my story: how to live a healthier, more magical life
I have always been a seeker, even as a child. I grew up in a devout, Roman Catholic family, but it was only when I first read translations of the Indian scriptures, the Bhagavad Gita, when I was 14, that I felt a deeper connection to the divine. I gravitated towards New Age subjects, such as astrology and mysticism, in search of the meaning of life. Born in the Philippines and raised in Manila and San Francisco, my philosophical quest for knowledge and purpose was nurtured in culturally diverse cities.
After some adolescent struggles and misguided turns, I manifested my dream to move across the country to attend New York University. My quest led me toward a degree in journalism: I have always believed that the truth can guide people to make better decisions in their lives, and I wanted to share my discoveries with the world.
But starting a journalism career wasn’t going to pay for my NYC lifestyle and student loans. I paused on writing and entered sales and business development. My earnings kept me chained to the corporate world for over two decades. I excelled at it and genuinely enjoyed the people I met in publishing, media, and tech. I gained a lot of business experience and got comfortable working for large enterprises and startups across New York and Silicon Valley. But the high-pressure lifestyle came at a price…
I began to suffer from anxiety, panic attacks, hair loss, and a host of physical body issues such as chronic shoulder pain and Morton’s neuroma, from carrying excess weight. Still a seeker, my intuition led me to integrative medicine, where yoga and acupuncture opened the door to other modes of healing.
For the last 17 years, I have practiced Yoga, and within that timeframe, I have also explored Classical Pilates, Transcendental + Mindfulness/Vipassana Meditation, and Breathwork, to cope with stress as a tech sales executive and a new mother.
Through my spiritual mentors, I discovered my own unique gifts as an intuitive healer. I was so inspired by alternative healing modalities, that in 2019 I became a certified Reiki Master.
However, at some point, I realized that deeper answers could be found by reducing stress. And by finding a way to be more true to myself. Ultimately, this meant abandoning the safety net of my career in tech to pursue what felt more like a calling: to become a Writer, Yoga Teacher, and now, a startup Founder.
Today, you can find me teaching public and private yoga and meditation classes across the San Francisco Bay Area, facilitating sound therapy at sold-out sound baths, and developing a corporate health and wellness company, Marvellous Mage. I also write and speak about health, wellness, parenting, family, and spirituality in media outlets and an upcoming self-help memoir.
