We are happy to announce the following 2022 Ayurveda School scholarship winners. Thank you for all your soulful and love-filled participation. We deeply appreciate all of the honesty and effort poured into the submissions. Our team watched every single video sent and felt truly inspired by many! Without further ado, below are some of the recipients of this year's 2022 winners and their testimonials.
Christine Hoaglund | Rosemount, MN
"My name is Christine and I live in Rosemount Minnesota. As a disabled veteran, I seek new ways to manage my injuries and help others with theirs. As a result, I decided to learn and live Ayurveda with the Shakti Ayurveda School. About 6 months into the program, I feel refreshed and excited. I'm learning new routines to implement into my life and the connection to Western medicine. After finishing Ayurveda school, I plan to counsel other veterans and those with limited resources."
Jordana Shay | New York | @iam.astory
"Hi, I'm Jordana! Originally from New York, I now live between Tel Aviv, Israel and Koh Phangan, Thailand, with my husband and two little ones. I am so grateful to have received a Shakti School scholarship and feel blessed to be part of such a wonderful empowering community. Ayurveda has helped me dive deep into spirituality from a feminine perspective and it is what anchors me to who I truly am.
My work is at the intersection between storytelling and spirituality. I am a self actualization mentor, story alchemist and soul purpose coach at @Iam.astory. I believe our lives are one epic story and our soul purpose is hidden in the pages of our lives. I help clients become a storyteller of their own life, so they can find their purpose and share their story with the world to change it for the better. This work includes busting through internal stories of shame and judgement we are telling ourselves, reframing them and rewriting them to embody our true story, which is one of love, courage and creativity. I integrate Ayurveda in my work through the mind-body-connection, meditation, and the exploration of the meaning of Svastha, to be stable in who we really are, in the chaos of life. I am also the founder of a new facebook group movement - Koh Phangan Conscious Co-living, to create a conscious co-living community for parents and children to blossom and self-actualize, because it takes a village to raise our children. You can follow me on Facebook here for I am a story... become a storyteller and Koh phangan, conscious co-living."
Natalie Hynd | Victoria, Australia | @wombyogawoman
"What a juicy year! I am thrilled to have been fortunate enough to be a partial scholarship recipient at Shakti School. I am fascinated with all of the ways to honour the body through these beautiful Ayurvedic practices. I am here to create the conditions that allow all life to thrive."
Lisa Tabea | Vienna, Austria
"My name is Lisa Tabea Vetter. I live in Vienna (Austria) and I am so glad to be part of the Shakti School Program Level 1. The goal of participating in this program is to support women, especially pregnant women, easing into their new role as a mom. I am an Ayurvedic chef, soon an Ayurveda Coach (certified by Shakti School), as well as an Ayurvedic postpartum doula, and I aim to finish my (birth) doula training within this year. The postpartum phase is a very sensitive one, the next 42 days will determine the health of the mother for the next 42 years. Mama and baby are so interconnected within this 42 day window, that anything that happens to mom, will happen to the child. I want to assist in this "sacred window", with Ayurvedic analysis, and by cooking Ayurvedic meals that help build rakta dhatu (blood tissue), aid their recovery, and rejuvenate them on all levels."
Mariana Peralta | New Jersey | Psychology Today
"I am a bilingual mental health practitioner who utilizes a holistic approach in my therapeutic service offerings, drawing from evidence-based modalities such as CBT, trauma-focused, and mindfulness. My culturally therapeutic strengths and empathetic approach support BIPOC identifying people over the age of 16, who are experiencing high functioning symptoms related to trauma, crisis, adolescent or family challenges, LGBTQ challenges, stress, depression, anxiety, and life transitions. I am a firm believer of continued learning, and most importantly learning with the intention to share the wisdom with my community so that others can be empowered and hence do the same with their loved ones and in their community. Overall, as I continue on this Ayurveda journey, my passion and honor is to integrate this science of life into my practice and share the beauty of Ayurveda with everyone I know who is open and willing to receive support."
Yesenia Perez | New York
"Hello Beautiful woman! My name is Yesenia, I am a latina woman born and raised in NYC. Why was I so drawn to this course? It's because I was intuitively living a lot of Ayurveda's philosophies and didn't even realize. It felt right being in this course, even though it took me a year to make the decision and move towards the goal. It truly feels like home for me. What I wish to do is simple, learn tools to live fully, while giving my soul permission to fly. I truly want "us", including myself here, to be fully in our power with grace and wisdom. If I can do this...this will be my service to others."
Cindy Ramirez | Monroe, New York | @cindyram1
"Hi! My name is Cindy Ramirez. I am very enthusiastic about holistic healing. I am a reiki and crystal therapist and also an Angel guide. I developed an interest for these healing modalities after being diagnosed with Asthma, Gerds and Chronic Sinuses as a result of the 911 terrorist attacks and quickly discovering that I am allergic to most medicines. Even with these practices I always felt like there was something missing. Until I discovered Ayurveda. I started doing some research and came across Shakti School and immediately felt at home, that I have found my tribe.
Ayurveda has helped me tremendously with all of my conditions to the point that I no longer need to take medication for my Gerds or Sinuses. I learnt how to eat better and to really listen to my body. I can proudly say that Ayurveda completely transformed my health and my relationship with my body. I now look forward to being able to share these life changing practices with other people and bring healing to so many people in need of it. It is my deepest dream to reach as many people as possible so they can just like I did, experience true lasting healing and set themselves free to enjoy a more happy and fulfilling life.
I am forever grateful for this amazing opportunity and for the gift of health that I received from Shakti School. It is amazing to belong to such a community and feel all this love and support."
Bhanu Thandavan | Chennai, India
"I am Bhanu Shankar. I am an educator. I live in Chennai , India and have had various brushes with Ayurveda. When you live in India you constantly hear Ayurveda and you will be given Ayurveda medication which might sometimes be so commonly prescribed. I also did a little bit of Ayurveda when I did my yoga certification program.
What has been a super strong pull of Shakti School is the way Ayurveda has been taught. It is very open, very exploratory, no 'one fix fits all' approach. So I just find that parochial attitude in some Indians who may say 'Ayurveda is ours'!
I am also most comfortable with the way it’s being explained. I have met Ayurveda teachers who come with so many beautiful attributes. However, not every Ayurveda practitioner can make a great teacher like Katie is. Also, sometimes, some Ayurveda teachers are not comfortable with English and that can be a barrier to communication for someone like me- urban city dweller who's lived in various parts of India. Also, Ayurveda is life itself, it's wellness and if you make it prescriptive, you take the magic out of Ayurveda.
So to actually understand and practice Ayurveda, one needs to love the practices and feel ever so grateful for being a part of this whole universe. This is what makes me feel ever so grateful to be part of Shakti School. Thank you for putting up with my tardiness, my non-communication, my inability to be in any online classes as I live in a different time zone. This makes the recorded versions the only way to catch up.
I can just say that I feel super grateful. I went through my journey with Breast Cancer in 2017 and I am super grateful to love just every part of myself. I may not have a breast, I have a slightly swollen arm that I talk to constantly, asking the lymph fluids to drain away and honest to God, they seem to listen to me. I just feel so much more powerful and at the same time surrender to the universe when I go through the classes of Shakti School. Thank you all for making this possible for me."
Anu Lukose-Budde | Munich, Germany | @anubudde
"Hi, I’m Anu and I live in Munich, Germany with my husband and our two beautiful boys. When my children were very young, I was always looking for the most holistic way of caring for them. Some of the challenges we had were considered 'normal', but I kept searching for a better way. My research and passion for the “better” way, led me to become a trained Functional Nutritional Therapy practitioner, wherein I learned how our body systems are interconnected and how our food and lifestyle choices affect them.
In the years that followed, I went on to learn how to interpret Hair tissue mineral reports as well as blood chemistry to have objective information about the nutritional status and optimal functioning of the body. Being Indian, I had heard about the doshas and Ayurvedic powders and potions before. But it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I got hooked, when I was introduced to the subtle aspects of Ayurveda and its influence on the body and spirit. This is a piece I look forward to adding to the healing equation – regulating the nervous system to create space for healing to occur.
I'm deeply grateful for this opportunity to study Ayurveda at Shakti School; to use the practices on myself and my family so I can better serve my community. I look forward to organizing and hosting seasonal group cleanses."
Heidi Harrabi | Austin, MN | @sister.moon.temple
"My name is Heidi Harrabi and I live in the small town of Austin in the state of Minnesota. I am a Yogini, Priestess and Shamanic healer who has dreams and visions of creating a Temple - a healing place for women that brings alive all forms of feminine Ancient Wisdom. I've had this dream for as long as I can remember and have been a follower of ancient feminine practices since I was a young girl. I currently have a practice working with women 1:1 and have aspirations to move to group programs. I was beyond blissed out to find a Feminine Form Ayurveda School! Shakti School is one of the BEST things that has happened to me and is helping me to bring this big vision of mine to LIFE!"
Tami Bartels | Livingston, MT | @mahan_shanti_kaur and Knot Perfect Health
"Who I was when 2022 began and who I am after seven months in Shakti School are practically two different persons. Over my nearly 40 years of this incarnation, I have gained degrees in psychology and certifications as a coach, yoga and mindfulness teacher, and nutrition educator. Yet the personification of coming home to myself, the practices of self-care, and the application of genuinely holistic wisdom have come through the teachings of Ayurveda. As I continue to Level 2 of Shakti School, I plan to incorporate Ayurvedic lifestyle practices within my life as daily rhythms, the seasons of nature, and the moon cycle. I want the embodiment of wisdom throughout my spiritual, emotional, and physical being, as well as in my environment, relationships, and pursuit of financial abundance. I will create a coaching practice with supportive and appropriate tools to help others develop their best life now and in the future. I believe each person deserves to feel as good as possible, and Shakti School lessons deliver the “how to” guide to get us there."
Meagan Maxwell | Nevada | @her.light.ayurveda
"I have always loved to learn. I love surrounding myself with books, nature, and the mystical parts of spirituality that reach into a person's heart and say “hello.” When I first started my healing journey, I felt as though I had lost touch with the things that brought me joy. The pieces of me that inspired creativity, sparked curiosity, and soothed my soul dimmed to embers. As I recently stepped into the role of being a first-time Mother, the tugging of my heart needing to connect to my light could no longer be ignored. This longing guided me to Shakti Ayurveda School. The rich, deeply rooted wisdom that Ayurveda contains has been a gift to learn. Shakti Ayurveda School has gracefully given me the opportunity to learn in a way that honors who I am, where I come from, and the experiences that have brought me to where I stand today. I plan to use my education to be a heart-centered Ayurvedic Wellness Coach. I am truly looking forward to offering space for others to learn about Ayurveda, how to bring its teachings into their daily lives, and provide opportunities to cultivate a loving connection to their own inner light of knowing."
Melissa Maxwell | Rockville, MD | @wellbymelissa
"I'm Melissa Maxwell, certified holistic health coach, 500-hour yoga teacher, Crossfit Level 1 Trainer, and mama of two. I have been teaching women how to build sustainable habits around daily self care, mindful movement and intuitive eating for over a decade through 1-on-1 coaching, group programs and workshops. I originally enrolled in Shakti School to be able to incorporate Ayurveda wellness into my coaching offerings, expecting a traditional course experience. Little did I know that this experience would change how I approach my own health- very timely as a recently postpartum mama. I am eternally grateful for everything I've already discovered about myself- body and mind- and my new passion for living and teaching others how to design a Healthy, Happy, Sexy life."