SERVING THE BAY AREA SINCE 2002
“Yoga Mandala was the first place I went to to take a yoga class. And I have had no desire to go anywhere else. Ever. It is a calm, peaceful warm spot on bustling Telegraph Avenue.”
by Rosylen M.
by Rosylen M.
How did you get into this line of work?
I started studying nutrition and herbalism over a decade ago when my own health took a turn for the worse. Natural medicine seemed like the obvious direction to go, especially since I felt a lack of support from the modern medical industry. The first thing I turned to was Western Herbalism, in particular a book called “Natural Healing With Herbs”, which I bought on a whim when I was 14. It was a starting point, and soon became a mild obsession, which eventually led to more of an interest in energetic physiology. There came a point when I received an injury from over training martial arts, and I had a sudden notion that I had to now study yoga. Yoga gave me a familiarity with my body state that I hadn’t experienced before, and I recovered very quickly from my injury. I suppose this made me receptive to other facets of Indian philosophy, and when I was introduced to a healing modality that intricately wove diet, exercise, herbalism and meditation w ith a unifying and beautiful philosophy, I was lost to it, and that was Ayurveda. One day I was dropping off some film to develop, and I spotted a yoga studio down the street I hadn’t seen before. I cruised by on my bike and grabbed a flier they had sitting outside, and when I read it at home I discovered that they had an Ayurvedic clinic. I immediately set up an appointment, which is how I met my Guru Dharmanidhi Sarasvati. After my initial appointment, my next step was clear, and I began studying with him for the next few years, after which he advised me to travel to India to complete my education. There I began my ongoing apprenticeship with my upaya Guru Vijith Sasidar. Though my practice keeps evolving, I am ever more impressed with the effect that daily bodily maintenance has on radiant health and healing.
What three adjectives would you use to describe your work?
I would describe my work as inclusive, supportive, and transformational.
What is the biggest lesson (or lessons) you have learned through your therapy practice?
I have learned that you can’t really force anybody to heal, they have to want it, and they have to be receptive. This is what I think of when I hear the phrase, “Meet the client where they’re at”. One of the biggest lessons of Ayurveda is that we can only assist nature, we ultimately are not responsible for a person’s state of healing, and really can’t take credit for it.
What do you look forward to doing most on your day off?
Lately, all I want to do is garden. I am infatuated with permaculture and Biodynamics, and try to incorporate their concepts whenever I can. I look forward to spending the day on my small plot of land with my wife, remediating the soil, planting food, and preparing for a life that is more self-sustainable.
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