I began my spiritual inquiry thirteen years ago, deeply immersing myself in the practice of Zen Buddhism. At twenty-four years old, with no prior experience in spirituality, I walked into The Providence Zen Center in my home state of Rhode Island. I had been suffering immensely and just wanted it to stop. I was undergoing a painful heartbreak and old childhood fears of looming death and eternity were resurfacing. A deeper question into the meaning of existence was taking a seat in the forefront of my mind.

I instantly became friends with an Israeli healer named Neta. After knowing me for only a couple of days, she was convinced that I was a healer too. At the time I had no idea what she meant, but after a few years on the spiritual path, I would certainly find out!

I became a Dharma Teacher in the Kwan Um School of Zen in 2014. For seven years I resided at Dharma Zen Center in Los Angeles and for three years was the director. I have sat three silent, 90 day retreats in monasteries around the globe. Zen is a powerful form of meditation. To sit and clearly perceive the thinking mind and gain insight into the nature of suffering truly was an extraordinary gift and helped me immensely. The only problem was that hours and days of seated meditation took a toll on my body and was coupled with great pain!

When I moved into the Dharma Zen Center, my body was extremely sore. My plan was to ride my bike to the yoga studio down the street and take a class every day until the physical and emotional pain went away. By adopting a strong regimen of daily yoga, the physical discomfort eased and with time I developed the ability to sit comfortably in meditation. More importantly though, yoga led me to a deeper discovery. Pain and suffering on the energetic and emotional levels never completely dissolve. We must learn how to use them as tools to keep discovering the infinite source of light and love within us.

This discovery inspired me to devote myself to the path of yoga in addition to Zen. My advanced yoga trainings took place at Liberation Yoga Los Angeles and Jai Yoga Hollywood. Later in my practice I traveled to India to deepen my studies with world renowned teachers, Rolf Naujukot and Ganga Puri. To this day I maintain a regimented yoga practice and teach students all over the country.

Zen and yoga taught me how to clear the mind and purify the body, but after twelve years of practice in both disciplines, an underlying anxiety appeared that would not go away. Anxiety is not bad. It is simply a beacon telling us to go beneath the surface of appearances and listen kindly to our inner voice. What was my inner voice saying? Lighten up!

I always loved dancing at bars, clubs, weddings, and concerts, but I never fully experienced its healing and transformative power until I became friends with a beautiful soul who introduced me to Ecstatic Dance and Contact Improvisation. By experiencing these forms of movement, I opened up to ways I could express and receive through the body heart, and mind.

Dance primed me to receive the healing gifts of Reiki and Shamanism. Reiki allowed me to come into an energetic space where I felt content and at peace with my soul. Shamanic journeying gave me a whole new approach to meditation, letting me look at life through a window that activated the imagination. I learned methods of practice so in the energetic state I received from Reiki I could express myself with radiance and joy.

Having received my Reiki Level 1 attunement in 2019, I became an Advanced Reiki Practitioner in the Usui Linage under the guidance of my teacher Zepure Kouyoumdjian. I traveled to Peru to learn with Shamans in the Amazon Rainforest at Amaru Spirit. Since that trip, Shamanism has become the form central to all my spiritual practices. I have gone on to work with various teachers and completed two courses with Sandra Ingerman, one the world’s most loved and renowned Shamanic practitioners.

It is my purpose and calling to share the experiences I have gained on my journey. Yoga and Zen cleanse the mind and body. Dance, Reiki and Shamanism illuminate the soul. There is no greater joy than bringing clarity and illumination to beautiful people.