The Shakti School is inspired and deeply honored to offer scholarships each year. We want to thank each and every student for their soulful and love-filled participation. We deeply appreciate all of the honesty and effort poured into the submissions. Without further ado, below are some of the recipients of this year's 2024 winners and their testimonials!
Marquita (Key) Ochoa | Tucson, Arizona | @key.ocho & www.keyocho.com
"My name is Key. I am a Chicago native living with my husband in Tucson, Arizona. I am a holistic integrative wellness practitioner, spiritual wellness writer (https://keyocho.substack.com/) , meditation teacher, sound healer, and 200-hr yoga teacher. I've been unconsciously practicing Ayurveda for years and have used this ancient medicine to heal myself and wanted to deepen my knowledge with The Shakti School. Upon completing this certification, my goal is to integrate this ancient wisdom into my work and help women of color heal their minds, body, and spirit. I want my community to understand that prioritizing self-care through Ayurveda isn't a luxury; it's a fundamental practice that enhances their daily lives."
Simi Pawa | Vancouver, BC, Canada | @yogawithsimi
"I’m Simi Pawa, currently residing in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and I'm honored to be a first year student at the Shakti School of Ayurveda. Ayurveda's wisdom has always fascinated me, yet I struggled to fully understand its depth solely through online sources. Despite Ayurveda being a part of my lineage, the modern world's noise left me feeling disconnected. However, receiving a scholarship for my first year at Shakti School opened the door to a profound journey of self-discovery through the teachings of Ayurveda, for which I am deeply grateful. As a practicing Yogini, certified Life Coach, Yoga Teacher, and a mother of two, I blend my passions to advocate for holistic healing. My mission is to empower women to embrace their fullest potential and reconnect with their inner selves. I'm committed to preserving Ayurvedic wisdom for our future generations, including my own children, ensuring its enduring legacy."
Kristin Nelson | Aldinga Beach, South Australia | @wholenesswithkristin
"I am Mama to two beautiful girls & am blessed to also have a teenage step daughter. I have always felt sensitive and extra susceptible to going out of balance. Since I was a teenager, I have used yoga as a tool to help me regulate my NS, get unstuck and feel more balanced, free and whole. More connected to my steady essence and less at the mercy of the ups and downs of life. The older I get, the more readily I go out of balance and I started feeling like "there's gotta be more to this health and wellness equation!" Enter: Ayurvedic wisdom finally entering my realm! From the moment it divinely landed in my lap, I felt a deep soul whisper "YES. This. NOW." I am now studying toward my Diploma of Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultation locally here in South Australia, as well as the Level 1 Shakti School Ayurvedic Health Coach Certificate. I am inspired by how profound my experience is of making small changes and feeling big shifts. Just a month in and I feel my pitta imbalance chilling out. This translates to me feeling more grounded and relaxed. More present and patient. More in my loving more of the time. & perhaps the biggest gift of all is how my family is responding to these small, but revolutionary shifts. My wellbeing seems to be directly related to their wellbeing. My goal is to learn how to take impeccable care of myself through the Ayurvedic wisdom, so that my beautiful daughters learn how to do the same. To feel empowered to take charge of our health & wellbeing naturally and start a wellness revolution in our backyard & kitchen!! I'm excited to extend this ripple effect out further and help support other Mama's in my community to do the same."
Neelam Bhella | Burlington, Canada | @thebiophiliclife
"Hello and Sat Sri Akal my sisters. My name is Neelam and I am honoured to share a little bit about my journey to Shakti School.
I was born and raised in England in the 1970’s and 80’s by my immigrant South Asian parents. I had a full and loving family life in a tight knit community of friends and extended family which was very important as we faced a fair amount of discrimination. I am grateful to my parents for lovingly raising us and can recount cooking Indian dishes with my mum in the kitchen surrounded by laughter, music, dance and food! At age 19, I immigrated to Canada with my family. I went to college at age 22 and studied to enter the field of law enforcement.
In March 2020, when the pandemic shut down the world (the same week I turned 50), I was catapulted into my biggest awakening to date. I turned inwards and contemplated on the meaning of life…. my life. Where was I supposed to go, what was I supposed to do in life? The police department had always seemed to be my passion, but there was a longing in my heart for something more. In March 2022, I traveled to India, alone, to be at the spiritual centre (The Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab) of my faith on my 52nd birthday.
The year 2023 came at me like a car crash, with one injury after the next. I had to take some time off work. I began to heal slowly and started questioning what was really meaningful to me. I threw myself into cooking and began to enjoy taking care of myself, using natural remedies. I continued to internally search for how my life would look after 2025 (my retirement year). I then came across the Shakti School and took an online mini-course. I had come home. To me. I felt it in my heart. But with two sons in college, my income would not be enough to cover the course. I learned of the scholarship program through a fellow Canadian student and I was granted a partial scholarship!
My aspiration is to help my female colleagues in the police department. The masculine nature of policing is such that women have been so very disconnected from their true feminine nature. I want to ensure that these women learn to care for their well-being more gently and gracefully, as they take care of our community and their own families.
I am very grateful to Shakti School to have offered me this scholarship so that once I retire, I will again be able to proudly serve my community by offering Ayurvedic Wellness Coaching services to first responders."
Kerry Dyer | Tumwater, WA | juddnaturalhealth.org
"Hi, my name is Kerry. I am grateful for this feminine focused opportunity to enter the world of Ayurveda. After looking at various schools, The Shakti School illuminated my heart which kept whispering to me, "in the world of Ayurveda, this is where you belong." I have been a bodyworker and acupuncturist for almost 20 years now. I love what I do and love learning more about gentler, kinder, natural approaches to health and well-being. I have mostly worked part-time, for almost twenty years, due to my health and family care needs. In the last few years, it was time to grow and to take a chance. I put more of my energy into growing my small business and have now fully transitioned away from employment. My small business continues to grow and I plan on incorporating Ayurveda into my current practice and expanding online when the time is right. As I grow my business, I continue to be the main caregiver for my kids in our multigenerational, animal loving, home while my husband works in social services. Due to the challenges of a neurodivergent family, with some of us on the autism spectrum, I have needed to homeschool our children occasionally and work with them as they become ever more amazing and independent. My prior studies of yoga, massage, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and current study of Ayurveda is what nourishes my being, gives me tools to reintegrate myself and others when life happens and things fall apart, and helps me bring forth space and presence for healing myself and others. My goal is to make my services as accessible as possible, which is why I have chosen to work with various insurance as well as provide other low-cost options for medical care. There is also always room for creative growth and improvement and I am certain The Shakti School will help guide and inspire me along this path."
Hannah Joy | St. Augustine, FL | @meditate.tap.create & meditatetapcreate.com
"Hannah is an EFT Practitioner and meditation guide, inspiring inner evolution in others through self-awareness and creative expression. She supports her clients in listening to the wisdom of the body to release deep emotional blockages and trauma from the root. In a dynamic marriage of forgiveness, radical acceptance, and intuitive guided visualizations, clients rediscover that self-love is their innate superpower. Hannah is honored and humbled to work with those on their healing journey, particularly called to be the space holder and wisdom navigator for people in demanding life transitions: sexuality, pregnancy and postpartum, ceremonial grief work, relationships and more. She plans on weaving the sacred teachings of ayurveda into her own life and family, overflowing into her work during sessions and afterwards as intentional post-care and integration practices."
Royann Cole | Las Vegas, Nevada | @growthwithro
"Hi Everyone, my name is Royann. You can call me Ro 🙂 I am an Artist, Herbalist, Intuitive, and Reiki Level II Practitioner. I currently live in Las Vegas, Nevada. I enjoy spending time with family, friends, and my pup Bentley. I love to be in and with nature. I am passionate about fitness, meditation, herbs, nature, animals, and inner healing. I want to integrate Ayurveda and Tantra, not only into my own healing journey, but also my Reiki healing sessions to help guide others."
Jimena Antelo | Uruguay, South America
"Hello, I'm Jimena, from Solymar, in Uruguay, South America. I work as a Gestalt psychologist, and teacher of Yin Yoga, Akashic records and family constellations. I am a wife and mother as well as an eternal student. Happy to be attending Shakti School and to have this opportunity. My greatest interest at the end of the year is to facilitate workshops for women on sexuality, health and abundance. I am interested in tantric philosophy and energy meditations, I believe they are a great tool and model to help other people raise their level of life and consciousness. Also enrich and complement my yoga practice both personally and professionally. My Sankalpa ( intention from the heart) is to give love and receive love."
Jennie Jordan | Lehigh Valley, PA | @the.coach.jennie & links.thecoachjennie.com/social
"Hello, I'm Jennie Jordan, your go-to Holistic Wellness & Life Strategist, bringing over 20 years of hands-on clinical experience. Beyond my passion for helping others thrive, I'm an adventure seeker who finds pure joy in exploring National Parks, conquering challenging hikes, and embarking on cycling adventures. Lately, I've also immersed myself in the world of yoga, discovering its incredible benefits. But that's not all! I'm on an exciting journey to become an Ayurvedic Health Counselor, and I can't wait to share the wealth of knowledge I'm gaining with my amazing community.
My life philosophy is all about spreading kindness, maintaining a positive vibe, and actively chasing a life that feels truly fulfilling. Born partially blind, my unique perspective has fueled my resilient mindset, propelling me to achieve everything and more. Join me in this incredible journey, and let's make each day a new adventure!"
Libby White | Virginia | @libbyloveslife & @naturalstatemovement
"My name is Libby White, owner of Natural State Movement, a one woman yoga biz that offers yoga classes to my community located just outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. I’m beyond honored to not only be in the 2024 Shakti School Cohort, but to be a scholarship recipient at that! Many of my yoga classes are based around the elements and nature, and we try to follow the seasons with our movement. I’ve known since I first learned about it, that Ayurveda was going to play a big hand in my life and eventually my business. But I knew that there was more I needed to learn first. So here I am! My hope is to take all that I’m learning in Shakti School, digest it, and share these teachings with other women, those around me who need to hear it most, but haven’t been able to. I don’t know what it will look like just yet, but I do know that after each class I am more excited about Ayurveda than I was the class before. I am blown away each and every time. So very thankful for this experience and Shakti School as a whole."
Julia Clair | @simpaticosoul & SimpaticoSoulGift
"My name is Julia and I'm a grateful recipient of the Shakti School 2024 scholarship:) I'm originally from Scotland, and now live half the time in California and half in Nicaragua. I studied Psychology at University and have continued to try and learn as much about health and the mind-body connection as I can, including Somatic Therapy, Yoga, Mindfulness, and now Ayurveda. I'm a mama and stepmama of 4 kids and recently launched a business called Simpatico Soul. After going through a traumatic experience a few years ago, I was inspired to create self-care sets, that are affordable and helpful for all different seasons of life such as pregnancy, postnatal, chakra healing, mindfulness, and many more. The Simpatico Soul sets are designed to create a sense of peace, calm and relaxation at home, with simple techniques and tools to incorporate into your daily life. I have been very inspired by Ayurveda and included in my sets are dry brushes for the practice of garshana, meditations and organic oils for abhyanga. I aspire to incorporate more of the teachings from Ayurveda into my self-care business and add Ayurveda Wellness Coaching to the Simpatico Lifestyle. My goal is to help women create moments of self-care and wellness in their daily lives, with my mantra being - "Self-care is not selfish or self-indulgent. It is necessary for balance, health, and self-preservation.”. Ayurveda fits perfectly into this mantra and lifestyle I want to continue to grow and create, learning more about diet, health, and wellness and being able to share this knowledge with others is the ultimate goal. Thank you for choosing me to be a part of your program, Im so excited to continue learning with all of you."
Candace Haluska | San Clemente, California | @soul_sauntering_mama
"Hello beautiful Shakti Sisters. I was fortunate enough to be the recipient of a scholarship for Shakti School 2024. This opportunity could not have come at a better time in my life. For many years I have been in constant transition. My husband is Active Duty military and we have moved almost every year for the past 18 years. The one constant I had during these times were the women whom I would meet at each duty station. My connection to Katie's teachings back at Floyd Yoga Jam in 2014 and 2019, as well as my connection to the capable, strong, uplifting, supportive women around me, led me to Shakti School.
In all honesty, my first priority is to heal myself and family, allowing that to trickle down(in hopes) through many generations to come.
In the future I would be honored to spread the gift of Ayurveda along with Yoga and plant seeds among our Military Community, working as an Ayurveda Health Coach among this specific population. I see myself sharing with great love and an open heart, the knowledge we are learning in Shakti School to all who are open and interested."
Danielle Morgan | Ireland | @free2byogi
"My name is Danielle Morgan I’m from a wee village in Ireland called omeath.
I started out a few years ago teaching in my community, I teach kids and adults, I run women’s circles, soundbaths and beautiful yin yoga class to help women come together and hit the reset button.
I had a hard time in the past, my boyfriend at 15 killed himself and I blamed myself for his death, so from there on in I went from bad relationship to bad relationship to keep punishing myself, I ended up in a very abusive relationship where I was physically beaten every day, mentally and emotionally abused, broken bones you name it, I had a baby with this man and only for her I believe I would probably be in heaven now, she is my best friend, we grew up together, she was the one who pushed me to become a yoga teacher and become the person I am today.
So I now help women overcome abuse, alcohol problems or just to find themselves again.
I love what I do, it fills me up, I know that this is my Dharma, I found shakti school in instagram and was so intrigued by how beautifully feminine it was, it’s all me and more.
Thank you for this scholarship and this chance to help more and more souls, I have 4 kids in total and 2 dogs, I’ve finally found my soul mate and we got married 7 years ago, fairytales do come true after all. I’m so excited for this year together and I’m loving the course so far."
Rachel Hermsen | Nebraska
"I am Rachel Hermsen from Nebraska, USA. This education of Ayurveda will allow me to share with others the invaluable gifts that I have gotten from Ayurveda! With each bit of growth I long for others to find this light within them and learn that they too aren't broken. I am savoring all of the wisdom from these wonderful teachers so that I can pass along the knowledge of balance, nature and connection to inner-self with those in my community and beyond. I cannot wait."
Daria Riazantseva | Belgium | @neverending_daria
"My name is Dasha Riazantseva, I am originally from Ukraine, currently living in Belgium. The first classes of Shakti School were nothing short but healing and magical - and I would be honoured to transfer the things I learn to the community of Ukrainian women who so need light, nourishment and healing right now."
Barbara Reynolds Mayo | Oregon
"I grew up in the capital city of Mississippi at a time a lot different from today. I was a city girl so eating from the garden only happened during the summer when I stayed with cousins in the country. I knew then there was a difference in how food tasted. Generally, I ate a normal Southern diet. I moved to Oregon when I was 29 and became interested in health and wellness, representing companies supporting these lifeways, as well as becoming a certified health coach. I am also an Oregon Master Naturalist, continuing to devote time throughout the year for our natural world.
I have been interested in Ayurveda for a long time and finally the time was right and the perfect school came my way. I’m beyond grateful to belong to such a powerful and loving group of women striving to change the world we live in. I live in and travel the rural areas of eastern Oregon. My hope is to take my knowledge to these areas helping women who now find themselves alone and who have no clue what to do with or how to take care of themselves. The generosity of Skatki School is making this possible and I am forever grateful that, at my age, I can look forward to helping people in THE most loving way. Blessings to each and every one of us. Namaste."
Samantha McMonigal | Northwest Ohio | @energetictemple & theenergetictemple.com
"Namaste beautiful souls! My name is Samantha McMonigal (Sami Jean) and I am a mystic at heart with a passion that focuses on healing trauma that holds us back personally and collectively.
After spending 20 years in social work, I grew wary of programs that shuffled people through short term programs that did nothing for our client's future and did even less for how they felt inside. Yes, helping a person’s immediate needs is important, but after seeing thousands of people in despair, I wanted to figure out how to help people thrive and not just survive! So many people are held back by trauma, poverty, and stress- and I was one of them myself.
I realized then that I needed to help myself so I could help others heal more deeply as well, but I didn’t know how to even begin. So I did the next best thing. I kept asking “How? How can I do this?”
Life started changing after asking these questions. Sadly, my sister walked to her car on her lunch break and died from a brain aneurysm after living with much stress. Three months later, my mother passed away after a two-year battle with brain cancer. The emotions of my grieving process taught me that we don’t heal by suppressing; we heal by releasing. Because of this, I realized the information I had learned about unresolved trauma guiding our lives was not only real- it was a warning. Once I made these connections, I decided to honor the lives of my sister and mother through healing years of unprocessed trauma so I can help others who face the same struggles as well.
Once this decision was made, the most profound synchronistic events have been guiding me along the way. In addition, after learning to meditate and experiencing the most beautiful moments while doing so, I left my high stress career so I could study as much as possible while embracing this lifestyle. As a part of this journey, I am now a yoga teacher and a Reiki master.
Studying the science of how trauma unconsciously guides our behavior (while pretending to be a dormant beast) has led me to the doorstep of Ayurveda as a crucial part of the healing process. As the sister science to yoga, Ayurveda will become the foundational stone that will support all the other modalities of assistance I will guide myself and my clients through; namely restorative yoga, regenerative breath work, yoga nidra, and Reiki.
I am grateful for being gifted this scholarship so that I can join those who are bringing more light to the world- both within and without!"
Julia Alvarez | Neptune, New Jersey | @julia.yogadoula & www.juliayogadoula.com
"I first discovered ayurveda through my yoga studies but I didn't really dive deep until I started preparing for pregnancy. I took over a year to dedicate to my preconception phase and followed many ayurvedic practices that helped me become the healthiest, most vibrant version of myself. I healed many of my imbalances and truly never felt better. During this time I also started sharing ayurveda with my prenatal and postpartum doula clients and saw the difference these practices made in their lives, too. I am now expecting my first baby and attribute my easeful conception and pregnancy to ayurveda and all the wellness protocols I followed. I want to share ayurveda with even more women, especially with mothers and mothers to be. Motherhood is a wild transformation and ayurveda can be such a lifeline for those embarking on this journey. I am so excited to be a part of shakti school where I am learning so much and can't wait to be an ayurvedic wellness coach!"
Gaelle Pettifer | Mansfield, Victoria, Australia | @the.peace.lounge
"Hello! My name is Gaelle Pettifer and I have a place in the Level One Ayurveda School by the grace of receiving a partial scholarship. I unraveled in the past few of years after a very long time of coping on my own, raising a child and holding a business space for yoga. I got to the stage where I had nothing left to give in any moment and my mental health was in crisis. I found drawing myself towards general health almost undoable, I had lost so much of my life to have any resource for renewal, but I had an opportunity to try kitchari and it began a turn around. Somehow, when I felt I had had nothing for so long, a spark returned and with some gentle movement and mantra practices in combination with the kitchari, I found the space for the self understanding I needed. My intention at this stage is to continue into the level 2 course. I really desire to offer a platform to confidently support women to become comfortable with themselves. I do believe that when women empower themselves through health and wellbeing, everything and everybody benefits from their clarity. I've definitely experienced a deeper calm through Ayurvedic, yoga and meditation practices and I'm only just beginning, the future looks very encouraging!"
Nicole Burgoyne | Littleton, Colorado | @a_colorado_yogi_life
"My name is Nicole Burgoyne and I live in Littleton, Colorado with my family. I am a mountain goddess and enjoy the beautiful changing seasons in my state by exploring all things outdoors in all weather. I currently teach yoga and have been a teacher in a variety of settings; mother to four, a breastfeeding and childbirth educator and doula, elementary school teacher, and currently love exploring and sharing yoga, Ayurveda and Jyotish. Passionate and heart centered, I seek to build a strong community of support with resources, education, and connection through the philosophy and tools of Ayurveda and yoga and working to build a more formal and established business. Shakti School is already gifting me so much to make this possible.
Yoga has been a part of my life for many years but truly found me on my knees when I needed it most. In 2019, after a series of neurological issues I lost the ability to see, walk and access words. I found myself terrified and looking for answers. I can’t really say it came out of nowhere because I had noticed a shift in my mind and health for a couple years that gradually increased until it swan dived into a full blown loss of life as I had known it. For years I could not find the balance I so desperately was seeking. When I looked in the mirror I didn’t recognize myself. My eyes were clouded, my face swollen and I had gained weight. Even worse, my usual positive and upbeat outlook was fading. My emotions were all over the place and I felt ill at ease in my body, mind, and soul. I was lost and my soul was crying out for help. My body literally burned out and I collapsed in surrender. This tower moment was the destruction of a life that was no longer serving but the beginning of something beautiful. Eventually I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and over time I saw it as an amazing lesson, a gift that taught me to build a deep relationship with myself. With this, I’ve found my way back to a path rich with gratefulness, experience, accountability, and compassion. I started to learn more about Ayurveda and with a new lens, vocabulary, and understanding that made sense, my life evolved with new purpose and vision. It put things into a perspective that felt connected, relevant, and aligned. I know this is exactly where I am meant to be and all is for a greater purpose outside of what I ever realized was possible. I'm pumped and feel a fire I thought was gone forever. I am so blessed and excited to be a part of this community and opportunity with Shakti School."
Karen Viola | Los Osos, California
"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.
I feel so very blessed to be given this once in a lifetime opportunity for my scholarship to the Shakti school. I plan to use all of the life changing knowledge to love, heal and discover my true self as possible, and then to share it and help as many people as possible. I know in doing this it will bring so much light to the planet, and I feel that is what my purpose is and always has been."
Sharea Holcomb | Washington state | @lakotayogini & nourishwithsharea.squarespace.com
"My name is Sharea Holcomb, I currently reside on a small farm in the Methow Valley of Washington state. I am not only a passionate chef, but a bright spirit who lives closely with the land. Being North American Indigenous, Assiniboine Nakoda and Hunkpapa Lakota, as well as European indigenous, I humbly weave ceremony and ritual into the spaces I share in and the food I create. I love connecting people back to themselves and the earth, through creating healing spaces, and sharing nourishing food. I am a 200-hour registered yoga teacher, with certifications as a 100-hour Ayurveda yoga therapist, a 100-hour Sound Healing and Ceremony Facilitator as well as holding a 200-hour Historical Trauma recovery certificate. I plan to weave the wisdom gained from Shakti school into my offerings as a chef and in the one on one and group spaces I share in. I dream of hosting retreats where I offer tools to connect women back to themselves via ancestral remembrance, their voices and sound as healing tools, food as medicine, ayurveda for wellness and more!"
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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.
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"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."
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"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."