I didn’t start studying Ayurveda and Yoga with the intention of creating a learning community like Hale Pule Ayurveda and Yoga. I began this work to find a path to my own healing.
I was just 30 years old when I found myself wrestling with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. I made the choice to find another direction for healing than the one Western medicine was offering me. I came upon a path to health, as well as a path to Self, through Ayurveda and Yoga.
My education in Ayurveda and Yoga was not linear, a much different experience than the universities I’d attended in the past. My study was more like the traditional way Ayurveda and Yoga were taught. I sought out teachers and practitioners whom I respected for their understanding of these practices and attended their workshops, private sessions and certification programs. Then I returned home and integrated the knowledge through practice and self-study, and came back for more teaching when I was ready for the next step. This approach allowed me to gain a much deeper understanding of the teachings by fully integrating them into my life. I value this style of learning greatly, and it has served as the model for our Ayurveda and Yoga training at Hale Pule. Students study with us, whether through an online Ayurveda training or an in-person Ayurveda intensive program, and soon return, filled with the knowledge they have gained from their personal practice.
Building a path of lifelong study
I am able to teach Ayurveda and Yoga with fluency today because I have built my life on a foundation of the Vedas. Though for years while I was laying this ground, I didn’t see myself as a teacher, just a student seeking health and joy in life. Now, as I work as a teacher and practitioner, I still see myself as a student. I learn from every Ayurvedic consultation I conduct, every Yoga teacher training I lead, and every student in our Ayurvedic health counselor certification program. Through these experiences, I see the power of Ayurveda and Yoga working together, and I learn again why we need this wisdom now more than ever before. It’s time for change in how we are living, and it starts with you.
As you develop your own educational path, I encourage you to view your interactions with Ayurveda and Yoga as a lifelong process. Approach your studies with humility and deep respect for those who carried them into the present day, but remember that your own experience is your greatest teacher.
Allow your direction to be fluid as you learn. If you want to teach, be an incredible student first. If your goal is to learn Ayurveda and Yoga to live the fullest life possible, don’t be surprised when you find yourself standing in front of others and sharing what you’ve learned. The path before you will unfold with ease if you release expectation and attachment to the outcome. Enjoy the process, and you will find rewards in all you do.
Finding your unique approach to studying Ayurveda and Yoga
There are as many ways to access the teachings of Ayurveda and Yoga as there are people who want to learn about them. Over the next month, we’re going to share the stories of three Hale Pule students. It’s my hope that by meeting Joanne, Jenny and Kela, you will be inspired to take the next step in your educational journey.
As you read these stories, I invite you to explore the range of courses and programs at Hale Pule. In my own path as a student, teacher and practitioner, I’ve identified the practices that have resulted in the most profound growth in my life and that of my clients and have created educational programs at Hale Pule to reflect them. This includes building a better relationship with food through Ayurvedic chef certification, balancing the doshas by learning Ayurvedic treatments, healing the energetic body with our Pranic Awakening online course and embodying the eight limbs of Yoga through 200-hour teacher training.
These programs complement our ongoing opportunities for self-study, including two online courses that share the practical teachings of Ayurveda and Yoga and a 600-hour Ayurvedic health counselor certification program if it is your dharma to share the wisdom of Ayurveda with others.
If you are ready for more advanced study, or have a specific area of interest you’d like to pursue, I invite you to create your own private or small group immersion in Ayurveda and Yoga. You can build an immersion filled with teachings that are relevant to your life and your direction. Add on Ayurvedic treatments, consultations and private asana classes, or stay eight days or more for the healing practices of dosha balancing and panchakarma. Whatever you plan, you’ll return home a more authentic and connected version of yourself.
Contact us to learn more about our upcoming programs.