Blessings from this deep space of my heart, I am so grateful to share my transformational journey with you. I’ve been a practicing yogini for over 17 years and honestly feel that yoga not only shaped my life, but literally saved my life in a myriad of ways. My prayer is that by telling you my story, you will be inspired to commit to yourself through a daily practice and that you experience deep bliss and self-realization along the path!
Born and raised in a small town in Ontario, I escaped to discover more of the world in my early 20s. This calling took me to Asia, to a land of rich and sacred practices, a doorway which continues to lead me to the Essence of my Soul!
I left Canada a depressed and suicidal 23-year-old woman, on anti-depressants, confused and deeply broken. At the time, I thought I was having a breakdown, later to discover I was having a breakthrough. My crisis was a Spiritual Awakening, which would continue on to this very day, revealing to me more of who and what I am, and dissolving through the practice of letting go, all that which does not serve me.
At the core of the teaching is that we are Infinite and Divine, Vast and Deathless. That this physical body is a vehicle which transports our Soul through this Human Experience. My yogic practice was born from a deep whisper from within my fragmented Self, after years of drug & alcohol abuse, and the misuse of sexual energy to reveal the blossoming of my consciousness and a path towards a new way of Being.
I remember the first time I did yoga. I was still living in Canada. I walked to the yoga studio that first day, in the snow. I was listening to John Lennon singing “Imagine” and feeling a longing for a more peaceful and gentle life with more meaningful connections. I remember the smell of incense, the softness of the blankets, the hardwood floors. I remember feeling that this was something I had experienced before, as I lay resting in corpse pose for the final relaxation, the music carrying my mind to another world.
I spent 8 years living in Asia, Central America, California and Hawaii. I was no longer depressed and firmly committed to living an organic life with clean, home-cooked meals, hours of walking in nature, yoga and meditation as well as a tapestry of other creative and heart-centred experiences. I lived in Rainbow Communities, worked and studied on organic farms, spent time with people from other countries in ceremony, learning new ways of being, aside from my North American upbringing. I lived, loved and learned… I unlearned a lot and I began to open.
That which remained consistent as I journeyed through different cultures, fell in and out of love, created different ways of earning a living, was my daily practice. Now sure, you get on the mat, you get off the mat, you breath long and deep, you forget to breath, you're cool as a cucumber and the next minute fiery like a dragon. Nothing is perfect. Nothing stays the same. I strove to be perfect, super committed and diligent to my practice. Over the years I've learned to cultivate compassion for myself, as well as all humans. Because, let's face it, being human can be challenging at times.
The gift that these 15 years of practice has given me is a deeper connection to my Self. I trust my intuition and allow it to guide me. It's taught me to be gentle with myself and accept where I am today. Sometimes my body feels like a noodle and other times my sciatic nerve is burning and on fire. There is pain and suffering for all of us on this journey. And, through a continued and committed practice, we practice neutrality, knowing, this too shall pass. We find joy in the simple things and appreciate this gift, we call Life.
I've practiced yoga in my house, at the airport, on the beach, in the desert, on the mountaintop, in an ashram, beside the Ganges. I've practice alone, with friends, with 2000 yogis at a time. I've practiced while pregnant, and later with my daughter crawling all over me. I see all of this an opportunity to not only practice yoga, but to become YOGA! Yoga means to join and as you deepen your practice you discover the Infinite Vast Essence of yourself whispering from within. Each breath, the voice of the Divine reminding us… I AM HERE! I AM HERE
A daily practice allows me to lean on the invisible and trust that the one that created me is, and will always take care of me. Practicing daily strengthens my nervous system and supports me in meeting the pressure of the times. Blocks are dissolved in my body and mind and my energy is able to flow freely, allowing me to experience my vitality, health and radiance! To embody my greatest potential and shine my light into the world and be of service to my community, family and friends.
Not only have I been blessed with a beautiful, colorful and wildly expressive life, I’ve also accomplished many great things. From picking myself up and out of fate and meeting my destiny again and again, I’ve had the good fortune and the courage to go for whatever it is my Soul is guiding me towards. Traveling the world as a single woman, while raising a beautiful, healthy, conscious now 12-year-old daughter. Hard work and tenacity landed me an appearance on CBC’s Dragon’s Den where I pitched my raw foods biz. I slayed the dragons with my love, light and presence and attracted abundance in magical and tangible ways. With that investment and publicity, I birthed, owned and operated an organic, vegan restaurant and food distribution business in Vancouver, BC. Destiny delivered me to manage a Kundalini yoga studio in Vancouver, BC where I taught and hosted classes, workshops, events, concerts, camps and any other spiritually creative project that came my way.
After teaching 100s of yoga classes to children, the elderly, at studios, in high schools, at music festivals and more, I’ve transitioned to focus on private clients and corporate classes. I’m fully loving my health coaching practice and love having the opportunity to connect on a safe, deep and intimate level with my clients and support them in their transformation toward a radically awakened and authentic existence.
Maintaining a full workshop schedule, my next big “dream come true moment” is teaching a yoga and drumming retreat in February 2017 in Costa Rica. Life just keeps on getting more and more juicy as I give myself permission to show up for myself and be the best version of myself that I can be. All of this I’ve done and more, but most important is this, yoga gives me the freedom to fully express who I am! Yoga allows me to BE ME with confidence, conviction, faith and to have FUN!
It is our birthright to be happy, healthy, prosperous and fulfilled and a daily yoga practice will give you this and so much more. I just celebrated my 40th birthday this week and I’m so grateful that I think for myself, that I am aware of my own feelings, that I take care of my body and my mind and make my well-being and self-care a priority in my life. I listen to my inner voice, my intuition and the voice of my soul, because my soul is chanting to me, I AM BOUNTIFUL, I AM BEAUTIFUL, I AM BLISSFUL, I AM .... I AM… Life begins at 40, so I hear, and I’m feeling 18 years old thanks to yoga.
It is our birthright to be happy, healthy, prosperous and fulfilled and a daily yoga practice will give you this and so much more. I just celebrated my 40th birthday this week and I’m so grateful that I think for myself, that I am aware of my own feelings, that I take care of my body and my mind and make my well-being and self-care a priority in my life. I listen to my inner voice, my intuition and the voice of my soul, because my soul is chanting to me, I AM BOUNTIFUL, I AM BEAUTIFUL, I AM BLISSFUL, I AM .... I AM… Life begins at 40, so I hear, and I’m feeling 18 years old thanks to yoga.
Enjoy the journey dear friends and fellow yogis. Hope to see you on the yoga mat soon…
Blessings,
Mahan Khalsa