Our Founders

 
More Than Two Decades of Building Ayurveda in Canada

Samya’s roots began in 2002 at the Salt Spring Spa Resort, a family-owned destination spa on Salt Spring Island. At a time when Ayurvedic therapies were still largely unknown in Canada, Shaughn introduced Abhyanga to the spa and began exploring how authentic Ayurveda could find its place in a North American wellness setting. This became the first Ayurvedic spa resort in Canada.

It was never just about adding treatments to a menu. From the beginning, the goal was to offer Ayurveda with integrity—respecting its depth and principles while making it accessible and safe for Canadian guests. That meant years of careful development: continuing education, training therapists, refining treatment sequences, selecting appropriate oils, manufacturing products and adapting traditional practices to local expectations and professional boundaries.

Two Paths Converge

Shaughn completed most of his early Ayurvedic practitioner education in North America, followed by extended study and clinical internships in India. His early work focused on translating therapies used in Ayurvedic clinics and hospitals into responsible sequences suited to Canadian spa and wellness settings.

Radhika brought clinical training and hands-on experience from the traditional practice of Panchakarma and Ayurvedic therapies in India. In 2006, Samya Ayurveda and the Salt Spring Spa Resort sponsored her to join the team on the island.

That year marked the beginning of an important period of shared learning and development. From 2006 to 2009, Radhika and Shaughn completed an extended clinical internship together under the guidance of Dr. Dharmesh Kubendiran (BAMS, PhD) at the Samya Ayurveda Clinic & Spa within the resort.

Their work with Dr. Dharmesh connected Ayurvedic clinical knowledge with the realities of offering Ayurveda in Canada. Together, they refined treatment sequences, adapted traditional herbal oil and paste therapies, developed practical protocols, and explored how Ayurvedic treatments could be delivered responsibly within a professional spa environment.

This work extended beyond the treatment room. In 2006, they also launched the Samya Ayurveda product line, developed collaboratively by Radhika, Shaughn, and Dr. Dharmesh. The collection included Ayurvedic teas, a complete facial-care line, herbal body oils, and other wellness and beauty preparations designed for use both within treatments and at home.

At the same time, they were training the resort’s bodyworkers, spa professionals and residential students through Samya Therapies’ new Ayurvedic spa and massage Certification programs.

Other North American Ayurvedic massage, beauty training and most Ayurvedic Practitioner programs did not provide the depth of Ayurvedic and anatomical theory and practical exposure needed to understand individualized oil selection, treatment techniques and sequencing, contraindications, or the purpose of the therapies. Their challenge was to teach that theory alongside the practical skills required to deliver treatments consistently and responsibly.
This period established the foundations of Samya Ayurveda: individualized treatments, practitioner education, herbal products, beauty care, and the careful adaptation of clinical Ayurveda to a Canadian setting.  

From Colleagues to Life Partners

By 2009, their professional partnership had become a personal one. They married in 2012, bringing the work they had built together into their shared family life.

Radhika’s strengths in practical treatment delivery, herbal and beauty care, and client experience complemented Shaughn’s focus on clinical reasoning, product and curriculum development, documentation, and responsible adaptation of traditional knowledge. Their complementary skills and constant collaboration became the foundation of Samya’s growth and direction.

In 2013 Shaughn and Radhika were registered with the Association of Ayurvedic Practitioners of North America as Registered Ayurvedic Clinicians after a thorough educational review. This title was considered equivalent to Ayurvedic Doctor registration without the use of the restricted term. The title has since been updated by the Association to Registered Advanced Ayurvedic Practitioner.

In 2014 Samya Ayurveda Inc. was incorporated. Later that year, Salt Spring Spa Resort was sold, marking the end of Samya’s first chapter. Around the same time, Radhika and Shaughn spent an extended period in India pursuing further study and professional development before returning to Salt Spring Island and soon after, welcomed their first child.

An Independent Chapter

In 2015, they opened an independent Samya Ayurveda Clinic & Spa near downtown Ganges. The smaller, more intimate location combined a three-room spa with a bed-and-breakfast and the Samya Yoga Studio. This new setting allowed them to continue offering treatments, consultations, education, residential retreats and yoga while raising their young family. It also gave Samya its first fully independent home, separate from the resort where the work had begun. The work continued successfully for years at this location.

A New Home in Victoria

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a period of challenge, transition and reflection. During this time, the couple welcomed their second child while Samya’s work shifted toward product manufacturing, online sales, consultations and the development of online Ayurveda educational programs.

As the world reopened, Radhika and Shaughn decided to bring Samya to a larger community. After years of searching for the right location, followed by months of renovation and Vastu design in the new space, Samya Spa opened in downtown Victoria in October 2024.

The location has changed from the Salt Spring roots, but the heart remains the same: a professional spa experience grounded in authentic Ayurvedic principles. The Victoria location brings together the two sides of Samya that have always existed—accessible beauty, bodywork, and relaxation alongside individualized Ayurvedic care.

Building a Profession

The question that started in 2002—how do we properly train people to offer Ayurveda services?—never disappeared. Over time, it developed into larger questions about educational standards, professional titles, ethical practice, public accountability, and the responsible practice of Ayurveda within the Canadian professional and legal context.

In 2025, this long-standing commitment took on a new form. Radhika and Shaughn helped establish the Ayurveda Association of British Columbia and the Ayurveda College of British Columbia. Both organizations grew directly from challenges they had encountered throughout more than two decades of practice and education.

These represent the province’s first professional Ayurveda Association with clear standards and verified competency requirements for members, advisors and directors as well as Canada’s first complete tiered educational pathway for students to learn from fundamental Ayurveda principles to advanced Ayurveda practices and manual therapies, all offered by instructors with verified educational accreditation and instructional authority.   

The Story Continues

What started with a single Ayurvedic treatment at a family resort has grown into a thriving practice and a growing professional community. Through moves, marriage, children, and changing landscapes, the mission has remained steady:

To make Ayurveda accessible without making it superficial.

To adapt it thoughtfully without disconnecting it from its roots.

To ensure that those offering it are properly trained, responsible, and grounded in its principles.

Today, Radhika and Shaughn continue this work together through Samya Spa, the Ayurveda College of British Columbia, and the Ayurveda Association of British Columbia.