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
Kristin Nelson | Aldinga Beach, South Australia | @wholenesswithkristin
Neelam Bhella | Burlington, Canada | @thebiophiliclife
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
Hannah Joy | St. Augustine, FL | @meditate.tap.create & meditatetapcreate.com
Royann Cole | Las Vegas, Nevada | @growthwithro
Jimena Antelo | Uruguay, South America
Jennie Jordan | Lehigh Valley, PA | @the.coach.jennie & links.thecoachjennie.com/social
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
Julia Clair | @simpaticosoul & SimpaticoSoulGift
Candace Haluska | San Clemente, California | @soul_sauntering_mama
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
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
Daria Riazantseva | Belgium | @neverending_daria
Barbara Reynolds Mayo | Oregon
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
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
Gaelle Pettifer | Mansfield, Victoria, Australia | @the.peace.lounge
Nicole Burgoyne | Littleton, Colorado | @a_colorado_yogi_life
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 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