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

Hi Feri, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born and raised in Oakland, California. My parents emigrated there in the late 60s from Washington D.C. I use the word emigrate because it truly was like leaving one country to permanently settle in another. Culturally, what was happening on the West Coast was quite different from the long standing traditions and expectations of the East coast.

My parents were spiritual seekers and followers of Baba Muktananda. I lived in an ashram, chanted and meditated. We were vegetarian and got clothes out of the free box. I read Indian comic books about Shiva and Hanuman and loved to hear the Hari Krishna’s coming. My father taught me to catch AC Transit to the City (San Francisoco) by myself at 6 and I lived to play PacMan in the arcade down stairs from the transbay terminal

The Bay Area was the most active place in the country. The Black Panthers started there. It was the holy land for hippies. Berkeley was the epicenter of protest. Our Ashram sat catty-corner to a huge Baptist church and next to the church the Nation of Islam had a bakery and meeting hall. Meanwhile the crack epidemic was right around the corner and by the time I was in middle school things were beyond wild.

There’s a particular type of internal navigation that comes about from growing up in that eclectic environment. I learned to take care of myself- physically, emotionally and spiritually. I cherish loyalty and work to show folks my love because life can change in a nanosecond.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have always counseled others. I am that person people seek out when they need to sort the problems in their lives. Now I just do it professionally.

I worked in-hospital pharmacy for over 22 years making infusions for patients, was married, and raising two daughters. I was pretty miserable in that daily grind and I have always known that life was supposed to be more than that for me.
When I returned to my childhood spititual roots of yoga and meditation, life began to shift and open. I got divorced, was doing a ton of therapy and work on myself, hiking and spending a lot of time out in nature. I was also going to different heelers and working to pull down the layers of defenses that I used to protect myself. Once I dug down into that work, I was open enough to meet my wife and life has been a thrill ride ever since.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

My wife and I live in our van. We were offgrid in North Eastern Arizona for a majority of the pandemic working to build a homestead. We have since come off of our mountain and are currently moving around different parts of the West Coast. So many good places to visit and eat. Nib’s in West Oakland. Doyal Street Cafe in North Oakland. We’ve been spending a lot of time at the beach down in Santa Cruz- there’s a good place there called Zachary’s but mostly we cook our own food. We’ve been boondocking, curb-camping, house sitting and living in-home with clients, and intimately experiencing the many ways people live their lives. No one I know is down for this nomadic life were living, especially not my best friend LOL

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother always deserves the biggest shoutout! Shouts out to my amazing wife Kei, my sister and the army of strong and resilient women in our lives that never cease to amaze! 

Website: www.ferityler.com

Instagram: @tylerferi

Image Credits
Photos by Feri and Kei Tyler

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.