Direct Realization Tantra Teacher & Author

About Kara-Leah

Kara-Leah is a dedicated Tantrika and yoga teacher, and the founder of Joy Rebel Tantra, born out of 20 plus years of study, practice & teaching.

Kara-Leah is a dedicated Tantrika, yoga teacher, coach and mentor, guiding practitioners and teachers through the lens of Joy Rebel Tantra. She has worked with thousands of students worldwide over the past twenty years.

A prolific communicator, Kara-Leah studied journalism in the mid-90s and spent years as a journalist, editor, and speechwriter before turning her full attention to teaching, mentoring, and writing. She has authored three books, thousands of articles, and hundreds of videos, and was the founder of The Yoga Lunchbox, New Zealand’s largest yoga website at the time.

Since 2015, Kara-Leah has led 40+ retreats and trainings, including the Direct Realization Training, which guided 100+ students through a training in Śakta-Upāya (The Empower Means to Liberation).

For yoga teachers and dedicated practitioners seeking ongoing, direct mentorship, she offers the Joy Rebel Club, a small-group, real-time container for deep transformation.

Kara-Leah’s approach is rooted in direct experience, radical insight, and unwavering presence. She successfully integrated Kundalini Awakening and now coaches and mentors others in navigating their own path. She completed a 1000-day Ucchāra practice in 2021 and continues to deepen her embodiment of Trika Shaivism.

After two decades away, Kara-Leah recently returned to Canada and now lives in Nelson with her teenage son, establishing a new chapter in her life and teaching.

Kara-Leah honours her teachers for their ongoing support on this journey, via their teachings, practice and lived example: Harshada, Shiva Rea, Christopher Tompkins, Christopher Wallis, Artemis and Bhairav and Satya Ji.

Contact Kara-Leah

Joy Rebel Coaching with Kara-Leah

Kara-Leah has worked with hundreds of clients and students as a mentor & coach. She helps people identify and dissolve their conditioning, reprogram their operating systems (psyches), and step into their desired experience of life. Her focus is on supporting clients to open to the Joy of Awareness, available in every moment, whilst strategically navigating the inevitable challenges of life. She has a laser-sharp ability to identify the old wounds and mindsets keeping people stuck, and ways to support their immediate dissolving.

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What People are Saying

“Kara-Leah has been pivotal to keeping me on track with my business and awakening to the programmes that are hijacking my true essence.  It was a regular check in that really boosted my awareness and gave me that much needed wake up call, on a regular basis, in many areas.. I loved it because it was little often and then monthly a deeper dive session – a perfect balance. I loved being able to leave voice messages, and at times, when in ‘crisis’ and her uber helpful responses came in a timely and big time helpful manner – in a way that makes you grow and I believe that’s the shizzle!. Kara-Leah was epic, as always to work with. She is the most real, authentic and quite frankly life changing ‘help’ I have ever had. I can’t speak highly enough of her work, commitment to it and her clients.“
JennieMentoring Client
“I first encountered Kara-Leah through a yoga training course. I was going through a bit of an awakening in my own life and fighting it at every turn. She was a gift that showed up right when I needed it the most. Immediately upon meeting her, I felt safe and her presence gave me the realization that I did not need to go through this alone. Her guidance and support has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. My work with Kara-Leah has allowed me to fully step into my own personal power, enabling me to walk through life as a witness, with less attachment Creating a new found trust of the unknown has provided me the foundation to further explore new adventures. The work Kara-Leah does is important, we all deserve the opportunity to heal.”
BethMentoring Client
“Kara-Leah’s personal awakening journey allows her to give a grounded perspective on matters that most traditional therapists have little to no experience navigating. I would highly recommend Kara-Leah to others who are seeking comprehensive support while riding out a Spiritual journey.”
GeorgeKundalini Awakening Client
“I have listened to your podcast over the last few years and loved every episode, you have provided so much insight and wisdom (plus tears and laughter) which has been the catalyst for many amazing moments of reflection and inspiration.  I just wanted to drop you a line after listening to your latest episode to thank you so deeply for what you share, this episode helped clarify so many things in my mind, the way you articulated the journey (that’s not in fact a journey haha!) was so profoundly powerful, deep and yet absolutely simple. I am so grateful. Thank you for sharing your experience with an open heart.”
KatPodcast Listener
“Kara-Leah was quickly able to see and understand the challenges I was experiencing, see what was needed and give me the practical tools to implement into my life to make the difference.”
Ben WarrenFounder BePure Health