We are happy to announce the following 2023 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 2023 winners and their testimonials.
Rosa Rodriguez | Austin, Minnesota | @brujabonita_
"Hola! My name is Rosa, born and raised in Texas, but have made Minnesota my home for over 20 years. My roots come from a Mexican decent, both my parents and older siblings were born and raised in Mexico and I couldn’t be more blessed to have that fire running through my veins. I found Ayurveda very interesting because all of the wonderful approaches to healing oneself through natural medicine and not a one size fits all kind of scheme. I grew up where folk medicine is a traditional way of healing and finding remedies through nature is very common (mind, body & soul). I truly believe this knowledge will add so much more to my current lifestyle and most importantly help me, help others, in finding their way of healing for their own bodies (physically, mentally and spiritually). I also plan on finding ways to incorporate both Ayurveda and folk medicine together to help not only continue my healing journey, but guiding others looking for alternative ways to western medicine. Ayurveda adds so much consistency to my ~Bruja Bonita~ creation and leads me to wholeheartedly believe I am on the right path. I am completely over the moon having received this scholarship for Shakti School and my heart is filled with gratitude! Thank you so much for this opportunity! Para siempre agradecida."
Gretchen Clore | Indiana | @gretchenlouiseclore
"Originally, I was led to Ayurveda via my past yoga teacher trainings. I wanted to study Ayurveda more in-depth, but it took me nearly 3 years to find a school/program that felt right for me. I found The Shakti School through Brett Larkin and Nicole Foos. After listening to Katie's Spirit Sessions podcasts, I was hooked! This program is a perfect fit for my lifestyle as I teach yoga part-time, recently remarried, and am a bonus momma for an 11-year old girl who is involved in lots of extracurriculars.
I was worried about "fitting in" because I am 56-1/2. The study of Ayurveda appeals to me more than ever now because it is helping me navigate the menopausal years in a more natural and compassionate way. As a vata dosha type, I have all of the tendencies: anxiety; dry skin, hair, tongue; cold hands/feet, fast walking, love of travel, hatred of being in one place, doing too many things at one time, understanding concepts immediately but then forgetting them just as easily. My natural tendencies impacted my experience of menopause by disturbing my already-fragile sleep. I'm happy to report that I'm finally in a place where I can slow down and really lean into this experience. My tribe is helping me to remember that Love is Strengthening Me, and Self Doubt is Weakening Me. As I inhale, my mantra is "Stay in my heart"; as I exhale, my mantra is "Live less in the mind".
Thank you Shakti School for believing in me and giving me this incredible opportunity to be situated in the truth of who I am."
Julee Davidson | Michigan | @juleestar
"Hi my name is Julee Davidson and I can’t begin to explain how grateful I am to have been chosen for a partial scholarship with The Shakti School. The unconditional love and support that this community of women has given to not only myself but to thousands of women throughout the world is both amazing and awe inspiring!
For years I have suffered with migraines and intestinal issues along with being scattered and unfocused, but thanks to Ayurveda and the Shakti School I am completely healed, not only of physical issues but my life has opened like a beautiful lotus flower to living a spiritual life full of beauty and purpose.
My goal is to transform others' lives like I was through the Shakti School with Katie and all the wonderful teachers we had. This experience continues to hold that sacred space for me! Om Shanti Shanti Shanti"
Taylor Iverson | Canada
"My name is Taylor and I come from a small town in Northwestern Ontario. Like many, it was Yoga that sent me on a journey to travel and search for the deeper roots of this wild reality we call life. I first dabbled in the wisdom of Ayurveda during a yoga course and knew I would one day return to it. Shakti school has been beyond what I could have imagined, making the ancient teachings so accessible to us 21st century women. I'm currently living on the west coast of Canada, a student of creative writing at Vancouver Island University and Yoga Therapeutics at Ajna Yoga Centre. My hopes are to be able to use my voice, both on paper and with clients within my community to help resurface the nature-knowledge that is timeless. It's been just short of a decade since I've first embarked, and the change that's happened in that time, within mainstream health's openness and confidence in these practices, is amazing."
Katricia Kelly | Las Vegas, Nevada | @katriciakellyyoga
"I am a San Francisco native that has made Las Vegas her home for the past 28 years. I love the desert landscape and its scenic views. If I could hike every week I would as the mountains bring me so much peace and calmness. But, when the trail isn't available, then you can catch me hanging out with my cute little dog Tazzy or inside of a yoga studio. Either taking a class or teaching one. I'm also a huge foodie and love supporting my local restaurants. I've been a yoga teacher since 2015 and I can honestly say that achieving this goal has been one of my biggest accomplishments. I feel that combining Ayurveda with yoga will benefit my students even more. They both look at the human being as a whole. They compliment each other and would be beneficial for self healing all around. I would love to incorporate workshops and private sessions for the Las Vegas community. Offering a complete package of love & wellness!"
Leanne Warren | Massachusetts | @lwarren05
"Hi 🙂 My name is Leanne Warren and I am from Littleton, MA! I am truly so grateful to The Shakti School and the scholarship program for giving me the opportunity to learn and grow. Being a part of this Ayurveda community and being introduced to so many people across the world is truly a beautiful thing that is hard to put into words. I have to give a huge shoutout to Nikki Nie, a Level 1 Shakti School graduate who is now enrolled in Level 2, who introduced me to the world of Yoga, Ayurveda, and loving myself first. Finding Nikki and this path has put me on such a divine journey of self-healing, self-love and exploring knowledge.
I knew that 2023 was the year that I would expand my mind and gain knowledge in so many fields that I love. I am here to learn more about the overarching beauty that is Ayurveda, what it means, how to use these practices, and how to balance myself first before I apply that knowledge to others. Maybe this course will bring me to the work of helping and healing others but first I need to help and heal myself. Whether I share this knowledge professionally or personally, these Ayurvedic tools will always be a constant in my life. It really is such an honor to be taught this sacred knowledge and I know The Shakti School will only push me closer to the life I want to live!"
Fanny Akasha | Berlin | @fanny.akasha
"My name is Fanny, I am originally from France, based now in Berlin for many years. I used to work in a marketing company for many years, until I finally found the courage to quit, as I could feel it was not fulfilling me, I was very stressed and at the same time I got diagnosed with endometriosis, and had to do a surgery.
I needed to change some things in my life, and I also refused to take the pills that would suppress my menstruation. So I had to look for alternative ways to heal myself. The practice of yoga has helped me a lot and through yoga I discovered Ayurveda. I discovered Katie two years ago and was dreaming of joining her training as I am a big fan of her teaching. Also, the feminine approach to Ayurveda really resonates with me.
I am teaching yoga in Berlin, but the yoga scene here is very competitive and hard to live only with yoga teaching, i was combining it with working in a restaurant. Then I had an amazing opportunity to volunteer in India in an ashram and improve my yoga teaching.
Now I am back here with the huge luck of being part of Shakti School and I am developing a yoga and ayurveda coaching for women who suffer from endometriosis. I am trusting that it will work. I can already integrate the teaching from the shakti school into my life, my relationship, my works, I am so grateful. Thank you!"
Michelle Taylor | Dorset, UK | @michellemaslintaylor
"I’m a yoga and reiki teacher based in the UK. Ayurveda is something I’ve felt called to study more for some time but all the training and books I came across were really prescriptive and didn’t feel at all flexible or easily applicate to modern life as a busy yoga teacher and mum of three - I felt like I had failed before even getting started. Enter Katie! I just love her approach to Ayurveda, simplifying and taking what you can without guilt over not “doing it all perfectly”. My mission is to support stressed out, burnout yogis for whom yoga alone is just not enough to create the balanced nervous system and healthy body and mind they crave. I see an epidemic of burnt out yoga teachers who are running themselves ragged running from class to class without nurturing themselves. My vision is to see these teachers including Ayurvedic principles and rituals to support them in a way that can work with their schedules and support their own health and wellness while they hold space for others."
Leighton Murphy | Chile | @bellyandsoulwellness & bellyandsoulwellness.com
"Hi, my name is Leighton Murphy. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon. The twists and turns of life have led me to the Chilean Patagonia, which I have called home for the past six years. I dedicate myself to growing my food, tending to our animals, raising a resilient child, and being a Health Coach. My motivation to grow my own food sustainably comes from a love for this marvelous and generous planet and this body I have been blessed with. I am fascinated by learning how to best nurture it in a sustainable way that cycles with the seasons and with us females. My coaching currently focuses on helping women return to the magic of cooking, fermenting, and locally sourcing their food. I plan to continue to Level 2 Ayurveda School after this year and become an Ayurvedic Health Consultant. My true passion within all of this is the sacredness of childbearing. I aspire to one day have a thriving practice as an Ayurvedic Practitioner, focusing on holistically nurturing and supporting Mamas, before, during, and after pregnancy."
Irene Díez| Spain | @irene10yoga
"My first encounter with ayurveda helped with some digestive issues that were bugging me for a long time, it was such a simple yet effective solution that I got hooked and wanted to learn more. Fast forward quite a few years... during my recent pregnancy but most profoundly during postpartum, ayurveda has been a key practice to bring myself back to balance. I've been craving community, ancestral knowledge, and support. I feel that in our western culture this has somehow got lost... It's my deepest desire to bring this wisdom and intuitive approach to mamas and babies, especially during postpartum because let's be real, the fourth trimester it's just not enough! I'm also super lit up to share with my yoga and movement community. Feeling lucky and blessed to be part of this, thank you!!!"
Jasmine Jelsema | West Olive, MI | @jasminejelsema & jasmineapothecary.com
"It feels so amazing that I have already put some of my ayurvedic wisdom into practice. A few of my friends have told me that certain information I have shared just seems to stick. Ayurveda makes sense and as I explore more profoundly, I notice that so much of the ayurvedic teaching is solidifying my own internal wisdom. It is like the universe is confirming my intuition, "you are right". There is so much that I want to do/ can do with my Ayurveda Education. Currently, I am a reiki energy healer, yoga teacher, and artist. I also work as a creative learning associate at an art museum and a writer for a local blog. After studying Alternative Medicine at Evergreen State College. I discovered a deep passion for teaching at an outdoor nature school. Initially, I plan to continue to incorporate ayurveda into my reiki sessions. It has helped me to gain more knowledge and be introduced to vocabulary that is conducive to my healing sessions. In the future, I plan to offer health coaching services and create holistic courses inspired by ayurveda and reiki."
Mahashweta Sengupta | India | @learning_with_missmaha
"Hi there, beautiful people, Namaste! I am Mahasweta Sengupta, a passionate school educator and trainer with over 9 years of experience in the world of education! I am currently living in India! I started off as a French language specialist and slowly took up responsibility and became a lead teacher and now I’m heading the Primary years and looking at promoting wellness and Social emotional learning across the school (need of the hour)!
I grew up in Pondicherry, in a progressive school called Sri Aurobindo International Center of Education where I got interested in wellness as it was a big part of our curriculum! I am a lifelong learner and consider myself grateful to be able to have the freedom to grow and learn every day! My love for ayurveda and the deep wisdom of ancient India drew me to this wonderful course and I am really looking forward to spreading the knowledge of Ayurveda and becoming more aware of myself through this journey! I can’t wait to tap into the magic and wonders of Ayurveda and truly live through this course more deeply!
Through this course I am sure to impact wellness in its truest forms and promote it in a more holistic way back into the classrooms to the young budding changemakers - the students! Did you ever wonder what a powerful impact it would be, if children had access to the magic and wisdom of Ayurveda and learnt to live more in tune with themselves and really understand the science of life?
What if we did not have to wait long to comprehend and incorporate the truths of sustainable and holistic living right from an early age? I bet it would make all the difference!
I can’t wait to demystify the truths of life and take my health into my hands and start my journey by tapping into my being with intention, joy, love and purpose and by spreading the knowledge and magic to the children and my community! I am so thankful and thrilled for this amazing opportunity, so grateful to the entire Shakti school team and of course to Katie Silcox for creating this school! If you are looking for an empowering course on Ayurveda, one that fits into the modern lifestyle and schedule, look no further, you’ve found the right place!"
Mylinda Ogundipe | Ohio | @the_worlds_linda
"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!"
Michelle Murphy | Vancouver, BC, Canada | @puravedaa
"I spend my time homeschooling my 14yo daughter and we currently incorporate Ayurveda as part of our curriculum. I am using Ayurveda to understand my own health challenges and hope to be able to utilize what I learn to address some long standing concerns. If I am able to assist others in a meaningful way, I will happily share this new found knowledge."
Lori | San Francisco, CA
"I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and pretty much have lived in California my whole life. I have over twenty years of a strong business background, and over twenty years of dedicated yoga practice. In 2015 I earned my certified yoga teacher training certificate of which I am very proud!
In 2006 my health and life veered, and in approx 2015, they took a hard left.
My doctor led me to Ayurveda last year, and I purchased Katie’s HHS book and couldn’t put it down. I happened to see the Shakti Ayurveda School was offering scholarships for 2023, and I applied last summer.
Last September I flew out of state for an appointment and left it with very low spirits. I was happily shocked to get back to my hotel room and receive Sarah’s message that I had been awarded a scholarship for Shakti School. I was beside myself. I was so filled with gratitude, and in the midst of everything I’d been through, I felt like I’d gotten my first break. As great as I thought Shakti School was going to be, it’s been so much more.
A few weeks into the curriculum, wondering if I would ever learn the words, I woke up in the very early am hours one day with Ayurvedic doshic language running through my head. It was all there, in the Ayurveda, the Rishis knew what they were talking about.
I’m not exactly sure how my Ayurveda education will manifest itself out there, but I have a feeling it’s going to be much bigger than I’d even imagined. I’m already sharing what I’ve learned with others, and even “diagnosing” them ; ) And for this, I am so grateful again. : )"
LaToya Jones | Richmond, Virginia | @yoga_enchantress & www.rootedandcrowned.com
"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."
Lisa Chan | Wales, UK | @shakti_lisa & lovelettersfromshaktilisa.wordpress.com
"Hi, my name is Lisa. I am absolutely thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Women's Ayurveda Tantra Course Level 1 on a partial scholarship for the whole of 2023. I am an intuitive creatrix with the ability to feel and sense emotions from others and the collective. I am deeply passionate about personal development especially in the field of women's health on all levels.
I have been on the spiritual path for the last 15 years which started due to major health challenges in dealing with chronic pain, which I was able to heal from but then returned in a different form in my body. It has given me the gift of going deeper into the healing heart space and to learn to trust this journey I'm on.
When I traveled to Kerala in 2017 it sparked my interest in Ayurveda. A year later I started my studies in naturopathic nutrition which I am still loving today. Now feels like the right time to bring Ayurveda into my life. Being part of the Shakti School this year will support me further with my studies knowing I am here to be part of the conversation of bringing back Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Age in the rise of the Divine Feminine and female empowerment. My areas of interest include spirituality, holistic health, nutrition, tantra and many other subjects that support us as women.
In following my path, I want to show other women that despite health challenges, when we learn to love and honour ourselves where we are we can create space and invitation for love, healing and empowerment that ripples out into the world, our lives and the Universe. It gives us the courage to step back into the remembrance of who we are."
Jenny Ebelke | Kansas City, Kansas
"Hi everyone! My name is Jenny Ebelke and I live in Kansas City, Kansas. I am a retired Firefighter Paramedic and recently started teaching Emergency Medicine at a local University to chiropractic students. I also teach students at a local community college the skills and assessments they will need to become First Responders, EMTs, and Paramedics. While I worked in the field, I didn't always take the best care of myself or my mental health. After an injury forced me to retire from the field due to permanent deficits, I began a long journey of self-healing and self-love. I have made leaps and bounds in the last 4.5 years since retiring and will be a life-long learner/practitioner of self-love, yoga, and Ayurveda. One of the things I accomplished that has helped me grow was becoming a Certified Life Coach helping others evaluate their lives based on 7 key areas to figure out where they are currently, and where they want to go. The one category I'm most excited for is the "Fitness" category which includes all things mental and physical in regards to health. I'm completing my yoga instructor certification shortly and I am thoroughly LOVING Shakti School! I have learned so much in these past few months and can't wait to incorporate my Ayurveda knowledge into my coaching career. Thank you so much for this opportunity!!"
Aminah Thomas | New Orleans, Louisiana | @givinglifewellness
"Greetings, my name is Aminah Thomas, and I have been certified as a Holistic Wellness Consultant and Yoga Instructor. In this life, I have the divine pleasure of guiding and raising four beautiful children. I am also blessed to have a magnificent husband to partner with on the amazing journey.
I was introduced to Ayurveda through my yoga teacher training, and it quickly became one of my favorite parts of the course. The more I learned, the more I was called to learn more. How grateful am I that ayurveda has found me? Extremely grateful!!!! Coupled with yoga, meditation and breathwork, ayurveda has changed how I interact with myself and the world.
My life story is filled with several synchronicities that have led me here, to The Shakti School. I am so honored that I have been gifted the opportunity to learn in this beautiful environment of loving and knowledgeable beings of wisdom. It brings me so much joy knowing that I get to integrate the practices of ayurveda for my own healing, and ultimately, I will share what I have embodied with others so that they may create a healing space within themselves. I am here to absorb, embody and share. I see myself sharing Ayurveda with people in this world who look like me, and whose hearing connects with my words."
Cindy Ward Schrick | Minnesota, USA | @cindyward__ & www.cindyward.co
"My name is Cindy Ward Schrick and I live in St. Paul, Minnesota, my hometown. With a background in psychology, art and business I worked mostly abroad in Marketing and left it quite happily as my two boys were born just 17 months apart. After a traumatic end to a toxic marriage I repatriated back home. I first experienced Ayurveda during my divorce through a neighbor who taught at the European Academy of Ayurveda. I did an at home group cleanse with her and couldn’t believe how incredibly nourished I felt at a time when I was completely depleted!
Upon returning home another traumatic event happened- my eldest son wasn’t returned following a visit with his dad in Germany. I supported myself and my youngest son who was with me through the shock and traumatic loss. Mostly for my own healing and growth I did training in Breathwork. Once out on the other side I was fortunate to win several scholarships that enabled me to become a certified Co-active Coach and Relational Trauma Coach. I often work at the intersection of Coaching and trauma and know from my own experience that Ayurveda holds a life wisdom that is needed in our trauma infused world. I’m not sure exactly what it will look like but I know as I integrate Ayurveda in my own life there will be an integration with my coaching and ripple out to others. As I’ve studied Vedic spiritual teachings with Ayurvedic teacher Acharya Shunya, my heart has been tuned in to Katie and Shakti School’s feminine form for years; so of course I was beyond happy dancing when Sarah shared that I had won a partial scholarship!!
With love and gratitude to be here with all of you <3"
Gabriela Beatriz | Brisbane, Australia
"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.
Growing up I found myself many times longing for guidance, growth, wholeness, and healing from a community led by women. Unfortunately, modern life had made this yearning difficult because most women are disconnected from community and also from their own bodies and important rites of passage.
So, my deep desire is to be able to create a space where women from different backgrounds can access the beautiful wisdom of this feminine form of Ayurveda taught in Shakti School. All women deserve to feel their best selves, safely supported by other women, and engaged in nourishing practices that help bring balance back into their lives.
Part of that desire also includes my fellow women back in South America, mainly in Brazil and Argentina. And, I would love to include other modalities that I am trained in, like Australian Bush Flower Essences, Saraswati Healing and Shakti Yoga. All a perfect complement to Ayurveda!
I’m forever grateful for Shakti School and its wonderful teachers. Ayurveda is about honouring the uniqueness of each individual and the knowledge and empowerment that comes with understanding our bodies and the environment is invaluable."
As I sat in our virtual classroom, seeing fresh young faces pop up in their Zoom boxes, I realized I was one of the oldest participants, and this question popped into my mind: “Do I belong here?”
Like most of us, when I was younger, I thought 60 was super old: time to retire and pursue hobbies. But I find myself in my sixties feeling young and vibrant, with a growing business and more projects and ideas than I can handle. I’m pursuing the dreams I didn’t have time for as a householder working and taking care of my family.
One of my greatest teachers was Frau Ursula Redeppening. I was her au pair while studying in Munich. I was 21, she was in her early forties. She
Growing up in France, Christine always felt a deep longing for the spiritual and the powerful resonance of words and stories, accompanied with a passionate desire to explore the world. After years of globetrotting, this multilingual translator Mama of 3 and her family settled down in Coastal Virginia, where she discovered yoga. She instantly knew she had found the universal language that would help her empower others to find their own voice and share it with the world. She is an ERYT-500 Yoga and Meditation Teacher and Trainer, and an Ayurveda Health Counselor. Yoga helped her reconnect with her love of writing and write her first book: “Yoga with a French Twist: A Journey through the Chakras” as well as create her business: Yin Traveler. Her love of learning, Nature, and Spiritual Activism led her to Shakti School and the integration of Ayurveda into her teachings. Her new projects include a new book and planning spiritual retreats. You can find more info at her website at 
Attempting to stamp out the non-spiritual
Letting go of control
Crystal Hoshaw is a mama, writer, and lifelong lover of the sacred. She's the founder of 
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"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."
"
"
Of everything that I learned throughout that year, the concept of radical responsibility took hold the strongest. Realizing that I had the power to create the life I wanted was a double edge sword. It was extremely freeing and yet equally terrifying. Instead of playing victim, I slowly started to realize that I could honour my experience and desires. I knew that I felt deeply unexpressed in my career and confined to showing up as a “robot” version of who I was every day as a teacher. And yet, it wasn’t quite the right time to leave.
Over the past 2.5 years, I’ve helped 100+ heart-centred business owners clarify their brand message so they can make real connections, show up with confidence online and make more impact and money. I absolutely LOVE the clients that I work with. They are badass entrepreneurs who are using their gifts and talents to solve problems for people and help end suffering on the planet. But they often have no idea how to position themselves and tell their story in a way that truly resonates and helps them sell their services or programs.
Becky
"Hello beautiful souls! I’m Apoorva, and I’m from India. Ayurveda is part of my roots and has always resonated with me. In the last year. I considered studying it formally and, through a synchronistic occurrence, discovered the magic of Shakti school! I’m 29 years old and have worn multiple hats professionally- I’ve studied engineering, worked as a data scientist, done a course in teaching, worked as an educator, studied human development, and now work as a researcher. As a researcher, I’ve been reviewing the global socio-economic imbalances that COVID-19 has exacerbated. I’ve realised now is the perfect time for me to be studying Ayurveda because it is a map to understanding reality and a way for me to process these imbalances and understand my potential to transform lives around me, starting with myself. For me, this journey symbolises learning to digest my experiences, as well as our collective ancestral experiences, tuning into my inner voice and connecting with my true essence – my swastha. As Katie says- “What do I do next?” is one of the most spiritual questions on the planet! My goal is to combine my diverse experience to curate a loving space that unlocks self-expression and reignites our collective compassion through a focus on food, movement, emotional awareness, and spiritual enquiry, based on the holistic health philosophy of Ayurveda – It is my heart’s desire to be a transmitter of this knowledge- this vidhya. I’m so excited for everything ahead and eternally grateful to the powerful Shakti tribe for this life-transforming experience."
"My name is Ashley King. I am a wife and a mother of two beautiful children. Although I am not currently practicing, I am a licensed massage therapist and a Yoga Teacher. But right now I’m a coordinator for a kid’s club inside of a gym. I’m going with the flow and seeing where that is going to take me. I am happy to be able to bring what I learn from Shakti School to my team and the kids where I work. I believe I will be able to help them ground and guide them in expressing themselves better when maybe at home they don’t have that option. I have a genetic condition called Peutz-Jegher Syndrome. It is a rare condition and polyps can grow anywhere, but mainly show up in my small intestine. I had my first surgery at the age of 7 and I have had 4 major surgeries total. Unfortunately, I passed it on to my daughter. I have been on my healing journey for about 10 years trying to discover ways to live life to the fullest and to be around as long as I can for my kiddos. When I looked into Shakti School, I knew deep in my heart that this was the school for me. To help heal deep wounds within me, assist my daughter in her journey with this condition and to help heal my community. I am so very grateful for this opportunity and super excited to be here."
"I was born to a 3rd generation American mother and grew up around Los Angeles and I am the oldest of four children and the only one to graduate high school. I grew up surrounded by poverty, gang violence, drug abuse/addiction, incarceration and untreated mental illness. I suffer from a heart condition and several gastrointestinal conditions that interfere with my quality of life. The trauma I have experienced in my life has deeply influenced my inclination towards holistic healing and Eastern philosophies. I believe whole heartedly in the ability to rise from nothing and build yourself up to greatness and the ability to overcome all obstacles that the universe puts before us. I have lived in Alaska, California, New York and Kansas and enjoy traveling around the world. I work with PETA as a volunteer vegan mentor and I’m a certified life coach, RYT-200 and an inter-denominational reverend. I am beyond blessed to have received this scholarship to Shakti School level one! I plan to go back to college and obtain my degree in Psychology and eventually attend med school to become a psychiatrist. I want to integrate Ayurvedic medicine, life coaching techniques, Yoga, Meditation and Western medicine together to form a mind-body-spirit approach to psychiatric medicine and patient care. In the future I would love to be able to attend level two of Shakti School to deepen my understanding of feminine form medicine and to obtain my RYT-500 certification. Thank you for allowing me to share this with you all!"
"Hi, I’m Jazmine. I am a social worker and yoga teacher. I have been in the counselling field for 13+ years. In 2013, I began to experience workplace burnout which in turn led me to pursue yoga teacher training and other eastern-based approaches. This was when my healing journey began… not just for the burnout but for a medical condition I had developed in my youth. This shift also altered the way I helped to support my clients; whereby I started to incorporate both eastern and western traditions into my counselling approach. Through this journey to healing, there was an ongoing tendency to try and learn from authority figures how to heal myself. I was going into it with the mentality that I didn’t have the answers and that “experts” had the answers. What drew me to Shakti School was the strong emphasis of attuning to the inner healer - ultimately recognizing that the sacred answers to my own healing lie within. My life journey led me here, to the sacredness of Ayurveda. The teachings of Ayurveda have been the most nourishing and holistic approach to self-healing I’ve had the honour of being gifted with. It is the path to help support my own healing journey, and also a holistic lens that will help me best support my clients. I am deeply honoured to be a Shakti School Scholarship recipient. Much gratitude to the teachings, teachers, Shakti team, and the loving community I am now a part of."
"I’m 26 years old yoga teacher and feminine energy mentor from Poland. I finished law school and I was working in a law office, but I realized this is not my purpose. I changed my life completely and went after what my heart was calling… nutrition and yoga. I went to India for yoga teacher training and become interested in Ayurveda as well. It was 3 years ago and since then I’m teaching yoga. Currently I’m living in Thailand and I love to learn more about Ayurveda that’s of course why I very much wanted to join Shakti School! Since 2 and a half years I’m running my own business, which started as fitness and nutrition oriented, I made 4 healthy living ebooks! With time I developed my business as well. I become interested more in women’s health. I’m creator of courses for Polish women about yoga philosophy, spirituality and health, which I’m so blessed to teach! I would love more women to connect to their own natural cycle, feel less stressed, enjoyed life as it is, know how to individually and durably take care of their physical and mental health. I’m so pleased to be able to expand my knowledge in Shakti School and bringing the ancient knowledge into modern hearts, which as I long for connection with nature."
"I am sure many of you can relate, but 2020 was a rough year for me. My name is Kelsi, and I am a 33 year old mother of two in Cincinnati. I have been a yoga lover for a decade, and I began a mediation practice during quarantine to help manage stress. When my partner and I split in May, I knew that I needed something healthy to focus my energy on. I discovered Shakti School through following Katie on social media, and I found myself being repeatedly drawn to the idea of it. I am a registered nurse and I have always been most passionate about women’s health. Along with the huge responsibility of raising two young women in this modern world, I simply feel like this program is exactly where I need to be. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn and integrate Ayurveda into my life and share it with the people around me. "
"Meet Kyanne, an entrepreneur, beauty & wellness consultant, ayurvedic bodywork practitioner and an unshakeable optimist dedicated to supporting you on your pathway to personal wellness & healing. Kyanne is currently enrolled in Shakti School but plans to use her training and education to develop a Panchakarma Retreat Center in Iowa. "
"I am Lauryn Mumbi from Nairobi, Kenya. I feel excited, loved, felt, known and the scholarship was a surprise and I say thank you to the higher power and to Shakti School. Sometimes we get to the right path after pain and that is why being fully present makes you notice every detail. My pain story made me aware of guides, the first being my experience. Ayurveda so far has been an eye opener on all aspects of my life, and I want to use it to heal myself and those around me. Nothing about my life is lucky but I have seen a lot of divine guidance. Through the few lessons so far I am getting to understand me better and also hear my inner guides, I am able to make decisions without asking others what they think and I would love this to be the experience of everyone I come across. I used to do yoga just as an exercise but from the sub dosha lesson I learnt the purpose and uses of some inversions and I had a lot of ‘Ahaa’ moments. Someday I will be an Ayurveda doctor this makes me excited."
"My name is Lori Satter, I am from Houston, Texas and have had the opportunity to live in many locations, but always find myself back in Texas. I found my way to Ayurveda about 12 years ago while immersed in the yoga world, studying all the branches of the Vedic Sciences, Yoga, Astrology and Ayurveda. In 2013, I left my husband and found my digestion suffering, I turned to Ayurveda to help me return to balance and since then I have strived to live in accordance with an Ayurvedic lifestyle. In 2019, I left my job and went back to school to become an Esthetician and knew then I would be an Ayurvedic Esthetician, merging the best of East and West to offer my clients holistic based experience. The skin is the largest organ in the body and what you digest both physically and emotionally or lack of digestion will show up in the skin. My aim upon graduating from Shakti School is to guide women to feel comfortable in their skin, helping them seek balance physically, emotionally, and spiritually, so that their true inner radiance shines."
"My name is Maja, I am originally from Poland but currently living in Denmark. I am deeply thankful to Shakti School for supporting me in pursuing this career and self-healing path thanks to the scholarship. The Ayurveda School has become a second home for me, where I charge batteries, deepen my compassion and discover new paths towards self-healing. All of which supports my deepest heart-desire to share this ancient knowledge with women in my home country and across Europe. I am deeply rooted in the sustainable way of living, including a conscious lifestyle and diet. I have been sharing this knowledge for some months now with wonderful women and men who want to do something good both for our planet and themselves. Additionally to lifestyle coaching, I guide moon meditations and organize online sessions where people from around Europe gather together to go inside and connect to their inner source of power. Ayurveda has given me a deep sense of peace and grounding, which I believe is highly needed nowadays. Nevertheless, this is just the beginning of my healing journey, which has already given me such strength to continue supporting others that I cannot wait to see how it all develops in the coming months!"
"My name is Monica Martinez. I live in Palmdale, CA, I’m a Mother of 2 and grandmother of 2. Holistic Healing modalities have been very important to me for a few years now because I’ve used them on my own healing journey and have seen results. I’m now 50 and have had a few female issues throughout the years. Doctors couldn’t find the problem, they kept saying it was nothing yet wanting to give me meds to experiment. My father who passed away last April due to kidney failure, I know could’ve been healed by Ayurveda treatments in India, however I couldn’t afford taking him due to the pandemic. Due to my father’s passing I became more interested in Ayurveda. I want my kids, grandkids, mom and sisters to really benefit from the knowledge I would have in Ayurveda, especially my mom whom all these years they’ve been telling she was dying of liver cancer, but she’s still here. At the moment she is fighting for her life, a wrong dosage of medication was given to her at the hospital caused so many health problems for her. I realized the hospital is not where she is going to find healing. I’m on a mission to learn all I can in this Ayurveda course to especially help my mom heal, my immediate family, myself and as many people as I can in this world."
"My spiritual journey started around 7 years ago, when I first tried yoga. It showed me the deeper meaning of the word “lifestyle", where you are not doing exercise only, but working on establishing your mind-body connection. In 2019 I had a trip to Nepal. Somewhere on the roof of Kathmandu during a yoga class with singing bowls, a revelation came to my mind “I want to do this myself”, to teach, connect & heal others. Fast forward to 2020, I found myself in Rishikesh, India, doing a yoga teacher training, meeting people & gurus, & obviously starting to pay attention to Ayurveda. I decided to slow down & spend time alone. Panchakarma, a well-known Ayurvedic detox program, seemed like an answer to my problems. I felt heavy, my digestion was slow, I had skin issues, constant fatigue & compulsive eating. The results were stunning. I literally felt my body cleansing inside & out. This changed my life, I finally felt the inner peace & harmony regained. Currently I teach a few yoga classes a week. And it became clear to me that modern people are looking for answers. On how to balance their lives, how to eat well, how to recover from stress & better manage their daily activities. My eagle eye vision is to offer that knowledge & advice on improving their lifestyle. Coz Mama Nature has it all for us. We just need to listen."
"My name is Palloma and I currently live in the Windy City-Chicago. First of all, I am humbled and so deeply grateful to be able to return to the teachings of Ayurveda. After dealing with so many detours and different cycles in my journey, I honor my intuition which led me to be here in this present moment connecting with Katie and all the Shakti School sisterhood where I feel loved and very welcomed. I grew up by the ocean in Brazil and since my childhood my connection with nature has always been special… I remember stopping and admiring the diversity and colors of many exotic flowers & plants…I would fall in love with the delicacy and strength of nature portrayed on its flora, over and over again… but it was during my yoga teacher training, after so many springs that I had the opportunity to learn more about the sister science of yoga. That’s when I felt a strong desire to go deeper into this beautiful science of life. My heart intention with my spiritual education is to embrace, understand, respect, live and share the beauties and sacred teachings of Mama Nature through Ayurveda/Yoga/Sacred Feminine focusing on bringing awareness, consciousness, wellness, love and light, especially to sisters in vulnerable situations by assisting them, reasserting their relationship within their wildish nature, allowing these women to overcome the pressure and struggles of today's patriarchal society, by finding the medicine through a path of self-love and self-worth where they can honor themselves in the purest and most truthful form: LOVE! Com muito amor~"
"I hail from India, the land of Ayurveda. So right from my childhood Ayurveda was part of my life unknowingly. Which is why I never valued it and took it for granted. I ate homecooked food during my growing up years and we rarely ate food from outside. I got married and shifted to Dubai. That is when I actually starting ignoring my health and began eating unhealthy junk food. The stress of work added to it. I had my two kids. Though I managed to give them healthy food, still I could not strictly follow a healthy regime. Although I would always avoid allopathic medications for myself and my kids and treat them with home remedies. It was 5 years back that I had severe knee pain and was diagnosed with RA. That is when I began treatment with an Ayurvedic practitioner. I decided to take my health seriously. However, I was not relieved of the pain completely. In spite of being on medications on an off, the flare ups were unbearable and I would go into depression during such flare ups. My practitioner never explained as to why I was having this pain or ways to reduce my stress or depression. While I was fine on days when there was no pain, on days I had my flare ups I would be shattered and lost. That is when I came upon Shakti School. Call it my intuition or my inner calling, I strongly felt this is my path to healing. Also, I could heal other women like me who could be going through a similar journey. I was honoured to receive the scholarship from Shakti school. Today as I go through the sessions, I become aware and enlightened. I respect and value my body a lot more than I did before. I have already noticed positive changes in my health by applying what I am learning in Shakti school. My wish is to pursue a career in Ayurveda by helping people to follow a path in wellness."
"My name is Sara Rollins, and I come from the beautiful mountains of West Virginia. I am truly a teacher at heart, and have a passion for ethical outdoor recreation, and holistic practices that support overall well-being. I am blessed to be studying Ayurveda with the Shakti School this year after waiting for the right time since the very first group. Through this course, I hope to continue to solidify practices in my own life that I love and believe in to keep my own cup full so I can support others in need, especially those in rural areas who really need these practices, but often don’t have access to them. I love the format of slow, one-0n-one work with people, and my goal is to combine my unique set of skills in music, yoga, outdoor recreation, and Ayurveda to support individuals as they work to achieve whatever they want out of life. I live in my van full-time with my love, Burt, and our precious Norwegian Elkhound Lola. He is a musician, and I work on a research team for a podcast in it’s preliminary stage about the Appalachian Trail; my primary work for the podcast is bringing to light the dark history in the United States regarding the treatment of the indigenous natives of this land. I’m also a graduate student through Prescott College working toward my Master’s in Outdoor Education and Leadership. My undergraduate degrees are in Music Performance and Music Education."
"I am Sara, a soul alchemist, a womb-wisdom keeper and an Earth ambassador. I am the scientist and the shaman, the academic and the witch. The bridge between the structured logic and the fiery creativity. For many years, I have lived in the beautiful land of my Mind, where I was privilege enough to nourish my studies, up to getting a PhD in the social sciences. I followed my passion all the way to Cape Town, my home away from home. To a passionate researcher in the field of social trust, cultural taboo and ethnic diversity, South Africa is simply the place to be. Living in an incredibly interesting, yet very tough reality required me to have a strong balance in my own life. Mens sana in corpore sano, they say. I have thus started to embark on a journey of radical self-love through embodiment practices. Conscious breathing, conscious dancing, herbalism and yoga all brought me a step closer to a fuller version of myself. To feel whole, though, I needed Ayurveda in my life. As I work more and more in the poorest and most disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Cape Town, I see Ayurveda as a political practice, one of justice. I joined Shakti School to gain the knowledge and to access its teachers’ wisdom to be able to support and empower women (and their children) in taking deep care of themselves and their communities in a holistic and inexpensive way, in harmony with Nature and its cyclicality."
"After being diagnosed with Endometriosis in 2018, I knew that I wanted to help women navigate their health through finding the root cause of what they are going through. There is not a lot of information on Endometriosis and the cause, so trying to treat it makes it very difficult. I found through holistic practices and with the help of my medical team, that I have been able to successfully manage my symptoms. During the last year, I was thinking about going back to school to become an ear for those who feel they are not being heard in the medical field. However, I decided that I wanted to be more involved with women and their journeys and creating a process on how to heal not just their bodies but their souls. After completing the Ayurveda Wellness Coach - Level 1 program, I am looking forward to joining level 2 to extend my knowledge and then open a whole Mind, Body and Spirit sanctuary for all women looking to increase their Agni. After learning that Katie teaches the importance of integrating western and eastern practices together, I knew that this is the program I wanted to study. I am not 100% sure where this journey will take me, but I am very excited to be on it."
"My name is Sophia Parks, and for me it’s quite simple why I chose to study Ayurveda. I feel like much of the world has lost the art of true healing and continues to cover up health problems instead of understanding your whole being. I hope to share my knowledge with the BIPOC community and make the balance of health more accessible. I came to a more holistic form of healing because I have struggled with GI issues and skin imbalances and am working to bring my whole body into health so these issues will clear. I am passionate about yoga and Ayurveda and have been teaching yoga since 2019, you can see more about my classes on IG @sophia.sea.yoga. I am from Murrieta, CA and attend graduate school in infectious disease at UC, Riverside. This serves as a constant reminder that we are all struggling with dis-ease in one form or another. I am constantly in a male-dominant and male-thinking environment and have been craving feminine energy. As women we all have the power to be healers and it’s time for the world to recognize us in all our strength and power. My hope is that we rise up together to heal ourselves, each other and the world around us!"
"As far as I remember I have been feeling wounded inside and outside, throughout my 30 years of life I have suffered from scoliosis and eating disorders. Incessantly tried to fix my bones and my body that I despised; with great effort tried to seek everywhere the reason behind my restless spirit. Luckily, I was passionate enough to expand my inherent love for nature and follow my intuition that I finally realized the precious essence flowing through me was always within me. I could feel it like the delicious fragrance of blossoming flowers, like a wild ocean wave, like the rising of the sun... All inside and outside of me; the loving force of creation pervading all the universe and the miniverse within me. Shakti School has become a nest holding my restless spirit; a magnifying love glass for my senses through which I can look deeper, closer into my bones and my tiny cells yearning for attention. As I slowly and steadily drop the veil before me everything started to feel right. I feel so honored to be a part of this lineage of love that words are not enough to express my gratitude for this opportunity. It breaks my heart to see many women suffer from eating disorders and body hate and the fact that I will have the chance to bring forth the unique medicine growing inside me, fuels my passion in this journey. I would love to utilize these ancient and modern teachings of Ayurveda and Tantra that I am gradually integrating, for the amelioration of the women experiencing this suffering. I aim for weaving the practices with kind compassion so as to remind my beloved sisters of their inherent connection with the radiant essence within their being and help them to rebuild this lost connection with divine spirit."