The Shakti School is inspired and deeply honored to offer scholarships each year. A huge thank you to every student for sharing your heart, your soul, and your love through your submissions, we see and deeply appreciate all the honesty and effort you put in. Now, without further ado, we’re thrilled to share some of the 2025 scholarship recipients and their wonderful testimonials!
If you'd like to apply for the 2026 Sacred Service Scholarship, click here.
Sofía Comadurán | Mexico City, Mexico | @sofiacomaduran
"Hello, my name is Sofia. I am a humanitarian worker and human rights advocate based in Mexico City. I found Ayurveda through my own personal journey, at a time when I couldn’t find answers and allopathic medicine didn’t make sense to me, especially for some of my chronic digestive issues and insomnia. Ayurveda, together with the practice of yoga, has been a beautiful path that has taught me to treat myself with care and tenderness. It has helped me connect with my inner rhythms and align them with nature, to understand the root causes of my symptoms, and to recognise how often I was mistreating myself without even realising it. I discovered that I cannot truly care for others or carry out my humanitarian work if I am not well myself. I also realised that many humanitarian workers and colleagues were experiencing symptoms similar to mine, women who were giving everything to the people we serve, while forgetting to care for themselves, often reaching deep states of imbalance and burnout. Over time, many colleagues have approached me seeking advice, a yoga class, or simply someone to listen to. Through those moments, I’ve had the opportunity to share a bit of Ayurveda’s magic with them. My purpose moving forward is to integrate my education in Ayurveda with my work in humanitarian aid and human rights. I want this work to be rooted in care and nourishment—to bring Ayurveda to more women who are trying to change the world, without losing themselves in the process. I also hope to share this wisdom with women whose human rights have been violated, who are fleeing, who are seeking solace, and who don’t know how to return to themselves. Ayurveda already lives within us. This inner wisdom just needs to be awakened. We simply need to listen to the body, mind and spirit, which often screams when we’ve ignored the subtle signs for too long."
Imelda Boxwell-Rodgers (aka) Mel Rodgers | California, Maryland, USA | holdingspace4u.com

Mariah Stratton | @mariahstrattonyoga

I was first drawn to Ayurveda about 5 years ago during my first yoga teacher training. I had studied bits and pieces of it over the years, incorporating small practices into my life, but never fully dove into studies as I knew it was a big commitment and honestly felt overwhelmed by the amount of depth/information Ayurveda holds. I tried an online course with another teacher but found it really dense and hard for me to grasp.
Then my friend recommended me to Shakti School and I was drawn to it right away! Now that we are half way through the year, I am really starting to notice how digestible the information is. The way they deliver the concepts- yes is challenging and a lot of information, but also I feel so nourished; like I am in good hands. The pace of the course is well thought out and it is so beautiful to be a part of their community also.
Right now I am happy with integrating the teachings into my own life, but as I progress and the wisdom deepens, I would like to expand my offerings; hopefully having my own space where I share yoga as well as offer Ayurvedic sessions.
Thank you so much to the Shakti School for everything you do, and what you embody! I am so grateful to be a part of this journey!"
Kamya Judith Bahner-Stidl | Europe

My name is Kamya and I live in Austria/Europe. I am so grateful that I received a part time scholarship and be incredibly happy joining the amazing Level 1 course. Feminine Ayurveda feels to me like a big Mama. In her arms there is place for all my education, skills, passions and life experiences. For example Yoga Teaching, Essential Oils for the Soul, Healing Song Chanting, Energy Medicine and some more. I'm in my sixties now and my personal goals for this period of life are: Aging healthy and gracefully, being connected to my womb power and connected to likeminded souls, living fully and totally my Shakti in all aspects. All this I want to share with other women and offer them my support on their way through Feminine Ayurveda. My vision is to create a holistic offer for postmenopausal women. I strongly feel the desire and need that the Divine Feminine rises and shines again. I want to contribute my part."
Laura-Elisa Vagt | Lübeck, Germany

It's like connecting to this deep part within me that was always there when I was a child.
As a little girl I already loved cooking & baking, mixing spices, being in nature, moving, exploring and seeing the world a bit differently. I remember admiring crystals and dressing up like an Indian in a sari. But growing up I thought it was not "normal" so i abandoned all of this. As a result and besides other experiences I ended up with mental health issues like anxiety, panic attacks, compulsions and Orthorexia since I was 10 years old.
After retiring from my career as a competitive ballroom dancer at the age of 25 years I felt like now is the time for change. That´s when Yoga & Ayurveda found me and I reconnected to my inner child, to my real me, my heart, to nature and to god."
Brenna Howell | Seaside, Oregon | tarotmudra.com

I have been wanting to go to a Thai Medicine and Massage school for a few years, and have decided to take that leap. I don’t think I would have done it, if not for Shakti School making both subtle and grand changes in me — allowing me to feel the calls within me, letting me tap into a deep sense of self.
I still plan to continue my studies in Ayurveda and will take Level 2 after a break. I feel like Ayurveda, Thai Yoga Bodywork, and teaching yoga, all go together and will make each modality stronger in me. This is a lifelong journey, as well as a calling. I am on my path. Thank you for creating such an amazing program!"
Paige Johnson | @yogilovebeads, @paigetharage & yogilovebeads.com

When chronic illnesses derailed my very active life, I turned to Ayurveda to find healing and it's through Shakti school that I've been able to gently, lovingly work with my body and the seasons to transform my physical wellbeing and shift my perspective around the nature of healing and being well. Shakti school has been a huge gift in my life as I find myself sinking into and integrating this incredible grandmother wisdom.
I hope to bring what I have found to be incredibly necessary wisdom surrounding our relationship to the seasons and our bodies into practice with those around me. I envision myself completing Level 1 and Level 2 and moving into a space where I am coaching other beautiful souls through the process of aligning with the world around them, unlocking digestive vitality, and accessing ancient Ayurvedic tools of longevity. I have already begun to see profound shifts in my own wellness and the desire to share this intuitive teaching with others is simply overflowing in my life. You may even see me launch my own cookbook down the road!"
Erin Jepson | Austin, Minnesota | @wildvioletcrystals

Tiffany Debnam | Westchester, NY

Once I became a Mom, taking care of myself was a new journey that I had to learn. Then to add Homeschooling on top of it was very interesting. I believe that pouring into yourself as a Mom is so important for you and for your children to see. Having the role of both the Mom and the Teacher will have its hard moments and learning how to manage your stress is key.
I would like to use my Ayurveda Education to help other Moms, especially Homeschool Moms. Homeschool Moms need selfcare tools. I would love to host workshops for them and be a resource. I also want to use my Ayurveda Education for myself first and teach my son some of the things I have learned as well."
Paige Johnson | Hobart, Tasmania, Australia | moonmojo.com.au

After years of struggling hormonally with acne, anxiety, disconnection from my body and amenorrhea (absent periods), a combination of dedicated yoga & meditation practice, emotional expression and support from an Ayurvedic doctor in Northern India led me down a path of healing. My cycle returned to regularity relatively quickly, and life began to feel more aligned and easeful. This personal experience sparked my deep love for and study of Ayurveda and the Yogic sciences.
Since completing my initial YTT in India, I’ve gone on to study Psychological Science, Manasomatic Energy Healing, additional Yoga training in Byron Bay, Astrology, and both relaxation and Abhyanga Massage. My work focuses on healing and reconnection to feminine wisdom, particularly through the heart and womb spaces.
Currently, I facilitate private and community yoga classes and offer holistic and Abhyanga massage treatments in Hobart. A dear Ayurvedic sister @bare.hands.ayurveda and I are also in the process of launching Introduction to Ayurveda courses and planning future retreats, where we will weave together our shared love for yoga, astrology and of course Ayurveda, in nourishing and holistic offerings.
Thank you, Shakti School, for the opportunity to study this sacred and transformative path—a powerful way home to the Self that has been deeply healing for me, and I trust will be for many others."
Jalisa Velji | Vancouver, Canada

My name is Jalisa. I joined Ayurveda school with the intention of deepening my understanding of mind-body healing, especially during a time when so many of us feel disconnected and overwhelmed. A bit about me... I dance bachata and heels, love exploring both locally and internationally (including time living in Mexico City), and can often be found with a good book in hand. This journey is part of a larger path of self-discovery, and I’m drawn to Ayurveda’s grounded, holistic approach to well-being. I hope to integrate this wisdom with yoga and reiki in the future, whether that’s through coaching, workshops, or community spaces that support others in reconnecting with themselves in meaningful ways. I’m incredibly grateful to be part of this scholarship community and excited for all that’s unfolding. I hope to meet some of my Shakti Sisters along the way, as well."
Chermaine Cole | Lithonia, GA | @peacefullychermaine, peacefullychermaine.com, stretchandthings.com & KEbotanicals.com

Perizat Menard | fairyflames.com (website under construction)

Maddy Walker | ravenvalletfarms.farm

Meredith Sink | Roanoke, VA | @meredithsinkart & meredithsinkart.com

Receiving a scholarship to attend Shakti School has been such a wonderful opportunity. I had no idea when applying just how deeply I would fall in love with Ayurveda. As a yogini, I’ve always been called to the subtle body and the inherent uniqueness of each person’s constitution. I’ve always been pulled toward the quiet. Through Shakti School, I’ve gained the confidence to listen to my quietest voice and re-evaluate the qualities of my life in the present moment. Each class has gently guided me deeper into myself and I look forward to continuing my studies in Level 2.
So much so that I’ve made a life-changing decision: I’m retiring from my 20-year career in hair to create the space to share these teachings with my community. I still don’t know exactly what that will look like, but I trust that my dharma is unfolding. I don’t have to know what comes next. I’ll just keep listening, observing, painting, creating, helping, loving, and serving—until the path reveals itself.
My only goal through this training is to return to my original self—happy, healthy, and filled with awe—so I can help others find their way there too."
Miora Acker | Berlin, Germany | @mioraacker_art

Jamie Mullen | Milwaukee, WI | @jamiem_yoga & jamiemullenyoga.com

Magda Pustelnik | Aarhus, Denmark | Facebook: Magda Pustelnik

Ashley Fox | Pennsylvania

Now, several months into the program, I couldn’t be more grateful for my decision to enroll. I’ve never felt so welcomed, so genuinely seen. Embracing my own divine feminine and learning to care for myself on every level has been life changing. It’s been the best gift I’ve given myself, and I cannot wait to share this timeless wisdom with the world."

And so, for the next few months, I paid particular attention to HOW I was eating.
I suddenly realized that I don’t need to do it all. 
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"Hello and Sat Sri Akal my sisters.
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"I have been in the healing/light worker career for over 25 years. I have learned many different modalities to help people and recently animals. I have always known the greatest gift is to LOVE. All of the help I have given others comes from my heart and from that love and the universal love.
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"I didn’t dream when a sudden inspiration two weeks after my 80th birthday led me to enroll in Shakti Ayurveda School how much it would enliven and enrich my life. A long-time meditator and Yoga practitioner, I’d been feeling like I’d lost my source of inspiration and enrichment but hadn’t found a place to turn. The words “Divine Feminine” Ayurveda studies lit me up and that light has just increased month after month. Studying with Katie Silcox and the teachers she’s so carefully selected has been challenging in all the best ways. I feel like I’m expanding in every direction and I’m excited to move into my second year of study.
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The practice of Abhyanga has been one of the most powerful and needed rituals for us both. Based on this, we have designed a beautiful line of products that bring this nurturing, loving, and compassionate self-care practice, into your Dinacharya. We created our 'Everything Abhyanga Box’ based on our need to have a more simplified Abhyanga practice. Included in this box is a: Tri-doshic Body Oil, Oil Warming Jar, Sugar Shower Scrub, an all cotton Body Wrap/Sarong with a matching Scrunchie, and an instructional card. We have found that having all of this accessible to us has made it easier to reap the benefits of oil and love into our bodies.
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"Working in the field of healthcare for over 14 years, Lauren witnessed the impact stress and disconnection from self can have on overall health. Through her own story of personal growth, going through a divorce and becoming a single mother of two, Lauren embarked on a journey of self-discovery. Her longing to live a more joyous and fulfilled life led her to Ayurveda.
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Learning, practicing, embodying and sharing Ayurveda, especially feminine form Ayurveda as we learned in Shakti School, ignited something in me that had been dormant for some time. I have always held a deep reverence to mama Earth and all of her nature beings. It was through my journey in Shakti School that all of the pieces came together. My passion for nature and ways in which I could share holistic wellbeing modalities with others became more clear and so did my confidence in honoring my dharma.
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"Samantha Boersma is a visionary, intuitive, and creatress moved by the magic available to us in every moment. She speaks the language of the flowers, acting as a bridge from spirit to physical to remind you how connected, supported, and nourished you really are. Her work intends to inspire a sense of belonging with all things and awaken you to the remembrance that all the wisdom you seek lives within you.
"Ginevra Are, M.A., is an Integrative Holistic Counselor, an Ayurveda Women's Wellness Lifestyle Coach, an Herbalist, a Yoga Teacher, and more.
Her signature products are 3 seasonal Abhyanga oils for whole body self-massage and to pacify the Doshas. Urth Herbal's Abhyanga oils are made with the traditional double-infused Ayurvedic method. Each small batch of herbs is first made into a strong decoction, and then transferred into the oil of choice. The mixture is left to slowly simmer on the stove on low heat for up to 48 hours, getting stronger and stronger in the process. We use both water and oil because each liquid extracts different properties from the plants so that you are sure to get the most benefits out of each herb (including minerals that your skin will love!). What is left is a potent, formulated and concentrated oil.
"I’m Lily Russo, a 500-hour ERYT Yoga Teacher and leader of Prana Vinyasa Teacher Trainings. I’ve been studying Ayurveda for the past 15 years. I became fascinated with Ayurveda when it was a part of my first yoga teacher training and love how it has transformed my relationships: with myself, with my loved ones, with food, with nature.
"Lisa M. Gunshore is a tantric yogini, certified quantum coach, and functional Ayurveda wellness coach with initiations by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Her work is rooted in advocating for non-violence and compassion, with a focus on creating vitality in the body, understanding ancestry and personal genome, and purifying to raise frequency. Lisa is also a medium and shaman, supporting the healing of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual bodies through genetic transformation and ancestral healing.
"I’m Emma Cust. Since starting Ayurveda School last year I have:
"Since graduating from Shakti school, I have created my first 3 dream offers, and I am so thrilled to share them with you and my Shakti family!
"In true 'Gemini style', I have been keeping busy with many adventures since finishing Shakti School Level 1 (and starting Level 2!) I continue to run my own business, "Empowered Coaching", where I offer resiliency coaching, reiki healing, with some sweet Ayurvedic tools and wisdom peppered in (
"Hi, I’m Eva, a Level 2 Shakti School graduate. With over 3 years of experience as a Life Coach and Ayurvedic Health Counselor, I guide leaders and changemakers to reconnect to their intuition, their body, and the cycles of nature so that they can heal burnout, master life balance, and ultimately create the change that they want to see in the world while truly enjoying life. I'm also the host of the Happy Me Happy Earth podcast where I share self-development tools and seasonal Ayurvedic self-care practices to help you reconnect to the cycles of nature and your true self.
"Megha is an intuitive Energy Healer and an Ayurvedic Wellness Coach. She relocated to Abu Dhabi from Singapore where she began her journey as an Usui Reiki Practitioner. She combines her knowledge of Ayurveda along with Chakra Healing to help you release stress, find balance and gain inner clarity. Through Ayurveda Wellness Coaching, Megha will help you tap into your own body’s inner wisdom to live a life more in alignment with nature and its biological rhythms. Prior to this, she has worked in corporate for over 12 years across different geographies. Her passion and purpose in life is to support people on their self healing journey.
"Mindy Schlechter is an Ayurvedic psycho-spiritual wellness + life coach, hypnotherapist, prenatal yoga instructor, long-time labor and delivery social worker, and mama of 2. She teaches women how to hold the same nourishing space for themselves that they hold for others, and her coaching programs focus on restoring self-trust and intuition for healing. She is the owner + founder of
"Claudi is an Ayurvedic Health Counselor (600 hrs), mama, enthusiastic traveller, conscious creator and (com)passionate foodie. With her new project “Moonlit Mamas” she opened a holistic healing haven for Mamas in all stages of motherhood. Weaving together the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, Tantra & other feminine form medicine, she helps women to cultivate peace & balance, abundant energy & radical self love. Reconnecting with the woman beyond the mother & allowing her to make herself a priority! Claudi holds space through empowering workshops, 1:1 consultations and women’s circles & ceremonies, both online and offline in Portugal’s wavy Southwest coast.
"Shakti School did inspire me to open my own business. During level 2, I also took Brooke Sullivan’s Sage Roots 200 hour level yoga training. I like doing the combination of yoga and Ayurveda because I feel they belong together. I love bringing these teachings to my community. My business is Be Centered Health Coaching & Yoga."
"Since completing my first year of ayurveda school, I have been building an online platform called Studio Ojas. It's a space where I share ayurvedic recipes, PDF guides, and lots of yoga and body yantra (meditation) practices. Alongside Studio Ojas, I also have a yoga retreat business called Rasa Lila. I just finished up a retreat in Bali where I offered my first ayurvedic herbal wisdom workshops, and my clients absolutely loved it. I am so grateful to all that I have learned in Shakti School, and how I have been able to weave the teachings alongside my work as a yoga teacher."
"As a lover of many things, I am the host of Elixir Podcast, founder of Madre & The Muse, an Ayurvedic wellness company, and co-founder of Terra Sol Sanctuary, a yoga studio in Wilmington, NC.
"My passion is in helping mothers with teenage daughters shift from feeling shame, disconnection and overwhelm to feeling empowered, connected and supported to strengthen their mother-daughter bond. As a mother of two daughters, I wanted to create an offering for mothers who may have spent many years disconnected from this part of themselves emotionally, physically and spiritually. I also wanted to create a space for mothers to come together and feel supported as they are in the cycle of their daughters moving from childhood to womanhood. We need community and connection and I learned that from being in Shakti School. I have experienced firsthand how the teachings of Ayurveda and Tantra have had an impact in my own life and how I approach mothering. By integrating the feminine-form teachings from Shakti School, I was able to reconnect to my body and reclaim my story and all my parts and pieces. I found the most benefit in attuning to cyclical living and implementing womb care into my life. This allowed me the deeper connection to my own intuition and to mother from within. The more aware we are of our own cycles the more we can share this with our daughters to support them in their transitions. The teachings and the sacred container of Shakti School is something so invaluable and I can't seem to sum up in words. I deepened my understanding of myself, tapped into my heart in ways I never had before and made so many lasting connections. And I am still feeling the ripples of my time at Shakti School through my life in such a beautiful way."
"I’ve made a career out of serving others, though not in a way that always honored my needs. Ayurveda and The Shakti School helped me change that. They gave me so much more than teachings and practices. They gave me more access to the deeper layers of my being. I learned how to prioritize filling my cup and serve others from there. For that, I bow to all my teachers, including my Shakti sisters.
"Hi I'm Hadlee, and I'm an Ayurveda Health & Life Coach, and founder of Happy Healthy with Hadlee. I help ambitious women stop the all-or-nothing cycle when it comes to their health so they can stop obsessing about their bodies and start really thriving in body, mind, and spirit. My health coaching program, Happy Healthy Habits, combines the foundational habits & routines of Ayurveda, food & body psychology, and nervous system regulation & emotional processing to help members experience greater health, energy, confidence, capacity, and joy in their everyday life.
"I have started my own business already during Level 2. It is called 'Ayurveda with Claudia’ and it is all about bringing everything I have learned about Ayurveda, wellness, and the feminine etc. in the last 2 years, into my community. My interest is to empower people and to give them tools to come closer to themselves again, trust themselves, get more embodied and remember their gifts, strength and inner voice.
"As a somatic trauma therapist specializing in nervous system regulation for anxiety free relationships with love and money, Ayurveda school has been infused into my work and given me new ways to support my client’s nervous system’s through the deep healing process. It has also supported me as I’ve expanded into more 1:1 work and even opened up Body Based Business coaching."
"Amore has the roots of the Pacific Northwest and the spirit of the Southern Coast. She spent many of her formative years exploring the healing powers of nature in Portland Oregon that initiated her love of untethered travel and learning. She went to school at The University California - San Diego, The Art Institute, Ashford University and Shakti School of Ayurveda to follow her passion for people, movement, art and wellness. Currently she holds degrees in psychology, interior design, theatre dance and a Masters in management. She is also a certified personal trainer and wellness coach. In 2001 she served in the Peace Corps, Ghana Africa as a health and sanitation teacher to local villages. Upon returning from Africa Amore was diagnosed with two auto-immune diseases; ankylosing spondylitis and ulcerative colitis. This has only activated a deeper yearning to learn and share her experience and knowledge as a collective community of healing.
Modrn Medicin: Modrn Medicin uses a whole system approach to wellness through the inclusion of nutrition, movement and community. Our storefront location in San Diego, California offers health enhancing foods and drinks that are infused with medicinal plants. We include the benefits of these healing remedies as part of the MM experience as well as offer educational workshops. Our menu evolves seasonally to enhance the restorative effects of plant based medicine. MM also offers movement classes, sound healing, community acupuncture and special events. Our community can also work with a private Ayurvedic counselor for customized health plans.
"I've been studying and embodying Ayurveda in my life since my teens, but Shakti School finally gave me a way to synthesize my learnings and become certified so I can help others. Through my business, 
Emily Iannuzzelli is a graduate of Shakti School and was inspired by Meredith's Klines skincare module. Recognizing how much work it takes to learn Ayurveda, Emily wanted to translate the wisdom of Ayurveda for clients who may not have the time or resources to dedicate to studying. Emily has also translated the wisdom of Shakti School into several offerings at her improv theater in Baltimore including "Improv and the Nervous System," "Meditation for Improv," and "Improv as a Mindfulness Practice."
"I’m DaLisa, a Certified Ayurvedic Health Counselor, RYT-200 Yoga Instructor, fur mama and people person. A few of my favorite things are sun dresses, being barefoot in the grass, and a fully stocked kitchen.
"Peristeam Hydrotherapist and Ayurvedic Wellness Coach since 2020, born and raised in Romania, living in Berlin since 2009. Pelvic Steaming with a plan is my jam. I combine my knowledge of Ayurveda and Pelvic Steaming to balance out the reproductive system. Since my training I have supported women in getting pregnant naturally, managing endometriosis and fibroids, dissolving cysts and trauma, balancing out painful periods and cycles as well as vaginal infections, during labor preparation and postpartum recovery, as well as in welcoming the menopause with ease. My next project is to approach teens and the menarche, to "start them young" and have an impact on the long run. On my website you can find podcasts, testimonials and blog articles.
"As a mother of two, it has been a challenge to remember to take care of myself and Shakti School just provided me the gentlest space to do that. The whole year was a journey to myself. This endless journey is one that I could not go alone. I feel so grateful for having joined this community and having learnt so much. All the teachers and Katie have affected my life in many ways and whenever I practice Ayurveda, I remember all the lovely teachers we had, the authentic ways they each told us their approaches. There really is something so magical about this school that is hard to put into words for me! I simply cherished the wisdom and compassion conveyed.
While there’s no equivalent for this type of all-encompassing lubrication in Western medicine, there is a name for it in Ayurveda: ojas.

You may know that moisturizing is essential for skin health, but there’s so much more to moisturizing than just applying lotion or serum.
Crystal Hoshaw has been a student of yoga since 2004 and a student of Ayurveda since 2007. She earned her Ayurvedic Wellness Coach certification from The Shakti School after years of on-site study in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Thailand. She marries her knowledge of Ayurveda, mindfulness, and yogic philosophy through coaching and courses at
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"My name is Mylinda Ogundipe and I live in Northwest Ohio with my husband and our daughter. I am currently a 200 hour certified yoga teacher, a mindfulness coach, and am in the process of becoming a yoga therapist. My interest in the health and wellness space was sparked by my desire to increase the health of my daughter, who was born with Sickle Cell Disease, an inherited blood disorder that causes organ damage as well as pain in various parts of the body. Our research into holistic support maintained that a healthy diet, yoga, and meditation could help manage this disease, so after a deep dive into yoga, I found Ayurveda. My initial interests in this program was to help my daughter and others living with Sickle Cell Disease. I still want to specialize in assisting those with Sickle Cell Disease, yet after being exposed to all the good that Ayurveda can do, I have expanded my focus to include individuals living with chronic pain in general. As a woman of color, I also believe that Ayurveda can serve as a protective factor against the disparities faced at all points of the motherhood journey, so I would like to expand my focus to help women of color along the path of motherhood. My ultimate goal would be to marry this Ayurvedic knowledge with yoga therapy in order to assist as many people in as many ways as possible. I know this Ayurvedic journey has just begun, and I am so very excited to learn more! Thank you so much for this scholarship opportunity!"
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"Hi, I’m LaToya Maria! I am a therapeutic yoga teacher, feminine embodiment guide and wellbeing educator with an intentional focus on women’s health. I'm the founder of Rooted & Crowned, a collective devoted to creating bespoke holistic wellness experiences for women. Known by many as an energy alchemist, I passionately guide women on a holistic journey into embodiment, liberation, and ease. My devotion to mindbody intimacy led me to yoga as a personal practice in 2015. In 2017 I took a sabbatical from work and traveled to India to study yoga philosophy where I completed my hatha yoga and meditation teacher training in Rishikesh, India. I have over 15 years of energy and movement-centered well-being expertise which contributed to the development of my signature style, Enchanted Flow- aimed at increasing reproductive health, honoring women’s cyclical nature, and expanding innate wisdom to support overall well-being. After spending 10 years living outside of my home country, losing my job in 2020 and grieving my father’s death in 2022, I found myself in deep need of care. I found my way back to Ayurveda through the comfort of food, rest and healing touch. I rediscovered Shakti School last year and felt a spark of light shine within me that said, “this is a practice that not only supports you, but the women and girls you hold space for.” I intend to bring Ayurveda for the female form into my community in an accessible way. I envision myself facilitating workshops and retreats that can transform women across all socioeconomic statuses. Wellness and wellbeing isn’t a luxury, it is our birthright! I am so grateful for this scholarship and to be a part of this community. I intend to move on to Level II next year."
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"Hi, my name is Gabriela. I am originally from Brazil, currently living in Brisbane, Australia, and loving every second of Shakti School! I’m profoundly touched by these teachings and very grateful for this amazing opportunity.