Daily Inspiration: Meet Yogi Gabriel

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yogi Gabriel.

Hi Yogi, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey began in construction and business, but after nearly 15 years of serious health challenges and a profound near-death experience, my life took an entirely different direction. I became a Kundalini Yoga teacher and immersed myself in Ayurveda, meditation, energy work, and healing.

That path eventually brought me to India and Ayurvastra, the ancient Ayurvedic tradition of creating textiles with medicinal plants and herbs. I developed aura mat and later documented this remarkable tradition through our film, Woven in Wisdom.

Today, my work through AURA Academy is centered on education, consciousness, Ayurveda, and service. I see my purpose less as building businesses and more as following my dharma, sharing the wisdom and discoveries that transformed my own life with others.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. My greatest challenge has been my health and the many years I spent searching for answers. Building something new also comes with challenges, particularly as more commercial and patented products enter the market with very different stories and approaches. My focus has remained on authenticity honoring the Ayurvedic tradition, the plants, the artisans, and exploring the energetic qualities that originally inspired this journey.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work bridges Ayurveda, yoga, consciousness, and Ayurvastra, the ancient tradition of creating textiles with medicinal plants and herbs. I’m perhaps best known for developing aura mat and documenting Ayurvastra and its artisans through our film, Woven in Wisdom.

What I’m most proud of is helping bring awareness to a tradition few people in the West know exists. What sets my work apart is that it isn’t simply about creating another wellness product, it is about honoring the ancient wisdom, the people in India preserving it, and exploring the relationship between plants, textiles, energy, and consciousness.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I’m not sure I believe in luck as much as divine timing and purpose. Some of the most difficult experiences in my life, especially with my health, ultimately redirected me toward yoga, Ayurveda, India, and the work I do today. What may have looked like bad luck at the time often became a teacher. The good fortune has been meeting the right people at the right moments and having the courage to follow where those connections led.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.auraacademy.love
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aura_mat/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ayurvedayogamat
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/auramat/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@auramatyoga
• Other: https://vimeo.com/user95863185

Image Credits
https://www.desireenicolephotography.com/