Gwen Gaydos

Background:

Gwendolyn, Transformational Coach & Spiritual Healer, began her journey over two decades ago as a traditional Pharmacist. Her mission is to help you holistically heal in body, mind, and spirit, transform to your highest potential, and expand futher than you could ever imagine.

Gwendolyn loves healing with Vibrational Medicine, Reiki, Essential Oils, Crystal therapy, Yoga, and Meditation. Gwen also enjoys teaching others Reiki and guiding others to Soul Expansion- connecting privately, through her signature programs, and live classes and events.

Why I practice meditation:

I believe the ultimate expression of self love is to give ourselves time and space just to "be". I practice meditation because it allows me the time and space to do this, deeply relax my mind, and connect to my true self and intuition completely. I have found it helps with anxiety, stress, depression, focus and most immediately helps to calm my very busy mind!

Why I teach meditation:

I want to share this beautiful tool and teach others so they can eliminate anxiety and calm the mind chatter to connect with their truest selves, which I believe is the key to living an authentic, passionate, purposeful life! I love teaching in a classroom setting because, from my own experience, it has given me the time, space and permission to practice meditation for a longer period of time than I normally would give myself at home! It has helped me to drop in more deeply, and feel super blissed out the whole day. It has changed my life, and I want this for you!

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Dr. Nikki Starr, M.D.

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Background:

I began my call to healing as a medical doctor. During medical school I began practicing yoga and meditation, which began to shift my way of seeing the world. Travel transformed my vision of life too and by the time I was 25 I touched every continent except Antarctica. After completing my internship at NYU Medical Center, I realized that some of best prescriptions for a healthy, happy life include love, self care and conscious living. This sparked my personal spiritual journey and shifted my focus to alternative healing. Naturally my work shifted more to holistic coaching and healing session. On my journey I've also completed two Vipassana experiences and continue to teach classes, workshops and retreats worldwide.

Why I practice meditation:

I meditate because this practice supports me in embodying my truest self, it connects me to my heart center and allows me to live my fullest potential. Meditation has also helped to awaken my intuitive and healing abilities.

Why I teach meditation:

My personal mission includes elevating love on the planet as well as supporting humanity in our healing and spiritual awakening. Meditation is one of the best tools to facilitate healing, transformation and awakening in people.

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Jake Ferree

Background:

Jake teaches from the heart with a simple yet powerful message: There is always more to explore and discover. Dedicated to personal transformation inside and out, Jake's true gift lies in his ability to inspire and empower.
Here is what you can expect by meditating with Jake:
Empowerment through playing your edge
tapping into your true potential where the impossible becomes possible. An authentic experience of peace, joy and inner-strength that resides within.

Why I practice meditation:

I practice meditation to help keep myself present.  Distractions are all around us and I have checked out in the past, living on a bit of an autopilot.  Meditation keeps me aware, keeps me here and keeps me present.  Plus it makes me feel great!

 

Why I teach meditation:

I teach because it’s important for me to share the things that I love

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Melanie Kaplan

Background:

My path to meditation began with yoga. I began doing yoga in college, it seemed like the natural transition from ballet.  It was yoga that opened me up to meditation, breath work and the myriad alternative healing modalities.  Upon graduation from college, I entered the hectic world of advertising which left me stressed and feeling unfulfilled.  I pursued a path in massage therapy, Acupuncture and traditional medicine.  During my education, my meditation practice expanded to include many other forms.  I have been practicing acupuncture since 2004, and shortly after getting my license, found myself working with patients overcoming addiction, eating disorders and other mental health issues. While I personally had felt the benefits of meditation myself, it was incorporating meditation with acupuncture in the setting of rehab centers or in my office with patients that I began to fully realize the universal power and depth of transformation that meditation offers. 

Why I practice meditation:

The very nature of the word "practice" means that there is an inherent ritual, and  I clearly like things that need to be "practiced" meditation and acupuncture! I feel that having rituals are grounding and supportive.  I practice meditation to slow myself down and to slow the world around me, to bring me more fully into the present moment, and for those blissful moments when there are no thoughts...just silence and stillness.  Meditation also makes living with me and living with myself infinitely more tolerable!

Why I teach meditation:

Besides believing that the world as a whole can change if everyone meditated, I feel that meditation is a gift, being able to share that with others is a true joy and so fulfilling.  Teaching anything for me has always been an exchange, to foster something in others has always deepened and furthered my own experience.  I believe that we are forever learning and expanding, and teaching others teaches me so much.

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Stephanie Carson

Background:

Stephanie Carson believes anyone can discover the best version of themselves through meditation and breathwork. As a former Fortune 500 marketing executive and a busy mom, she felt more like a frenzied "air-traffic controller” than anything else. Not surprisingly, she became a “crisis meditator” in search of peace and quiet amidst the stress and craziness of, well, everyday life. Upon finding meditation and breathwork, Stephanie was shocked when she experienced immediate positive change that rippled through all aspects of her life (and her family’s, too). Yes, she is still an on-the-go, busy, multi-tasking, Type-A at heart, but her house is calmer, with less stress and anxiety.  Just ask her three children, who now say, “Meditation Mommy is a much better Mommy.” Today, she draws upon her real-life experience and specialized blend of training to create a bespoke practice for each person’s present needs and lifestyle. Her unique yin (soft, feminine, loving) and yang (strong, directive, clear-seeing) approach truly allows clients to let go, renew, and reconnect with their best selves. Stephanie received her Meditation Teaching Certificate from the inaugural Unplug + davidji Teacher Training program, her Breathwork Training levels 1-4 from David Elliott, and is a certified Reiki Level 1 and 2 healer.

Why I practice meditation:

 I practice meditation and breathwork because it makes me a better mom, wife and person.  Since starting my practice, I have seen profound positive changes in my life and in the lives of my family.  Meditation and breathwork help me release emotions and energy buried inside while helping me become more present, calm and more in touch with myself and my own needs and goals.    

Why I teach meditation:

After experiencing the benefits of meditation and breathwork personally I knew I had to share this amazing gift with others.  I love helping people find the best version of themselves and guiding them on their personal journeys of discovery, healing and transformation.

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Ryan Weiss

Background:

Ryan Weiss is the guy people turn to when they feel stuck, lost, depressed, anxious and fed up - when they yearn to feel alive, happy, inspired, safe and can't quite seem to find their way. Ryan helps people accomplish their big goals at work, in relationships and with their health by becoming centered in their confidence, creativity and power.

Ryan has been referred to as Los Angeles premier life coach and is a certified kundalini yoga and meditation teacher. Ryan is also the creator of the morning email reaching thousands of people aptly named Waking Up With Ryan. 

Through his one-on-one coaching, emails, interviews, corporate retreats and international wellness retreats, Ryan breaks down the spiritual and psychological tools we all need to thrive in our daunting, complicated world. His irreverent banter allows his clients and attendees to feel connected to someone who just “gets it”. Ryan is not a guru - he’s a guy with a life much like yours who loves to share how he’s finding hope and joy even when the world seems to crumble.  

Ryan is one of triplets and most of his siblings are Jewish spiritual leaders - one rabbi and two cantors. Formerly he performed on Broadway in Wicked and departed from a career as a film/television producer to launch his coaching and speaking work.

Why I practice meditation:

I practice meditation because it expands everything about my life. Meditation gives me a practice to allow everything to happen without constantly trying to change it. Through meditation I’ve learned the true power of getting out of my own way. As a result, my whole life is unfolding in ways that I couldn’t have planned. And it brings me joy to watch it all happen. 

Why I teach meditation:

Honestly, I teach meditation because it helps me. Through teaching, I get to explore all the in’s and out’s of the practice and dive deeper inside myself. Of course, I love supporting people in their healing and watching others grow brings me joy. As A Course In Miracles says: teaching and learning are the same. 

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Light Watkins

Background:

Light Watkins has been operating in the meditation space since 1998, first as a practitioner, then as an apprentice to his Vedic Meditation teacher, and finally as a teacher himself. He's currently based in Santa Monica, CA, but travels the world giving talks on happiness, mindfulness, inspiration, and meditation, as well as leading popular meditation trainings and retreats. 

His passion is to teach people simple tools for increasing happiness. To date, Light has taught meditation to thousands through his live courses, books, and online trainings. He's taught at Apple, Soho House, Summit, and several tech start-ups around the U.S. His first book, The Inner Gym, is a 30-day "inner workout" for strengthening happiness, and latest book, Bliss More: How to Succeed in Meditation Without Really Trying, is a straight-talk how-to book that teaches busy professionals how to enjoy meditation. 

Light contributes to multiple wellness blogs and writes a popular daily email called Light's Daily Dose of Inspiration. Light's TEDx talk has garnered hundreds of thousands of views, and he is the founder of The Shine Movement, a global pop-up inspirational variety show on a mission to share the stories of regular people who are making a difference in the world.

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Gwen Dittmar

Background:

Gwen Dittmar, founder of Gwen Dittmar Consulting, Inc, a Business Coach and Spiritual Guide for executives and entrepreneurs. Her results-driven approach married with her spiritual practice creates the kind of transformation our culture has been craving. Gwen cultivates space for her clients to trust their intuition, build confidence and navigate change. She brings 18 years as a professional in corporate pharmaceutical and start-up biotech research, as well as 10 years of coaching hundreds of clients. Her training includes a Master’s Degree in Spiritual Psychology, certifications in Soul-Centered Coaching, Executive Coaching, Prosperity Coaching, David Elliott's Breathwork Healer Training Levels 1-4, Reiki Mastery, as well as lots of life experience. She has moved from disease to healing, addiction to recovery, employee to entrepreneur, single woman to single mother to married mother of two. She came out of the spiritual closet and integrated her whole self into all aspects of her life and gives her clients permission to do the same while maintaining grounded human lives. Gwen's mission is to empower her clients to use everything as opportunities to wake up and rise. 

Why I practice meditation:

To create space and access intuition and knowing.

Why I teach meditation:

Because I am passionate about the healing and transformative power of meditation and I LOVE to share my passion.

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Connect with Gwen:

Unplug Meditation

12401 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 101 Los Angeles, CA 90025

(310) 826-8899

info@unplug.com