Mentor, yoga sister and all the best a friend could be, Ida Fae Cullen and I have been friends and colleagues since 2002. How fast the time flies. Ida was facilitating in my very first Inner Quest intensive and modelled the Kripalu method in her teaching and facilitating style and mentorship roles as we volunteered together over the years. Ida is like an onion, the more you talk to her, the more you realized she has done in her life. Yoga teacher, therapist, Astrologer, Feng Shui Expert and so very much more. She has navigated a rockier road than most, faced some incredible uphill battles in life and still come out strong, grounded and inspired. I am so very proud to share this very special soul with you. A session not to miss.

THERE’S A GODDESS FOR THAT: The Creative Process for Healing Trauma 

Timing is everything and today the cosmos is showering us with a New Moon - Solar Eclipse. The stars speak volumes, and then…

Life happens. Recognizing where and how trauma has occurred is not always easy. Most of the wounds are invisible and disguised in a myriad of ways. Scabs form, habits change, memories fade. Along with the numbing comes a lessening of wellbeing, a lack of connection, mental/emotional unrest. The disguises become obstacles in and of themselves. Generational trauma perpetuates the pain unconsciously.

The use of music, dancing, writing, drawing, psychodrama, and nature studies is therapeutic, healing, and ultimately transformational. Creativity is a whole-brain affair. Engaging with one’s creative energy moves prana.

Reading, writing, and sharing stories has been a cultural phenomenon throughout human history. It’s the best way to learn. Early in the pandemic, which could qualify as traumatic, I was invited to tell a story for a statewide event. That is when I discovered Akilanandeshvari, the Goddess Never-Not-Broken. Her story, which demonstrates resilience, transformation, and embodiment is a powerful lesson for this time and this topic. 

Yoga Therapy, through its many different tools and techniques, provides a safe container to explore broken pieces, shadows, and the obstacles that limit our being fully alive. The creative process adds just that, another way to self-knowledge. Telling our story can have life changing benefits. 

©Ida Cullen

 About Ida Cullen

” A great deal of the chaos in the world occurs because people don’t appreciate themselves.”

Chogyam Trungpa, (Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior) 

Ida Cullen has been providing body/mind/spirit content & programming since 1989. She continues to study.

After a decade of exhausting, unexpected changes culminating in 1999, Ida enrolled in a yoga teacher training. In 2002 she opened a private studio and after 20 years said good bye to a real estate careen and the business world.  Those years in the Real Estate industry provided the confidence to transition to a career path that was in better alignment with her *purpose*. Her real estate training program/classes/workshops/lectures attracted many and she earned awards, recognition, and offers to speak, teach, write and consult.  In order to make real estate more *interesting* she allowed herself to be guided by her astrological studies, a passion since childhood. Soon she was teaching ‘time management’ to her peers and helping them to relieve stress by breathing better.  Integrating her knowledge of Feng Shui livened up the conversations as well. And, she sold a few houses.

The pandemic in 2021 forced her to closed the studio. Moving online was the only way to continue, a mysterious blessing.

She continues her yoga education with an emphasis on it’s spiritual and therapeutic benefits for mental/emotional health.  She’s earned numerous certifications including  C-IAYT,  YACEP, ERYT500,PKYT (Professional Kripalu Yoga Teacher Certificate), Kripalu DansKinetics, IYT, NLP, NCGR

She plays the piano, harp, tamboura, harmonium, and can keep a good beat with a drum. Drawing geometric patterns with a compass & straight edge has become a satisfying pastime. Watercolor painting takes up some time too.  Reading, storytelling, writing creative non-fiction, knitting, gardening, and napping are other favorite activities. Walking, hiking, biking are her preferred exercise.

A Grandmother at 73, she is still a “work-in-progress”.