About Melanie

Hello and welcome! I am honored to share a bit about myself and parts of my journey. From early childhood I was always seeking a way to understand my place in the world. While I felt the divine presence of a "Higher Power," and was energized, aware, and open to the flow of life without fear, it seemed the human level of life was most difficult to navigate, so I spent a lot of time by myself in nature, creating art, and reading books about other levels of reality described by authors such as J.R. Tolkein and C.S. Lewis.

A series of abrupt tragedies at the age of 11 left me in a melancholic darkness and rendered me a hollow, hungry ghost seeking for a way out of the misery of loss and grief. I began to seek out the socially-acceptable ways to be "normal," believing by "fitting-in" somehow my sadness would disappear.

And so my path became a rather circuitous and eclectic blend of searching for purpose through external reinforcements, while the sensitive Self remained submerged. Some of my external successes over time include:

I have been a dedicated athlete and coach for many years, beginning with classical ballet, then professional tennis, triathlons, and later ultra-distance trail running.
I have also been a life-long learner and teacher, earning my Master’s degree and following with two different PhD programs in the History of Art and Critical Theory, and subsequently taught in several colleges for over twenty years.
I managed organic farms helping to create community-supported agriculture to link organic food to local communities.

Around 2011 I felt a tremendous calling to reassess my path. Fascination with yoga and spirituality led me to study Spiritual Mentorship with Benedictine sisters while also studying Yoga. These seemingly culturally-disparate studies also felt connected by underlying principles pertaining to the soul, and this underlying connection inspired deeper studies in the mystical teachings of several wisdom traditions including the Vedic sciences of Yoga, Ayurveda, and Vedic Astrology. I subsequently earned a certification in Spiritual Mentorship as well as a 500 level Yoga certification and became an Ayurveda Practitioner and Jyotishi (Vedic Astrologer).

However, the most impactful practice in my life has been that of Heart Based Meditation developed by Dr. Paul Dugliss. Reconnecting to my Heart Center fostered those parts of me that had seemed lacking, and my desire to be of service became aligned with every aspect of my life as my familiarity with my True Self grew. The spiritual path merged with my vocation as a teacher, and ever since I have applied teaching and spiritual mentorship in helping individuals and small groups searching for their own understanding of their life-calling and journey.

Throughout my mentoring work I have become acutely aware of the internal struggles many face, be it self-trust issues, depression, or the crippling feeling of being stuck in life's sometimes heartbreaking cycles. As a holistic guide, I consider external symptoms but dive deep into the root of fears and aspirations. I aspire to empower and shift people from a life of misery and masked pretenses to one of radiant authenticity.

The core of my practice lies in my integrative approach, grounded in teaching self awareness. I use the framework of Ayurveda and Yoga to explore a client’s multifaceted being, and I refer to of the cosmic map of Vedic Astrology to navigate the often subconscious patterns influencing life. My intuition and ability to read energies equips me with an adept capacity for identifying specific needs, and I love to work with clients all over the country.

I call my practice Life Force Ayurveda because I believe it truly is our birthright to feel joyful, fulfilled, and connected to our divine purpose in this lifetime. The sciences of Ayurveda, Yoga, and Jyotisha, aided by the true light of conscious awareness, show us the way to live fully present, which fosters care for our selves, our communities and for our beautiful Earth.

Nature continues to feed my soul daily through hiking, swimming, cycling, gardening, dancing or star-gazing here in the Pacific Northwest. I cherish time with friends, family and creatures, and am continually grateful and inspired by my beloved teachers

Tedd Surman, Penny Farrow and Paul Dugliss.