Today we’d like to introduce you to Hana Pepin.
Hana, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I used to be lost, working jobs I didn’t enjoy, always wanting to escape through drugs and alcohol, never content with who I was. My story is just another story, one that I hope will inspire people to live from the heart. About six years ago I was practicing yoga ritualistically. I found yoga to be a sanctuary where I could come back to myself over and over again. The practice became a place where, no matter what was happening in the world, I could always slow down, close my eyes and breath. I began taking care of my body, following my passions, facing my fears and stepping out of my comfort zone. I surrounded myself with people who genuinely cared about me and took up hobbies that supported me towards my goals and dreams.
Through Yoga, I learned about Meditation and the power of Mala Beads. Mala, translated as ‘Garland’ from Sanskrit is similar to a rosary. It is used by the Hindu and Buddhist monks to count prayers and to meditate. Initially, I just liked the colors of the many raw crystal and gemstone beaded necklaces, I had no real knowledge of the purpose they served, other than that every yoga teacher at my studio had one wrapped elegantly around her neck. Over time I grew to connect with the energy of the stones which served as daily reminders and intentions to stay grounded, peaceful and maintain awareness in all aspects of my life.
Myself and my partner at the time decided to hand make our own, tying individual knots between all 108 beads. We would pray, sing, chant and spend hours putting all the good energy and thoughts we could cultivate into these tiny creations. At first, we made some for our closest friends, we enjoyed getting to craft a piece of jewelry that they would each have uniquely customize for the blessings and love we wanted to honor them with. You know how most dogs look closely similar to their owners, that is how each Mala turned out and we would rejoice once gifting it to them.
We were never asked for money and to us, money didn’t seem to matter, we simply enjoyed making them, it was our art and craft. People in the community started to see what we were creating and wanted to support us by offering donations for their custom pieces. We made many Malas, each unique for the individual who asked for one. To this day I will see people around town who have gifted their Mala to others and it always warms my heart to see the love that was cultivated given back. I decided to continue making Mala for people who were looking to establish a deeper connection to them-self and to some form of a higher power. The love that goes into each piece is unconditional, just as I was once taught, to give the whole self over to Love.
Chanting Indian Sanskrit hymns (Mantras) became a daily ritual to move beyond any fear, pain, sadness, hate, anger and discontentment. When I sing or listen to a song all else seems to fall away and I witness the ever-unfolding perfection of the natural world. Similarly, with a Mala, one can sit in an upright position and move his finger across each bead to calm the mind while breathing slowly. Each piece incorporates different stones which serve as energetic, physical and emotional healing by the power of combined elements. Every Mala comes with a crystal description and therefore serves as a reminder for the wearer to maintain a connection to their highest heart.
Wisdom is within all of us and when we are open to listening, divine guidance and true knowledge are translated through that stillness of mind and body. Passionately inspired to share Mala making with others I began to offer workshops all around San Diego, in particular, Pacific Beach yoga studios. Here I was able to connect with larger groups of people to create, inspire and commune with. Over 20 workshops already in San Diego I have held offerings at studios, homes for baby showers, birthdays, Thanksgiving and more. I am forever grateful for this trade which has helped me connect with so many people while inspiring others to creatively approach life and to love their unique journey.
Finally, I develop a format based on each person’s astrological birth chart, where the planets were when they were born, by blending together Ayurvedic Astrology, Gemstone Therapy and other healing modalities. This allows the Mala to be customized even more specifically to an individual wants while also restoring and preserving their mind body and soul. In total I have made over 1,500 Mala beads, no two alike. Now I have expanded my jewelry business Enchanted Strands into more than Mala Beads. All kinds of healing gemstones are placed into bracelets, necklaces, rings and more which I hand make.
Through this craft, I hope you inspire others to live the life they have always wanted. Each piece I intend to be as a seed. “Each bead is a seed of love to the flower of infinite wisdom and oneness that exists within each of us. The string is the universal self, existing in everything! The beads are you and I, the unique expressions of the whole. Together we grow in the garden of eternal bliss.”
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Life is a process of learning. There have been many moments where I felt like I wanted to give up and didn’t, moments where I didn’t think that making jewelry would work, where I wanted to grow the business and didn’t know how. However, when you want something that supports you and the entire universe, I believe that many things being will conspire to help you.
We experience highs and lows no matter what field we are in, but it is how we react to those moments that make us who we are which can help us to grow and continue learning. Without the challenging times, the great ones wouldn’t be such a success.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I admire how so many people in this world are becoming conscious and aware that the decision they make greatly impact the people and the environment around them. Therefore, my integrity towards sharing these healing gemstones sits in knowing that I am not selling a product but rather creating an energy exchange.
All life is made up of similar combined elements and atoms, so when people buy my pieces I don’t necessarily perceive them buying just jewelry that can aid them with whatever it is they are looking for. I am sharing a message with them. I am inviting people to look deeper at their perception and belief system which hold the foundation of their life together. When we look at the pillars of our beliefs we can often times see that they are the very things holding us back from that which we wish to accomplish.
My most important message to others is that you have the power inside of you which gives the intention to the stones and objects you find sacred. The gemstones and jewelry themselves might carry specific energies yet it is you who puts the intention and meaning into it. It is you who holds the object as sacred and returns to the intention you set for it to remind you of. You have all the power in yourself, my pieces are just reminders.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up I was always playful, creative, fun and had little interest in introspection. I was drawn to more outdoor activities and never enjoyed school. I always found that no one could answer the questions I had and if so they made life even more confusing. I spend more time in social settings then I did studying and was always proud of myself as an athlete.
I had a whole different approach to life. With an attitude and little patience for understanding others, my sister would label me as “the mean girl” and I can see how there was much truth in that. I didn’t love myself and wasn’t taught how to so I spent a lot of time judging, gossiping, and being a basic teenager who pushed people away through entitlement. It wasn’t until I injured myself playing soccer did I realize that the labels and perspective I had of myself, the roles I played in my reality was just that, a role.
I became addicted to substances to help numb the feeling of not knowing who I was and very quickly began relationships with the wrong people and habits. Raves, parties, and getting high was my only interest, although nothing seemed to help me escape the reality I was living in. It wasn’t until I found yoga did life seem to become more manageable and I realized that the universe was here to support me. Little by little my self-loathing turned into self-loving and I started to perceive life through many different lenses.
I have grown a lot since then and enjoy getting high through meditation and breath-work. I’m sure if I look back on myself 50 years from now there will still be parts of me that shape and shift into different characters. The one thing that stays constant is my enthusiasm for understanding our true nature, why we are here and who we are and how we can be of service to this planet.
Pricing:
- Most pieces are custom made ranging from $25-$108
Contact Info:
- Address: 4629 Cass Street #343 San Diego, CA 92109
- Website: www.enchantedstrands.com
- Phone: 1(858)255-1061
- Email: omhanayoga@gmail.com
- Instagram: @enchantedstrands
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/enchantedstrandsmala
Image Credit:
Marvin Harris – @marvin_htn
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
