Hi Natalie :) Tell us a bit about yourself. Where did you grow up and how did you end up making Topanga your home? What is it that you love so much about living in the mountains?
I grew up in the mountains in El Salvador. I feel so grateful to have been raised deep in my roots and heritage. When I moved to the US, I initially landed in Florida, but I kept feeling the call for where the mountains met the sea, so I moved out West. Initially, the buzzy energy of LA felt so good and inspiring, but after 6 years I realized 2 things: 1. I wanted to plant roots in LA AND 2. I needed to find a sanctuary within the city where my nervous system could feel at ease, which led me to Topanga.
Can you please tell us a bit about energy medicine?
Everything is pulsating with energy- we are all energy/vibration/frequency. In energy healing, we aim to restore balance in one’s baseline frequency back to its healthy vibratory rate. This can be done as easily as communing with nature, to working with a practitioner. All dis-ease begins at the energetic level, and eventually manifests in the physical- so I recommend my clients to aim to do a good job of maintaining good energetic hygiene in addition to physical self-care.
What is sound healing and how does it promote healing?
Sound Healing otherwise known as Sound Baths are a form of meditation that uses sound to help us drop into deeper states of consciousness. They are also a form of energy healing so going back to the previous question- they can help restore harmony in our energetic bodies. As other forms of meditation, they have been proven to help reduce stress, blood pressure, and promote sleep.
You are a practitioner of yoga, reiki, and EFT. Which is your favorite and why?
Haha yes, I consider myself a multidisciplinary practitioner for that reason. I go back and forth between all of them, to be honest but in my personal practice, yoga Reiki and EFT are the ones I practice on myself the most, while sound healing and Reiki are the ones I offer to clients the most.
Some people are skeptical about energy therapies due to a lack of scientific proof. In your opinion, what is the biggest evidence that energy therapies promote positive changes in our wellbeing?
While there isn’t as much research-based evidence at this time, there’s no denying that more and more people are becoming more open and aware of energy healing. So much so that cancer treatment facilities are starting to incorporate them into their offerings to their patients. There are thousands of stories regarding spontaneous remission occurring to individuals who either shifted their mindset and thus their thoughts (Thoughts carry frequency), and practitioners believe this is due to a shift in their energy.
What triggered your spiritual journey? When did it start?
It really started when I was little, I was hospitalized for 2 weeks at 9 years old due to a bacteria. The doctors told my parents that the fevers were either going to do away with me, or I was going to suffer from permanent brain damage. The final evening, my father brought over a group and they prayed over me for hours- needless to say the next day I woke up completely healthy as if nothing had ever happened. This was my first experience of divine intervention. Then when I was 19 in college, I was pretty deep in a toxic relationship with substances and eating disorders- and I randomly found yoga in a physical health elective. That was my second experience of divine intervention. Since that day, I’ve been seeking, expanding, and healing.
What is your goal when working with your clients and how do you know which type of therapy to recommend to each of them?
My goal with my clients is to hold space for them as they go through their process- and to support them in finding their own inner healing abilities. We are all our own healers, gurus, etc. I am simply there to hold space. I usually will know which modality to use after chatting with them a bit and seeing where they’re at, but I will almost always couple modalities.
As an energy healer, how do you preserve your energy in balance while working with different clients?
Ohhh yes- it’s so easy to carry other people’s stuff. Energetic hygiene is huge for me. I always make sure to give myself reiki and even take a physical shower after a long day of working with clients. When I can feel myself getting depleted, I will usually set boundaries and pause to fill my own cup until I’,m ready to go back out!
What are the steps that can help someone find their soul purpose?
Ask your heart what is genuinely wants- let your brain take a seat for a bit. Allow- flow. When you find yourself pushing too hard, there’s something wrong. Ask the Universe for guidance and find the places where the energy flows with most ease- it’s also likely the places that bring you the most joy.
You are a member of the @latinaswhomeditate, can you tell us a bit about your latin background and your purpose behind the creation of this community?
Latinas who meditate is a project of mine. Stepping into a leadership role in the wellness space, I realized how fragmented it was in terms of diversity. When we see people who look like us in spaces, we feel that we too belong in those spaces. The same is true for the opposite. So my goal in that is to inspire Latin people, not just people who identify as Latin(A), to venture into their own wellness and healing journeys as well.
What does a day in your life look like? Please tell us more about your daily rituals.
This changes so much due to events, clients, etc. but what’ is pretty consistent is my morning routine- if you look on my calendar the only constant is from 6-8:30am “Morning Routine”- so I usually wake up at 6am and drink a glass of water with chlorophyll as I stretch on my yoga mat. Then I’ll make some warm lemon water and sit on my meditation cushion to do some breathwork, meditate and journal. I love following that by reading a sacred text- right now I go back and forth between the Yoga Sutras and A course in Miracles. Then I walk my dog, usually cellphone free. I don’t actually look at my phone until all of this is done. Finally I come home and make either matcha or coffee and start work.
What are you most passionate about at the moment?
My home- we bought it and moved in almost a year ago and little by little we’ve been making it ours- remodeling, decorating, nesting. The container is everything- its our sanctuary so its important that it reflects the energy we want to feel and call in.
