Who We Are
We are a women-run organization serving the momentous awakening of wisdom and power that emerges when women gather with a shared dedication of practice, integrity and service. Our team members work remotely from many places in the world and together we explore a business model based on ease, freedom and honoring of the cyclic nature of creativity. We aim to live true to our values of integrity, trust, generosity and honest, respectful communication. And yes, we have a zero-stress policy.
Learn more about our Founder, our amazing Team and Faculty
Our Values
Spirituality is not only the content of our programs but also the foundation for how we create and move in the world behind the scenes. The Awakening Women Team makes it a practice to align our work and daily lives with our shared values. It is to us an honor to steward this container for women to do their sacred work.
Integrity ~ It is important for us to walk our talk in the way we show up in the world individually and as a team. This is a living practice for us, a curiosity and willingness to always learn, examine ourselves and our intentions, to listen and to see the larger picture. You can count on us to make agreements we can keep, to work for solutions that are fair and for the highest good, and to see each woman who practices with us as sovereign and whole.
Inclusivity ~ All women and those who identify as women of all colors, age, ability, sexual orientation and backgrounds are welcome to practice with us. Although our programs are specifically for those identifying as women, we hold the utmost respect for men and other gender identities, and for the importance of healing between all genders. When we gather to practice in the women’s wisdom circle, we connect with and bring forth a source of wisdom and healing that is of benefit to all beings.
Love for the Earth ~ We support each other in aligning our daily actions with our love for Mother Earth. We are partnered with and regularly donate to organizations dedicated to tending our precious relationship with Earth, restoring indigenous land and culture in the Amazon, and planting trees.
Respectful Communication ~ In this increasingly volatile online world, we have strong standards of how to communicate. We tolerate different points of view and take a stand in the world for the qualities of respect, generosity, helpfulness and caring in all of our interactions. These are essential for us; they are how we role model our practice in tangible ways.
Social Justice ~ We believe spiritual awakening goes hand in hand with social activism and justice. We are in an ongoing education around racial justice, privilege and bringing awareness to cultural appropriation. We are committed to the dismantling of racism, sexism, homophobia and bigotry of all kinds, and to support leaders and causes that reflect and guard these values.
Giving Back
We are committed to using our power of influence and financial resources for positive change. We are aware that it is a privilege to gather around the world, and we are dedicated to giving back to the land and local communities that host our retreats.
We truly honor the invaluable gift and responsibility it is to share and practice these sacred teachings from India, and as a way of honoring the circle of reciprocity, we share a portion of the financial gains with Sacha Dam Ashram, Ramana’s Garden (a local children’s home and school) and Dr. Vandana Shiva. In Greece, we work together with Green Corfu to support community projects.
Other organizations we share profits with include: The Pachamama Alliance, One Light Global, Fearless Collective, The Loveland Foundation. Animal Place and Color Me Human. We regularly pay financial reparation to the Yuba River and the Nisenan tribe upon whose land we live in Northern California.
We are in ongoing inquiry with how our organization can stand in integrity and reflect our values and love for the earth. We are aware of the carbon footprints we make as a consequence of arranging and traveling for international retreats, and the paradox of this implication in order to serve our purpose of bringing women together for awakening. Though it is no compensation, we do invest in planting trees as carbon offsets through Earth Guardians for all our travels, and encourage the women traveling for our retreats to do the same.
We also have a scholarship fund that supports women who don’t have the necessary financial means to join our programs, and a catastrophe response fund to support people, animals and places in crisis.
When you purchase any of our products or services, you also support all these causes.
Contact Us
Email: yoginiteam@awakeningwomen.com
Phone: (916) 304-3449
We are a small operation, so please allow a few days for a response.
Mail: Awakening Women Institute, PO Box 1786, Nevada City, CA 95959 USA
FB: Facebook.com/AwakeningWomenInstitute
Instagram: @awakeningwomen, @chameliardagh, @melinaseeto
To join our private FB group: enroll in one of our 21 day Goddess Immersions.
To get our newsletter and weekly yogini wisdom: sign up here
To learn about the practices: go here.
To see our Event calendar: click here.
Thanks to Chameli and Awakening Women, I have a deeper sense of belonging, stewardship, and devotion to the shimmering, sacred web of life. I have a more keen understanding of discerning what is relevant and what is not. My heart has cracked wide open. Forehead to the floor. I bow.
Heather Rhodes
Multimedia Creative
StudioPetronella.com
Chameli creates a most delicious invitation for us women to show up and enter into holy communion with our deeper selves, illuminating the possible pathways of embodying Soul energy and holding an unconditionally loving and tender space to practice in. I am forever bowing to the blessed wisdom of the circle, made manifest within this marvelous group of women.
Christina Sedlmaier
Farmer
BeastWoodFarm.com
The retreats have been beyond my expectations or imagination. The power of women gathering in circle with shared intention and mutual love and devotion for the Great Mother co-creates miracles. Chameli’s authenticity and devotion moves mountains and has melted glaciers in my heart.
Trish Hermann
Founder & Director
WomenSoul Trekking WomenSoulTrekking.com