Recipient of Banyan's Community Grant
As the Ayurvedic community continues to grow throughout the United States, we continually hear inspiring stories of people doing amazing work to bring the wisdom of Ayurveda to the people and places that need it most.
Over the years, we've met people providing hot meals and hygiene products to our un-housed communities. We've met incredible individuals teaching yoga to incarcerated populations, and others offering indigenous elders free consultations and herbs. There are so many more stories like these, and no shortage of incredible work happening across our country.
Deeply humbled and inspired by these efforts, in 2019 we initiated our first annual Community Grant Fund to support and collaborate with people, projects, and organizations bringing Ayurveda into their local communities.
We are excited to share with you the story of one of our 2019 grant recipients, the Alandi Ayurveda Clinic.
Truly Affordable Healthcare
Located in Boulder, Colorado, the Alandi Ayurveda Clinic was founded in 1990 and is part of the Alandi Ashram, overseen by renowned Ayurveda expert Alakananda Ma. In addition to the clinic, the ashram offers spiritual guidance and a four-year Ayurvedic educational program, all under one roof. Deeply infused with the teachings and traditions of Ayurveda, the ashram is committed to living with care for the sanctity of nature and respect for all people.
This commitment is reflected in their devotion to environmental sustainability in all of their daily choices, from transportation to food production to energy use. They also strive to make Ayurveda accessible to all by reaching out with inclusivity to those who are socially disenfranchised or economically disadvantaged.
“In the spirit of connectedness, we welcome seekers of all walks of life into our family of the heart.”
This ethos is infused into the clinic as well. The Alandi Ayurveda Clinic is a well-established clinic that offers consultations and holistic support in true Ayurvedic tradition—complete with tongue, nail, and pulse reading. Patients receive comprehensive care, unique to their constitution (prakriti) and state of imbalance (vikriti).
What sets the clinic apart is their mission, which is to provide Ayurvedic healthcare and herbal medicine to all people of their community, regardless of income. “Our commitment is to never turn anyone away, due to lack of ability to pay,” says Alakananda Ma.
As a registered non-profit 501c3, they have provided a sliding scale for low-income community members for over 20 years, without any outside funding—even in the face of rising costs of essential supplies, bulk herbs, facility rental, utilities, and more.
Based on income, Alandi Ayurveda Clinic offers 25–75 percent discounts on consultation costs, and for the lowest income clients, they extend a 20 percent discount on herbal formulas. In one year, Alandi typically offers over $4500 in discounts to patients in need.
Banyan's grant will be directly used in 2020 over the course of nine months to continue supporting sliding scale appointments. Instead of having to ration sliding scale appointments because of increased costs, Alakananda Ma and her team will be able to work with more of the community.
“The Front Range community is fortunate to have the wonderful services being offered by Ayurvedic practitioner Alakananda Ma and her team. She is a highly skilled and respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community, both nationally and internationally.”
We invite you to follow Alandi Ashram and the Alandi Ayurveda Clinic on Facebook, visit their website, and check out their clinic for a consultation if you're in the area. And if you're not in Colorado, virtual consultations are available!
