Lisa Prajna Hallstrom is a teacher, singer, and spiritual counselor with a PhD in Hinduism and Buddhism from Harvard University.
She has taught at Smith, Mt. Holyoke and Bard Colleges and has facilitated personal growth workshops for many years as well as the Women's Spirituality Program at Interface in Cambridge, MA. She is the founder of an educational consulting firm called Karuna Consulting, offering training in mindfulness-based social and emotional learning and peace studies for pre-K through 12 schools. “Karuna” is the Sanskrit word for compassion and the mission of Karuna Consulting is to help teachers and students to water the seeds of compassion in their lives.
Prajna’s spiritual path integrates Hindu mysticism and bhakti yoga, Tibetan Buddhism, and earth-based spirituality. In the course of her journey, Prajna has studied with many spiritual teachers and, through the gifts she has received as well as the disillusionments, she has come to discover the power of a direct relationship with the divine, in particular with the Divine Mother.
Her book, Mother of Bliss: Anandamayi Ma (1896-1982), published by Oxford University Press (1999), is now available in paperback. Her upcoming book, The Gospel of Shri Anandamayi Ma: Conversations with the Divine Mother, will be available in 2021. For many years, Prajna lead kirtan in the Boston area. Her first live kirtan CD entitled “Jai Ma!” is available through CD Baby.
Prajna leads monthly gatherings called Ma Satsangs on Zoom to honor and share the teachings of the great spiritual being, Anandamayi Ma. She currently lives with her husband, Ted, in Amherst, MA, and enjoys connecting with her children and grandchildren.
shaktimata108@gmail.com