The Dual Life of Amanda and Mahan: Interviewing our founder
1. Okay, let's start with the most important. From the moment we met, your two names and the story behind both have intrigued me to say the least. Can you tell us how you, Amanda, came to be known as Mahan? And how do you resist an identity crisis living with two names?
Ah, the great name debate! It’s one of those things that gets people curious. So, let’s start there. The name "Mahan" came to me over 20 years ago when I found Kundalini Yoga. Slightly worried that I might be joining a cult (laughing), I dove deep into Sikh Dharma to understand more.
I was given the name "Mahan Kaur" by Yogi Bhajan in 2002, or perhaps someone he trained. "Mahan" means great, and "Kaur" means princess or lioness. I received a letter with the name, which said something like, “This is a name to live up to, a reminder to stay elevated in hard times.” No pressure, right?
For years, I mostly used the name in Kundalini Yoga circles. It always felt a little off, especially as a non-Indian person adopting an Indian identity. I even wore a turban for a while. Oh, the irony! But fast forward a few years, and I was introduced to a chiropractor who called me Mahan, and the name stuck.
Clients now know me as Mahan, though I laugh about my dual identity regularly. Some days, I feel I could have a weekly identity crisis! Close friends call me Amanda or Manda, but for clients, it’s usually Mahan. I joke that which name you use depends on which personality you want (laughs). And when people meet me, my green eyes and blonde hair definitely don’t scream "Mahan," but here we are!
2. You've told us before that your journey began in Nepal. How did that experience shape your vision for Remedies Within and fuel your passion for holistic health?
My passion for holistic health didn’t exactly start in Nepal, but that experience expanded it in ways I couldn’t have imagined. Being immersed in a culture so balanced was eyeopening. There’s a simplicity and purity in how they approach health—less processed food, more time spent with family, and an emphasis on community over consumption. It was a slower lifestyle, which was frustrating at first. But once I adapted, I found a soothing rhythm that my nervous system craved.
Every day, we’d buy fresh food from farmers and gather with family for meals. If you were unwell, there was always a natural remedy or a Tibetan doctor nearby. It felt like real health—community-based, deeply rooted in tradition, and without the hurry we experience in Western cities.
What struck me most was how they handle grief. My own experience with grief showed me just how unhealthy and disconnected we can be in Western culture. Nepal taught me balance, excess, and how to thrive in a community that truly supports each other. It was this realization that fueled my vision for Remedies Within and shaped my passion for bringing a bit of that Eastern wisdom to the West.
3. You've got quite the sense of humor. What's the most outrageous and hilarious thing you've ever experienced while practicing?
Oh, I have stories! One of the most outrageous—and horrifying—things that ever happened was when a client came in for a massage with her own feces smeared up her back. I kid you not. In that moment, I wanted to run away and never work again. But I had to figure out how to get myself out of that situation without embarrassing her. Definitely a memorable one.
On a funnier note, during the lockdown, I had a client walk into the clinic with hot pink Y-fronts on her head, wearing them like a bandit mask! The crotch was covering her face, and the leg holes were on the sides of her head. I completely lost my professional composure that day.
4. Arvigo Therapy seems to be a deeply personal practice for you. What first drew you to this therapy?
Let me preface with this - I could talk about Arvigo Therapy all day (and do, in fact), but I’ll try to keep this as concise as possible. If you’re interested in learning more about this treatment, you can read all about it here.
Initially, I wanted to run from it! But after a strong suggestion from a client, I booked my first Arvigo session. I was scared of all the unprocessed emotions I might feel, but it showed me how to embrace vulnerability and re-establish self-trust. It allowed me to remain in my feminine energy while releasing masculine guards I had built up over time.
This all came at a time when I was deeply grieving—the loss of my twin, my mother’s passing, the end of my marriage. It felt like my future was slipping away. Arvigo Therapy helped me “stomach” those emotions and find my center again.
What surprised me most was its subtle power. I began recommending it to clients, especially women struggling with fertility. I noticed a pattern: many of them were deeply in their masculine energy. Arvigo helped them soften back into their feminine, and, as if by magic, they became fertile.
Within two weeks, I was on a flight to New York to learn more.
Arvigo therapy has highlighted just how much we, as women, have been misled about our health. We’ve been told to “have it all,” but the truth is, we thrive best when we’re in balance—embracing our true feminine power rather than being pushed into masculine roles.