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Conversations with the Inspiring Makaela Bamonti

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Makaela Bamonti.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Hi, all light beings! I am a yoga & meditation guide, plant medicine advocate, environmental activist, women’s empowerment curator, and a writer. I am grateful to be here and to share my story with you!

I started practicing yoga about 12 years ago when I was in high school and from then on, I realized the power it gave me in the present moment. By the time I was about to graduate college (I attended CSU in Fort Collins!), the opportunity to travel to India to receive my yoga teacher training certification came into existence and off I went! Once I came home, I was greatly inspired, and I started curating Tea-Infused Yoga Flows at iN-TEA in Downtown Littleton, Colorado. Here, I would “infuse” the tea into the asana practice and we would sip & flow and connect deeper with our sensory experience physically as well as with the plant medicine that is inside the spirit of tea.

As a plant medicine advocate, I found it important to incorporate the healing properties of the earth’s natural gifts with the healing properties of yoga. Now, I focus more on meditation in my yoga teaching than asana, as I believe a steady mindset and breath awareness is the greatest tool any human could have. Additionally, as an environmental activist, I believe that mindfulness and sustainability inward and outward is the greatest asset we can cultivate.

Back in June of this year, I created Sacred Sisters Circles, where women from all walks of life come together to empower, inspire, and connect with other women. These circles have been an incredible journey for me as I hold space for others to go deeper into their spirituality and connection to other women on a vulnerable level not many are comfortable with. I was inspired to curate these circles after I traveled to Guatemala to study Ancient Shamanism last year.

I currently work for a company called NuLeaf Naturals based here in Denver, where we sell Full-Spectrum CBD oil. As a small, locally owned business, we are dedicated to bringing plant medicine knowledge to the masses where in today’s modern age CBD products are saturating the market, but not all are what they claim to be… we hold ourselves to a very high standard and look for relief for our customers, rather than profit. I feel very blessed every day to have a job where I get to educate people on the healing power of CBD and be with them on their journey to healing.

Lastly, I am a writer and a lyrical poet. I lost my dad this past March and the heartbreak of that sparked creativity in me to express loss, love, and liberation. I have started to share my poetry on social media and my website (www.mystikmakae.com) which has all been written over the course of the last four years. I hope to inspire others to creatively express in any way that feels best for them after experiencing something so dark and painful in their lives.

I am here today because of loss, because of love, and because all of this manifested a deep cosmic liberation inside of me to share with the world.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Oh, how nice a smooth road would be in this life, right? My road has been very turbulent, to say the least, but of course, I wouldn’t be where I am today, and especially who I am, had my road not been this way. So, I am grateful for the darkness, because without it, where would the light shine through?

Death changes a person. Whether it is sudden or slow, losing someone you love dearly shapes you into who you need to be, whether you like it or not. Losing my dad at such a young age not only turned my world upside down, but also inside out, and in every other direction than where I had once seen my life going. Every day comes with more obstacles of acceptance, sadness, anger, and confusion, but alongside those emotions comes peacefulness, presence, and hope. I have never felt stronger or more spiritually aware in my entire life.

To the young women just starting their journey… the best advice I can give is to be gentle with yourself and to open yourself up to other women who can and will support you, hold you up, and inspire you. There need not be any competition between other women, or other people in general. The more you know yourself, the less you need other people to approve of your existence. Allow yourself to be unapologetically yourself. Be too much. Feel too much. Express too much. Connect, connect, connect.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I teach yoga & meditation twice a week, curate Sacred Sisters Circles once a month, and work full-time for NuLeaf Naturals, educating people on plant medicine and helping them heal themselves naturally. In my free time, I create poetry and blog on my website! I would say I specialize in plant medicine education and yoga & meditation, as well as holding space for others. I am known for my advocacy for the planet, for natural medicine, and for teaching yoga.

I am most proud of the fact I’ve stayed true to my path since the beginning! Whenever I didn’t feel aligned with a company or what I was “supporting”, I would no longer do so. I now find myself working for a company I wholeheartedly believe in, teaching yoga & meditation from my soul, and curating Sacred Sisters Circles for women who need empowerment and connection. I am also proud that I have taken the steps to share my poetry with the world, something I never thought I would do!

What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
The biggest barrier today to female leadership would be the idea that we aren’t “emotionally” stable enough to be a boss! Too often people think that being authentic and sharing emotions and being open is a sign of weakness, but truly, vulnerability in the greatest sign of strength! To be so soft is to be so strong. I think now more so than ever, we need women to be at the forefront of a lot of decisions and most importantly, running mindful businesses focused on helping the community.

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Image Credit:
Alexandra Hankins, AnnaMarie Vaughn

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