“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It’s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let your true selves be seen.” ~ Brené Brown
About Leigh
Leigh Shand is a Certified Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist, Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant, Shamanic Healing Practitioner, Spiritual Naturalist and Experienced Communications Consultant.
Leigh offers Ayurvedic (diet and lifestyle) consultations, group/private/corporate and on-site yoga classes and Shamanic Healing services. She leads wellness programming for corporations, education and healthcare.
Leigh has over a decade of experience as a teacher of yoga, mindfulness and holistic healing. She owns and operate her own business where she works outdoors as much as possible.
A life-long learner, Leigh is a recent graduate of Fanshawe College’s Adventure Expeditions and Interpretive Leadership Program where she finished at the top of her class and earned the Faculty Award for outstanding commitment to academic excellence and personal growth. Leigh is already living her vision of of combining both her passions - wellness and nature - to create a unique offering. She is currently collaborating with public and private schools, corporations and non-profits leading nature/wellness hikes, teaching workshops, yoga in nature and more. Leigh is also honoured to work closely with the Indigenous community in Southwestern Ontario.
Leigh also has 20 years of experience as a communications professional in the private and non-profit sectors specializing in marketing, public relations and business development. She services clients from a number of different industries across the London region.
Background – Holistic Healing:
Leigh received her Yoga and Ayurveda training in London, Ontario under the tutelage of Jackie (Shankari) and Greg (Yogesh) Van Acker of AT THE CORE and via distance learning with the American Institute of Vedic Studies (AIVS) in New Mexico. She also travelled to India to study directly with Vamadeva (Dr. David Frawley) and Shambhavi Devi – co-directors of AIVS. Leigh has acquired more than 2,000 hours of training in courses, classes and retreats since 2010. She continues to study and to deepen her practices, as she firmly believes she will always be a student, as well as a teacher.
Leigh currently teaches classes and workshops at a warm, light and inviting home studio just off Riverside Drive, West of Wonderland Road. She also offers Ayurvedic consultations, as well as private and on-site Yoga and Mindfulness classes (i.e. corporate, special events, etc). Leigh also completed a year-long training in Shamanic Healing - a form of meditation that has been used by Indigenous cultures for thousands of years. She studied under Daniel Léonard of The Medicine Circle, a student of Sandra Ingerman for over 15 years. Leigh offers several different services under this profound, life-changing modality.
BACKGROUND – LEADERSHIP & NATURALIST
In December 2022, Leigh completed the Adventure Expeditions and Interpretive Leadership Diploma Program at Fanshawe College (Simcoe Campus). She was a top student with a 4.14 GPA and trilled both inside and outside the classroom.
Throughout this unique, rich and comprehensive program, Leigh:
Earned 16 different outdoor education and leadership certifications (including Wilderness First Aid)
Focused on environmental sustainability and environmental law, ecology, geology, marketing, leadership, management and more
Completed 3 major expeditions
While studying full time and running her business, Leigh was already applying knowledge in the field with clients and partnering with organizations in Southwestern (i.e. Westminster Ponds, Growe Outdoor School, McMaster University, Long Point Biosphere, Long Point Eco Adventures, etc.) and Northern Ontario (i.e. Muskoka Bay Resort, Northridge Inn & Resort, etc). Now that she has completed the program , Leigh plans to further expand her offerings and collaborations. To keep up to date on current offerings, visit Spiritual Eco Adventures.
Background – Communications Consulting:
Profile: a dynamic, creative, results-driven communicator and leader.
Owning my own wellness and consulting businesses has been of tremendous value to my growth, development and self-care. I understand and practice mindful, meaningful work.
Background:
My background in senior level marketing and communications for nonprofits such as Prostate Cancer Canada and MedicAlert Foundation of Canada, as well as corporate experience (Pepsi-Cola, Hewlett-Packard, etc.), has given me a solid foundation in the communications industry.
I also hold a Honours Bachelors Degree in Business Communications from Brock University. For information on services offered, please visit my Communications Consulting page.
To find out more about Leigh Shand or her services, please contact her directly.