Our Value System
Values
- Human Dignity
- Foster a culture that values compassion, dignity, mutual respect, and inclusivity.
- Prosperity
- Share our success and prosperity with our team.
- Integrity
- Strive to deliver as promised.
Mission
We aim to realize this vision by educating & empowering individuals and communities with Ayurvedic knowledge and nutritional products.
Vision
Healthy living for all.
Our Founders
Journeys
Athreya’s story begins when our founding members, Jayagopal Parla (Jay) and Anupama Kizhakkeveettil (Anu) met.
Vaidya Jay is a world-renowned speaker, professor of Ayurvedic medicine, and a NAMA registered practitioner with 21 years of experience in Ayurvedic practice and teaching. He is a professor of Ayurvedic medicine and a faculty member at the Southern California University of Health Sciences, and the Japan School of Ayurveda. He is also the Founder and Director of the Athreya Ayurvedic Integrative Health Center, in Long Beach, California. (www.athreyaayurveda.com)
He has a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery from Bangalore University and an MD (Ayur) in Ayurvedic Medicine from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India. Vaidya Jay also holds a Master's in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from the Southern California University of Health Sciences and is a certified Yoga therapist.
Growing up in India, one of Jay’s earliest memories is of his grandfather harvesting fresh herbs from the banks of a river nearby, which his grandmother would pound using a stone mortar and pestle to make hand-rolled pills. His grandfather didn’t have any formal education in Ayurveda but was a self-taught practitioner. With his knowledge, he tended to a few clients and was able to heal some rare diseases during his time. Inspired by his grandfather, Jay went on to study Ayurveda in college, where he was surrounded by enthusiastic classmates and inspiring mentors, who shared his passion for Ayurveda. He studied with traditional practitioners who specialized in exploring the practices of certain indigenous tribes of India. This ignited Jay’s drive to learn how herbs function in their native form. Living in huts, these nomadic tribes taught Jay the importance of reforestation and shared simple practices of harvesting herbs while retaining their natural freshness and state.
Jay’s immersive experience with these tribal groups and their in-depth understanding of herbs, allowed him to devise highly customized herbal combinations. Upon listening to his client's symptoms, Jay can identify the primary and secondary herbs necessary for healing almost spontaneously. His intuitive techniques allow him to deduce & substantiate his selection of herbs before providing a customized and effective formulation.
Jay went on to teach Ayurveda and continues to impact the lives of thousands of students every semester. A notable piece of wisdom he passes on is that ‘befriending & believing in the herbs you work with enables the herbs to reveal their true nature to you when the time is right’.
Vaidya Anu is a spirited orator, and a NAMA registered practitioner. With more than 19 years of experience in Ayurvedic practice, she is also a Professor and Program Director at the Southern California University of Health Sciences. Vaidya Anu serves as a board member of the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine (CAAM), the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA), and several other national and international organizations.
She holds a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery from Mangalore University, India; received her Master's in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from the Southern California University of Health Sciences and also holds a Ph.D. in Public Health. Vaidya Anu is also a licensed acupuncturist and a certified Yoga therapist and teacher.
Anu grew up in a village in Kerala, India since she was a child. During those years, she was exposed to many Ayurvedic practices and has the fondest memories of the aromas exuded from blending an eclectic mix of Ayurvedic herbs. This naturally invoked her passion for becoming a healer. Anu’s healing philosophy involves being surrounded by spirituality as well as unconditional love and care. Due to her cultural roots, it was natural for her to go on to study Ayurveda, which is founded on integrating spirituality and science.
While studying Ayurveda, Anu realized her passion for spreading knowledge but little did she know that she would go on to share archetypal wisdom. Anu has now realized her dream and inspired thousands of students over the years who have now become established & successful clinicians who have their own practices.
Anu’s first opportunity to practice Ayurveda was at a clinic in Mysore, India. It was while working there that she met Jay and eventually got married.
Uniting their compassionate Ayurvedic dream, Jay & Anu opened a small clinic in Bangalore, India called ‘Athreya Ayurvedic Care’ where they were able to serve and heal several clients. With exceptional and mindful care being the ‘Nadi’ i.e. ‘pulse’ of their services, they soon caught the attention of international clients, who gave them the opportunity to conduct lectures, workshops, and consultations about Ayurvedic healing and education in several countries worldwide.
Our Organization
Vaidya Jay and Vaidya Anu both settled in the U.S. and began to practice Ayurveda where they discovered the growing need to access quality herbs. They decided to re-establish their small Athreya Ayurveda clinic from India to the US and transform it into an organization that would focus on producing Ayurvedic herbs and formulations for American clients, students, and practitioners.
Their primary focus was to build relationships with eco-friendly suppliers that would deliver potent, high-quality herbs after conducting extensive research on the optimal regional conditions for cultivation and identifying the best sources for a variety of natural herbs.
Athreya was the name of the first sage to transcribe orations of Ayurveda into written form in Sanskrit to serve humanity through healing wisdom. The meaning of Athreya in Sanskrit is ‘one who is always ready to help.’
Paying homage to Athreya’s compassion, we at the Athreya clinic, deeply value providing our clients with the utmost care in their time of need. With a mission to support & empower humanity one person at a time, we believe in providing access to quality healthcare using customized herbal formulations and a strong support system.
Through our Ayurvedic knowledge platform, Athreya provides clients, students, and practitioners with the necessary tools to adopt a healthy and vibrant lifestyle. We hope to see a world of happy, healthy, and smiling individuals and families for years to come.