Nicole Richards
Inspired Vedic Name: Umavati
Welcome to BuddhaInspired – a community dedicated to purposeful living and inspiring infinite possibilities. Just as I have found barriers within myself and am learning to release these walls of protection (because they keep loved ones out too), I share my experiences so you may find useful tools to guide you on your journey.
The tools of meditation, mindfulness, sound healing, forgiveness and gratitude are just a few skill sets that will allow you to expand your perception to discover all the hidden talents, beauty and strength and confidence that already lies within you, just like the Golden Buddha.
Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” – Rumi
About
I’m a Southern California native who loves the sun, beach and laid-back west coast vibe. After a 20+ year career in the corporate world, I felt a calling to experience something new. It started as a little idea – a seed – and there finally came a time when I realized all the stories and excuses and fears were no big deal.
Once that moment came, a phenomenal, unexpected journey blossomed as I learn to trust more and embrace the unknown. After being a work scholar at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, I traveled to India for a month and have immersed myself in Peru with native plant-based medicines. My desire to make meditation even more approachable launched me into the sound healing space, which provides profound relaxation and re-calibration. It’s like a re-boot for the body! And most recently, I completed an immersive 220-hour Kundalini yoga teacher program. With all of these modalities as guides, it is my goal to support you on your journey with a customized approach for your mind, body and spirit that aligns with your lifestyle.
In 2013, I received my Primordial Sound mantra as part of the Chopra Seduction of Spirit event and first met internationally renowned, Vedic Master davidji. In 2015, I completed the Masters of Wisdom Meditation Teacher Training course under his guidance and mentorship. With a degree in Cognitive Science from UC Berkeley, it is no surprise that I am fascinated with the concepts of philosophy of the mind, neural networks and the Fibonacci sequence, to name a few.
Still curious to know more? Feel free to ask! I’d love your feedback on what you’d like to explore.
~ Health, Happiness and Prosperity ~
Nicole
Founder and Chief Inspiration Advocate
“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change…” ― Adaptation from Buddha
your blog is so inspiring I really want to thank you.
Nicole! It is a great honor to be on this journey with you. You inspire me so much! I admire your courage and your sense of adventure. I love how you lean into your fears and how you embrace uncertainty – how you challenge yourself to grow and expand. Please keep lighting the path for us. And, p.s., you are far too humble – you are all of this and so much more to people. You are a person of great resilience, compassion and empathy. Your heart is as wide as the world and your smile changes the energy of every room you enter. I am so deeply grateful to know you and your authentic beautiful Self. I LOVE YOU ~ Colleen M. Doumeng
Colleen, you are such an incredible reflection of the joy and beauty that this magnificent world has to offer. It is in sharing our collective stories and being inextricably intertwined on this remarkable journey that lights up my day and is an emblem of inspiration. May we all find immensely beautiful, connected relationships and see the mirror of ourselves in each other with grace and harmony. You are a gift. Such gratitude…
Thank you, Bruce – amazing to hear from you! I would love for this train to gain steam and have a full car of revelers (ideally dancing together). Super exciting to have so much positive feedback – it fuels me to keep the enthusiasm and momentum :-) All the best to you and Ken!
Nicole!!!! what a wonderful adventure you are on…… I have planned to get on that train so many times and maybe you will be the one who finally opens the door and yells all aboard!
so nice to hear about what you are doing…. and very exciting as well.
congratulations. We miss you here on the West coast (especially in dance class.)
thank you again for your site. love, Bruce Zwinge (Ken Anderson’s partner)