Meet HeatherAsh Amara | Writer , Catalyst, and Guide

We had the good fortune of connecting with HeatherAsh Amara and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi HeatherAsh, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was raised in Southeast Asia. And in 1973 my parents took my sister and me to India. We went as tourists to touch the luminous beauty of the Taj Mahal and to be touched by the immense contrasts of poverty, chaos, devotion, and peace that pervade India. I was seven years old.

Earlier that year I had decided to write a book, but when I sat down to start my bestseller, a sudden aha moment gave me pause. Sitting there at my wooden desk with my pad of lavender paper and my favorite black felt-tip pen in hand, I realized I was missing one crucial ingredient to be an author:

Experience.

So I put away my paper and pen and went outside to play. I implicitly trusted that what I needed to write my book would come. And in a few months the many experiences I would eventually write about began with a life-altering, four-second event.

The catalyst for this awakening came in a package of an Indian child who was about my age. I was walking down a dusty New Delhi street holding my dad’s hand. I remember the heavy, sticky heat, looking down and worrying that my white sandals were going to get dirty, looking back up again into the eyes of a young girl walking toward me.

She was barefoot, draped in a soiled fragment of a dress, all elbows and knees. I almost looked away, embarrassed by my clean dress, shiny shoes, and full belly. But as we came closer our gaze stayed connected. Everything around me stopped. The noise of the traffic dissolved. The fear I hadn’t realized I was holding evaporated. As I looked deeply into her brown eyes a warm sun radiated out from her heart. Every cell in my being smiled in utter happiness, and utter happiness and recognition were reflected back to me in her smile.

And then we passed. I felt as if I had reunited with my best friend after many long years of separation. But the feeling did not dissolve after our paths crossed; it only grew stronger. I was ecstatic, like I’d been dipped in liquid beauty. Everything around me became a sweet song I suddenly remembered how to sing.

What I learned in that seconds-long merging, and that I’ve forgotten and re-remembered many times since that day, is that within each of us, regardless of our circumstances, resides a clear pool of joy and an unbreakable connection to our wholeness. And that’s what my work is around now, guiding people back to their wholeness using the tools and skills I’ve learned from my teachers and apprentices like don Miguel Ruiz, Peggy Dylan, and Vicki Noble.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I knew I wanted to write from a very young age, but I didn’t realize how much work it would take and how much experience I needed in order to create something masterful. I started working for my school newspaper and eventually at a publishing company. I wrote a few short books early on in my career that have since been reprinted and expanded upon. I have nine published books and this year is especially exciting because my latest book is being birthed this summer–Wild, Willing, and Wise: An Interactive Guide for When to Paddle, When to Rest, and When to Jump Naked into the River of Life. It’s unlike any of the other books I’ve written before. It’s a workbook and it is HILARIOUS. I had so much fun writing it. And then it’s the 10 year anniversary of Warrior Goddess Training in September, which is the book that really transformed my career thus far.

I’ve learned a lot along the way from how to pick titles and book cover art to what to include or not include in my writings. I found Substack and it was a game changer because I found I could just keep writing and engaging with the audience, which is what I LOVE. I have also learned about the necessity for supportive publishing teams and the power of the pre-order. I am so grateful to all those who have found and read my work. It’s my gift to the world and I love being in service in this way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love to find funky coffee shops and delicious food on my breaks from long walks, hiking, and soaking in the bathtub. My favorite place in the area is the secluded Mago Retreat Center. I teach there every year and it just feels so nourishing to be there. The accommodations are amazing and the views are breathtaking.

I haven’t made it there yet, but my team raves about PIZZERIA BIANCO HERITAGE SQUARE. They eat there every time we’re in town and it’s so lovely.

Changing Hands book store is a local favorite. I enjoy going into book stores and spending hours pursuing the shelves with a coffee in hand.

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?
Oh there are so many people that contribute to where I am. My dear friend, mentor, and teacher don Miguel Ruiz and my firewalking mentor Peggy Dylan. As well as my parents for all their support and creativity with how they raised me and my sister. And of course Team Pixie and the Warrior Goddess community who has been through so much with me.

Website: www.warriorgoddess.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherashamara

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heatherash.amara

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/heatherashamara

Other: https://heatherash.substack.com

Image Credits
Catherine Just Tara Sol