About US
OUR STORY …
L'Esprit de l’Himalaya was inspired out of my love for the practice of meditation.
It was the calling to know my true nature that led me to meet a great sage in the Himalayas, with whom I have lived for the better part of the last thirty-five years. His guidance and revelation of the nature of my true Being, along with the depth of meditation, remain at the core of my life.
Although I had no doubt that my life was meant for the realization of this truth, at some point, I had to be practical about how to support myself. I had been a therapist in the field of subtle healing for many years, but I realized that this season had come to an end. That’s when I began to wonder: “what next?”.
Spending long periods of time in the Himalayas, I was always touched by the sense of the sacred that weaves itself through the lives and traditions of all its inhabitants. That sacredness was expressed by them as devotion towards their deities, and through their inspired woven creations. They even wove patterns through their clothing, shawls, scarves, and caps, that represented the vibration of their gods and goddesses.
With the passage of time, I had also absorbed the vibration of divinity of this place and of this culture. In this way, the Spirit of the Himalayas revealed itself to me, hence the name Esprit de l’Himalaya.
During this time of professional transition, I met a very special local man who happened to be a shawl manufacturer. With great generosity, he opened the doors of his family business to me and supported me through the many stages of building Esprit de l’Himalaya. We exist and flourish today thanks to his benevolence.
Not knowing whether my project — to share the beauty of Himalayan shawls with the world — had a chance to succeed, I followed the advice of my teacher, who said: “Though the way to cross the river of life is unclear, trust that there is a rock to put your foot upon as you traverse even if it is not yet visible to you. Always put your foot on the rock that you see in front of you with certainty. In this way, ‘foot-rock, foot-rock’, your life will reveal itself to you, one step at a time.”
With that wisdom in my heart and mind, I continue to share the creations of the weavers of the Valley of the Gods with the world. Through their shawls, I wish to share the divine resonance that is so alive in this sacred land of the Himalayas.
The fact that after fifteen years our small team can still offer these beautiful Himalayan shawls to so many meditators and yogis all over the world, as a support for their meditation and yoga practice, fills our hearts with delight and satisfaction.
I thank you for your support. It allows us to remain actively engaged in a meaningful venture that supports our recognition of what is true and eternal.
Welcome to our circle of friends at Esprit de l’Himalaya. It brings together the Beings called to meet themselves in their Essence.
Andréa Jutras / Aadi Shakti
Aadi Shakti offers regular seminars in Canada, United States and Europe where she shares the essence of her meditation practice and the vision of non- duality. She also offers online individual meetings as well as satsang groups. To receive information regarding this aspect of her life, please click here:
OUR SHAWLS …
WE THINK ETHICALLY
Supporting local communities and the ethical treatment of everyone involved in the production of our shawls and blankets is of the utmost importance to us. We work only with artisans and manufacturers who share our vision:
- While our shawls and blankets are refined and of exceptional quality, they also generate employment for a substantial number of artisans and workers who are involved in the different steps of production. Consequently, the local economy of these communities is enriched by Esprit de l'Himalaya.
- The manufacturers with whom we collaborate have demonstrated that they care greatly for their workers and pay them fairly.
- They do not support child labor.
- They do their utmost to minimize the impact of their production on the environment.
Meet our dynamic and devoted team:
GIVING BACK
It is important to us that we share the fruits of our work at Esprit de l’Himalaya. With this in mind, any purchase from our BUDDHIST COLLECTION will contribute towards the support of a small monastery of Buddhist nuns in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. We truly honour and appreciate their devotion to their practice. Here is a video of the monastery.
OUR UNIQUE SHAWL COLLECTION:VARIETY, QUALITY AND TRANSPARENCY
Esprit de l’Himalaya offers you a unique variety of meditation shawls and yoga blankets of exceptional quality.
Currently, many shawls are sold online under false representation. For someone without extensive knowledge of fibres and their market value, it is almost impossible to discern the true value and fibre content of a shawl.
We promise you an honest and transparent representation of the fibre composition of all our shawls and blankets.
At Esprit de l’Himalaya, we love to work with noble fibres! Our talented Himalayan artisans are masterful in the weaving of fine fibres such as pashmina, cashmere, angora, merino and silk, as well as more rustic fibres such as yak.
Every pattern and motif used in our creations originates from the ancient heritage of the artisans of Persia, Tibet, and India, as well as the unique local Himalayan cultures. Among our patterns are the well-known OM, the lotus, the paisley, traditional geometric designs, and some archetypal floral motifs.
AUTHENTIC PASHMINA
We have selected a collection of the finest pashmina and cashmere meditation shawls, woven in different sizes. We use the best pashmina in the world, sourced from Ladakh, and the finest cashmere from Mongolia.
From time to time we are able to offer exclusive and rare collectors’ items in these regal fibres.
COLLECTION OF SCARVES AND STOLES
We are happy to introduce an elegant modern collection of stoles and scarves in resonance with the tastes of the contemporary yoginis and yogis of today. Our collection brings a modern touch to the eternal tradition of the using of shawls in one’s day to day life.
QUALITY CONTROL
When it comes to the quality of production, the exquisite work of our Himalayan artisans meets the high standards of an increasingly international clientele, when it comes to the quality of production. They pay particular attention to finishing each shawl meticulously.
Before dispatching your order, our team carefully checks each shawl to ensure that you will receive a flawless product.
THE PURPOSE AND BENEFITS OF HAVING A SHAWL:
Any person who has offered themselves to meditation knows the importance and the value of using a shawl during their practice. In meditation, the body temperature can fluctuate and using a shawl will help regulate these variances.
As we dwell in the space of meditation for longer periods of times, our shawl begins to absorb the vibration of tranquility. Every time we use our shawl, that same energy takes us effortlessly to the Space of tranquility that is our Essence.
Our shawls serve also as yoga blankets. Just as in meditation, it is precious to remain with our own vibration during shavasana and the restful yoga asanas in covering ourselves with our own personal yoga shawl.
OUR SHAWLS AND BLANKETS ARE VERSATILE
Our customers have expressed to us that they also like to use our blankets for many other purposes. For example, to stay warm during therapeutic sessions or as a wrap while traveling on a plane.
Our shawls are also loved as a fashion statement as well as a throw to cover oneself to stay cozy on the couch. At last, some people find that their shawl acts as a comfort blanket helping them with stress and anxiety.
We invite you to also share with us the unique ways in which you have found yourself wrapped in our creations!