Neena McIlwaine
Neena’s role within Boston Ayurveda School as the Social Media Manager is to help spread the wisdom of Ayurveda.
Neena graduated from Ohio University with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and Environmental Studies. She has several years of experience conducting both field and lab research on animal diversity, genetics and wildlife conservation. Her dream was to become a wildlife veterinarian helping to save marine mammals from loose fishing gear and support their feeding grounds by helping create marine sanctuaries. As this path unfolded, she realized her deeper desires were to help people find appreciation and interconnectedness of human life and the natural world. She found this personal responsibility to be an example of what she desires to see in the world. She started with her basic cooking skills and elevated them significantly with practice, focusing on a whole food plant-based diet as she became aware of the impacts of animal agriculture. By thrifting her clothes and reducing the amount of plastic she uses, she began lowering her ecological footprint. Practicing yoga and meditation enlightened her life in a way she was not expecting.
She then found Ayurveda and felt deeply connected to the principles of living in harmony with the rhythms of nature. By bringing awareness to what she consumes physically and emotionally, this led her down a spiritual path that she previously had no desire to have, and found a connection to something much larger than herself. As she began sharing Ayurveda and plant-based nutrition with her own personal social media platforms, she received great support to further her path in the direction of educating and inspiring others to enjoy the individuality of Ayurveda’s approach to your own body's composition and its emphasis on the impact of seasons, environment and diet on your health.
Neena was drawn to Boston Ayurveda School after moving from Ohio in 2019 with her partner who landed a job in Boston. She thought moving closer to the ocean was a step in the right direction. She craved a like-minded community and found that there was a NAMA certified Ayurveda Health Counselor school right here in Boston. She joined the AHC cohort of Fall 2021 and plans to continue her Ayurvedic education onto the Practitioner level. Her passion for plant-based cooking and the healing properties of herbs is what fuels her to dive deeper into nature’s offerings and tie modern science with ancient wisdom to help others create a fulfilling life.
Neena spends her time soaking in the South Boston beaches, enjoying the bountiful landscapes of New England through camping and hiking, and spending time with her one-eyed tabby cat and 4ft ball python.