
Nourish ourselves with locally sourced food
Explore the ways we want to grow in life
This is more than a mindfulness retreat.
What is Yana?
Yana is Sarana Institute's young adult-focused program serving those aged ~18-35. For us, it stands for 'Young Adult Nature Awareness', and yāna is also a Buddhist term meaning 'vehicle'’ We intend to provide a “vehicle” to ride the waves of life with these skills: mindfulness, compassion, nature connection, and food awareness. The Yana program offers online mindfulness and compassion courses, workshops, resources, and our in-person Yana Retreat in August.
Why is This Course Free?
The Lang Family Foundation sponsors our Yana programs. This supports us in reducing registration fees or even offering courses entirely for free! If you have the means to donate, we greatly appreciate it. Your contribution helps us to offset registration fees for the Yana Retreat further and provide bursaries for those who need financial assistance.
How Can I Donate to the Yana Fund?
After you submit your registration for this free course, you will be taken to our donation page. Any contribution helps! You can also directly donate here.