for the spiritual entrepreneur

learn more

welcome friends!

Tulā - Community, a 'business' lead by the heart, created for spiritual and creative entrepreneurs

this space is just as much as it is for you as it is for us

what we're doin':

That's me! Whitney
(I created Tulā with love + connection in mind)

podcasting

photography

makin' you smile

Why + how we do it

The Latest + greatest

Subscribe to our substack for more stories, photos, Shares, spiritual practice, personal reflections, + heart led business.

+ the inspiration to keep going in life.

New posts weekly

Substack

Tulā - Community Podcast

Latest episode

Aaliya Noorani

on Yogic practice + teaching the lineage

Learn more + listen!

Follow along

us + them

1 degree of separation

from everything

from you + I

from them + you

from the Light + dark

from the dna of fungi + ours

being to being

energy in + energy out
digesting, expending, discarding

—

What does it take to know you?

What does it take to know me?

What does it take to connect?

+ connect again
+ again
+ again

will I know You again? will you know me?

do you know yourself? Who is the Self?

with
without

before you know me, you better know self - Mac Miller

—

These photos were taken after receiving a contact sheet from David duChemin @davidduchemin on capturing mood.

I went out into the North Vancouver forest, I used my Nikon D5600, my 50mm lens, + sometimes my centre split diopter filter.

I kept the frame shallow for most with open aperture + focused on the light. Saw where I could pull it through + allow it to speak for Itself.

to allow the trees, the lichen, the bark, the soil,

to be the Us + for me to be the them.

1 degree of separation

no s e p a r a t (i) o n

for we are not separate from the fern spores, the water drops, the heat of the rays, the growth of the tree —

the lines of tree rings form, simultaneously as your crows feet form.

all being aged with lines, cycles, the way time tells itself. no words needed.

no words needed.

+ in the end it’s only round + round, + round.

whitney

Photos taken in North Vancouver + Langley

landing softly into my Self
sacred honouring

am I good enough for them?

replaced with

are they good enough for me?

do they like me? I want them to like me.

through learning becomes, I want me to like me

so,
do I like them?

an appreciation for who I am
Liking yourself, accepting yourself, finding security in yourself, confidence, + honouring your unique specialness doesn’t have to come from the ‘negative’ side of the ego.

That’s what they want you to believe. That’s what everything is banking on. That’s what anyone who shits on your shit thinks. That your pride deserves insult. Deserves knocking you down a notch. Let that be their healing.

Because they don’t love themselves. No one who truly loves themselves, + the magic of life, is ever going to put you down. They’re going to say ‘beautiful - that’s great. tell me more.’

What everything is banking on -

The system -
The products, the new life, the fitness, the skinny, the visual, the nice house, the new car, the cosmetic procedure

There’s a whole system hoping you don’t love yourself. That you need something, so you can feel something, so you can have something else, to get to something else, so you can show everyone that you have this thing, so that they accept you, + you get that other thing because now you gotta keep it up, to continue to live this life, with these people, who make you feel inadequate. + so it goes.

+ the whole way - inner battle + misery. Because in all of that, not a single moment of presence. Not a single moment of gratitude. Not a single moment of - wow. Wow. I’m so fortunate.

Remember,
There’s a whole system wanting you to continue investing in their product, into the reality they’re selling.

better yourself

of course

but for no other intention than the love you give to others,

coming right back to you.

Blessings,
Whitney

photos + double exposures by @lexabergen

I realized something special about winter

At this point, all of you have heard me complain about the cold + how all I want to do is escape it. Some laugh, some think I’m just being ridiculous, some understand quite well why I feel this way

I don’t feel this way about winter because of dramatic effect or to be ‘funny’ (a little though)

I feel this way because I have a pretty bad medical condition that goes hand in hand with my lupus. It’s something most to all of you have seen. I have something called Raynaud’s and this causes me to lose circulation in my fingers, toes, + sometimes my nose

During these colder months (+ really anything under 20 degrees, shade, the grocery store, door handles, steering wheel, having wet hands, a cold home, food from the fridge) my hands + toes are perpetually cold. Lately my toes have been cold + white at home, in bed under the blankets. I’m realizing that heated floors in any home I build is an absolute must. I’m realizing a car that’s reliable is a must. Being stranded on the side of the road is just not an option for me in the cold. It’s actually quite dangerous

Through my experience with this I realized that what I deal with I don’t think many can actually understand what it’s like or even relate to it. I realized that Raynaud’s was something that you have to have to really know how shitty it is

But what I’ve also realized is that there’s a ton about winter that I do actually love. It’s not just summer love over here. (It is though)

Here are some of those things:

The change of the light - the tone of the sky being different than in the summer
The mist on the mountains
The rainfall + being cozy at home
The warmth of a drink being beautiful
The crisp + fresh air
The way ice forms
The way we are meant to slow, the way nature provides a time of introspection
The way my photos look different
Sleeping more
Lighting candles
The hottest shower possible
Eating a nourishing + heavy meal
Witnessing the dormancy of plants + animals
The sunsets, leafless tree landscapes, + the winter moon

So much to embrace, to witness, to experience

I appreciate it, even if my body doesn’t.

Photos taken in North Vancouver + Langley

Hello to the wonderful beings here I call friends ✨

I’d like to give this a permanent spot on the feed

My work + connection with Artifact Uprising
@artifactuprising - a company that creates photo prints, photo books, + other picture related goodness!!!

My story to the connection of this company comes from the photo session I did with Sarah Sovereign in the summer. She sent me their information incase I wanted to create some prints from the session.

I ended up ordering prints of my own photos for the ones I sell in person at Hälsa + loved them.

I asked if I could partner with them + I got a yes!

Ways to support Tulā with this partnership:

If you’d like to create prints from the session we did or any of your fave photos in general please shop + checkout through the link in my bio. (Support for tulā only works if you shop through the link)

You will not receive a discount with just the link you need to use a code!

Any promotional code on their website works for a discount, + if they don’t have any offerings at the time of purchase you can use TULA15.

If you’d like to shop our Tulā shop I have photos in there to print. Connect anytime if you’ve seen any of my photos + want them in your home. Happy to sell you a digital download.

You can find most of these photos in the shop + if you purchase either copy of the black and white hands we gift half proceeds of these two photos to an organization in need.

Thank you for being here + keeping this special space going, I am so truly grateful for your kindness + seeking of my work.

Whitney

Blessed!

Hello friends!! 🎙✨

Welcome to another moment shared between me + a special person in our Yoga community of Vancouver.

About Aaliya:

Aaliya is a Vancouver based yoga instructor. Having studied in the birthplace of yoga, India - her classes integrate traditional foundations of the practice with a digestible approach to ancient teachings. It is the fusion of east and west that provides students with a whole and integrative experience.

With over a decade in the industry - you can expect a practice with Aaliya to weave traditional philosophy, mythology, mantra and classical teachings in a way that relates to our modern living. Aaliya hopes to offer a gateway of understanding and self-discovery to the universal human experience. It is with passion for the ‘yuj’ (union) of all parts of yoga practice that truly provides what she shares with her students.

connect with Aaliya:
@aaliyatamara

Connect with our latest sponsor:

Artifact Uprising, a company offering quality photo prints, photo books, + other ways to share + display photos that you love + care about.
@artifactuprising

To support us at Tulā please shop + check out through the link in our bio

Use any code at check out for savings, if there isn’t a promotion available on their website use code TULA15

Other gifts from our sponsors:

WHITNEY15 gifts you with 15% off of your purchase with @bhalfmoon_official

TULA15 with @eversiowellness 15% off fruiting body mushroom supplements, a company based in North Vancouver

TULA20 one time code you can use with @skwalwenbotanicals for 20% off your purchase *excludes ceremony products

Here anytime,
Whitney

the stars, our star, the moon

the ether

the air

the unknown

the unseen

the unheard

what do you witness?

what do we miss?

our lives become complicated when we’re attached too strongly to the negative, + to our human experience.

if we view the world for what it is - a spherical shape, among other spherical shapes

floating around, not aimlessly. But surely orchestrated by something. Or nothing.

What if there’s a set number of answers? Like ten. That answer all questions all stories all situations.

“What if there’s only one”
Steve Fazzari says to me.

with a star of our own, we named the sun

with a rock of our own, we named the moon

+ some planets have multiple moons, + maybe it just worked out perfectly, to some, that we received even one. One to reflect the gift of our sun, no matter day, or night.

We don’t know where we go after this -

I hear many upset with their old age, their lives, many telling me ‘don’t get old’ - I tell them ‘I hope to get old’ as I would feel robbed of my children, my grandchildren, your children, I would feel robbed of the moments I could have shared.

Some of them get more frustrated with me when I say that.
Some go “huh” + want to talk more.

I can’t judge where they are in their reality. Their understanding. I witness.

Robbed
of the wisdom I will have at 80

Robbed of seeing my skin wrinkled

Robbed of my long wizard grey hair + bitchin’ old lady fashion

Robbed of feeling the brisk air on my nose

Robbed of music, dancing, laughing, jokes, knowledge, photos taken, places seen, mornings honouring the Goddesses + Gods.

Robbed of the flowers, the grass, the tears of joy I experience over Yoga

Robbed of a really good nectarine

The tears of sadness over a broken heart

The tears of sadness while listening to a song that hits just right

Life is pleasure + life is pain
Want to know what matters/ed most? Look where the pain is.

When I connect with the simplicity of life, my life becomes simple.
When I honour the human experience
The spiritual experience

air in, air out
breath
sun
ferns
birds
sound
love
the food God gave us
happiness
experiences

do not be be so afraid of death
that you never live

The seeds of today plant the flowers of tomorrow

It seems we’re lost in a world of INSTANT gratification

rushing to situations, rushing into relationships, rushing connection

Wanting to have it all, now.

Remember that good things take time + I want to remind you that in your work, it’s going to take a while for everything to come together

+ that’s okay.

I share ideas with people year round, I have established things 10 years ago that are proving worthwhile today.

I have experienced loss that is proving why we have loss now

What I ate yesterday decides today. If I moved my body yesterday decides today.

Relationships formed make me who I am now

Those who I have shared moments with make me who I am now

You are the company you keep.

The tiny seed of an idea has brought me to where I am now. The writing down of tulā - community in notebooks 7 years ago brought me here.

—

the flowers bloom, the trees grow, the fetus starts moving

The flowers seed + die, the trees shed leaves, the fetus leaves the womb for a life of their own

The peonies stay put, tubers planted, in their spot, until their next time to shine
The sunflower can travel, by wind, by bird. The sunflower can travel effortlessly.
The peony needs our hands to change environment. The peony needs a decision from human
(most of the time)

The sunflower needs a decision from universe.

Does your life travel by the hands of others or by the universe? Who’s pulling your puppet strings? Do you trust? Do you allow others to dictate your moves?

the sun rises, the sun sets, the moon tries to meet the sun + thanks it for illuminating her. She has nothing to give back to the sun but her love + devotion.

Precious flower needs the sun to sprout. For once it was so small + it took the V I L L A G E of nature to grow.

It takes a village.
It takes a village.

Ascension does not happen without foundation.

It takes incubation
decomposition
It takes nutrients
It takes the full cycle for nature

It takes the full cycle for you. For you are part of this natural system, as well.

Love,
Whitney + the stars

one thing you can guarantee about @alyrahudsonwellness + I spending time together is that we’re going to play

we’re going to experiment

+ I will likely ask her to run away from the camera up to ten times + she will willingly do it to get the ‘one’.

It’s a free flowing creative process and neither of us are stuck on any expectations of the results. We just see what’s going to happen.

—

not much to share here

just want to tell you that it’s all going to be okay + that love is on your side

sending prayer + kindness your way, always
Whitney

A big ol thank you for your support

I appreciate all of you, this year, the years that have passed, + for the ones we haven’t lived yet. Your trust in my work, sharing vulnerabilities with me, to sit in conversation on the podcast, + for allowing us to be in a space of co-creation together

47 photo sessions
40+ videos created
12 podcasts recorded
100+ deep chats
+ infinite laughs

Thank you @awayofbeing_ for the years of wisdom + love we’ve shared together
Thank you @tomomiokada_ for everything - I love you
Thank you @lolartcruthu for your artistic visions
Thank you @carolynannebudgie for giving me opportunity + trusting me
Thank you @gabyalanes for a 2nd summer sesh
Thank you @nectaryoga - Wow. What an incredible relationship. You’ve given me so much.
Thank you @gillian.annh for being supportive of Tulā
Massive thank you to @halsaspa you gave me life this year - I couldn’t have grown into who I am without you, all the people involved, + for your massive support. I am so lucky to be part of this special place
Thank you @alyrahudsonwellness for your continued support - so many photo sessions between us now. Thank you for all you’ve gifted me with
Thank you @amandabarcellosyoga for all of your help this year, coming to Bowen to help us, you are the sweetest
Thank you + what’s up to @annasheamaru I’m honoured that you appreciate my work
Massive thank you to @hunterbergen our backbone!!! How special to work together. Thank you for being so much smarter than me in so many ways. You balance this space

Thank you @kandra.alaya for trusting me with your first podcast episode
Thank you @adachikendra for your tenacity
Thank you @sarahsovereign for the moments we spent + your kindness
Thank you @aaliyatamara for sitting with me + sharing your journey
Thank you @bymallorylupick for giving us a window into your life + for your help with the small biz meeting
Thank you @honest_farms for hosting me + allowing me to help!

Thank you’s to:
@grounded_path_yoga_n_wellness
@humanhieroglyphics
@casacopalyoga
@_saminthecity
@kategillespie
@lotusdayspalangley
@sacredlysomatic
@daniellecampani__
@yellowpetalphoto
@audrakaya
@restoretorest

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By Whitney Tfankedjian

for the spiritual entrepreneur

learn more

welcome friends!

Tulā - Community, a 'business' lead by the heart, created for spiritual and creative entrepreneurs this space is just as much as it is for you as it is for us

what we're doin':

That's me! Whitney (I created Tulā with love + connection in mind)

podcasting photography

makin' you smile

The Latest + greatest

Subscribe to our substack for more stories, photos, Shares, spiritual practice, personal reflections, + heart led business. + the inspiration to keep going in life.

New posts weekly

Tulā - Community Podcast

Latest episode

​

Aaliya Noorani

on Yogic practice + teaching the lineage

Follow along

​

Tulā - Community, a 'business' lead by the heart, created for spiritual and creative entrepreneurs

this space is just as much as it is for you as it is for us

That's me! Whitney
(I created Tulā with love + connection in mind)

podcasting

photography

Subscribe to our substack for more stories, photos, Shares, spiritual practice, personal reflections, + heart led business.

+ the inspiration to keep going in life.