About Me

I’m Ahna Machan, an Integrative Life Coach, Yoga Teacher, Consultant and Educator. I help people mobilize their inner resources to live healthy, happy, holistic lives in rhythm with their unique nature – their constitution and time of life as well as with the seasons and environment.  I draw on the wisdom of the ages verified through modern science and work individually and in groups.

I’m trained as an Ayurveda health and wellness coach, 200-RYT yoga instructor, and certified power kinetics (the power of your subconscious mind) coach.  I spent 20 years working with and learning from indigenous communities around the world on sustainable change and have a graduate degree in whole systems design, transformational change. But overcoming cancer taught me some of my biggest lessons about integrating the bodymind to create true health, wellness and joy.

So, what are audacious changes? They’re small changes that accumulate for audacious results on your health, well-being and life practices. They require courage and commitment. They come from listening to your inner wisdom to take small daily steps that nourish your body, mind and spirit.  Ancient traditions teach us that this is the path to discovering your best life — one that energizes you, is balanced and vibrant.  A life that radiates from your beautiful inner being.

Sometimes it feels risky to look at the world in a new way and adopt new beliefs and habits. It helps to get support. I’m here to guide you at every step to creating a life of your dreams – for an audacious you.

I grew up in a large family in Chicago, Illinois. At the age of nine, I wrote my first short story, Master of Masters. It was about a transient who knew people were making judgments based on his outer appearance. They did not give him a chance. I vowed to make a positive difference in our world by helping people create a life with possibilities.

When I was 15, I discovered yoga by answering a two-line classified ad. With my best friend, I spent the summer learning yoga philosophy, sutras and asana poses from an Indian professor. After that, yoga accompanied me everywhere. Today I am a certified 200 RYT and well-versed in an array of disciplines. I’m particularly passionate about the power of your breath and Yoga Nidra for deep relaxation physically, mentally and spiritually. I’m working towards my 500-RYT certification.

I had a long successful career in international development. I worked with and learned from the wisdom of indigenous communities in Asia, Africa and South America. They lived close to the land – and close to each other. They had a natural rhythm to their lives and with their environment. Their health was endangered by things outside their known world – like parasites, invisible to the eye and unknown to them. Back in the U.S., I helped philanthropists align their values and interests with their desire to contribute to positive change in our world.

In 2013, I began to transition my career from international development to individual work with transformative change. I studied Power Coaching with Mind Kinetics. This award-winning technology puts your mind into motion to use both sides of your brain as well as your conscious, unconscious and subconscious to receive new ideas and take action for permanent positive change. I continued to work in international development and coached clients around the world in the evenings.

But a lifestyle cancer diagnosis was my biggest education. I thought I was doing all the “right” things – the right efforts, right livelihood, right actions, even the right mindfulness. I meditated, worked out, practiced yoga, ate whole foods yet evidently all of this had not made me as invincible as I thought. Overcoming cancer changed me. It gave me the courage to re-examine my life, work on my mind and make deep inner changes that radiated outwards in harmony with how I wanted to live the rest of my life.

Now I’m passionate about helping you unlock your internal power to live a healthy, happy, holistic life in rhythm with your unique constitution. As your coach, I draw on my experience and learnings from mind kinetics coaching, Ayurveda health and wellness coaching, yoga and breathing techniques and my international work with indigenous communities. Each session is customized for your unique constitution and life situation. I’ve coached clients in Romania, India, South Africa and the U.S. – and would love to connect with you. Let’s talk!