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Tulā - Community, a 'business' lead by the heart, created for spiritual and creative entrepreneurs

this space is just as much as it is for you as it is for us

what we're doin':

That's me! Whitney
(I created Tulā with love + connection in mind)

podcasting

photography

makin' you smile

Why + how we do it

Subscribe to our substack for more stories, photos, Shares, spiritual practice, personal reflections, + heart led business.

+ the inspiration to keep going in life.

New posts weekly

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Tulā - Community Podcast

Latest episode

Aaliya Noorani

on Yogic practice + teaching the lineage

Learn more + listen!

Hello friends!! 🎙✨

Welcome to another moment shared between me + a special person in our Yoga community of Vancouver.

About Aaliya:

Aaliya is a Vancouver based yoga instructor. Having studied in the birthplace of yoga, India - her classes integrate traditional foundations of the practice with a digestible approach to ancient teachings. It is the fusion of east and west that provides students with a whole and integrative experience.

With over a decade in the industry - you can expect a practice with Aaliya to weave traditional philosophy, mythology, mantra and classical teachings in a way that relates to our modern living. Aaliya hopes to offer a gateway of understanding and self-discovery to the universal human experience. It is with passion for the ‘yuj’ (union) of all parts of yoga practice that truly provides what she shares with her students.

connect with Aaliya:
@aaliyatamara

Connect with our latest sponsor:

Artifact Uprising, a company offering quality photo prints, photo books, + other ways to share + display photos that you love + care about.
@artifactuprising

To support us at Tulā please shop + check out through the link in our bio

Use any code at check out for savings, if there isn’t a promotion available on their website use code TULA15

Other gifts from our sponsors:

WHITNEY15 gifts you with 15% off of your purchase with @bhalfmoon_official

TULA15 with @eversiowellness 15% off fruiting body mushroom supplements, a company based in North Vancouver

TULA20 one time code you can use with @skwalwenbotanicals for 20% off your purchase *excludes ceremony products

Here anytime,
Whitney

the stars, our star, the moon

the ether

the air

the unknown

the unseen

the unheard

what do you witness?

what do we miss?

our lives become complicated when we’re attached too strongly to the negative, + to our human experience.

if we view the world for what it is - a spherical shape, among other spherical shapes

floating around, not aimlessly. But surely orchestrated by something. Or nothing.

What if there’s a set number of answers? Like ten. That answer all questions all stories all situations.

“What if there’s only one”
Steve Fazzari says to me.

with a star of our own, we named the sun

with a rock of our own, we named the moon

+ some planets have multiple moons, + maybe it just worked out perfectly, to some, that we received even one. One to reflect the gift of our sun, no matter day, or night.

We don’t know where we go after this -

I hear many upset with their old age, their lives, many telling me ‘don’t get old’ - I tell them ‘I hope to get old’ as I would feel robbed of my children, my grandchildren, your children, I would feel robbed of the moments I could have shared.

Some of them get more frustrated with me when I say that.
Some go “huh” + want to talk more.

I can’t judge where they are in their reality. Their understanding. I witness.

Robbed
of the wisdom I will have at 80

Robbed of seeing my skin wrinkled

Robbed of my long wizard grey hair + bitchin’ old lady fashion

Robbed of feeling the brisk air on my nose

Robbed of music, dancing, laughing, jokes, knowledge, photos taken, places seen, mornings honouring the Goddesses + Gods.

Robbed of the flowers, the grass, the tears of joy I experience over Yoga

Robbed of a really good nectarine

The tears of sadness over a broken heart

The tears of sadness while listening to a song that hits just right

Life is pleasure + life is pain
Want to know what matters/ed most? Look where the pain is.

When I connect with the simplicity of life, my life becomes simple.
When I honour the human experience
The spiritual experience

air in, air out
breath
sun
ferns
birds
sound
love
the food God gave us
happiness
experiences

do not be be so afraid of death
that you never live

The seeds of today plant the flowers of tomorrow

It seems we’re lost in a world of INSTANT gratification

rushing to situations, rushing into relationships, rushing connection

Wanting to have it all, now.

Remember that good things take time + I want to remind you that in your work, it’s going to take a while for everything to come together

+ that’s okay.

I share ideas with people year round, I have established things 10 years ago that are proving worthwhile today.

I have experienced loss that is proving why we have loss now

What I ate yesterday decides today. If I moved my body yesterday decides today.

Relationships formed make me who I am now

Those who I have shared moments with make me who I am now

You are the company you keep.

The tiny seed of an idea has brought me to where I am now. The writing down of tulā - community in notebooks 7 years ago brought me here.

—

the flowers bloom, the trees grow, the fetus starts moving

The flowers seed + die, the trees shed leaves, the fetus leaves the womb for a life of their own

The peonies stay put, tubers planted, in their spot, until their next time to shine
The sunflower can travel, by wind, by bird. The sunflower can travel effortlessly.
The peony needs our hands to change environment. The peony needs a decision from human
(most of the time)

The sunflower needs a decision from universe.

Does your life travel by the hands of others or by the universe? Who’s pulling your puppet strings? Do you trust? Do you allow others to dictate your moves?

the sun rises, the sun sets, the moon tries to meet the sun + thanks it for illuminating her. She has nothing to give back to the sun but her love + devotion.

Precious flower needs the sun to sprout. For once it was so small + it took the V I L L A G E of nature to grow.

It takes a village.
It takes a village.

Ascension does not happen without foundation.

It takes incubation
decomposition
It takes nutrients
It takes the full cycle for nature

It takes the full cycle for you. For you are part of this natural system, as well.

Love,
Whitney + the stars

one thing you can guarantee about @alyrahudsonwellness + I spending time together is that we’re going to play

we’re going to experiment

+ I will likely ask her to run away from the camera up to ten times + she will willingly do it to get the ‘one’.

It’s a free flowing creative process and neither of us are stuck on any expectations of the results. We just see what’s going to happen.

—

not much to share here

just want to tell you that it’s all going to be okay + that love is on your side

sending prayer + kindness your way, always
Whitney

A big ol thank you for your support

I appreciate all of you, this year, the years that have passed, + for the ones we haven’t lived yet. Your trust in my work, sharing vulnerabilities with me, to sit in conversation on the podcast, + for allowing us to be in a space of co-creation together

47 photo sessions
40+ videos created
12 podcasts recorded
100+ deep chats
+ infinite laughs

Thank you @awayofbeing_ for the years of wisdom + love we’ve shared together
Thank you @tomomiokada_ for everything - I love you
Thank you @lolartcruthu for your artistic visions
Thank you @carolynannebudgie for giving me opportunity + trusting me
Thank you @gabyalanes for a 2nd summer sesh
Thank you @nectaryoga - Wow. What an incredible relationship. You’ve given me so much.
Thank you @gillian.annh for being supportive of Tulā
Massive thank you to @halsaspa you gave me life this year - I couldn’t have grown into who I am without you, all the people involved, + for your massive support. I am so lucky to be part of this special place
Thank you @alyrahudsonwellness for your continued support - so many photo sessions between us now. Thank you for all you’ve gifted me with
Thank you @amandabarcellosyoga for all of your help this year, coming to Bowen to help us, you are the sweetest
Thank you + what’s up to @annasheamaru I’m honoured that you appreciate my work
Massive thank you to @hunterbergen our backbone!!! How special to work together. Thank you for being so much smarter than me in so many ways. You balance this space

Thank you @kandra.alaya for trusting me with your first podcast episode
Thank you @adachikendra for your tenacity
Thank you @sarahsovereign for the moments we spent + your kindness
Thank you @aaliyatamara for sitting with me + sharing your journey
Thank you @bymallorylupick for giving us a window into your life + for your help with the small biz meeting
Thank you @honest_farms for hosting me + allowing me to help!

Thank you’s to:
@grounded_path_yoga_n_wellness
@humanhieroglyphics
@casacopalyoga
@_saminthecity
@kategillespie
@lotusdayspalangley
@sacredlysomatic
@daniellecampani__
@yellowpetalphoto
@audrakaya
@restoretorest

Video Recap 2024

As you know I celebrate the new year on the first day of spring - but there’s still something about the end of December that feels as though it’s time to recap

Here’s a mix of things I was able to do this year + the healing I was able to find for myself. I take the time to be alone to get back to myself. I take the time to go to therapy, face my shit, scream in the car, lay in bed + cry, get fresh air, + go swimming.

Where I was able to go:
Salt Spring x2
The big island
Port Townsend
Seattle x2
Golden
Bowen Island 20+

Where I missed out on:
Guatemala :(

Made new friends
Lost friends
Went swimming - 200 times (this includes in my dreams)
My brother’s first birthday since he passed
Dancing for fun + for trauma release - everyday
Podcasts recorded - 12 (thank you all)
Photo sessions - 47 (amazing)
Videos created - 40+
Small biz meetings hosted - 5
Yoga classes taught + subbed - 100+

Good moments:
Peace
Therapy
Healing
Slowing down
Working with so many of you + making new connections
Advancing my skills
Hiring @hunterbergen to assist me with my businesses
Learning new things
Starting new projects to help those in need
Spending time at @honest_farms
My mom being cancer free
A new car that actually starts lol
Being naked in nature with women @earthdaughters_collective
My own harmonium + chanting the sacred names
Krishna Das + Govind Das
Laughing
Being brought onto the @nectaryoga team for photo sessions
Burning old beliefs + expectations put on me
Feeling as though I’m deserving + worthy

Hard moments:
Crying many many many tears
Being let down
Going through EMDR therapy + going back to traumatic moments from childhood
Changing plans + facing reality
Grieving
Accepting what is
Laying in bed for days completely broken + depressed
Being honest with myself
Needing surgery + being in pain

Gratitude for:
My mom + dad
My friends
The sun
The water
All of you
Food
Juice
Yoga
Not being lied to all year + shamed for who I am
Achieving something special + not settling for average
My work
Opportunity
Creatives
Me being the love of my life

cover photo @daniellecampani__

Hello friends!! 🎙️

Happy whatever you celebrate!!! + happiness to you if you don’t have any celebrations this time of year.

This podcast is on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, + in video form on YouTube!

I share in this episode a bit of my personal experience with the holidays, some ways I know a few of us relate to certain feelings around this time of year, + I take the time to help you to feel empowered to make choices for yourself.

I hope this time shared supports you to reduce any feelings of guilt, shame, grief. + I want you to remember that things only hold the weight that you put on them.

Many of us do not connect with this holiday specifically, as we may feel rooted in other practices, religions, + beliefs + I think there needs to be space held for that.

I want to remind us of the pressures that are put on us or ones we put on ourselves to show up, buy things, be around people that are harmful to us.

+ I want to make sure we’re all staying open, kindhearted, + remember those in our communities who are less fortunate, this time of year + every other day.

Some resources for you:

Kandra Alaya - Holy Days, practicing energetic hygiene + taking care of your well-being.
@kandra.alaya

I remind you to show up where you feel you want to + to listen to the voice that’s telling you that it’s not working. I remind you of others projections, staying strong in knowing who you are, + if you need to head to the bathroom for a noticed breath, do it.

I’m in the beginning stages of my new (but has always been in the background) project Blessing Beings, in which donations from this go straight to those in need by providing heat, food, + other needs a being needs.

Please consider donating to help us keep people warm + fed.

Gifts from our sponsors:

WHITNEY15 gifts you with 15% off of your purchase with @bhalfmoon_official

TULA15 with @eversiowellness 15% off fruiting body mushroom supplements, a company based in North Vancouver

TULA20 one time code you can use with @skwalwenbotanicals for 20% off your purchase *excludes ceremony products

#shareasale @artifactuprising

Photos by @hunterbergen

Hello friends! 🎙

Join Nicole + I in conversation
@awayofbeing_

About Nicole

Nicole is multifaceted, multidimensional, multidisciplinary practitioner, guide, creative, land steward, community builder, and mother. She has always been devoted to exploring deeper truths, creating beauty in a myriad of ways, going below the surface and passing on the knowledge and wisdom that has supported her life, journey and evolution.

Nicole lives by and carries the skillful ways of her Ilocano, Bisayan, European and more ancient ancestors, who have always navigated life with the Earth, Cosmos, Mysticism, and Spirit, she bridges this wisdom forward with her own unique medicine to help usher us through these great times of (r)evolution and shift in paradigm

Through the intersections of her personal inherent gifts, intuitive ways of knowing, the lessons and initiations from life, a lifelong student of the sacred and her more career related expertise in visual design, building teams and entrepreneurship, she offers a well rounded perspective and embodiment to the work she offers in service as her sacred responsibility.

Just as she has, her work and ways of being have shape-shifted and evolved over the years, at this midpoint of her life, she has refined as simply one who resonates deeply with caretaking - the land, her relationships (human and more than human), the sacred, her passions, children/the future generation and the very web of Life.

“Whoever you are, whatever your station in life is, whether or not you have a lofty title, you can, in your own way, contribute to the life-giving forces of this world” Ate Grace Nono

Link in bio for all podcast streaming platforms
@tulacommunity

both realities exist -

As I was on a walk the other day I reflected on all of the planes, all realities existing, all stories true, + one getting acted on through your eyes, through your current understanding of presence + life.

I was coming out of a few days of laying in bed - feeling low, sad, resting, sleeping, + extremely down. Nothing to give + feeling pretty hopeless. All of these stories I tell myself keep me in a place of sorrow. This life has gifted me with these exercises + lessons to live + work through have me feeling somber. My knowledge + wisdom in life giving lessons + it being already written is not lost on me. + still it brings me so far down. Why?

I went left on the trail - I could have gone right.

+ as I went left I wondered if that was the right choice, what if left causes me to slip + fall? What if right would have done the same? I would never know. But there was a me on some other plane who went right + knew the answer.

I started to reflect on polarities within the being -

How I feel grateful + happy. Stoked on life.
How I feel so awful, sad, lost, empty, lonely.

Can both exist? At the same time? Can you be a super joyful person who people gravitate towards, who people look to for happiness, for laughter, for help, advice, wisdom, + can that person be just as scared, lost, sad?

“Only a teacher who has experienced Duḥkha can heal others Duḥkha.” – T Krishnamacharya

Knowing that I can be grateful + get into funks. Knowing that though my life is abundant doesn’t mean I’m less likely to experience struggle + suffering.

The left path has me feeling grateful
The right path has me in my feelings, honouring the deep sadness within me
 
Darker the shadow, brighter the light.

I took the left, I went down to the water, watched it change through the seasons, took some photos.

I didn’t fall down. 

+ if I did I’d get up better than ever + you would too.
Whitney

Photos created this summer with @sarahsovereign + @maudra.model

first photo overlay by lil ol me

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By Whitney Tfankedjian

for the spiritual entrepreneur

learn more

Tulā - Community, a 'business' lead by the heart, created for spiritual and creative entrepreneurs

this space is just as much as it is for you as it is for us

what we're doin':

That's me! Whitney
(I created Tulā with love + connection in mind)

podcasting

photography

makin' you smile

Subscribe to our substack for more stories, photos, Shares, spiritual practice, personal reflections, + heart led business.

+ the inspiration to keep going in life.

New posts weekly

Tulā - Community Podcast

Latest episode

Aaliya Noorani

on Yogic practice + teaching the lineage

Background photo by Brenda Kent Colina

By Whitney Tfankedjian

for the spiritual entrepreneur

learn more

welcomefriends!welcomefriends!

Tulā - Community, a 'business' lead by the heart, created for spiritual and creative entrepreneurs this space is just as much as it is for you as it is for us

what we're doin':

That's me! Whitney (I created Tulā with love + connection in mind)

podcasting photography

makin' you smile

The Latest+ greatestThe Latest+ greatest

Subscribe to our substack for more stories, photos, Shares, spiritual practice, personal reflections, + heart led business. + the inspiration to keep going in life.

New posts weekly

Tulā - Community Podcast

Latest episode

​

Aaliya Noorani

on Yogic practice + teaching the lineage

FollowalongFollowalong

​

Tulā - Community, a 'business' lead by the heart, created for spiritual and creative entrepreneurs

this space is just as much as it is for you as it is for us

That's me! Whitney
(I created Tulā with love + connection in mind)

podcasting

photography

Subscribe to our substack for more stories, photos, Shares, spiritual practice, personal reflections, + heart led business.

+ the inspiration to keep going in life.