Today’s guest is Ebony Smith aka The Ghetto Guru, world renowned yoga and mindfulness instructor and founder of Yoga N Da Hood (YNDH), a non profit organization dedicated to making wellness accessible to everyone. (in short they teach yoga in the hood) YNDH is one of the fastest growing non profits in Dallas, translating how wellness is implemented across cultural and social economic barriers.
Growing up in inner city Dallas, she knew first hand what it means to be at a disadvantage. She then learned the power of thought, and that what you think will truly cultivate the life you live.
Ebony is an inspiring example of how yoga can heal and transform your life. She went from getting fired from every job she’d ever had, an alcoholic, misfit; to traveling the world teaching yoga and mindfulness and inspiring others to be the greatest versions of themselves. From college drop out and pill popper to speaking and teaching at Harvard Medical School, Essence Festival, SXSW, Bali, Canada, Jamaica, and all over the USA. Contracted by Wanderlust, United Way Dallas, Texas Women College, Paul Quinn College, City of Dallas, DISD and other major corporation and institutions to motivate and inspire students, staff, human beings to be the greatest version of themselves.
From her website Ebony says:
I am a soul that continues to flourish through all, I am the flower in the concrete, the bloom in the dead of winter. I am truly your reflection. Changing my thoughts changed my life and continues to everyday in every moment in and out of time. It is a powerful tool for living the greatest version of your life. These tools and strategies are taught, not birth given, allow me the honor of creating a space for growth and well being for you and yours.
I hope you enjoy this interview and getting a taste of the enthusism for yoga that turned Ebony’s life around, and continues to be the gift that keeps on giving as her business is growing quickly, meeting the needs of s sorely underserved community.
I was honored to meet her and spend this time with her at the Bali SPirit Festival.
Take a listen and be ready to be inspired.
Enjoy and namaste
Ebony Smith
Yoga in da hood
instagram.com/yoganddahood
#theghettoguru
Greetings Rainbow Warriors,
I’m coming to you from beautiful Ojai California today. I’m here reuniting with my beloved community after circling the globe not once, but twice in the last year. There is something simply magical about this sacred land. And to see it in the rebirth process after the fires here last fall is a true blessing. Fresh green sprouts and wildflowers abound. After being around the world I can honestly say that Ojai holds my heart like no other place. The energy here and the people that are drawn here create a very special and powerful vortex. A quaint valley surrounded by mountains, full of spiritual centers and named by the Chumash Tribe after the moon, I’ve found it to be an extremely healing and grounding place to be. I’m thinking I should do some retreats here to share the magic with you. You guys in? Check out my Visionary Lifestyle & Podcast facebook page to see some yoga videos here.Send me an email if that sounds good to you. You can reach me at guide@visionary-lifestyle.com
So now, on to today’s show.
Today’s guest is Achintya Devi.
Achintya is the Founder of Goddess Rising Mystery School, dedicated to empowering the Wild Sacred Feminine within our Global Sisterhood through Moon Priestess & Womb Codex Trainings, Red Tent Leadership Certification & Collective, Priestess Path Trainings & Pilgrimages and an online Moon Sisters Temple.
Achintya is a Priestess of Avalon, ordained in the Temple of Isis and the Rose Lineage of the Magdalene, sharing oracle transmissions and ancient/future Priestess Arts Training in connection with the Divine Feminine Ascended Masters. She is especially passionate about women reawakening their Womb Codes of Light to embody their Sovereign Divinity for lasting transformation within and to serve as Sacred Leaders in this era of great Planetary Awakening.
Achintya is also an Acupressure Therapist, Wholistic Health Practitioner and Kundalini Yoga & Meditation Teacher. Originally from British Columbia, Canada, she teaches internationally and is based on the island of Maui.
I was blessed to meet Achintya in our community here in the Valley of the Moon, also known as Ojai. Then I caught up with her at the LIghtning in a Bottle Festival in California last year and fortunately we found time to get this interview in.
Coming up soon on Labor Day weekend I’ll be presenting again at The Learning Kitchen at the Lightning in a Bottle Festival here in California. If you’re around come and participate in my “Yoga Starts in the Kitchen” workshop there.
I’ve found that Achintya is carrying deep wisdom that the world, and especially women, need now.
She shares it with grace and a commitment to awakening people to help create a better world.
As usual, the show notes will contain links to her work as well as the download she mentions in the interview. Find those at visionary-lifestyle.com/podcast
Enjoy and namaste
#wombwork
#bloodmysteries
#rebirth
#priestess
#mystical
#blossoming
#sacredsensuality
#sacredsexuality
#reframe
#GoddessRising
#Alchemy
What is needed?
How can I serve?
Connect with Achintya
https://www.facebook.com/goddessesrising/
https://www.instagram.com/goddess_rising/
Moonchart Download
https://linktr.ee/goddess_rising
“If we are to change the outer world together we have to really take responsibility to change the inner landscape within us.”
Achintya Devi
Welcome tribe! This is the final episode of season one of the Visionary Lifestyle podcast! It feels really good that I succeeded in launching the show from india and publishing the first season , mostly recorder in LA, from here. I assure It was NO small feat with the snail slow internet and intermittent power outages! Love you Mother India!!!
Season 2 will launch very soon, and contains all the interviews I did at the International Yoga festival here in in Rishikesh. It’s completely packed with amazing conversations with saints and sages, and lots of the sounds of India. I got access to some very high level teachers who are dropping a LOT of wisdom so make sure you stay tuned in next season. So One of my huge take-aways from my time in India is that it’s NOT quiet! Ha My fantasies about meditating in a silent ashram were quickly squashed haha. The beauty of that though is it became a recurring conversation and a reminder lesson that we must seek the quiet within, and develop the ability to find our center and stillness anywhere we are, and no matter what is going on around us. This is true yoga.
In this episode I’m coming to you from a meditation hut in The Beatles Ashram, also known as the Maharishi Ashram in Rishikesh India. You’ll notice the sound quality difference in this and in future episodes , because I’m now recording out in the open on the road digital nomad style. So you’ll be getting a lot more sounds of the atmosphere. I hope you embrace that and can just think of it as me bringing the world to you:) I was stressed about having the best possible sound quality for you and eventually had to surrender to what I can’t control, which is random voices and sounds that sometimes found their way into the middle of interviews. You’ll see what I mean. I think it really adds to the charm of the interviews.
So I’m wrapping up this first season of the podcast with a heartfelt share about my time in india, which was a bucket list item that I’m really thrilled I can now cross off my list.
I’ll be sharing my insights as a first time yogi in India, as well as some practical packing and travel advice. This episode was recorded after my Ayurvedic panchakarma treatment, and just before the International yoga festival started. Look out for an interview with my amazing panchakarma doctor coming up in the next season, I’m really happy to be bringing you some deep insight about Ayurveda.
You can Check the show notes to find links to a lot of what I talk about in this episode.
And please get in touch with me and email me your feedback and questions to : Guide@visionary-lifestyle.com I’d looooove to hear from you!
Have you guys rated and reviewed the show in itunes yet? I can’t tell you how much weight that carries in terms of helping the show reach more people that need to hear this content.
I want to give shout outs to some of our generous rainbow warrior patrons supporting us on Patreon,: Steven Starr, Michelle Dohrn, Johann Urb, Kim Debus and Gracie Gold who also goes by rainbow! With your support guys we can continue publishing the show and with more people jumping in to support we can expand our reach and add all the episodes of the show to soundcloud and maybe even soon add an additional weekly show. Check out our perks at https://www.patreon.com/visionarylifestyle Your support means the world to me and notice there are no ads here, this is a listener supported show!
Also if you’re not following me on instagram, check out my accounts because I’m really active on there and posting lots of behind the scenes photos from interviews as well as my travels.
https://www.instagram.com/visionary_lifestyle_guide/ https://www.instagram.com/visionarylifestylepodcast/
Tribe, There is SO much in the pipeline heading your way the next two season! Season 2 is all in India as i said, and season 3 is all recorded in Bali, mostly at The Bali Spirit festival, and we’re talking super high vibration conversations packed with tools and resources to you know what...activate your highest potential, that’s right.
Shownotes
Maharishi Temple/ Beatles Ashram: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g580106-d3337400-Reviews-The_Beatles_Ashram-Rishikesh_Uttarakhand.html
Parmarth Niketan Ashram: http://www.parmarth.org/
Hemradi Panchakarma Center: http://www.rishikeshayurveda.com/
Travel Insurance-Allianz https://www.allianztravelinsurance.com/
Mooji: https://mooji.org/
Shivaratri: http://www.mahashivratri.org/
Visionary Lifestyle Packing List
Power adapter
Power strip
Xtra battery
Essential oils: oregano, tea tree, lavender, frankinscence, serenity blend, terra shield, on guard
https://www.mydoterra.com/visionarylifestyle/#/
Laundry bag (nylon sleeping bag sack)
Collapsible water bottle
Wrap to keep warm, use as a blanket, pillow
Nylon Underwear
Unlocked Phone
Once in India / Airtel Sim Card
If you have any travel questions let me know!
Namaste