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Chelsea Marie // Padma Ananda
"Everything you want is on the other side of fear."
Who I am:
Given name: Chelsea Marie
Spiritual name: Padma Ananda; Lotus Bliss
Favorite mantra: Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu : May all beings be happy and free from suffering
Favorite mudra: Lotus Mudra
I was born and raised in a small desert town called Palm Springs, California. After turning 18, I decided to head to Los Angeles and create an independent life for myself by the coast. Although I will always be a desert rat at heart, Venice Beach is where I call home. It is a community and environment I am proud to be a part of.
I initially discovered yoga when I moved to Los Angeles in 2011. However, my deep and consistent practice arose in 2016 after being exposed to the spiritual side of yoga that encompasses the focus and strength of physical practices as well as the subtle body practices in order to deepen the connection between the mind, body, and soul. I have completed 250 hours of training and am a certified yoga teacher with a focus on vinyasa and yin styles.
For me, yoga has been a vital resource in supporting my mental, physical, and spiritual health. It has allowed me to go deep, overcome challenges, and acknowledge my potential. Mental health has always been a vital part of my development. I always aim to maintain as well as spread awareness on the topic. It wasn’t until I developed a spiritual practice that I began to see the link between mental health and spiritual wellbeing. I began to see how intertwined they can be through their overlapping layers. For me, yoga acts as the bridge that links the two.
I enjoy studying the culture and spiritual depths of yoga so that my practice can stem from a place of authenticity. I have a strong connection to working with the 7 main chakras as well as using mudras, mantras, and pranayama practices in my classes. Alongside being a teacher, I am a forever student. I am passionate about my practice and am always open to exploring and growing by building connections within the vast yoga community.
Aside from yoga, some other passions and hobbies that bring me a sense of fulfillment include; reading, skateboarding, surfing, hiking, camping, and traveling. I am also a writer and have been using a pen to paper as a tool for reflection for as long as I can remember. Writing has been a powerful outlet for me and I believe it is a practice that goes hand in hand with mental health as well as spiritual wellbeing.
About Me:
Why I do what I do:
Over the years, my practice has increasingly taken over my life in the best way possible. There are so many reasons why I love yoga + why I practice. For a long time, I was living a life of constant fear. I was painfully uncomfortable in my own skin. I had bad social anxiety. I would go through phases of feeling depleted, and completely out of touch with myself. Even when I was first introduced to yoga, I had a hard time bringing myself to go into studios and practice in group settings. I knew I loved the practice but I was intimidated and shy. Eventually, I found a space where I felt seen and accepted. I learned about pranayama, mudras, and mantras. I started to feel really strong in my body. I felt passionate about something for the first time. I felt called to continue my practice with more self-discipline and consistency.
Over the past several years, I have been brought to teachers that have inspired me to go deeper. I’ve met and connected with other yogis that have similar views as I do. One of the greatest gifts yoga has given me is a sense of belonging. A community. But the most important part of yoga to me is the mind-body connection. It is being in tune with myself. My thoughts, feelings, emotions, and physical capability. I have built a relationship with myself and it has become the most important relationship in my life. I have become my own vira (warrior/hero). I have gotten to a point in my life where I actually feel SAFE inside my body. I experience joy and happiness without having to look outside of myself for it. I am in a place that I tirelessly dreamt of being in for so long. I have come to learn that I have everything I could ever need already within me. I have learned how to access it. And half of the fun is that I still have so much to uncover.
I still have so much to learn. I hope it never ends because I am in love with this process. Yoga truly is my life and I am forever grateful for what it has done for me.
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