About Us

Celedra Gildea, PhD, Founder

Celedra Gildea, PhD, is a psychotherapist by profession. In 20 years working with clients in therapy, she has found that living life with intention is key to happiness and spiritual fulfillment. Devoted to helping others while exploring and illuminating touchstones of the sacred in everyday life, Celedra founded this blog with a mission to create and nurture community while providing tools, resources and diverse paths to explore along the sacred journey of intentional living. In 1995 Celedra began designing malas to support her own spiritual practice in Tibetan Buddhism. In 2007 she traveled to Tibet and founded Tara Malas, a non-profit cottage industry that helps support the impoverished Nangchen nuns and local Tibetan women. Celedra also founded and operates a conscious lifestyle company that provides sacred art and jewelry that combines ancient tradition with modern beauty.

Matsya Siosal, CEO

Matsya Siosal is a writer, artist, entrepreneur and activist with a passion for holistic living and the lifelong journey of self-actualization. Matsya began to publish poetry in Portland-area literary journals in 1993 and continued to pursue the art and craft of writing serving as both editor and contributor to literary journals around the Pacific Northwest. Her professional background includes grant writing, retail management and national sales and marketing coordination. Matsya spends as much time in nature as possible by gardening, walking, hiking and cycling and also loves studying everything from Buddhism to history to nutrition, volunteering on behalf of animals and the environment, reading, preparing delicious vegan food and sharing time with family and friends.

Peter Ivory, Cinematographer

Peter Ivory is a cinematographer and photographer, with a love for storytelling. Peter’s personal passion and skills in the arts has brought to Touchstones of the Sacred many of the visual images and personal interviews that so many have enjoyed. Capturing the essence of what is means to be human in “Sacred Moments” to the simple words of truth and wisdom that can redefine who we are at any moment.    For more information about Peter and his work go to StudioArtsProductions.com.

Jeff Brock, Web Designer & Developer

Jeff Brock is a charismatic, right-and-left-brained communicator with more than 12 years expertise in web content, programming, design and usability, and 7 years as a photographer, journalist and media relations professional. He’s committed to social change. He worked at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation from 1996-2007 (first as media spokesperson, and then webmaster). In June 2003, he bicycled 585 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles in AIDS/LifeCycle, raising more than $3,300 for the AIDS Foundation. He’s developed sites for such nonprofits as The Kidney TRUST, the Barry Manilow Fund for Health & Hope, and Mama Cash, an international women’s rights organization in Amsterdam. Jeff lives in Portland, Oregon with his fiancee Bobbie, and a cat with one eye, and a cat with no tail. For more about Jeff’s photography and design, visit www.jeffbrockstudio.com.

Michael E. Crowley, Guest Blogger

Michael E. Crowley lives in Edmonds, Washington with his wife Breon and their leopard gecko. Introduced to yoga through classes at gyms that he belonged to in the past, Michael recently took it up again to help enhance his conditioning for martial arts training.  While not a high level practitioner of either martial art or yoga yet, Michael enjoys learning and sharing what he learns with others, and will be contributing insights about his deeper journey into the practice of yoga and more mindful living as an encouragement to both himself and others.  Michael also enjoys writing and reading, playing the bass guitar, learning the craft of film and video editing and, surprisingly, being forty-one years of age.  Douglas Adams, Thich Nhat Hanh, Raymond Carver, George Macdonald, Norman Maclean and P.G. Wodehouse are among his favorite writers.  The best advice he ever received was contained in two words: “Always Try”.

Janna Chin M.A., Guest Blogger

Janna Chin, M.A. is a Self-Esteem Life Coach for Women helping women globally to discover their inner sparkle and achieve their personal & professional dreams! She uses a mind, body, spirit approach to help women boost confidence and foster healthy relationships.

Janna founded Fill Your Cup Up, Inc. to help women all over the world live happier, healthier, more peaceful, spiritually-centered, fulfilling lives. She provides self-esteem education and support through self-help articles, personal coaching, and membership programs. Janna is married and lives in Sacramento, CA with her “girly girl” dog, Niki rama, and her precious little cat, Mohana. She is a vegetarian and practices Ayurveda as lifestyle. She enjoys nature, healthy living, and biking. In her spare time, she volunteers as a yoga teacher serving the community at large. Visit Janna’s website at fillyourcupup.com to learn more or contact her directly at info@fillyourcupup.com.

Allison Stillman, Guest Blogger

Allison Stillman is a renowned aromatic alchemist, author and an expert on the historical use of essential oils in religious and spiritual ceremonies. Her book, The Sacred Art of Anointing is a result of her 30 years of research and practical experience with essential oils and anointing. She travels the world anointing and sharing her love and knowledge through workshops and private sessions, and has been featured in the books, More Hot Chocolate for the Mystical Soul by Arielle Ford, and Insights from the Coffeehouse by Jonathon Collins. To find out more: www.romancingthedivine.com or visit her on Facebook.

Laura Bruno M.A., Guest Blogger

Laura Bruno is an author, artist, Intuitive Life Coach, Medical Intuitive, and Reiki Master Teacher who loves eating and teaching about raw food–particularly the spiritual, energetic and emotional transitions going raw affords. A 1998 brain injury shifted Laura from the world of academia (she hold a M.A. in English from the University of Chicago) to the world of alternative healing, mysticism and Sacred Geometry. She has written three books: The Lazy Raw Foodist’s Guide, If I Only Had a Brain Injury, and the spiritual novel, Schizandra and the Gates of Mu. You can find her own blog at laurabruno.wordpress.com.

Chiron Armand, Guest Blogger

Chiron Armand is an intuitive reader, medium, and rootworker with a passion for the natural world and the transformative power it holds – ourselves especially! An NYC native with a degree in performance studies and ritual anthropology, Chiron loves investigating the intersection of the sacred and the secular. He is also a playwright and performance artist whose work explores folk magick and shamanism in a modern context. You can find out more about Chiron at ConjureintheCity.com.

Nora Nickerson, Consulting Poet & Artist

Nora Nickerson is a nurse practitioner, artist and poet living in Tucson, Arizona. She has published a number of her poetry pieces and has been a featured poet in many southern Arizona venues. She works with the underserved of southern Arizona and Veterans Administration providing primary healthcare. She has a penchant for exploring philosophy and many spiritual ideologies that has culminated in her own daily meditation practice and spiritual belief system. Her daily intention is to always remember to view the world, humanity and herself through an open mind and heart.

Rachelle Goering, MA, ARNP, BC, Guest Blogger

Rachelle Goering, MA, ARNP, BC is a board certified family nurse practitioner and psychotherapist with more than 30 years of professional experience into her private practice. Using traditional and alternative approaches to healing, Rachelle’s Bay Area/Grass Valley practice focuses on women’s health with an emphasis on perimenopause and menopause, supporting emotional balance, optimal physical health and spiritual well being. She also has a psychotherapy practice in Marin. Rachelle is a dedicated and accomplished teacher, speaker, program developer and workshop facilitator. Despite her busy schedule she finds time to relax and enjoy her environment hiking on Mt. Tam, swimming in her pool at home or shopping at local farmer’s markets.

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Samantha, Guest Blogger

Samantha’s biographical statement is coming soon!