In this edition of our Faculty Feature series, we are delighted to shine a spotlight on Dr. Kelsey Page, AyD, a dynamic and inspiring educator at the California College of Ayurveda. As a Faculty Instructor, Intern Supervisor, and Master Teacher, Kelsey plays a vital role in shaping the next generation of Ayurvedic practitioners. With supplemental certifications in Marma Therapy, Kelsey brings a wealth of knowledge to her teaching, which includes Ayurvedic Pathology, Anatomy, and Physiology.
Beyond the classroom, Kelsey’s dedication to holistic living is evident. With over 15 years of yoga practice and a 200-hour teacher training rooted in Tibetan Buddhism, she embodies the principles of balance and mindfulness that Ayurveda promotes.
Kelsey’s approach to Ayurveda is both thoughtful and forward-thinking. She sees Ayurveda as a living, evolving tradition—one that beautifully bridges ancient wisdom and modern science. Her passion lies in empowering others to embrace Ayurvedic principles, inspiring them to find balance and live life to its fullest potential.
In this interview, we’ll explore Kelsey’s unique path into Ayurveda, her teaching philosophy, and her insights on integrating the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda into today’s fast-paced world.
When I was a kid, my mother worked as a Registered Nurse. She worked in the Pediatric Intensive Care unit in Las Vegas. She would ride along for emergency calls in the ambulance and flight for life. When I got older, she started working in Home Healthcare and I would ride with her. She treated many children who had chronic diseases. She would be giving IVs and providing medications etc. But not only that – I could feel that her heart was truly in it. She gave mental and emotional support. There was trust and connection there. There was a deeper connection that was medicine in and of itself. There was a deeper dharma that I was witnessing. I came to realize that I share that dharma when I started studying Ayurvedic Philosophy in 2018 at CCA.
My mother became ill when I was in my early twenties. She and I had been doing yoga for years before that. It opened newer dimensions for meditation and deeper connectivity and purpose. I went to College for Ceramics and received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and art history in 2011. It was challenging to find work in my industry at the time. I worked in coffee shops, had some art shows here and there that were successful, and volunteered at museums setting up installations and collaborating with curators. Not only was it hard to find a job and money, but it was also hard to find purpose within my industry.
I was living in Reno, NV at the time. During my mother’s illness, I witnessed her trying a myriad of things for physical and mental relief. I watched her move through the Western Medical System, and she went as far as she could within that model. Then, she began opening more holistic avenues for health and well-being such as Acupuncture and Ayurvedic Medicine. That is when I began to witness the true new balance forming within her. Rather than band-aids placed over the wound, what I saw was the application of real-life tools that were sustainable. I witnessed my mom become healthy again and Ayurveda was one of the systems of medicine that helped her to do so.
That is when the California College of Ayurveda not only existed, but it was only an hour and a half from my home in Reno, in Nevada City California. Being from Nevada my whole life, in the desert, moving to the forest and studying something new and different, and in the same vein of healthcare as my mom – this was the exact path for me. And I began to study Ayurveda. I was on site for the first Fall semester in Nevada City and as I started studying it, I knew it was my path and my dharma to study and work as deeply as I could within the field.
As an Ayurvedic teacher, what do you find most rewarding about sharing your knowledge with others?
The most rewarding thing about sharing the wisdom of Ayurveda and my knowledge is that I am confident that like a ripple effect, when my students learn these concepts and ways of living in balance from me, when they learn about the Nidana’s or “causes of disease” from me, when they learn about the pathogenesis or the origin of imbalance from me, that not only will they benefit, but they will share the knowledge with their friends and family members and the health and wellbeing ripples out from there. I like to inspire my students to believe in their dharma and take it all the way, as far as they can, whether within their families or professionally integrated with Western Medicine.
For aspiring Ayurvedic students, what advice would you give them to make the most out of their learning journey?
The advice that I would give my students to make the most out of their learning journey is that: what you put into it; you get out of it. Perfection is not what is needed, but always do your best to assimilate the subject matter, being present in their investment in their education, and reading. To be easy with themselves along the way and trust in the journey.
What are some of your favorite Ayurvedic tips or daily practices that you personally incorporate into your life for overall well-being? How have these practices positively influenced your health and lifestyle?
Some of my favorite Ayurvedic Tips that I have incorporated into my life that have helped with my overall well-being are:
- Slow down in general
- Take at least 15 minutes to eat your meals
- Spend time in nature, daily
- Create daily rituals or Dinacharya, and do them consistently
- Meditate daily, even if for 3 minutes, find stillness in the mind in any way you can
- Do yoga, stretch
- Avoid excess screen time and social media
- Go to bed with an empty stomach
- Avoid ice water
By striving to implement these practices as consistently as I can, and I am far from perfect, my entire physiology shifted. As a vata/pitta Prakruti and Vikruti, I must be mindful of excessive mobility, general ungroundedness, sharpness, etc. These practices have helped me to regulate my body and mind in ways that have greatly improved my quality of life and well-being.
Throughout your journey as an Ayurvedic teacher, what have been some of the most inspiring success stories or transformations you’ve witnessed in your students? How does witnessing these positive changes fuel your passion for teaching Ayurveda and helping others on their path to well-being?
As a teacher of Ayurvedic Medicine, it’s inspiring to me to see my students take their education into the Ayurvedic Health Counselor (AHCi) internship – bringing balance with nutrition, spices, meditation, and guidelines for healthy eating – the true and forever untouchable tools of Ayurveda. I have seen such homeostasis cultivated with diet and lifestyle alone!
Another huge transformation to witness is the students/interns in the Clinical Ayurvedic Medicine Internship (CASi). These interns treat more complex issues and are trained extensively in Herbalism.
At any internship level, it’s great to watch these students/interns graduate and begin their practices. It’s rewarding. I have seen graduates of CCA writing and publishing scientific papers, working in Pancha Karma, incorporating Ayurveda into their Yoga work, working interactively in Western Medicine, and creating herbal companies and body care product lines. That is why I tell my students on their first day of class that I believe they are there for a reason. They are there on a dharmic level with so much capacity, whether they realize it at the time or not, because I was there at one time, too.
Do you also see patients in practice and are you open to receiving more new patients?
Absolutely. I work with patients in my private practice, and I am open to receiving new patients. My practice is called Ayudar Ayurveda. I work with clients online and internationally over Zoom.