maria afouxenides
I was raised in a Greek Orthodox Christian household, where faith was the cornerstone of my upbringing. In 2007, I started to slowly come out as a lesbian. I fell into depression, emotional traumas, and isolation, during that process. Within those 10 years, although filled with some amazing memories and love, were also filled heavily with lots of fear- fear of being who I am, fear of being judged, fear of not being liked, fear of being abandoned, fear of my sexuality, fear of being authentically me. I felt the chains of the world holding me down, and I was also chasing something outside of myself. Little did I know that in June 2017, a buildup of these experiences along with romantic heartbreaks would push me into my spiritual awakening and looking within myself. I knew there had to be more to this life and who I learned God to be.
My unbecoming and healing journey began. I started to slowly melt away the body armor that I created to protect my heart and the 22 year-old girl that was so hurt by the outside world. I honor the body armor I created for how it helped protect me, but have realized that it no longer serves me in the same way today as it did in those years. 2018 was my year of the dark night of the soul and deep isolation or what I like to call now—my alone time with God. I became a seeker of truth and wisdom. I dove into the depths of my soul, which was not easy, but so worth it. I created a new relationship and connection with God (Divine/Great Spirit/Universe). Everything that I consumed began to change; what I read, what I watched, music I listened to, who I was around, my nutrition…literally all parts of my life was going into a detox and I didn’t realize it. I wanted to consume more and more of everything and anything that had to do with spirituality and higher consciousness. Everything that didn’t serve me began to fall away, and there were definitely things that I tried to hold onto tightly. Lesson number 1 of many, do not fight the universe. My life as I knew it began to transform in-order to fulfill my soul’s mission and purpose. This was what my soul was calling for, and it was whispering loudly. I was encapsulated by the Holy Fire and did not know it. In my heart, I had no other choice and would make no other choice but to listen to my inner wisdom, my soul. My old self was going through destruction AND I was rebirthing my new self at the same time.
In January of 2019, Kundalini Yoga and Sacred Sadhana found me. Another deep dive into my soul began with a daily spiritual practiced called Sacred Sadhana which starts every morning from 4am-6:30am. During those hours, known as Amrit Vela (the ambrosial hours), the veil between the spiritual and physical world is at its thinnest and thus the connection to God at its strongest. The practice combines chanting/prayer, exercise, and meditation. It is a tool that tunes up the nervous system, attunes you to your highest self/soul, and allows you to meet yourself every single day. Powerful. I spent time exploring and partaking in Native American Spiritual Ceremonies. I have found that there is ultimate truth in all faiths and at their core they lead us to the path of love, oneness, and becoming aware that God lives inside of us. In October of 2019, my journey expanded into Reiki energy healing and in August of 2020 I started my apprenticeship to become a Reiki Master Teacher under an amazing Medicine Woman, spiritual guide, and friend. In September 2020, I became a Psychosynthesis student.
Through the love and guidance of my spiritual teachers and soul tribe (I would be lost without them) I have been able to learn how to heal and love myself, and now I am able to share my gifts, wisdom, and knowledge to guide others to do the same.
My own deep healing, inner exploration, and path continues to unfold. As that occurs, I continue to have deeper clarity into my soul’s purpose. I am here to serve humanity (both adults and children) through teaching and guiding on authenticity, inclusion, love, spirituality, and self-healing.
Although I cannot walk the spiritual path for you, I will be alongside you, coaching and guiding you along your way.
I am excited to meet my soul clients!
Sat Nam (Truth is my Identity)!
~Maria