Attaining Freedom From Within

Helen Blaaker is the Co-Owner and CEO of The Easy Yogi, an Ayurveda Consulting Practice, and mindfulCITY, an online resource for all things mindful. Ayurveda (which translates into "the science of life"), is an ancient practice of healthcare, enabling one to understand how to create balance of body and mind according to one’s unique elemental constitution by making lifestyle changes in food, herbs, and physical activity to bring about and maintain one’s unique balance. The Easy Yogi offers consultations in Ayurveda and complimentary practices;  unique personal blends of herbal teas, oils and capsules, educational programs & workshops in ayurveda, meditation, and movement; and various retreats focused on emotional & spiritual healing, mindful movement and immersive retreats for those ready to make lasting lifestyle changes. Helen is a Raja Yoga Meditation Practitioner of nearly 30 years with 20 years of teaching practical meditation and dharma through lectures, workshops and television programs.  Her years of living as a monk, a contemplative life of intentional solitude and surrender, has allowed her the focused discipline to dive deep into learning and understanding who we are innately, what it is we seek, and how we can be in harmony with ourselves, nature, and each other. While maintaining her work in the fast paced, money-minded financial industry, Helen was determined to find balance within the madness and share those tools with the community, to live a more mindful and yogic life regardless of lifestyle choices or circumstances. Helen shares her own experience and continued learning through her blogs, and introduces the community to those who use mindfulness in unique ways on a daily basis through the mindfulCITY podcast, “Tuning into Life”.

Dr. Mookherjee Philip is a cardiologist healer who deals with ‘all matters of the heart.’ Over her 20+ years of practicing medicine she became acutely aware of the role stress plays in people’s heart health. While she finds the technology and progress in cardiology fascinating, she realized that a pill, procedure or surgery did not always cure or fully heal her patients. She asks every patient about their spiritual practice, as this is directly related to their prognosis and outcomes. Her own spiritual journey began 15 years ago after the loss of her first child due to a complication from a vacuum delivery.

She states , “That experience taught me the greatest life lesson, that love doesn’t start with birth and it doesn’t end with death.” She is a Chopra Center Certified Primordial Sound Meditation teacher, is certified in HeartMath and is a Holistic Life Coach. Her 3 month signature program entitled The Path to Meditation Mastery is a perfect introduction to creating a personalized meditation practice as an antidote to stress. Her

company’s mission is based on the premise that we are not human beings seeking a spiritual experience but rather we are spiritual beings having a human experience. She believes that at the deepest level we are whole, beings of love who are deeply connected and inherently healthy. In addition to working as a practicing cardiologist she is a sought after speaker on stress management for all types of companies, a co-host of the The Path of Silence Retreat, manages the facebook groups Meditation for Female

Physicians and The Heart Centered Living Group- Natural Antidotes to Stress.

Caroline Ward has been invited to teach in more than 60 countries about how to live more authentically. She has spent the last 30 years experimenting with the laws and principles of life, making her an excellent resource for those shifting towards more authentic living. As a leader and guide, she is best known for her powerful vision and intuition, her unlimited heart, and wise guidance. In the early 2000s, her Melbourne-based consulting business, About People, garnered a reputation for bringing a balance of head and heart to their work, with the ability to capture people at all levels of organizations. She is a 30-year practitioner of Raja Yoga Meditation and the author of two books, "The Four Faces of Woman" and "My Courage, Your Courage," both focusing on the transformational power of the feminine archetype. She is currently writing a memoir, "The Optimist Heart: Life Experiments in Resilience, Stamina and Unbridled Joy." 

E.Y.E.S is the Founder of Rent-Assaince Man, COO of The Easy Yogi and COO of mindfulCITY. He has worked in the food industry for approximately two decades. His philosophy on food is that the body requires nutrients to be healthy and food is just the pretty packaging for those nutrients. This is why he finds it important to create visually appealing, delectable dishes from whole foods as part of a healthy lifestyle. He is also passionate about the intersection of healthy eating and functional movement to promote longevity, vitality, and confidence. His experience as athlete and martial artist has helped him understand how different bodies and minds function and he is determined to help his mobility clients see the mind body connection in terms of ability, strength and confidence. Yet , through Submerge Society, music, the arts and lyricism are his truest form of expression and transformation.

Yolanda Beckers is the Director of the Innerlight and Health and Wellness Sanctuary in Naples, Florida. She has been on the spiritual path for over 35 years. Yolanda has studied naturopathy, ananda yoga, and spring forest Qi Gong. She is a teacher of the Spiritual University of the Brahma Kumaris. Yolanda was taught healing sound techniques by Tibetan monks. She has also taught courses in holistic conflict resolution at Nova University. Yolanda has been giving seminars on body, mind and spirit in different parts of the world. Her true love is to share wisdom and “light” with others.

I grew up in Manchester,  New Hampshire where I endured the cold for 26 years and received my Associates Degree in Psychology. I came to Florida to work in the foster care system with teenagers. I quickly noticed how bad the kids needed a creative outlet. It was sad to see. I started bringing in paints and crafts for the kids to do and immediately noticed how much this helped kids in so many different ways. For some it helped them express their feelings without having to tell their story for the 100th time. For others it was a sweet joyful distraction from an otherwise sad situation.  It was then I realized I was an artist that had a purpose and passion to teach and share with others. I have been painting all over Florida for 15 years. I absolutely love the Tropical environment and all the bright colors that surround me. I specialize in abstract painting and teaching  how to express feelings in a cool creative way. I enjoy painting Murals and creating new crafts that are useful and fun. I have studied fine art at the Dunedin Fine art Center and continue to soak up all that is ART.

 Aarti Pappu is a Physician Assistant in Albany, NY. She believes that the key to "getting better" is not to just diagnose and cure but to heal. Same goes for the soul. Aarti has been a practitioner and facilitator of Raja Yoga meditation for over 35 years and has seen the transformation of many with the combination of knowledge, meditation and implementation in every day life. And so she believes in the healing power of silent, honest and real reflection of the self, in a comforting environment. Having gone through the healing path of silence journey herself, she is moved to share healing with others just like she found the tools, the space, the time and the perfect setting to heal.