Meet Valerie Sanjali Irons | Sound Healer, Breathwork Facilitator, Owner Aumbase Sedona

We had the good fortune of connecting with Valerie Sanjali Irons and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Valerie Sanjali, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
My work life balance shifted dramatically during the covid lockdown, as so many of our did. The prior year, I had purchased a local yoga studio (Aumbase Sedona) from friends and had spent most of 2019 learning the software program and getting up to speed for the actual take-over date of July 1st, 2019. Prior to that, I had been offering sound healing sessions using my Soundwave Bed/Table from home. I had been wanting to expand my work to include more people when my friends offered me the yoga studio. I was reluctant at first, but quickly jumped on -board with the realization that the yoga studio had a grandfathered-in permit to do yoga on the land in Sedona. I was already quite invested in the yoga community, having brought yoga music concerts to Sedona since 2011. It seemed like a perfect fit. But what I didn’t realize was how busy I was going to be. My stress levels went through the rooof and my leisure and downtime nearly vanished. I was in go-go-go mode all the time and it exhausted me. So when we went into lock-down eight months later, I was able to take a good look at my work life and realized that I was too busy. I began to take many things off my plate. One of them was the indoor yoga studio. I did keep the outdoor yoga hiking part of Aumbase and I also continued to do soundhealing and breathwork sessions myself, because I really love my work! A few years later, I had to go on a healing journey which allowed me to cut back even more, keeping my mornings for self-care and my afternoons for work. My life feels so healthy and balanced now. It is such a joy to live this way.

What should our readers know about your business?
When I moved to Sedona from Los Angeles in 2001, I took a job in the insurance industry “just to have a job”. I’d come from working in the film industry, which really satisfied my soul, so it was hard for the first few years, but I really loved having a secure job. I was also an artist when I arrived and thought that I would be following that path. As I continued to heal and shed old layers of myself, I began to follow my heart and my excitement more and more. I was drawn to playing music and found myself picking out a crystal bowl in about 2006. I sat playing this crystal bowl nightly and a form of meditation and prayer. It was just me and the crystal bowl for about 6 years. One day, I walked into a store in Flagstaff and saw the Soundwave Bed. The owner of the store invited us to lay down on it one at a time while he strummed the strings on the side of the instrument. Within one minute, I knew that this was what I wanted to do. I had never been so sure of anything in my life – I was about 49 years old. It was pretty pricey so I brought a roommate in to live with me and saved money. Finally in 2013, I was able to purchase the Soundwave Bed. I slowly added more instruments to my sonic palette and practiced on many people before I offered the sessions publicly. Luckily I began to freelance at several retreat centers. I took several trainings in the healing arts, the most important, and souls-satisfying being in Breathwork. I was straddling two worlds at once…the job that paid for my life and the work I loved to do. As my healing work began to grow, I was able to drop hours from the insurance job and devote more to the healing. I kept that up until I bought the yoga studio, when I was able to leave the insurance job completely behind. Buying the yoga studio also allowed me to have a much larger space to do group sound healings. These are much different than the individual Soundwave Journey’s on the bed. I love both of them so very much. What I love the most about the work that I do is to see people blossom and open. Sometimes they experience dramatic trauma release that changes their lives completely. And other times, they experience levels of deep relaxation that allows for the body and mind to become completely still. In stillness…That is where the magic happens.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would love to take my best friends around Sedona and the areas around Sedona. First of all I would make a dinner reservation at Mariposa (several months in advance) and/or Elote (also several months in advance). My favortie lunch places are ChocolaTree (the best healthy desserts!!!), Picazzos and Wildflower Bakery. Sometimes when it’s too busy in town, I like to go to Eden in Cottonwood. It’s nice to get away from the hustle & bustle of Sedona sometimes. lkFor breakfast, I love Local Juicery…their waffles are to die for. They also have great healthy snacks and juices. I would also take a trip up to Jerome and eat at Clinkscale. I would take people to Tlaquepaque for a stroll and peerhaps some shopping. I love the Chai Spot there for a tea. I would take them on some hikes…perhaps Brins Mesa or Doe Mountain. And I would definitely take them to the Stupa. I would check out several places for evening events…Aumbase Sedona (sound healing & breathwork), Shine Sedona, Sedonaya Conscious Living Center. I would take them on a yoga, Sound healing or Activation in the Vortex hike through Aumbase Sedona…so many land journeys to choose from. I would also take them on a float down the Verde River if in the summertime. For a weekend evening, it’s fun to go to Main Street in Cottonwood. Lots of restaraunts and wine tasting. A Sedona Wine tour would be fun too.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve had such beautiful support along my journey. The support and love I receive from my husband Daniel Posney is immeasurable. I am also deeply grateful to all the event and conference promoters who believed in me and asked me to participate in their events…Sedona Yoga Festival, Woman Arising, Vedic Astrology Conference and so many more! In addition, I’d like to give a shout out to Gateway Cottage Wellness Center and Spirit Quest for hiring me as a freelance practitioner and helping me get my start. But mostly, I’d like to thank all the clients I’ve had over the years. I am honored each and every time to receive a session request. I feel deeply that people are called to my work because I have something apecifically for them. Many of my clients return yearly and it warms my heart to witness their expansion.

Website: ValerieIrons.com , SanjaliHealingArts.com, AumbaseSedona.com

Instagram: valeriesanjali

Facebook: Valerie Sanjali Irons-Posney

Youtube: Valerie Sanjali Irons

Image Credits
With feather: The Narrative Lenz Headshot & pics with Soundwave bed: Mark Short Wings: unknown