Jo Mardian
Nirvana 101
www.awakennirvana101.com
Throughout my life, I have made some good choices and some not-so-good choices, all of which have lead me to where I am today. I consider them all, the good and bad, a blessing. The one thing I could always trust is that I was being guided and, if I paid attention, I could achieve my highest potential in this life.
Journey: My journey started in a small farming community in Southeastern Saskatchewan. Here I learned the value of hard work, commitment, responsibility, ethics, and helping out a neighbour. I loved how my mom and dad took part volunteering and supporting our little community made of small farmers. Growing up we did not have indoor plumbing, running water, or a telephone, heck, we never had power until I was 7 years old. Our home was mostly heated with a wood cook stove so lots and lots of cutting, hauling and stacking wood. Our food came from the animals we raised and what we grew in the garden, canning fruit and preserving vegetables. We milked cows, drank the milk and made butter with the cream (cranking the butter churn by hand), homemade bread, jam and well, homemade everything. Going to the store was a treat and did not happen often. Oh how I longed for the "bought" stuff others got to have. Well, I tell you that did not last long as I will take home-made over bought any day now. While others considered us poor, and it really affected my sense of self growing up, I now know I was definitely anything but poor. We may not have had money, but we were rich. I had a family that loved me, I worked the fields, looked after the animals, and I could earn a little money entering things in the local fair, trapping, and babysitting. My horse was my best friend but I valued most of the animals: pigs, chickens, dogs, cats and cows. The geese, well that was another story (have you ever had a goose clamp its beak on you - now that hurts!). Riding my horse across an open field in the rain, stacking bales all day with the reward of laying on them at night, smelling the fresh hay and night air while staring at the star filled sky for hours will always be very treasured memories for me. Then on the other side, I had to leave my happy place on the farm and go to school and mix with other kids, which could be very cruel. It was there I learned we were "poor", I was bullied and was treated as an outcast. Rather than deal with other kids, I would get lost in reading books and my school work. I had extremely low self esteem which led me to get involved with the first guy that paid attention to me. I was married at 16 and had 3 children by 21. It was a very abusive relationship which I left at 24 years of age. I felt my life had no value and I even attempted suicide to try to escape the life I was trapped in. I tried to leave 10 times, the 11th time I was strong enough to not go back. Now on my own with 3 children with no support from their father, I began the next part of my journey of discovering myself. Years of struggles and lessons, failed dating life and a nervous breakdown followed, but I kept moving forward always eager to better understand myself and heal. I moved to Medicine Hat in 1990 and in 1995, I was blessed to meet my husband who is amazing and supportive of me and my dreams. We have grown together, pushing each other's wounding and learning the limitations those wounds would place on us, then growing past them.
Growth: In 1999, we moved to Chico, California. It was there that I began to seriously reflect on all the lessons I had been collecting during my lifetime. Within a couple years of being there I was directed to a path of conscious healing. I attended a 4 year program at the Academy of Mind Body and Light Sciences and took training in many other modalities such as Acupressure Certification from University of Berkley, Akashic Records, Sacred Geometry, and many others. In this life of many challenges and uncertainties I felt like, in doing this work, I was "home", maybe for the first time. This is what I was meant to do, and I am enjoying every moment. I opened a practice helping individuals as well as facilitating or hosting many workshops, classes and retreats. My dream has always been to find a fulfilling career in which I would be able to assist people on their journey to discovering their highest potential. I am extremely humbled and grateful that now I am doing just that!
Service: When I returned to Medicine Hat, I was excited to find other like-minded people to share all I had learned and so I started a meditation circle. With the support of that group the first Natural Health & Healing Expo started. People from other communities loved the vision and wanted to share it in their towns too, so the expos started happening throughout the prairies. To further create community and share, the Natural Health Directory was created which featured providers serving the prairies. That too spread with interest in duplicating the directory in other areas of the country. Then there was the website www.wherethelightlives.com which was a place where we could all connect with what was happening in the alternative health community. The next part of the vision was to create a sanctuary where people can gather and grow. Nirvana 101 was born of that vision. We have expanded 3 times and now there is one final step which is to have a Healing Center, out of town, returning to nature and the country life I loved as a child. With the continued support of this amazing community we hope to make that happen. As these aspects fulfilled their purpose of exposing people to alternative ways to support their total well-being, my role in them came to an end. As my purpose evolves, my attention to where I put my energy also shifts. One thing that will not change is that we will always do our best to assist you on your journey to living your best life and reaching a place of “Nirvana” while living here in the physical..
Nirvana 101
www.awakennirvana101.com
Throughout my life, I have made some good choices and some not-so-good choices, all of which have lead me to where I am today. I consider them all, the good and bad, a blessing. The one thing I could always trust is that I was being guided and, if I paid attention, I could achieve my highest potential in this life.
Journey: My journey started in a small farming community in Southeastern Saskatchewan. Here I learned the value of hard work, commitment, responsibility, ethics, and helping out a neighbour. I loved how my mom and dad took part volunteering and supporting our little community made of small farmers. Growing up we did not have indoor plumbing, running water, or a telephone, heck, we never had power until I was 7 years old. Our home was mostly heated with a wood cook stove so lots and lots of cutting, hauling and stacking wood. Our food came from the animals we raised and what we grew in the garden, canning fruit and preserving vegetables. We milked cows, drank the milk and made butter with the cream (cranking the butter churn by hand), homemade bread, jam and well, homemade everything. Going to the store was a treat and did not happen often. Oh how I longed for the "bought" stuff others got to have. Well, I tell you that did not last long as I will take home-made over bought any day now. While others considered us poor, and it really affected my sense of self growing up, I now know I was definitely anything but poor. We may not have had money, but we were rich. I had a family that loved me, I worked the fields, looked after the animals, and I could earn a little money entering things in the local fair, trapping, and babysitting. My horse was my best friend but I valued most of the animals: pigs, chickens, dogs, cats and cows. The geese, well that was another story (have you ever had a goose clamp its beak on you - now that hurts!). Riding my horse across an open field in the rain, stacking bales all day with the reward of laying on them at night, smelling the fresh hay and night air while staring at the star filled sky for hours will always be very treasured memories for me. Then on the other side, I had to leave my happy place on the farm and go to school and mix with other kids, which could be very cruel. It was there I learned we were "poor", I was bullied and was treated as an outcast. Rather than deal with other kids, I would get lost in reading books and my school work. I had extremely low self esteem which led me to get involved with the first guy that paid attention to me. I was married at 16 and had 3 children by 21. It was a very abusive relationship which I left at 24 years of age. I felt my life had no value and I even attempted suicide to try to escape the life I was trapped in. I tried to leave 10 times, the 11th time I was strong enough to not go back. Now on my own with 3 children with no support from their father, I began the next part of my journey of discovering myself. Years of struggles and lessons, failed dating life and a nervous breakdown followed, but I kept moving forward always eager to better understand myself and heal. I moved to Medicine Hat in 1990 and in 1995, I was blessed to meet my husband who is amazing and supportive of me and my dreams. We have grown together, pushing each other's wounding and learning the limitations those wounds would place on us, then growing past them.
Growth: In 1999, we moved to Chico, California. It was there that I began to seriously reflect on all the lessons I had been collecting during my lifetime. Within a couple years of being there I was directed to a path of conscious healing. I attended a 4 year program at the Academy of Mind Body and Light Sciences and took training in many other modalities such as Acupressure Certification from University of Berkley, Akashic Records, Sacred Geometry, and many others. In this life of many challenges and uncertainties I felt like, in doing this work, I was "home", maybe for the first time. This is what I was meant to do, and I am enjoying every moment. I opened a practice helping individuals as well as facilitating or hosting many workshops, classes and retreats. My dream has always been to find a fulfilling career in which I would be able to assist people on their journey to discovering their highest potential. I am extremely humbled and grateful that now I am doing just that!
Service: When I returned to Medicine Hat, I was excited to find other like-minded people to share all I had learned and so I started a meditation circle. With the support of that group the first Natural Health & Healing Expo started. People from other communities loved the vision and wanted to share it in their towns too, so the expos started happening throughout the prairies. To further create community and share, the Natural Health Directory was created which featured providers serving the prairies. That too spread with interest in duplicating the directory in other areas of the country. Then there was the website www.wherethelightlives.com which was a place where we could all connect with what was happening in the alternative health community. The next part of the vision was to create a sanctuary where people can gather and grow. Nirvana 101 was born of that vision. We have expanded 3 times and now there is one final step which is to have a Healing Center, out of town, returning to nature and the country life I loved as a child. With the continued support of this amazing community we hope to make that happen. As these aspects fulfilled their purpose of exposing people to alternative ways to support their total well-being, my role in them came to an end. As my purpose evolves, my attention to where I put my energy also shifts. One thing that will not change is that we will always do our best to assist you on your journey to living your best life and reaching a place of “Nirvana” while living here in the physical..