Today we’d like to introduce you to Shyrelle Kalilikane.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born & raised in Hawaii & grew up very grounded & simplistic as a kid. We didn’t have a lot, but we were always taught to be grateful for each other & grateful for what we had. As little as 7 or 8, I remember telling my parents that one day I’m moving to NYC. I’ve always had this desire to travel & experience other cultures & ways of life. At 17, I left the island & moved to NYC & stayed there for ten fast-paced & aggressive “in your face” years. During this time, I was a pretty well-known dance choreographer working for numerous artists, TV shows, film, commercials, etc. I was making a name for myself, however deep down I was still lacking something.
After my adventures in NYC, I moved to Shanghai & traveled around Asia choreographing for multiple TV shows, fashion/award shows, concerts, commercials & film. During my stay in Asia I lived an extremely comfortable life monetarily & yet still I wasn’t completely satisfied. From Asia, I moved to LA & had immediate success in my career, but still I felt something lacking. Out of nowhere, life jumped out at me & hit me hard. In 2015, at age 30, I had multiple strokes. At this point in my life, I was unable to walk, talk or see. I went from feeling invincible to losing almost everything. 2015 was the year where I desperately looked for answers & sought out alternative healing methods such as reiki, meditation, yoga, aromatherapy, acupuncture & crystal healing. I practiced chair yoga & meditation daily & had a reiki master work with me a couple of times a week for about a year. During that period of recovery, I gradually regained my sight, speech & mobility back after just a couple of months.
From this point on, my perspective on life completely shifted. I no longer wanted to just choreograph dance routines. I wanted to heal & inspire others through the methods that I was being taught to practice on a daily. These health & wellness practices allow me to physically heal as well as help me in continuing the path to achieving my highest potential. Because of this shift in my life, I’m now a certified reiki master, yoga instructor, yoga retreat leader, vegan health & wellness coach, Open format DJ with sound healing & a crystal Mala jewelry designer. Everything that I do now in my life is aligned to promote health, wellness, mindfulness & inspire others to take the path to finding their highest selves. What at first seemed to be a horrific experience several years ago, actually saved my life. I’m so grateful to be able to share, create & teach from an open & even at times vulnerable space. This new awakening has helped me in serving my now known purpose & allows me to finally feel happy, complete & proud of the imprint that I’m making in this 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?
9 out of 10 times, the road will never be smooth. There’s always obstacles, including the ones you’ve created in your head that end up holding you back. “Am I good enough?” “What if they don’t like what I have to offer?” “What if I fail?” “Should I just stick to what I’ve been doing instead of taking a chance?” These are all questions I’ve asked myself time after time & finally I decided to just go for it & take a chance on myself. So I just started making Malas & bracelets. I put myself out there to let others know that I teach yoga, meditation & reiki. I started my yoga & wellness retreat company with one of my best friends. Everything at first has been marketed through word of mouth. The biggest struggle for me is getting my name out on a wider scale, however slowly but surely The Mala Mermaid, Retreat Yo Self, & my private wellness practice is starting to grow.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
The Mala Mermaid is most well known for customization & one of a kind malas/bracelets infused with reiki healing. Every bracelet & Mala that I create are never the same. If a client wants a particular crystal, color scheme, healing ailments, etc., I will personally make & design it to their taste/liking. I also cleanse every crystal bead that I use & infuse each piece with reiki love before selling it. I want each piece I create to be beautiful, unique & on a high vibration. Retreat Yo Self is a yoga & wellness retreat where you can escape from the busy city life & get grounded. We focus on self love & self empowerment. Retreat Yo Self allows you to open up, get aware & allow yourself to cleanse & heal from the inside out with like minded people through yoga, meditation, reiki, music, mother nature & community.
What were you like growing up?
At first as a kid, I was extremely shy & introverted. It wasn’t until I started taking dance, singing & acting lessons that I became almost an entirely different person. Once I hit the stage, I became someone else & I loved that feeling. I was always drawn to the arts & creating anything & everything with my hands. I loved arts & crafts, art, poetry, songwriting, guitar, ukulele, choreographing, directing, etc. For years I would gather up the neighborhood kids to be in whatever play, musical or dance piece that I would write, choreograph, direct & star in at the time. I was never afraid of failure as a kid & just went for it. If something didn’t work out, I tried to find another way that it could. The adult me is forever inspired by the younger version of myself for those very reasons.
Pricing:
- Bracelets $25
- Malas $75
- Reiki Private Session $75
- Reiki 1, 2 & Master Attunements $150-$500
- Yoga Private $75
- Health & Wellness Coaching $75
- Yoga Retreats Varies by Retreat
Contact Info:
- Phone: 8085511322
- Email: [email protected]
- Retreat Website: www.retreatyoselfnow.com
- Instagram: Mala Mermaid IG: themalamermaid, Personal IG: iamshyrelle
Image Credit:
Deepa Kumar, Patrick Bishop
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
