Meet Adryn Mari

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adryn Mari and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adryn Mari, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My business started out as a necessity. It was the pandemic; the edible landscape company I worked for was shutting its doors and I needed employment. So, I took a couple clients to continue maintaining their gardens and The Natural Healing Collective grew from there. I realized that the only way to explore all of my passions in a space that supported my needs as a POC woman was to become my boss and create a company that reflects and honors who I am. The current branch of The Natural Healing Collective I am working under is Ayurcharya which is combines my certification as an Ayurvedic Practitioner with my love of gardening. It allows me to customize every garden with the energetics of each client I and we plant based on their needs and capacities. Even the way one is asked to water the garden is a reflection of the energetic realignment desired.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My work is a combination of practical gardening and the spiritual elements of Ayurvedic Medicine. Every garden design is based on a health assessment of each person I work with so that their growing space is a reflection the health growth they seek. It is a slow and nourishing process where one is honored as an individual. Every service offering is tailored to the individual and what is best for their mind body type. Ayurcharya is not simply a service a providing food gardens for people, it is an offering where the body, mind and soul are realigned through the practice of garden with the spiritual supports of Ayurveda, yoga, mantra, and pranayama.

This journey is full of love and nourishment. I have a strong community of other Ayurvedic Practitioners whom I get to bounce ideas off of, which makes this practice, that is not very well known, much easier to navigate. I am constantly learning and enhancing my craft. A person who supports others in their healing journeys, you can never stop learning. I am still getting my feet wet, adjusting to the uncertainty of this path – Ayurvedic Gardening is not a common service model – yet the journey is fun. And I am very grateful to everyone who has supported me thus far and has said yes to my unconventional way of nourishing health.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

Spiritual Day: Lunch at Govinda’s and then a nice drive to the BAPS temple. It has such beautiful architecture and a great gift shop with snacks and fragrances.

Eats: A Bedgee burgers from Flip n Patties or for a groovy meal outside in the sand at The Toasted Coconut or Thai food from Aim Thai on the Northside; Ayurvedic Indian vibes from Pondicherri – this is for sure a dinner night out.

Day Outings: The Cockrell Butterfly Center for sure! The Botanical Garden or the Arboretum for picnic in the park followed by a free show at Miller Outdoor Theater. Cidercade for gaming vibes. If it’s Saturday, definitely starting the day at The Urban Harvest Farmers Market – lunch is most likely coming from there as well.

Dancing Night: Drinks at Lei Low followed by The Flat, Cherry in Downtown and maybe Barbarellas if we can swing back out of downtown. Late night tacos at Velvet Taco or French Toast and cheesecake at Katz. Depends on how hungry we are.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Raquel Nweze deserves a lot a bit of credit within my journey. We were brought together because one day I randomly decided to get off the bus in search of hand cream. Raquel was the instructor of the first 200hr YTT I participated in through Melanin Yoga Project. Some years later after I started my Ayurvedic Practitioner journey, she invited me to cook Ayurvedic meals for her various LoveHer Day Retreats and to share my Ayurvedic Ginger Cookies at her LoveHer Retreats Soundbowl meditations. We then did two deeper culinary experiences with education for two of her 4 day retreats in Blue Ridge, Georgia, and Sedona, Arizona. Through her collaborations I really blossomed and gained confidence in sharing the knowledge and practice that I grown so passionately about. I am so grateful for her positive influence and support.

Website: https://anaturalheal.wixsite.com/ayurcharya

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ayur.charya/