HI, I'M MADELEINE, (SHE/HER),
ITS LOVELY TO MEET YOU!

I AM A PHILLY-TRANSPLANT LIVING IN THE BEAUTIFULLY BIODIVERSE STATE OF ARIZONA WITH MY PARTNER AND OUR RESCUE PUP, SHARING MY HOLISTIC KNOWLEDGE AND GIFTS WITH THE SOULS RESIDING IN THE CITIES WITHIN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN AND BEYOND, INTO SEDONA AND FLAGSTAFF. 

I STUMBLED INTO MY JOURNEY OF HEALING, CONNECTION, AND SELF-INQUIRY BY ACCIDENT IN MY LATE TEENAGE YEARS WHEN SOMEONE TOLD ME THEY "THOUGHT I'D LIKE YOGA."  I FELT FLATTERED THAT THEY HAD AN INDEPENDENT THOUGHT ABOUT ME AND MY JOY, SO I FOUND MYSELF A PRIVATE SPACE AND TURNED TO YOUTUBE TO FIND MY FIRST TRUE YOGA CLASS. I LANDED ON CHARLIE FOLLOWS YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND ENJOYED A 60-MINUTE FULL-MOON VINYASA YOGA FLOW. I REMEMBER THE EXACT FEELINGS PULSING THROUGH MY BODY AFTER I STOOD UP  AFTER SAVASANA AND RETURNED TO THE OUTER WORLD; ALIVE, FREE, BUBBLY, EXCITED. IN MY SWEAT-KISSED BLACK LEGGINGS AND HOT PINK TANK TOP, I DANCED AROUND THE LIVING ROOM GUSHING TO MY MOM ABOUT HOW GOOD I FELT, AND HOW I WANT TO DO 'THIS' EVERYDAY. THIS WAS THE MOMENT MY LIFE CHANGED FOREVER.

ROUGHLY 3 YEARS AND HUNDREDS OF YOGA PRACTICES LATER, I MOVED OUT OF MY PARENTS HOUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND WENT TO SPEND THE SUMMER IN COLORFUL COLORADO. I HAD JUST MET THE LOVE OF MY LIFE AND ALL AT ONCE I WAS EXPLORING LONG DISTANCE LOVE, LIVING ALONE FOR THE FIRST TIME, WAKING UP IN MOUNTAIN TIME INSTEAD OF EASTERN TIME, AND GOING FROM LIVING IN A COUNTY OF A FEW MILLION PEOPLE TO SMALL TOWN OF A FEW THOUSAND IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. AFTER 2 MONTHS OF LIVING IN MAGICAL LITTLE SALIDA, I WAS GIFTED A REIKI HEALING SESSION WITH REIKI MASTER TEACHER NATALIE COWDEN. I REMEMBER OUR SESSION LIKE I DO THAT FIRST YOGA CLASS, ESPECIALLY THE MOMENT SHE SAID, AND I PARAPHRASE, "YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO HELP OTHERS HEAL." I, EMBARRASSED ABOUT THIS SPOTLIGHT AND NOT KNOWING WHAT SHE MEANT,  TOLD HER I HAD BEEN THINKING OF GOING FOR MY 200-HOUR YOGA TEACHER TRAINING, SHE RESPONDED WITH ENCOURAGEMENT. I DROVE HOME THROUGH THE LUSH SUMMER MOUNTAINS, PICKED UP A PERSONAL PIZZA FROM MY FAVORITE SPOT, AND SAVORED IT WHILE I FLOATED THROUGH THE APPLICATION FOR THE NEXT TEACHER-TRAINING SESSION AT THE KRIPALU SCHOOL OF YOGA, JUST 2 WEEKS FROM THAT DAY. I FOUND OUT A FEW DAYS LATER THAT I WAS ACCEPTED. MY PARTNER FLEW OUT TO VISIT ME ONE MORE TIME IN COLORADO, AND WE FLEW EASTBOUND TO GET ME TO MASSACHUSETTS FOR THE TRAINING. I SPENT ONE STRAIGHT MONTH OF 12 HOUR DAYS, 6 DAYS A WEEK AT KRIPALU WITH MY COHORT OF 18 BEAUTIFUL SOULS. IT WAS INTENSE, IT WAS ENLIGHTENING, IT WAS HARSH, AND IT WAS PERFECT. I LEFT IN OCTOBER OF 2024 WITH MY 200-HOUR CERTIFICATION AND A HEART READY TO LIVE AND LEARN.

I SPENT THE NEXT YEAR TEACHING IN THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA AREA IN NON-PROFIT CENTERS, BOUTIQUE STUDIOS, HOMETOWN START-UPS, IN CLIENT'S HOMES, AND ONLINE. DURING THE BACK HALF OF THIS CHAPTER I WORKED AS A STRETCH THERAPIST, DIPPING MY TOE, AND MY HEART, INTO BODY WORK. REIKI HAD BEEN ON MY MIND FOR A YEAR AT THIS POINT, AND WITH TEACHING 10-12 CLASSES PER WEEK AND WORKING 32 HOURS PER WEEK AS A STRETCH THERAPIST, I DIDN'T LEAVE MYSELF MUCH TIME FOR OTHER CERTIFICATIONS, NO MATTER HOW CALLED I WAS FEELING. IN OCTOBER 2025, MY PARTNER AND I STARTED OUR MOVE TO ARIZONA; WE MADE A 5-MONTH PIT STOP IN COLORADO WHERE I DID NOT AN OUNCE OF TEACHING. I FULLY EMBRACED THE SEAT OF THE STUDENT, AND EVENTUALLY CROSSED PATHS WITH NATALIE AGAIN IN A PROFOUND MOMENT, A STORY FOR ANOTHER TIME. 3 MONTHS AFTER OUR RECONNECTION, AS A BIRTHDAY GIFT TO MY MYSELF,  I WAS CERTIFIED IN REIKI LEVEL I AND LEVEL II, COURTESY OF HER MAGICAL TUTELAGE AND DIVINE FRIENDSHIP. I ARRIVED HOME WITH MY LEVEL II CERTIFICATION AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED REIKI-ING EVERY PERSON, ANIMAL, AND PLANT AND I HAD IN MY CIRCLE.

IN MARCH OF 2026, AFTER THOSE 5 MONTHS OF COLORADO WINTER, ARIZONA WELCOMED US HOME. I HAVE SINCE BEEN TEACHING IN LOCAL STUDIOS IN THE VALLEY AND PROVIDE REIKI TO CLIENTS BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON. 

PRAKASA IS THE SECOND BUSINESS I'VE EVER OWNED, AND IT IS THE PLACE THAT MAKES SPACE FOR ALL OF ME TO EXIST AND EVERYTHING I DO TO COME THROUGH IN ONE SEAMLESS-ISH CONTAINER. I'M EXCITED TO OFFER THOSE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL STATE PRIVATE YOGA CLASSES, ONE ON ONE REIKI HEALING, AND PERSONAL RETREATS; YOU CAN FIND MORE INFO ON EACH OF THESE MODALITIES ON THEIR RESPECTIVE PAGES ON THIS WEBSITE.

WHEN I'M NOT HERE OR AT A BELOVED YOGA STUDIO, YOU'LL FIND ME TRAVELING, ATTEMPTING TO TEACH OUR DOG A NEW TRICK, COOKING, CUDDLING UP ON THE COUCH WITH MY LOVE, OR PRACTICING ONE OF MY SERIAL HOBBIES: WRITING, CROCHETING, PAINTING, PLANT-MOM-ING, ETC. 

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I KNOW I'VE JUST TOLD YOU A LOT ABOUT ME, AND I'M SO EXCITED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU TOO. THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THESE MODALITIES-THEY HAVE THE POWER TO DRAW PEOPLE TOGETHER WHO MIGHT HAVE OTHERWISE NERVER MET. SO, I'D LOVE TO OFFER MY SERVICES TO YOU, OR AT THE VERY LEAST KEEP YOU IN THE LOOP ON WHATS GOING ON IN THIS WORLD OF MINE; THERE'S A FORM TO JOIN THE VILLAGE AND RECEIVE MESSAGES & MAIL FROM ME, IF THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING THAT EXCITES YOU.

I HOPE MY PASS MAY CROSS YOURS SOON.