Today we’d like to introduce you to Paisley Devi.
Hi Paisley, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Blessings! My name is Paisley Parvati Devi, and I was born & raised in Canton, Ohio.
Today I’m a Multimedia Artist, a 500-hour Registered Yoga Instructor, and the founder of my brand Queer Mystic.
In 2017, I received both my 200-hour Yoga Teaching Certification at Yoga Central in Canton, and my bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship at Kent State University. While finishing my degree at KSU, I also founded & operated my first business – Earth Energy Power Snacks – selling healthy vegan baked goods at farmers’ markets around Northeast Ohio.
I always knew I wouldn’t be the type to “settle down” immediately after college or live a mainstream lifestyle, so when I graduated from college I liquidated Earth Energy, sold one of my recipes to a local business (Grazers in Kent) and used all the money I had saved to travel.
For about three years, I travelled internationally and domestically, lived in various Intentional Yoga Communities, and deepened my connection to myself and the practice of Yoga. Most notably, I spent time in California, Arizona, Oregon, Florida, Jamaica, and Guatemala. In 2021, I took an epic solo road trip across the USA and back in my Subaru.
Over the course of my travels and studies, I have received various additional trainings & initiations with a wide variety of teachers. Swami Sankaranandaji of the Sivananda Yoga Lineage gave me the spiritual name “Parvati Devi” as a constant reminder of my devotion to the path of Yoga. I have also been initiated into the Priestess Arts by several wonderful mentors. I am a devotee & worshipper of the Goddess within all beings.
Also in 2021, I completed my 300-hour Yoga Teaching Certification with the Mount Madonna Institute in Santa Cruz, CA. Now I am in my second year of training to become an Ayurvedic Health Counselor through the Shakti School.
A life-long artist, I self-published my first original coloring book, Creatures of the Earth, in 2020. My second original coloring book, 12 Signs of the Zodiac, was published in 2022.
In addition to selling my art and taking on various commissioned projects, I offer yoga classes, workshops, and retreats all around Northeast Ohio. I am an administrator and teacher with two yoga studios: The Yoga Place & Yoga Central in Canton, Ohio, and the Mount Madonna Institute’s Online Yoga Studio. For the past year, I have also been doing live portrait modeling work for artist groups in the NEO area.
I believe that Yoga, Ayurveda, and ALL art forms have an immense healing ability to open us to the Primal Divine Energy (adi para shakti) within. My sankalpa, or intention, is to offer my own authentic expression, and to cultivate safe space for others to feel liberated in theirs. I am passionate about empowering others with tools for self-development and self-love, and I am so grateful for every opportunity to do so.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say my biggest obstacle throughout childhood and adolescence was simply feeling so “different,” which lead to a high level of anxiety. In a local culture that is largely conservative and religious, I never felt like I belonged. I remember struggling to fit in with my peers as a child, and feeling for the longest time like I was the “weirdo” who didn’t have any friends. I tried, but just seemed to have very contrary inclinations and views to most of the people around me. I couldn’t seem to connect until I was a bit older, but even then, it was hard.
I became vegetarian at age 14, the first of many decisions that would ruffle my poor parents’ feathers (Goddess bless!). Shortly after, I came out as pansexual and had my first girlfriend… this was much harder for everyone (myself included) to accept. Like many queer kids at that time, I went through a strong “emo/ scene” phase and used music and fashion as a way to cope with these mental health challenges. This, too, was difficult for my parents, who preferred that I didn’t dye my hair or pierce my own ears multiple times. Haha! We didn’t understand each other, and I felt that my self-expression was being limited and judged from all sides. Along with the social and educational pressures of high school, and feeling ostracized both at home and in school, my anxiety worsened until I developed an eating disorder.
When I found Yoga, my relationship with my body & with food slowly improved. It took several years as my restrictive eating habits had wreaked havoc on my developing metabolism. While I still struggle with anxiety on a regular basis, my Yoga practice has greatly improved my mental health and been completely life-changing overall. For this reason, I truly credit Yoga with saving my life again and again.
After college, I knew that I had to get out of Ohio and see more of the world and country. I felt intuitively that there were people and communities “out there” who were like-minded to me, who were possibly even more radical with their views and values than I am. And I was right! Especially once I landed on the West Coast, I felt so validated in my queerness, my ethically non-monogamous approach to relating, my sex-positivity, and being a nonreligious yet deeply spiritual artist who will forever be questioning social constructs and norms!
With a newfound sense of self-acceptance and self-trust that can only be found during a “hero’s journey” like this, I returned home to Ohio. I have committed to being here, and to offering my self-expression in the hopes that it will inspire others. Especially for the queer kids, the young artists, and all the folks who feel ashamed or embarrassed to fully be themselves – I want to offer a safe space to show you that you aren’t alone!
Through my Yoga offerings, my art, and my personal brand Queer Mystic, I aim to consciously create this safe space and continuously offer it to the world. I never had local role models like myself growing up, so if doing this work improves the quality of at least one person’s life, then my mission will be successful. I hope my life can be a testament that “it gets better!”
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I do so many different things!! I truly consider myself a “jill of all trades,” as I’ve dabbled in just about every type of creative expression and medium – from cooking to acting and modeling, dancing, making music, and more.
I would say that my “specialties” are definitely in visual art and my Yoga offerings. I am very proud of these things.
As far as visual art, I am known for Illustration. In addition to the two self-published coloring books I mentioned, I take on various commissions for everything from logo and t-shirt designs to portraits, signage, and paintings/ murals. View my full multimedia portfolio on my website!
For Yoga – I offer regular classes both online and in person. I love teaching groups of all sizes as well as private sessions one-on-one with a client. My teaching style is a blend of hatha and vinyasa yoga, always to a fun and upbeat playlist! I teach classes that are exclusively focused on breathwork & guided meditation techniques, and I enjoy bringing these into my movement classes as well. I encourage my students to listen to their bodies and move intuitively and fluidly, even incorporating dance elements into our Yoga practice.
Some of my favorite Yoga workshops to offer include a Chakra Flow & Guided Kundalini Activation, a Shakti Flow to honor the Wild Feminine, an Intro to Yoga Philosophy, and Principles of Ayurveda (a “sister science” of Yoga that focuses on diet & lifestyle). I collaborate with my friend Brian Bowles who is an experienced Kung Fu & Tai Chi instructor (Lost Step Kung Fu) to offer Primal Yoga & Animal Movements, which is always fun and super challenging!
I collaborate as often as I can with my growing circle of esteemed wellness colleagues – what we can offer together brings so much diversity and many opportunities for expansion! For the past year, I have been offering Yoga retreats for womxn/ femme folk in collaboration with my friend Allison Yanci (Optimal Wellness). These retreats have been so amazing and I plan on shifting my career focus to offer them more frequently in the future.
Learn more about retreats, all my Yoga offerings, products, astrology readings, art, and more on my website.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Follow your heart and listen to your gut! There is no possible way to please everyone – no matter what you choose, someone will find a way to criticize you for it, so you might as well do what makes you happy.
If you think about it, the people who have found the greatest success or the most notoriety in life have also been extremely polarizing. I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who hate Lady Gaga and think she is a demon doing terrible things on this Earth. But those who love her REALLY love her and will be loyal to her til the end – I am a die-hard Little Monster!
Some politicians make a career of trying to “save face” and appeal to the masses to get the most votes. In their pursuit of general favor, they are seen as inauthentic and lacking integrity!
I’d rather be hated for being authentic and standing by my beliefs any day than be loved for trying to live up to what I think other people want from me.
Pricing:
- Trippy Nature Coloring Book – $12
- Astrology Coloring Book – $12
- Wild Womxn’s Yoga Retreat – prices vary
- Private Yoga Classes (Online or In Person) – prices vary
- Intuitive Astrology & Tarot Reading – $55
Contact Info:
- Website: https://youareloved.one/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queer_mystic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/queermystic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/QueerMystic
