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About Acharya Shunya
Spiritual Teacher | Lineage Bearer | Truth-Teller | Mystic Guide
“She is not here to reinvent yoga. She is here to remember it—and to help others remember too.”
A Living Lineage from India to the World
Lineage-Holder. Visionary Teacher. Bridge Between Worlds.
Acharya Shunya is the spiritual head of the Sarayu Parampara, an ancient Vedic lineage of enlightened yogis and household sages that arose on the banks of the sacred Sarayu River in Northern India.
She is the first woman to lead this revered tradition, now bringing its radiant wisdom into the modern world through Vedika Global, her nonprofit
organization, and the Vedic Study Circle, a global donation-based community.
Her teachings continue to flow like the sacred river from which her lineage arose—ancient in essence, yet fully alive today.
A Global Voice of Vedic Wisdom
Modern Presence, Timeless Roots.
For over two decades, Acharya Shunya has been a revered teacher based in the San Francisco Bay Area, guiding seekers in the West while transmitting the unbroken wisdom of her Vedic lineage to a truly global community.Today, through the power of technology and the depth of her teachings, students in over 21 countries study with her live and online—awakening to the Self through the pathways of Bhakti, Karma, Jnana and Upasana. Her voice has been welcomed at institutions such as Stanford, UCLA, UCSF, Omega, Kripalu, and the World Ayurveda Congress, where her clarity and authenticity bridge the ancient and the modern with uncompromising integrity.Her bestselling books—Sovereign Self, Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom, and Roar Like a Goddess—have become spiritual companions for modern seekers, reclaiming the soul of the Vedas for the contemporary world.From her sacred home in the West, Acharya Shunya continues to illuminate a living river of truth—ancient, fierce, and wholly relevant for our time.
“Ekam sat viprā bahudhā vadanti.”
Truth is one; the wise speak of it in many ways.
Honors & Global Recognition
Celebrating a life devoted to truth, transmission, and transformation
Over the past two decades, Acharya Shunya has been honored globally for her leadership in reviving, preserving, and sharing the Vedic sciences with modern seekers. Her groundbreaking work in Ayurveda, Vedanta, and Yogic education has been recognized by esteemed institutions and spiritual communities alike.
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Lifetime Achievement Chaudhary Award
By California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), San Francisco,
For distinguished service in Vedic Sciences -
Nalanda Award for Excellence in Ayurvedic Education
ByAssociation of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America (AAPNA), 2010
Honoring her contributions to Ayurvedic teaching in the West -
Global Women’s Power Award
By Foundation for Women's Power,
Celebrating female visionaries making a global spiritual and cultural impact -
Top 100 Yoga & Ayurveda Teachers in America
Spirituality & Health Magazine, 2016 -
Bestselling Author & Award-Winning Books
Author of Sovereign Self, and Roar Like a Goddess which is winner of the Ommie Award and Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom, recognized by Healthline as a Top 10 Book in Alternative Medicine -
Featured in Leading Spiritual & Mainstream Media
Profiled in the San Francisco Chronicle and on the cover of OM Times, with coverage in Yoga Journal, LA Yoga, Spirituality & Health, MindBodyGreen, Bustle, , and Authority Magazine -
Documentary: “Mystics Today” by Sounds True One
Featured alongside Jack Kornfield, Caroline Myss, Adyashanti, and others as a modern-day mystic and respected voice in contemporary spirituality -
Founder & Director, Vedika Gurukulam (2008–2019)
Founded a five-year Ayurveda and Vedic studies college in Emeryville, CA with Indian and international faculty, advancing classical education for over a decade -
President, California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine (CAAM)
Served two terms as elected leader, guiding the advancement of Ayurvedic education and ethical standards in the U.S. -
Invited Speaker at Leading U.S. Universities
Presented on Ayurveda and Yoga at Stanford University, UCSF, UCLA, Ohio State University, and Texas State University, honoring her leadership in bridging ancient knowledge with modern inquiry -
Government of India Appointment
Advisor on International Ayurveda and Yoga Affairs (2016–2018). Recognized for leadership in Vedic healing and entrusted with India's global outreach in Ayurveda and Yoga -
City of Emeryville Recognition
Presented in 2024 by the Mayor of Emeryville, California
Celebrating Acharya Shunya's leadership in Yoga and the cultural legacy of Vedika Global -
Council of Advisors & Guest Lecturer, Taksha Institute
Serves as advisor and guest faculty at the Center for Integrative Medicine and Yoga (CIMY) -
Council of Advisors, AAPNA
Ongoing service to the Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America through thought leadership and lineage-based insight -
Keynote Speaker, Respected Spiritual Institutions
Invited by NAMA, The Theosophical Society of America, Ram Dass Legacy Retreats, and the Be Here Now Network to deliver keynotes and lead transformational workshops
The Four Yogas, Remembered. Whole.
Bhakti. Karma. Jnana. Upasana (Raja).
A Path to the Self.
Acharya Shunya teaches the original, undivided path of yoga as revealed by the Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita—not as posture alone, but as a full-bodied path of devotion, selfless service, inner worship, and Self-knowledge.
Her teachings are direct, scripturally rooted, and fiercely compassionate—awakening students to their highest potential through lived wisdom.
A Mystic of the Divine Feminine
Rooted in Shakti. Guided by Ishvara.
Lit from Within.
A devoted bhakta of the Divine Feminine and follower of Ishvara—the boundless, all-pervading divine—Acharya Shunya channels ancient wisdom to inspire and guide modern seekers toward liberation (moksha).
Her teachings honor the sacred in all forms of life, especially the householder's path to enlightenment.
This moment of offering—a lamp lit before the Divine Feminine—reflects the heart of Acharya Shunya’s path: sacred, embodied, and lit from within.
Sharing Without Dilution | Connecting Without Compromise
Having walked the Vedic path herself—from darkness to light, from inner bondage to abiding freedom—Acharya Shunya brings lived wisdom to every teaching. Her presence awakens courage in troubled hearts and breathes life into profound Sanskrit texts, making them accessible without ever diminishing their spiritual depth.Through Vedika Global’s Vedic Study Circle, she guides a global community of seekers in exploring the Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita—not as abstract philosophy, but as a lived reality. With uncompromising authenticity, Acharya Shunya bridges ancient truth and modern life, helping individuals remember who they truly are and rise into their highest spiritual potential.
