New Board of Advisors

The NAMA Board of Directors is happy to announce two new additions to our Board of Advisors:

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Cynthia Copple, AD 

Cynthia is one of the founding members of NAMA. She served on the board from 2000 to 2014 as well as working on multiple committees over the years. Cynthia has been a tireless contributor to the Ayurvedic community not only through her efforts in establishing NAMA, but as a teacher, a dean of Mount Madonna College of Ayurveda, a practitioner with a Panchakarma center, and most recently as an author. Cynthia has never turned away from any of our requests for help and still serves NAMA as a member of the Governance Committee and the NAMA Certification Board. 

We are so honored to have her join our illustrious Board of Advisors. She is the first woman to serve in this role. 

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Suhas Kshirsagar, BAMS, MD (Ayurveda), AD

Suhas has served on the NAMA Board of Directors from 2012 to 2018. Suhas has been a valuable contributor due to his depth of experience as not only as a skilled Ayurvedic Doctor trained in India and practicing in the West for over 30 years but also a teacher, speaker, and writer. He has learned how to translate Ayurveda for Western audiences without sacrificing the integrity of the science. His contributions in helping to set curriculum standards and guiding our grandparenting periods have been enormous and so greatly appreciated. Suhas has continued to serve and champion NAMA through outreach to the government of India and various organizations and is helping NAMA raise the funds needed for our accreditation council. Suhas continues to serve on our conference committee and on special projects whenever NAMA asks. We are so pleased to have Suhas join our Board of Advisors. 

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NAMA also wishes to acknowledge the original Board of Advisors members that have served NAMA since its incorporation in 2000. Their support and contributions, not only to our conferences but also as sounding boards when we have needed help and advice, are so deeply appreciated. Their selfless service to our broader community is priceless. We would not be here without these pioneers in the field. 

NAMA Board of Advisors: 

Vasant Lad, BAMS, MAsc

David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri), D.Litt. 

Robert Svoboda, BAMS

Deepak Chopra, MD

Suhas Kshirsagar, BAMS, MD (Ayurveda), AD

Cynthia Copple, AD

Margrit Mikulis, AD, ND – NEW BOARD PRESIDENT

We would like to welcome Dr. Margrit Mikulis to her two-year term as president and chair of the NAMA Board of Directors. Margrit has been serving the Ayurvedic community as a volunteer on the NAMA board for over six years. We are so lucky that a person with so much valuable experience has assumed this important role. Margrit is a licensed naturopathic physician and an Ayurvedic Doctor with a full clinical practice in both NH and VT and teaches Ayurveda whenever she can fit it into her busy life. 

PACE Re-inspired My Love for Learning Ayurveda

My name is Chandanni Miglino, and I am a board-certified NAMA Professional Member. I am an Ayurvedic Practitioner and practice in Ventura, California. I am the founder of chandanni.com, an organic beauty and wellness line based on the science of Ayurveda. I am also the founder of chandannischolarshipfund.org, a nonprofit that brings at-risk youth to India each year from the United States to experience mindfulness and diversity. 

I am writing to express my deep appreciation for the experience of discovering how valuable the NAMA PACE requirements are. Like many Professional Members, I was unaware of the urgency of completing these 24-month PACE requirements (e.g., 2016-2017; 2018-2019) until quite recently, when we were all given until December 31, 2019, to get up to date with our PACE credits. 

I needed to complete many hours and am almost finished with this task. I am honored to have had the  opportunity to listen to the many hours of recorded PACE Seminars in Ayurveda on the NAMA website that NAMA members can listen to for free and at our own convenience. 

It has been an amazingly inspiring and instructive experience to listen to a plethora of teachers, masters, professionals, and practitioners describe their journey, traditions, and practices and share their knowledge of the science of Ayurveda. From listening to talks on topics ranging from Sanskrit,  Dharma, the body, Ayurvedic principles and practices, imbalances and remedies, and beauty and nutrition to how to build our Ayurvedic business and how NAMA is structured, I have been introduced in a very beautiful way to our Ayurvedic community and learned the importance of further study for us as Ayurvedic professionals and leaders. 

It’s been an enriching few months that I’ve spent listening to these courses whenever I had a free hour or so and wherever I was—on a plane, in a car, in my home, at my office. Now I can say without a doubt that this valuable instruction has reinforced my commitment to Ayurveda and also deepened my relationship with this science and ever-evolving practice. 

I am looking forward to attending my first NAMA Annual Conference this year in North Carolina and can’t wait to meet some of our NAMA members in person soon. 

I highly recommend that anyone who has to complete these hours look to the NAMA PACE Listings for opportunities to fulfill your requirements. You will not be disappointed, and you will get the job done! 

Namaste, 
Chandanni

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Chandanni Miglino is a board-certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and NAMA Professional Member, practicing in Ventura, California. She is the founder of chandanni.com, an organic beauty and wellness line based on the science of Ayurveda and founder of chandannischolarshipfund.org, a nonprofit that brings at-risk youth to India each year from the United States to experience mindfulness and diversity. 

Pre-Conference Practicum: Ayurvedic Skin and Beauty Care

AYURVEDIC SKIN AND BEAUTY CARE

with Manisha Kshirsagar and Raja Sivamani

Friday, April 24, 8:30 am - 11:30 am

Practicum is a separate registration. Earn 5 PACE credits for attending. Cost: $95 Members; $115 Non-members

FOUNDATIONAL PRACTICUM – Ayurveda has a long tradition of developing daily routines, practices, and special products for maintaining a radiant and beautiful appearance. The presenters will present these ancient Ayurvedic beauty secrets in the light of the latest medical research. Come join our presenter(s) to learn some new recipes for caring for your hair, nails, skin, eyes, and more, while gaining hands-on experience In Ayurvedic self-care.

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Manisha Kshirsagar, BAMS, DY&A, Esthetician, AD

Manisha received her BAMS from Pune University , is a licensed esthetician, and was trained in yoga and naturopathy in India. She has been specializing in skin and beauty care as well as women's and children's health for over 25 years.

Raja Sivamani, M.D., M.S., CAT

Raja is a board-certified dermatologist and practices at the Pacific Skin Institute. He is a professor and researcher at the California State University, Sacramento. With training in both allopathic and Ayurvedic medicine, he takes a holistic approach to his patients and in his research.

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Only a Few Spots Left, Become a Conference Sponsor Today!

As you know, the conference registration is under way. At this time, we would like to invite your business or organization to be a part of our National Ayurvedic Medical Association Conference being held April 24, 2020, at The Art of Living Retreat Center. The conference has two full days of educational sessions, a Research Poster event, and presentations by featured speakers. There are many opportunities for networking and socializing within the community.

Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy For Spiritual Wellness

with Dilip Sarkar, MD, FACS, C-IAYT, CAHC, D.Litt. (Yoga), AYT-NAMA

Sunday, April 26th, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Dilip is a retired vascular surgeon turned yoga acharya, Certified Yoga Therapist, Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist, and Certified Ayurvedic Health Counselor. He serves on local and national healthcare boards, such as the American Heart Association, Hampton Roads Chapter, VA, and Life in Yoga Institute. In January 2019 he was awarded a Doctor of Letters degree in Yoga by the best yoga university in the world, SVYASA (Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anushandhana Samsthana) of Bengaluru, India. His latest book was published in 2017, Yoga Therapy, Ayurveda, and Western Medicine: A Healthy Convergence. Dr. Sarkar is a lifetime member of NAMA.

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New Ways to Earn PACE: Please Read!

Namaste NAMA Professional Members!

Thank you all for your efforts to fulfill your continuing education requirements and to keep Ayurveda alive and evolving in the United States.  We have been working with the NAMACB to develop new ways to recognize your ongoing contribution to the progress of Ayurveda.  From today to the end of the year, you can take advantage of the following alternative methods of earning your PACE credits:

What’s New

Topics in Sister Sciences 

            You may earn up to 15 credits for completing courses in jyotish, vastu, and/or yoga.

Teaching Ayurveda (Non-professional) 

You may earn up to 15 credits for teaching courses on a specialized area of Ayurveda (e.g., addiction, depression, herbalism) to the general public or your community. Classes that provide a general introduction to Ayurveda do not qualify for PACE credits.

Teaching Ayurveda (Professional) 

You may earn up to 15 credits for teaching any Topics in Ayurveda course to Ayurvedic professionals, medical professionals, or students in an academic program.

Publishing in Ayurveda

You may earn up to 28 credits for publishing written works on Ayurveda. The following publications are eligible for credits:

• Textbooks on Ayurveda

• Non-textbooks (i.e., books for a general audience) on Ayurveda

•  Peer-reviewed articles (i.e., articles published in scholarly journals) on Ayurveda 

• Non-peer reviewed articles (i.e., articles published in general interest periodicals such as magazines and newspapers) on Ayurveda

• Chapter of a textbook on Ayurveda 

• Chapter of a non-textbook on Ayurveda  

Please note that the number of credits awarded varies according to the type of publication you’ve authored. For more information, please check out the PACE submissions page.

Professional Service

You may earn up to 28 credits for at least six months of volunteer service with any international, national, state, and/or local healthcare-related organization; for example, serving on boards of directors, committees, editorial boards, review boards, task forces, and medical missions. 

Board Exam

You may earn up to 28 credits for taking (or re-taking) and passing the NAMACB board exam. Please note that this type of credit will no longer be available as of January 1, 2020. 

What’s Staying the Same

Topics in Ayurveda

You may earn up to 28 credits for completing  NAMA-recognized courses on Ayurveda, including conference sessions, NAMA Seminars in Ayurveda, and those that appear in the NAMA-approved PACE listings. 

Topics in Wellness

Up to 30 percent of your PACE requirement can be earned by completing courses on subjects outside of the realm of Ayurveda that are nevertheless relevant to the goals of Ayurvedic practitioners, such as courses on topics in other healthcare disciplines (e.g., Western medicine, Chinese medicine) and courses that support an Ayurvedic practice (e.g., business strategies, insurance, web development). 

For more information about PACE, please refer to following resources:

    *The PACE home page

    *The PACE FAQ PDF

    *The PACE FAQ web page

Vastu to Improve the Success of your Ayurvedic Business

Because we are nearing the end of the PACE cycle and the holidays, mark your calendars for two special Seminars in Ayurveda, which have been added in November and December to help Professional Members who are trying to complete their PACE requirements.

November 11, 2019, with Michael Mastro

Vastu tips on how to make your spa, office or clinic more successful.

During this presentation you will learn powerful tips, based on scientific research that:

• Increase productivity and reduce expenses

• Attract more clients

• Improve relationships within the clinic or spa

• Reduce stress and strengthen health of your clients

Michael Mastro, Vastu Consultant (Indian Feng Shui sister science to Ayurveda). His corporate clients include Microsoft, Boeing, NASA, World Bank, and Intel, as well as individuals worldwide. He was a featured guest on Dr Oz and presented Vastu at the United Nations. 

2020 Conference Featured Presenter

AYURVEDA SADHANA: AWAKENING YOUR INNER MEDICINE POWER TO NOURISH AND HEAL

with Maya Tiwari

Saturday, April 25, 2019, 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

Maya Tiwari is an Ayurveda pioneer and best-selling author working in the field for more than 30 years. She established one of the first Ayurvedic school in North America in 1981, the Wise Earth School. Through her humanitarian work of Living Ahimsa and Peace Mandala, participants are taught to create inner harmony. Maya is a regular Featured Speaker at the Parliament of World Religions and other inter-faith conferences worldwide.

New NAMACB Exam Material Available for the AHC and AP National Exams!

The NAMACB has revamped its educational resources to help candidates for the AHC and AP national exams optimize their preparation. We know studying for an exam is stressful, and we want to make sure your doshas feel grounded and balanced during your efforts to attain NAMA board certification.

Revised Study Guides: The new AHC and AP Study Guides have been streamlined and aligned with the outline that the developers of the national exams used! Topic by topic, these materials communicate the incentives and core principles you need to absorb to succeed on the exam. The guides also have sample questions, which will help familiarize you with the style and wording of the questions you’ll encounter on the exam. 

Detailed Reference Guides: To further support your efforts, we’ve developed two detailed Reference Guides that complement the Study Guides with a Sanskrit glossary and other helpful information.

Please find these resources on the NAMACB website, under Exam Resources!