The Journey
Hello and Welcome! Allow me to tell you a little bit about myself and the journey that landed me here.
I had the good fortune of being raised in the diverse and upbeat city of New Orleans which helped to shape me into who I am today. I am very grateful for that. I’ve always had a love for research which led me to acquire a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from LSU in Baton Rouge and subsequently to work for a public library. I enjoyed working for the library and deeply believe in what it stands for, unrestricted access to educational resources and information. I believe knowledge is power and a community that empowers its people will result in an enlightened community.
In 2008 I took my first yoga class. What I noticed afterwards was not what I expected. I expected to feel better physically, which I did, but the surprising part was that I began to feel better emotionally. Being a researcher at heart I dove into learning why. I learned that yoga can regulate your psycho-spiritual-emotional well-being. It can turn off your stress response (your sympathetic nervous system) and activate your relaxation response (your parasympathetic nervous system). Yoga is so much more than exercise my friends!
This knowledge is what led me into the wonderful world of Mind/Body practices. I dove deeper into research and discovered that there is a vast amount of sacred information deriving from ancient India. When I say vast, I mean that if you were to spend a lifetime studying you might get close. I took classes to become a certified yoga instructor and began teaching yoga asana to the public through the library. Being able to share this ancient practice with others was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
After leaving the public library world my sister and I began to teach yoga together in different venues while writing children’s books that introduced children to yoga through ancient wisdom stories. The books are available at bookstores and many online retailers including Amazon. For more information on the books please check out:
https://www.ayogastorytellingadventure.com/
When the pandemic hit, the world changed, globally and individually. Teaching yoga class, especially to those in retirement homes suddenly became a misnomer. One by one we let our classes go. People stayed home to try to stay well and not infect others. As hard as this was for so many, I felt like it may be a time to reinvest in my studies. This led me to one of the sister sciences of yoga, Vedic Astrology; Jyotisha, in Sanskrit. I felt like I arrived at a place that had been waiting for me all along. I have completely immersed myself in this new learning. I am studying with an incredible teacher who inaugurates Jyotisha teachings on the same Vedic Principles I have been learning from all my yogic studies. My teacher and mentor, Dr. Katy Jane has been featured in Yoga Journal, Embodied Philosophy and more. She and her husband currently own and operate the Dunagiri Retreat in Dunagiri, India. Through Dr. Katy I have received a professional certification in the Life Insight Mastery Program. I am now happily granting Vedic astrology readings.
It would be an honor to work with you.
With Love and Light,
Melanie
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