Thea M. Goepfert, PhD is the founder of Sumanas Retreat. As a cell biologist, she studied cell division and the mechanisms of early tumorigenesis for more than ten years at the renowned Texas Medical Center in Houston, TX. As a faculty at Baylor College of Medicine she supervised cancer research in the laboratory, published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and presented internationally.
With her scientific background, augmented by her experience in movement therapy, art therapy, dietary health, deep relaxation techniques and multifaceted aspects of self-healing, Thea has become acutely aware of the needs of people diagnosed with cancer.
In 2009, she moved to Santa Barbara, California where she has been exploring her artistic potential, working and training as an artist in ceramics, drawing, painting, woodwork and sculpting at Santa Barbara City College. She has since become an accomplished artist, as seen by one of her sculptures being presented at the fall, 2011 Santa Barbara Sculptor Guild art show.
Her esoteric training is with a Himalayan Yogi in meditation and yoga. She is applying ayurvedic principles of wellness and well-being in all parts of her life. Inspired by these traditions, she takes joy in passing on her knowledge and expertise in promotion of health and well-being. Recently, she has been trained in Sound Healing (Peter Hess Institut) as a Sound Practitioner. Her interest in indiginous herbal medicine, and Shamanic Healing led her to Ecuador where she was trained by indigenous healerers.
Nancy Chargualaf Martin
A William T. Colville Foundation grant recipient, her artwork and photographs of urban landscapes have appeared in solo exhibitions in Santa Barbara, California, where she was born and lives, and in San Miguel de Allende, México. Her biological family is from Guåhan, México, and España. She was raised by a Chumash step-father, within a part-Chumash family, and continues the work of her Chamorro ancestors.
“Over a decade ago I made the difficult and courageous decision to leave a successful career in business management to explore my artistic talent and more deeply investigate my spirituality. I have lived happily with less and through this have learned to appreciate more.”
Nina (Florence) Cooley, recently retired and widowed, lived in Texas and Colorado before moving to California with her husband. Desperate for answers to Life's mysteries following the violent death of her teenaged daughter, she began recording dreams,
studying religion, myth, folklore and symbol, and became a psychotherapist using dreamwork where appropriate.
She is a writer and an artist, using a variety of media, and leads a contemplative life, aware of the difficulties and hopeful possibilities for Planet Earth.
Her book "Dream Path" Search for Meaning, Search for Truth was recently published.
Pedro Paez Navarro, Sculptor.
He is taking a leading role in instructing the visual arts. He is an accomplished stone carver and award-winning artist. His creations and designs include modern, classical and baroque pieces.
Growing up in Mexico, he was taught by his father; later he collaborated on projects with sculptor Ramon Viallalobos Tijelino in Jalisco, Mexico, restoring the courthouse in Guadalajara and several churches.
In recent years, his sculptures have been exhibited in Paso Robles, San Louis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria. He was awarded the first prize at the 2012 SBSG spring exhibition, and the second prize at the fall 2012 show at the Community Art Center in Carpinteria.
For many years, he has been a volunteer for different nonprofit organizations.
At Sumanas Retreat he is involved in the planning, (green) building, landscaping, and maintaining of the site.
Rudy Lozano comes from a family of healers in Mexico. He grew up observing his mother as she treated and healed people.
His training is in advanced pranic healing, and pranic psychotherapy by Master Stephen Co, a direct disciple of Grand Master Choa Kok Sui, the founder of modern pranic healing. Stephen Co is the author of Your Hands can Heal You.
In addition, Rudy is a board-certified naturopathic doctor and a “Professional in Good Standing” of the American Naturopathic Medical Association (ANMA). In his practice he focuses on pranic healing, energy work, nutrition, psychotherapy, personal growth, family wellness and transformation.
Jagdish C Maheshri, PhD Vedic Astrologer
He is a chemical engineer who has been pursuing his interest in astrology in general, and Vedic astrology in particular since 1966. He has analyzed and interpreted more than 12,000 horoscopes and has been researching astrology as a science for nearly thirty five years. He has discovered a method by which he can accurately time a prediction, the unique Ninefold Progression technique, which can be applied to both the natal and progressive horoscope charts of an individual. He has explained the technique and its application in detail in his book,"It’s all in Timing”.
As a professional astrologer with over 35 years of practice, he has convincingly explained the nature of rapid evolutionary human growth, especially in the area of technical fields during the last couple of centuries through the influence of planetary motions on our collective human conscious (www.astroinsight.com).
Over the past ten years, he has been correlating astrological data of people affected by cancer. Research results might indicate the possibility and to some extent probability of a person having to cope with cancer in his life time. The main focus of this work is to assist (provide a second opinion) on the following: 1) Possibility and likelihood of getting ill based on the natal chart with a reasonable degree of certainty. 2) Prevention and/ or early detection of cancer based on the natal chart. 3) Cancer diagnosis based on the natal/progressive chart with favorable periods of successful therapy either by allopathic treatments or by using integrative medicine. 4) And finally, the level of karmic involvement based on the planetary configuration of the natal chart.
Presently Dr. Maheshri is the Research Director of NCGR (National Council for Geocosmic Research). He appears at National and International Conferences presenting on research and his most recent model of predicting earth quakes. His current research interests include natural and man-made calamities, political global events, world economical expansion, and spiritual human evolution. He teaches Vedic astrology, conducts workshops, appears on radio shows, and hosts the website www.astroinsight.com. His recent article is on the importance of the Wishonttari Dasha in Vedic Chart Predictions (Geocosmic Journal, Winter-Spring 2015, p 69 - 75).
David Courtenay was first introduced to Yoga while studying theatre at UCSB, where his voice teacher implemented asanas as part of his vocal training to demonstrate conscious relaxation of the body. This experience made him aware of the potential of asanas to empower the voice, calm the mind, and free the body of tension, and David has been practicing ever since.
David's music performance career took him to Chicago in 2008, where he continued to study yoga under Quinn Kearney, Tom Quinn, and Geri Bleier of Yogaview, and completed their 200-hour teacher training program. He went on to teach yoga at fitness centers throughout the Chicago area and began a massage therapy practice as an LMT.
Combining his love of yoga with travel, David has organized and led three yoga retreats to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. He moved back to Santa Barbara in spring, 2012, and is very happy to be teaching yoga in his beloved hometown.
Eduardo-Ed- Bell is an aspiring natural builder and designer.
He embraces sustainable living and growth, and practices “conscious business”, which aims to ensure a healthy quality of life and environment by safeguarding air, water and earth. The integration of sustainable growth and “green building” is reflected in the design and construction of Sumanas Retreat; a healthy and environmentally friendly atmosphere is created by minimizing the use of energy and water.
His esoteric training is in Himalayan meditation and TaiChi. He has a passion for nature, hiking in the foothills and mountains, surfing and music, and loves sharing that interest with everyone.
