Alchemystic Studio
An inclusive space designed to meld the healing and wisdom of queering re-indigenized yoga with the mission of modern abolitionist movements. We warmly invite seekers and disruptors to co-create communal care and radical cultural elevation for all.
“Yoga is the journey of the Self, through the Self, to the Self.”
“The greatest illusion of this world is the illusion of separation. Things you think are separate and different are actually one and the same. We are all one people. But we live as if divided.”
– Guru Pathik (Avatar the Last Airbender)
Yoga and activism are interlinking mindsets that directly reflect the original teachings of the lineage. The highest form of dharma is selfless duty for the greater good (karma yoga). Those who are called to this dharma, and also seek to know their true self (ātman), have found the path of balance.
Alchemystic Studio strives to be a space in which all bodies, minds, and souls feel comfortable practicing yoga. This is why we provide varying types of yoga. For those seeking a more active style we provide dynamic asana flows, while those in the mood for a gentle and enriching practice can join our restorative and philosophy classes.
How We Give Back
Alchemystic Studio vows to give 10% of all profits to vetted non-profit organizations that align with the current themes of our classes, workshops, immersions, and/or effects a current crisis in need of aid.
“A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of human history.” — Mahatma Gandhi
Current organization:
Maui Food Bank
Mission Statement:
The Maui Food Bank is Maui County’s primary safety net for hunger relief. The Food Bank provides safe and nutritious food to anyone in Maui County who is at risk of going hungry. Of those served, 40% are children and youth. Working with more than 100 distribution partners and programs, the Food Bank distributes safe and nutritious food to individuals, families, kids, the working poor, seniors on fixed incomes, the homeless and anyone who is at risk of going hungry. This includes people in need living in the rural communities of Hana, Molokai and Lanai.
Class Schedule
Alchemystic Studio currently schedules weekly and new schedules are up each Sunday! We welcome feedback on the schedule as our number one priority is to provide healing to as many folks as possible.
Code UNITY for 30% off drop in rates for BIPOC/LGBTQIA+. Scheduled Tribes of India/Dalit folks/Adivasi folks email us at alchemysticstudio@gmail.com for free admission to classes and workshops. No one turned away for lack of funds.
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Meet Our Teachers!
Alchemystic is proud to showcase the talent and wisdom of teachers who embody our values. These folks have dedicated their dharma to sevā (service to others), social justice praxis, and sharing their ancestral medicine with the community.
Sheetal (she/her)
Hello everyone! My name is Sheetal and it’s a privilege to serve the Alchemystic Community. I
began my yoga journey in childhood when I was introduced to pranayama by my grandparents.
However, I stayed consistent with my practice when I began attending Iyengar yoga classes with
my mom in adolescence. Yoga transformed the framework I view the world and in turn
transformed me to a more peaceful and content person. The constant practice of tapping into my
inner self is something I can never let go off.
The lack of spirituality and lack of focus on the mind-body-spirit connection was what led me to
teaching. I became exhausted with yoga rebranded as a workout with no emphasis on correct form, modifications, or our inner selves in corporate yoga studios. I received my 200-hr
certification in August of 2019 and have been teaching since. In the future, I plan to return to my studies to hopefully receive a Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) certification to
support those who’ve been through trauma through movement. Currently, I’m a Master of Social Work student at Columbia University, specializing in Clinical Social Work. I’m on the way to becoming a mental health therapist, which is the focus of my class (Yoga for Mental Health!). My teaching emphasis is on gentle, loving movement and the conscious practice of how to quiet our inner mind. I hope that my class offer a small silver of peace that you can carry with you. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to reach me on Instagram @yogawsheetal. Looking forward to seeing you in class!
Christine Siu Abernathy (they/she/he)
magical + queer + southern
Christine is born of diaspora and nourished from the teachings of abolitionist visionaries. They received their yoga teacher certification under Yogacharya Bharath Shetty in 2013. Since then they have studied trauma-informed yoga, yoga for marginalized youth, and kundalini yoga. They see healing as a critical component of justice work and use yoga as a tool for accessing abundance, inner wisdom, and power inside all of us. They teach yoga as an energetic practice to support the overall vitality of mind, body, and soul. Their own journey has illuminated yoga as a lifelong practice to transform their life and deepen their connection with others.
They specialize in working with youth, elders, and bodies of varying sizes and abilities. They loving supporting their queer/trans and BIPOC fam through yoga as well as people experiencing chronic pain, burnout, self esteem issues, insecurities, anger, and low mood. If you have any questions or just want to say hi, drop them a line at @christine.is.here on instagram.
Sunaina (they/them)
Sunaina Rangnekar (they/them) is an infinite, multi-dimensional energy incarnated into this material form. They immigrated from India to the unceded ancestral homelands of the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapahoe Nations- now colonized as Denver, Colorado. Their yoga practice is deeply rooted in Hinduism and Bhakti. They follow the lineage and teachings of their ancestors and Sri Paramahamsa Vishwananda. Sunaina uses neurodivergent superpowers to create a more community-centered world that focuses on individual healing by embracing our unique truth. They believe that the answer is already within us when choosing self-love, accountability, and awareness. With their unique lens to the yogic path, Sunaina creates spaces to reclaim yoga, decolonize minds, and abolish oppressive systems that affect us at an energetic and societal level. You can find them on instagram at @su9nah.
Nandani Devi (they/dem)
Nandani is a neurodivergent queer Indo-Caribbean/West Indian New Yorker activist, artist, writer and intuitive counselor. They use digital content, art, writing, community-making and healing containers to support growth, transformation, empowerment and embodied Divinity in integration with social justice. They focus on inner child healing through shadow work and anchoring a better connection with Divine Guides.
Nandani is a descendant south asian indentured diaspora into the Caribbean. They come from lineages of Hindu Shaivites, Vaishnavs, coolie daayin (indentured witches) Muslim and Christian ancestors/family. Through ancestral healing they were able to restore lost lineages and practices, some among them were sacred dance, community-building, divination, Amman devotion and herbalism. Later they were initiated Kundalini Kriya Yogini under Siddhanath Yogiraj’s Babaji lineage, Omorisha under tutelage of Chief Iyanifa Osun Femi of Osun’s Golden Harvest Temple , certified Reiki Master + Teacher and Shakti devotee and healing practitioner. They are a theosophist who has studied different occult (with leanings towards The Golden Dawn and Paganism) and spiritual techniques from many cultures (tarot, scrying, western astrology, numerology etc) with a focus on the diasporas into the Caribbean and Indigenous Americas.
Nandani is a social justice activist working through spiritual and creative means to decolonize wellness and advocate for the lives of the most marginalized. They are passionate about west indian visibility!, queer and trans rights as well as helping south asian diasporas to unpack and stop the harm-cycles of casteism and anti-Blackness. They challenge the erasure of their intersections and advocate for solidarity, body diversity and action towards divine embodiment and courageous shadow/inner child work!
As an artist and content creator, Nandani, works with an array of mediums including, but not limited to, experimental sound, spellwork, trance-poetry and channeled messages, drag, dance, experimental short film and mixed media visual art.
Tasnim (she/her)
Tasnim Islam (she/her) radiates warmth as an LGBTQIA+ training specialist and youth educator who is also committed to a lifetime of holistic healing. With deep roots in South Asian culture and as a queer woman of color, she has been on a journey deep into the world of holistic healing practices, motivated by her desire to combat the impact of trauma, oppression, and life’s adversities. She has walked the path of healing, navigating the persistent presence of chronic pain—arising from the burdens of stress, depression, and anxiety. Unsatisfied with the limitations of Western medicine and pharmaceuticals, she embarked on a transformative quest, finding solace in practices such as breathwork, the sacred art of cacao, traditional yoga, bodywork, and meditation. She immersed herself in the teachings of renowned breathwork practitioners in the city of New York, harnessing their wisdom to enrich her personal practices. These profound modalities have seamlessly become a part of her spiritual journey, harmonizing with her Islamic background and the rich spectrum of Bangladeshi cultures and traditions. Furthermore, she has integrated these teachings with Bangladesh’s deep-rooted connection to the land and water, forging a powerful synergy that continues to shape and elevate her path.
Tasnim strives to empower her QTBIPOC communities with the knowledge and transformative potential of mind-body connection and holistic healing methods. With a heart overflowing with compassion and radiant energy, Tasnim invites others to discover the transformative pathways to holistic healing alongside her. You can find her on IG at @tasnimislamatx and her henna artisit account @mehndi.henna.nyc.
Meditation
“Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It is a way of entering into the quiet that is already there.”
-Deepak Chopra
Meditation is the soul of yoga. Meditation is the seventh limb of yoga which can be described as a trance-like state that overcomes us through devotional focus. Alchemystic Studio is proud to offer live guided meditations in the schedule. We invite you to carve out time during your day to sit in silence and connect to yourself. Once you find a class on the schedule that speaks to your needs, simply find a space in which you can concentrate on your practice, and watch your life transform as you commit to meeting your higher self.
Public Speaking
“Far more important than knowing the words, is embodying the practice.”
– Meesha Sharma
Meesha offers themselves as a public speaker for events, podcasts, panels, summits, and conferences. They also provide Equity, Diverstiy, and Inclusion trainings for corporate, small-business and non-profit spaces. Other subjects they feel passionate about speaking on are: the re-indigenization of yoga, cultural appropriation vs appreciation, yoga philosophy applied to abolitionist theory, and queer/trans history of yoga. They combine their passion of continued learning of each of these subjects, with their gift of space holding and healing, to make public speaking a holistic experience for all who listen.
Email alchemysticstudio@gmail.com for any inquiries.
“After attending and attaining knowledge from workshops on dark shadow healing, finding strength and confidence in your inner self, and more, Alchemystic Studio has helped me redefine my identity and find what is most true and important to me spiritually and cosmically. Moving to the states alone, away from all that I had known, it was not easy to find the community I was in need of. I am so grateful for the support system and resources I have been able to get to reach my full potential in this life from Alchemystic and Meesha.”
“As a queer South Asian american looking for ways to build community and practice yoga in a way that feels authentic and honors my indigeneity, Alchemystic Studio feels like coming home. I deeply appreciate the space that Meesha has intentionally built. I first participated in the brown & queer container and connected with community from all over the world while learning the history of queerness in South Asia. I subsequently joined the deep dive container where we are learning the 8 limbs of yoga through a lens of decolonization. I am so thankful for this opportunity to connect to community, myself, and the divine through the sacred teachings of Alchemystic Studio. I look forward every week to being in the deep dive container because it provides me the opportunity to be in community while also giving to myself. It’s a simultaneous act of self care and collective support and I am so grateful for these teachings and the space.”
“The Our Shadow’s container facilitated a healing space where genuine connections could be made. The weaving of ancient Indian wisdom throughout each session was so magickal and inspiring. Holding all the shares and vulnerability in my heart.”
“I have taken asana classes, meditation, single day workshops, and now a 5 week workshop with Alchemystic Studio. Each spaces brings the same enthusiasm and openness to each, using trauma-informed teaching to help guide every meeting with compassion and wisdom. I attended the “Our Shadows” workshop, a 5 week container where we were guided through shadow work. Shadow work is acknowledging the “darker” parts of yourself, and learning to work with them and integrate them into your whole being. It’s heavy and vulnerable work, and Meesha made all attendants feel safe to share and to ultimately grow. She did the work alongside us, never feeling aloof or out of reach. This was an amazing workshop and I’d love to take more, whether on the same subject or a different one. I have a lot of shyness and anxiety, so the fact that I was able to speak up in every class and share myself with these people who started as strangers… that should say it all.”
“I took Alchemystic Studio’s first immersive course, Deep Dive into the 8 Limbs of Yoga in 2021, and found it to be the most informative and inclusive yoga-related courses I’ve ever taken. I still am processing and unpacking that the topics we covered. I loved that one of the main focuses was decolonizing yoga. This is so important when so many Indigenous practices are being stolen for profit while at the same stigmatized. The guest teachers were also all amazing! I’m extremely grateful to have found Alchemystic Studio!”
“I have had the true honor to know Meesha as a passionate activist, a mindful and supportive yogi, and an amazing friend! We bonded over our love for yoga and our drive to protect our earth and the people who live here while working for GreenPeace. Whenever the cause or campaign we were working on would start to feel too big to take on Meesha was always there to help bring things into perspective. In order to reset and shift her mindset through yoga, she would often pop into a handstand, allowing her heart to rise above her head. Meesha leads and speaks from her heart and this is powerful. I am so excited to share this safe space and see Alchemystic Studio grow!”
“I cannot say enough about how grateful I am for my new Meditation practice.
With all that is currently happening in the world, having someone like Meesha to guide my meditation has been life-changing. Like me, she is an activist and understands what that entails but also shares ways to guard your energy and find your peace. Even virtually, she knows how to deeply connect with you and gauge your feelings and what you need that day. It is truly a super power that she uses for good and we are all better for it.”
“My love and admiration on a personal level which I call friendship and sisterhood has grown over the years since I first met Meesha in a yoga class she instructed at Tripower. I felt in my most comfortable yoga zone, the original Indian tradition rather than a too westernized version. Her light, smile, choice of music, Mantras, adjustments, and fabulous sequence made this experience one of my best memories. Often I recall it to give me strength when my own practice or teaching becomes a challenge due to exhaustion. Her passion for yoga reminds me of my own passion for Bhakti 💙And her added beauty and sensuality makes the practice an absolutely unique experience. 💙🙏🏼📿✨”
“I have had the pleasure to be part of two containers that Alchemystic Studio offered. They have truly supported me through turbulent times and offered me a safe and warm space to unpack confusing and often painful feelings and experiences. I find the magic that they create transcends that space and is lasting. The connections both human and with our ancestors are healing and have provided much solace. Meesha cares and shows up for their community and it shows. They adjust to the needs and feedback of container. To be seen and held is powerful. In our containers I’ve been reminded time and time again how expansive we are. Truly, Meesha has supported my journey to heal and acknowledge myself fully and I am deeply grateful.”
- An inclusive and intersectional space that prioritizes, uplifts, and serves sacred marginalized communities such as lgbtqia2s+, bipoc, neurodivergent, bigger bodies, caste oppressed, chronically ill, disabled, folks with chronic pain, and other people who feel ostracized by mainstream corporate yoga studios.
- Respect for pronouns and names, knowing that as we heal these may change, and it is communal care for us to acknowledge and respect that.
- A space that strives for accessibility and is always open to learn more ways to align with disability justice work
- Respect for where folks are at in their yoga practice.
- We strive to treat our bodies and minds with respect and compassion.
- An environment meant to create the beautiful balance between challenging ourselves in order to grow and lovingly meeting ourselves where we are at.
- Radical authenticity from our teachers and students alike.
- Trauma informed classes and workshops.
Thought Pieces
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White Christian Supremacy
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Namasté! My name is Vuzmal Meesha Sharma (they/she) and I am the creatrix and founder of Alchemystic Studio. It is an honor to be the steward of this yoga space. I am a first generation Kashmiri Pandit and Punjabi person. I grew up with Hindu traditions and rituals in my home, and have visited India and Kashmir many times.
Yoga is my way of life. Regardless of whether or not I am physically teaching the practice, I bring my ancestry and knowledge of this tradition everywhere I go.
Here is a bit about the journey that led to the inception of Alchemystic; I graduated from UMASS Amherst in 2013 with a degree that I designed myself. I called my degree Writing with a focus on Social Change. My thesis reflected on all of the classes I took in Global Comparative Literature, Women’s Studies, Comp Lit of the Indian Ocean, African-American studies, contemporary slavery, media and propaganda, and creative writing. I proposed that they all weaved together to create my understanding of how oppression and art have coincided throughout history, and how we can use creativity and ancient wisdom to liberate humanity in the future. I also have a minor in biology, and am interested in how spirituality and science can come together to deepen the potential of healing modalities.
After graduating I got my 200 hour yoga teacher training certificate from Corepower San Diego. Although this studio did not provide the true spiritual teachings of yoga that I was seeking, it did give me comprehensive knowledge on anatomy and proper cueing strategies. I continue my education through taking courses and classes led by other South Asian peers and leaders, learning from and sitting with elder wisdom keepers, personal research and svādhyāya, and daily sādhanā. I am now E-RYT certified, meaning I have taught over 1000 hours of yoga, which is a true honor. My teaching style is trauma-informed, nurturing, focused on pranic healing, in devotion to Earth and ancestors, and led by love. Yoga is my way of life, and I saw first hand how integral indigenous healing modalities are in social justice spaces as a manager at international environmental non-profit GreenPeace. I was able to lead a successful and joyful team by applying yoga tools to my management style in order to address and avoid the deep burnout that can occur in folks who do this important work. I am so thankful to the QTIBIPOC teachers that feel called to share their medicine and practice with our community through Alchemystic Studio. Seeing how many folks are bravely sitting in the seat of teacher and culture bearer, who stand for gentle disruption and curious seeking, gives me hope for the future of our communities. There are so many paths of yoga, spirituality, and healing, and they all lead to the same destination: Oneness. Thank you for joining in the dharma of Alchemystic Studio: abolitionist activism guiding us to co-weave a more just and equitable future, and queer re-indigenized yoga bringing us healing and grounding as we walk this path together. 🙏🏽
