Ayllu means Community of Spiritual Practitioners in this context. In Quechua the word ayllu is a generic term for "kin group," and its specific reference was clarified by the context.
Since 2005, Christine Selda has been sharing the teachings of the Medicine Wheel in Squamish, British Columbia. Since this mystery school’s inception, more than one hundred students have walked the four directions of the Medicine Wheel to become Full Mesa Carriers. The Ayllu holds many who reveal themselves as shamanic practitioners, medicine song keepers, shamanic yoga teachers, psychopomps, mastery teachers, and ceremonial space holders. We in our community have built life-long friendships through this work; these relationships become strong from the healing process that we share by walking the four directions of the Medicine Wheel. We are scattered across the globe, many have adopted shamanic tools and principles within their personal and professional practices. These are some of our beloved friends who have trained with us and given back to our community in service by assisting trainings and passing this work forward. There are many to honour over the years who are not shown here, and to all our community and different ayllus out there as we grow, we carry you in our hearts, you are remembered. Thank you.
Cindy Stockdale
Medicine Teacher and Yoga Teacher Trainer BaH. ERYT-500, RHN
Anita Vidya
Medicine Wheel Teacher, Intuitive Indigenous Healer BBA, CYA E-RYT Gold
I see myself as someone who has achieved “success through diversity” in Business and in Spirit. I have walked many paths since I began working in 1994; facilitating the young lives of children. Early on in my life I have set the intention to become clearer in the art of business and co-creating it with spiritual knowledge.
My ancestry is Chipewyan Dene; situated near the Athabasca River along the North land and lakes of Alberta. My clear visions have been brewing since the early days of my youth; one vision guides me to learn and to be in a relationship directly with spiritual knowledge of Indigenous Spirit; one shared by the ancestors. The other is to source the authentic teachings from relations across Turtle Island and beyond, and in all the worlds.
Doing this work has developed a way for myself to be in reciprocity with all of our People. My ideals are to learn the traditional medicines shared by the Elders from the land and to listen intently of the oral traditions that they share. I lovingly continue on this path where I find a better way of life in this world of discernment and ceremony.
I am a lover of life and intend it to be full of health, heart and happiness. I spend my days doing ancient dance with my Earth body practicing Shamanic Yoga; this creates a strong body, mind and soul connection in the art of Shamanism. As I venture down this Red road, I look to expand my Self by living in the unique aspects of Spiritual Business, First Nations Circles, and to connect with the Elders who hold an ancient language of creation. A Deep gratitude to the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh people, I recognize and honour that we live in the un-ceded Territory of the Squamish Nation.
Anita is a certified Yoga teacher since 2012 and has been teaching the Medicine Wheel since 2020; she is a teacher for Black Stone Mastery with the Shamanic Yoga Institute. She has taught Medicine Wheel in Ucluelet, Nelson, Okanagan and will continue throughout BC sharing the teachings from the Red Road and the Institute.
Andrea Sentesy
SYI Gatekeeper, Shamanic Yoga Assistant Teacher 2018
The sweet and transformative practice of yoga arrived into my life in 2000, and it has been a process of evolution ever since. I began sharing yoga in 2010, and have over 1500 hours of teaching experience, as well as 400 hours of formal training. In 2014, my life shifted dramatically again as I followed the call towards Mountain Shamanism and completed each turn of the Medicine Wheel with Christine Selda. I am a full Mesa carrier within the Peruvian Q’ero Lineage
My daily practices of Yoga, Shamanism and Meditation have drawn me to a deeper understanding of myself and brought joy, peace and evolution to all aspects of my life. Because of these practices I feel vital, connected, courageous and a deep gratitude for life My truest desire is to spark this process of evolution in others, so that we may live in harmony and reciprocity with Mother Earth, and each other.
Off the mat, you can find me playing with sticks and rocks with my sons, rock climbing with my wonderful partner, counselling children and their families, or singing by a fire.
Jessica Kelly
Children's Medicine Wheel Teacher 2019
In 2014 Jessica began her journey to become a yoga teacher, traveling to The Pavones Yoga Centre in Costa Rica in 2014 to receive her 200 hour teaching certificate. She has since received her 75 hour yin certificate from the YYoga Teacher’s College in Vancouver, and her 300 hour certificate from the Shamanic Yoga Institute here in Squamish. Jessica is a full mesa carrier and continues to study and apprentice with Christine Selda at the Shamanic Yoga Institute. She is also a trained and licensed Girlvana instructor and carries a designation of CRYT-550 with the Canadian Yoga Alliance.
Jules Emmerson
Photographer and Merchanding Support
From my earliest days and rememberings I have been aware of the subtle energies that guide and protect us. As a young environmentalist, with a spiritual nature I was led to my path of becoming an earth keeper. Forever the artist, I design adornments and create beauty through fashion, photography and design. I am full Mesa Carrier and 300 HR YT with the SYI and am certified Kundalini Dance™ Facilitator. It is an honour to assist and take photos for the SYI trainings. I am a sister, a friend, and an ally to all walking their truth and healing path.
Kayla Young
Assistant Yoga Teacher Trainer- SYTT 300hr -2021
I love empowering, guiding and supporting people on their journey to self-mastery.
Douglas Hess
Current Assistant Teacher - Squamish Outdoor Medicine Wheel 21/22
After many years of study and practice with multiple lineages, I followed my Heart to the Medicine Wheel. As I move into the collective, I am cultivating humility, gratitude, love, compassion and kindness. “The more I know the less I know,” Ram Das. I surrender. Om Samarpayimi Namaha
Brittany Lyons
Upcoming: Lead Medicine Wheel Teacher
Brittany is committed to the work with a grateful heart. She is a Shamanic practitioner, an intuitive healer, with a focus on soul retrieval, and personalized Yoga Nidra meditations. She weaves in the medicine of Mother Nature, waters, animals, expressive arts, dancing, and ceremony in her offerings with Spirit. Her intention is to share her heart and voice in the alignment of her Soul’s mission. Prayers for our individual and collective healing.
Diego Montoya
Assistant Yoga Teacher Trainer 2020-Squamish
Tracey Hopkins
Assistant Yoga Teacher Trainer - 2020 Squamish
Shamanism reminds me of my connection to this earth as well as to the stars. This great mother, who gives unconditionally and is constantly talking to us, is part of us as we are part of her.
Cara Long
Assistant 2018
Cara first began her Shamanic studies of traditional plant medicine and healing in the desert of San Louis Potosoi, Mexico. A few years later, in 2015, she completed a 200 hour teacher training with Christine Selda and Kristen Campbell and went on to become a full mesa carrier. At her graduation ceremony, she received the name Chandra, which means Moon. Her dedication to walking the Shamanic path led her to assist both the Shamanic Yoga Institute’s Medicine Wheel and Yoga Teacher Training in 2018 as well as continuing her studies with the institute’s offerings of mastery classes.
Cara draws inspiration from the complimentary teachings of the Toltec, Inca and yoga traditions. She is a medicine maker, exploring the alchemy of herbs and aromatherapy in her product line of Cannalife Botanicals and more recently Luna Vida Botanica, harnessing the energies of the moon in her formulations. She is guided by the essence of plants and the cyclical influence of the moon and stars. Through her botanical offerings she hopes to connect people to nature’s medicine traditions, inspiring others to remember their innate healing wisdom.
She tends to an organic and herbal garden in Squamish and is grateful for the abundance and beauty of the unceded territory of the Squamish Nation, where she lives. Cara is a strong believer in the power of ceremony and ritual for self-care, community and healing of the earth.
Mara Branscombe
Guest Shamanic Yoga Teacher
Nitai
Kirtan Vancouver
Kirtan is the ancient practice of call and response chanting, combining mantra and music to open one’s heart. The chanting is transformational with multiple benefits including a peaceful state of mind. The primary instruments we use are traditional – Harmonium, Mridanga (drum), and Kartal (hand cymbals). No previous experience is required to derive the benefits of this spiritual practice, also known as Bhakti Yoga.
Heidi Nielsen
Assistant 2019
Certified Aromatherapist and Herbalist
Heidi is the founder of Amaru Aromatherapy offering a wide expanse of organic essential oils, synergies, hydrosols, herbal infusions, salves, spritzers, roll-on’s, botanical incense, beeswax candles, crystal altars and chakra bracelets.Heidi is a mesa carrier with the Shamanic Yoga Institute holding space with an open heart, having come full circle many times with SYTT Medicine Wheel’s as participant and assistant since 2010. Heidi offers wellness consultations, utilizing the healing benefits of aromatherapy, herbalism and crystal energy healing. Heidi is fueled by a passion to live in a world free from oppression and patriarchal attitudes. She shares her voice in a number of ways as an anti-violence worker, medicine song singer and priestess. Heidi is blessed to be in service to community having facilitated many healing circles and ceremonies. Heidi offers various workshops: Introduction to Aromatherapy, Essential Oil Blending, Artisan Distillation and Elemental Healing. Visit www.amaruaromatherapy to learn more.
I have a deep love for nature and her abundant gifts, the four elements, the standing ones, the elemental realm, plant medicine, crystal healing and the cosmos.
My truest desire is to spark this process of evolution in others, so that we may live in harmony and reciprocity with Mother Earth, and each other.
Gaia Sophia
Assistant 2018
Gaia Sophia literally translates into Wisdom of the Earth. My birth name is Tara, which in Sanskrit means Earth and Star. These guiding forces have reminded me of my mission on Earth, as a healer and proxy of light. My lineage comes from my great, great grandparents in Sumutra, Indonesia who were the town Healers. It is through this long line of light carriers that the work continues through me on Earth. I have an Associate in Liberal Arts and a certificate in Waldorf Education but my love is healing. I am trained in Massage Therapy, Somatic Polarity, Gamma Wave Healing, Akashic Record reading, 300 HR Yoga, and many other modalities. I pour sweat lodge, I am a sacred pipe carrier and I carry a full Mesa from the Q’ero lineage of Shamanism.
I have a passion for learning from other healers from all over the world and I have learned that the true power comes from your own authentic connection and relationship to the Energy. I offer healing sessions distantly and in person. You can find me teaching an occasional yoga class, spending time in nature or raising my young son. I am a big believer that our external landscape is only a simulation for us to witness our invisible, internal world. Through this growth, learning and awareness we will, together, create harmony on this loving, conscious planet we call Earth
Veronika Lelyavok
Assistant 2019
Veronika hails from the flatlands of Belarus, a small European country nestled between Russia and Poland. Veronika has spent over half of her life in Canada and has had the privilege of living on the indigenous lands of Cree Nation in Manitoba, Kahnawake Mohawk land in Quebec and currently on Musqueam and Coast Salish land of British Columbia. Veronika received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Psychology from McGill University where she also served as President of a women’s leadership organization. Athletics is a major passion of Veronika’s. After 10 years of accomplishments in professional figure skating she found the path of yoga. 12 years of practice led Veronika to complete a 200 hr YTT in vinyasa, meditation and ayurvedic studies. It was through yoga that Veronika discovered Shamanic Yoga Institute and became a mesa carrier. Veronika is committed to sharing the consciousness-blazing, integrity-building, authenticity-revealing traditions of yoga and shamanism. She is here to offer you her fire.
Melissa Donohoe
Assistant 2018
Melissa Donohoe is greatly inspired by nature and movement. Her studies in Shamanism and love of philosophy weave into her teachings. She believes in the interconnection between all, we are all one, and when we connect deeply to our own rhythm there is a knowing it syncs up to the Mother Earth. Melissa is a full mesa carrier (studying with Christine) holds a Bachelor of Education, and is a registered yoga teacher. May we not only call on the four directions but also open them up to enter the power of the heart, and luminous place within us all.
Kelsey Dawn
Assistant 2019
Kelsey Dawn a.k.a Matrika is a Soul Illuminator, Divine Mother, Mentor, Healing Practitioner & Yoga Instructor. Having Trained in Rehabilitation & Disability Studies; Studied with Masters in Ancient Shamanic, Yogic & Buddhist traditions, her guidance helps you accelerate your personal growth to live in alignment with your soul. She was born on this planet, at this time, to help guide others through the many challenges that arise as one shifts into higher states of consciousness. Together she will support you to evolve out of the Old ways of ‘existing’ and into Ways of ‘Being.’ Through ancient wisdom, modern science & her illuminating intuitive powers, you will take what’s been haunting you, transform it to reclaim your luminous form & also help others to see their radiance. We are all meant to Thrive!