OUR MYSTIC MISSION

Our mission is to bring you the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda through the vibrancy of our aromatherapy products. We hold the vision of contributing to the well-being of all life, through the enjoyment and perception of nature's intelligence and beauty.

At The Mystic Masala, our intention is to work with fair trade communities and small local producers, using mostly organic and wild crafted ingredients and sustainable practices. We believe in nurturing our Mother Earth and living gently on her soil.

Our relationship with Wild Earth, a women's fair trade cooperative in Kathmandu, Nepal gives us the opportunity to work with authentic Ayurvedic knowledge and wildcrafted herbs and to contribute to women's and rural economic development in Nepal. All our Ayurvedic soaps and massage oils are created with our custom blends and recipes, using skilled and trained Ayurvedic practitioners and herbalists.

The herbs are sustainably gathered from community-owned forests and private farms.

• We support the training of proper harvesting techniques in rural communities and the conservation of rare and endangered plant products.
• We do not believe in using rare or endangered plant products or improperly harvested plant products.
• We support the empowerment of Nepalese women, and through Wild Earth, we work with NGOs who support women such as Women'sCraft, WEFD, ICIMOD, the Mountain Institute, and World Wildlife Fund's Plants and People Project.
• We believe in fair trade principles, fostering a working environment based on respect and dignity with fair wages.

Our products offer both the wisdom and beauty of Ayurveda and a depth of expertise, passion and intuition. We look forward to sharing our vision with you, and to immerse you in delicious fragrances that will invoke your deepest sense of peace.


SPIRITED VISION

When you first come to experience the divine fragrances of The Mystic Masala, you may find yourself transported to the Malabar Spice Coast, or perhaps to a sangoma's apothecary in the Southern reaches of Africa; you may even imagine yourself on a vibrant stroll through a bustling New York City marketplace. None of these sensations would be so strange as Glynnis has drawn from all of these. Glynnis was born and raised in South Africa, immigrated to New York in her 20's and has traveled through India and to both US coasts, gathering knowledge of Ayurvedic practices.

In April of 1997, Glynnis was drawn to The Wise Earth School of Ayurveda in North Carolina and embraced the teachings of the School Director and Vedic monk, Maya Tiwari (Sri Swamini Mayatitananda), graduating in the 'Food Sadhana' program, later returning to the school to assist in two Food Sadhana programs and integrating this work into her personal life.

The Pacific Northwest provided Glynnis with other avenues to broaden her knowledge. In Seattle, she taught Ayurvedic spice workshops and cooking classes, including a 3 month credit class to nutrition students at Bastyr University. In 2002, Glynnis graduated as an Ayurvedic practitioner from the AYU Academy at Bastyr. From there, she developed further hands-on workshops to create one's own pharmacopoeia of home cosmetics using essential spice and herbal oils, ground grains, beans, seeds, nuts and spices. Glynnis' interactive workshops of toasting, grinding, chanting, and melding continue to be strongly influenced by her diverse studies and the colors, rituals and practices of both India and her native South Africa.

These seeds of experience, exploration and a passionate love of Ayurveda, gracefully blossomed in mid-2003 when she launched The Mystic Masala. All this plus a background as an art director, designer and illustrator makes Glynnis a lively masala indeed! As one can readily see in the crafting of her product line, Glynnis' love of aesthetics is strongly evident - as is her strong belief in social responsibility. And this is only the beginning. Now based in Vancouver, Canada, Glynnis and The Mystic Masala plan to continue introducing people to the beauty and wisdom of Ayurveda through their exquisite aromatherapy products.

A healthy body, a healthy spirit and a healthy planet.