Guru Surya Kaur Khalsa is passionate about helping people understand health and vitality, both personal and collective. “Gu” is darkness and “Ru” is light - going from not knowing to knowing. “Surya” literally translates as Sun, but also refers to energy and effervescence. Guru Surya felt her calling as an educator when she was a teen. She has been teaching outdoors since 1996, during which time she was studying for a B.S. in Natural Resources. Wanting to share with others the awe she feels when outside lead her to complete a M.Ed. in Outdoor Education. As an Environmental Educator in the Willamette Valley for over a dozen years she has helped hundreds of people experience the natural world.
She is also a certified kundalini yoga teacher. In this capacity she has been helping humans assess their true selves and heal. Since 2016 Guru Surya has been practicing and teaching the art of mentoring with 8 Shields via bird language and core routines of nature connection. Bringing trauma informed care practices into her classes, Guru Surya facilitates from a whole-person perspective, recognizing that everything is connected! These days, when she’s not teaching for Saturday Academy she’s probably in the woods mentoring youth, teaching yoga or playing with her dog, Jiji.