Sacred Window Shop Vendor: Daniela Perez

Here at the Center for Sacred Window Studies, we share voices from many perspectives and backgrounds. We believe that the sacred weeks post birth, and the experience of humanity is experienced in countless ways. We learn by listening to one another and honoring our stories. The views and opinions of our writers do not necessarily reflect the mission, viewpoints or opinions of the Center for Sacred Window Studies.

Daniela Perez is an Ayurvedic Health Practitioner, Herbalist, Doula & Therapist based in Sydney, Australia.

After encountering Yogic teachings at a very young age, Daniela has been blessed to have met wonderful teachers that have guided her into the spiritual path of Bhakti Yoga, Judaism, and Ayurveda. She has been trained in the formal Vedic Tradition from her teachers and mentors Dr. Vasant Lad, Dr. Amruta Athale, Jennifer Ayres, Dr. Rama Prasad, Swami OMkarananda, Vishnu Swami, and Sri. V. Sheshadri. She is currently completing her Ayurvedic Doctor’s Program.

CSWS: Where did you grow up? What brought you to Sydney?

DP: I was born in Venezuela and left in 2010.

I was traveling in France for 4 years, I lived in LA for 2 years, then in Florida and Hawaii! A relationship brought me to Sydney. It’s such a beautiful city – the ocean, the weather…I feel very grateful to be here right now.

CSWS: Tell us about your learning journey. Who are your teachers?

DP: Since I was very young, I practiced yoga and meditation. I went to India in 2011 to study in Mysore and I met my yoga teacher there.

I became very interested in body massage, therapies and herbs, and I volunteered in a center for holistic medicine which was donation based. It was very beautiful. My teacher suggested that I study Ayurveda, and so I did my studies there with Mysore Ayurveda Academy. I took my Ayurvedic Practitioner course with Dr. Vasant Lad, and I studied with Amruta Athale to complete my masters in obstetrics & gynecology. I heard about the Center for Sacred Window Studies through my mentor Jennifer Ayers. She had studied with Ysha Oakes and was a teacher at the Ayurvedic Institute for many years.

CSWS: What brought you to supporting women from preconception to postpartum?

DP: I was working in a Panchakarma Center in LA and we would work a lot with [both] men and women, but I was just not into treatment with men.

I had trained as a Panchakarma technician, but little by little I began wanting to focus more on nurturing women. I fell in love with working with mothers and the energy is very different. I really enjoy it so so much. 

So now I have my own little business, Soma Shakti. I work as an Ayurvedic Practitioner supporting preconception to postpartum and I am a birth doula. I also prepare postpartum meals. Soma Shakti is really dedicated to my teachers because they are my inspiration, and to the Divine Mother. We focus on nurturing mothers and women, preparing bodies for conception or just preparing naturally to conceive. We work through the whole cycle together.

CSWS: Tell us about your amazing products. We carry your Postpartum Gift Box as well as your Healing Recipes for the Newborn Mother (ebook).

DP: I love herbs. It’s one of my deep, deep passions.

I’ve always been doing little apothecaries and inventing and playing around with oils and herbs, balms, etc. So then, little by little, I started to create a line of products for women. And from there, I started to create products for mothers that they can use in their pregnancy and for babies. In my Postpartum Gift Box, I have oil for Baby and Mama massage, nursing and digestive tea, vegan protein powder that supports breastfeeding, and a nipple balm. 

My cookbook Healing Recipes for the Newborn Mother has theory from teachers and also from my experience in my practice. It contains really special information as well as recipes and guidance. For example, how to eat and on which day what meals are best, how to take care of Agni, as well as breastfeeding information. I really wanted to offer women education about the postpartum period. A lot of women just don’t know about the vulnerability that exists during that time and ways to support.

CSWS: What is one of your favorite dishes for a new mom?

DP: Congee.

During the first two or three days, depending on Mom’s Agni and how the birth was, I do congee with more fennel or spicy with ginger or black pepper. It’s so nourishing when you give them the congee on the first days.

CSWS: Do you have a practice that you are dedicated to doing for yourself every day?

DP: For me, it’s meditation – having time to sit down and adjust, connect – that is something that is essential.

There are days that I cannot do yoga because I don’t have the time, but I make sure to meditate every single day.

CSWS: What is your vision for the future of postpartum care?

DP: I would love to offer this beautiful service in different places to communities.

The program that I have been refining through time ~ I would love to share it with other practitioners, other people, other women who then can offer it to their communities to more women. I want to create that network of nourishing mothers. When we nourish mothers we are nourishing babies. We are allowing the soul to be nurtured in a proper way and in a loving way, and for Mom to be filled with energy, grounded, and not have to go through an imbalance.

Book an appointment with Christine HERE!
Link for our free class is HERE!