Meet Vidya
Vidya is a life-long learner and integrative therapist inspired by nature, ancient healing arts and the Sacred Feminine so that the way we live, love and work supports embodied, empowered, and extraordinary lives – for our better selves!
My Aromatic Journey
When I was a little girl, I loved smelling the delightful scent of new rain on the earth, herbaceous green plants such as mountain sage, chaparral, and sweetgrass, kitchen spices of clove, cinnamon and nutmeg, and the fragrance of flowers such as orange blossoms, garden roses and gardenias. During church services, I breathed deeply the intoxicating smoke of burning frankincense that inspired me into a meditative state of wonder. These olfactory memories are easily recalled today and anytime I smell these aromas I am transported to the pleasant memories of my childhood.
For those of us who are sensually excitable, my heightened awareness toward pleasing scents gives me an appreciation for nature’s beauty, the desire for comfort, a yearning for pleasure, and a sensitivity to my environment. My olfactory sensitivity activates subtle awareness of how aromas and the process of blending scents affects the body, mind and spirit.
I can remember reading the stories of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves when I was nine. Somewhere in the stories was a reference to a perfume merchant who dealt in precious aromatic oils. Something inside me was triggered and I started to sob uncontrollably, wishing I was born into a family to learn how to create perfumes and to carry on the tradition of healing with aroma. My early experience and these imagined aromatic wonders captured my heart and soul and made an indelible mark on my psyche.
Later when I became a young woman, I started studying herbology and embraced the concept of cultivating a natural pharmacy that could be used to maintain immunity, health and wellness. As a young mother I was concerned about what allopathic medicine, harsh chemicals and their smells could do to my family and so I wholeheartedly embraced a natural holistic lifestyle.
Soon after, I had the opportunity to work with flowers. Weekly I created flower arrangements in vases and daily flower garlands for Radha Krishna at ISKCON. As I worked with the flowers, I noticed how present, calm and centered I felt. All my cares melted away. Just smelling the sprigs of tuberose, lily, rose and carnation while I worked brought joy to my heart and soul. Using flowers to create beauty gave me a sense of connectedness and pleasure that could be shared to inspire others.
Vidya’s Credentials
- BA Humanistic Psychology
- MA Marriage Family Therapy
- Core Shamanism Training: The Foundation for Shamanic Studies
- Deepak Chopra Creating Health Mind Body Health Educator
- Deepak Chopra Primordial Sound Meditation Teacher
- Coach U Coaching Certificate Program with Thomas Leonard
- Certified Aromatherapist (Natural Healing Institute)
- Flower Essence Practitioner
- CHEK Holistic Health and Lifestyle Coach
- Functional Neuropsychology
- Lecturer and Workshop Facilitator
Vidya adheres to the natural philosophy of holism and principles of energetic resonance
- The Healing Power of Nature
- First Do No Harm
- Identify and Treat the Cause
- Support the Whole Person
- Lifestyle Prevention
During this time in my life, I was also introduced to aromatic incense and essential oils from India. The scent of Mysore sandalwood, jasmine, patchouli, kewra, and vetiver had a transporting effect on my psyche, heart, and soul. I kept close to my heart my desire to learn how to use aromatic plants and flowers for healing.
I was eventually guided to study transpersonal psychology and ultimately got my degrees in Humanistic Psychology and Marriage Family Therapy. It was at this time I met and began working with the remarkable people who would influence my life until this day.
A Tribute to Maggie Smith, my flower essence mentor and original founder of Fleur Flower Essence Aromatherapy
When I first met Maggie Smith in 1994, it was through a chance encounter at a metaphysical bookstore I was working at in San Diego. I was introduced to her as the “Flower Essence Lady.”
That meeting changed both our lives and she became my friend, mentor, surrogate mother, aromatherapy collaborator and business client. Since founding her company, Flower Essence Energy, she has traveled the world, from Australia to Findhorn, to Greece and beyond, studying with masters in the energetic practice of making and using flower essences as healing remedies.
At about the same time, I expanded my knowledge of Ayurvedic therapy when I was invited to work with Drs. David Simon and Deepak Chopra in La Jolla, California at the flagship Chopra Center for Wellbeing in La Jolla, California. There I initially studied with Horst Rechelbacher and trained with his Aveda staff because the Center was using their natural products in the Spa.
Then I met Light Miller, Ayurvedic practitioner and aromatherapist who taught me how to use essential oils to rejuvenate and balance metabolic constitution. I facilitated Chopra Center guests with personalized essential oil custom blends designed for their unique Ayurvedic Doshas, with the intention to support aromatic neuro-associative healing responses, which became one of the key tools used by the medical and therapeutic staff. I remember the moment when I realized it was a dream come true – my soul had led me to fulfill a desire that would inspire a sense of renewal and rejuvenation.
It was during this time, Maggie and I collaborated to create the signature Chopra Vata, Pitta, Kapha Aromatherapy Sprays which I sold in the retail Store of Infinite Possibilities at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing. I have been privileged to study the ancient art of vibrational Flower Essence therapy under Maggie’s tutelage. We took our aromatherapy certificate program and became certified as Aromatherapists together. That led us to begin collaborating to combine aromatherapy with flower essences.
Not long after, I knew I was fulfilling my destiny by creating my own line of healing aromatherapy products designed to balance the limbic, endocrine and nervous systems of my clients and shift states of consciousness. I met and studied with Paul Chek, Holistic Health and Lifestyle Practitioner, using a whole-body approach to coach clients through health and wellness challenges toward lasting transformational change.
Through the decades I continued to work with Maggie to help her apply our combined knowledge to correct imbalances of the mind, body and spirit through Fleur Flower Essence and Aromatherapy alchemical wellness care products.
Maggie has devoted her life to sharing her wisdom of flower essence therapy and her skills as an energy healer and aromatherapist. Today, she is focusing her energies on intuitive Flower Essence Readings using the brilliant Flower Affinity Diagnosis card system to create individualized healing tinctures and sprays for her clients. www.yourflaura.com
