Bio
The directors spiral path of awakening:
And in the winter, a fire was born. She survived San Marino with her passion for rock music, animals, sprinting for the varsity track team and riding her horse, Razz. Dr. DevaLisa followed her father’s alma mater and pursued a 13 year commitment to the University of Southern California (USC) earning a double B.S. in Psychology and Critical Gender Studies, a M.S. and a Ph.D.in existential-humanistic, intersubjective and depth psychologies. Her groundbreaking qualitative doctoral dissertation (Qualitative Reconstruction of the Adolescent Self and the Meanings and Self-Object Functions of Rock Music: Eight Case Studies) was theoretical, phenomenological and re-defined rock music subgenres as well as the meanings and functions of solitary rock music engagement for each adolescent’s sense of self.
From 9 years, she worked; as a registered intern, then another 9 years as a licensed psychologist providing outpatient psychoanalytic psychotherapy for Advanced Behavioral Medical Group and their sister company, Life Fitness Center in Glendale with supervisor, Dr Daniel Asimus, MD. At ABMG/LFC, Dr. Lisa specialized in work with individuals struggling with eating “disorders”, addictions, chronic and acute psychosis, borderline and narcissistic personality, multiple personality, PTSD, OCD, anxiety and Bi-polar“disorders”. She developed and co-directed with Dr. Asimus MD, an inpatient cocaine treatment center for adolescents and their parents at Mountain View Lodge Hospital. She worked with some of her at Glendale Memorial, Edgemont and Charter Oak hospitals.
She slowly transitioned into private practice (1993-2000) serving Silverlake, Los Feliz, Hollywood, Glendale and Burbank. She carved out a niche for herself working with musicians and the entertainment industry, recovering physicians, Middle Eastern women and their families, troubled teens and children.She studied with intersubjectivist, Dr. Robert Stolorow, Ph.D. (Founding Faculty Member and Training and Supervising Analyst at the Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis (ICP), Los Angeles; Founding Faculty Member at the Institute for the Psychoanalytic Study of Subjectivity, New York City; and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine ) in his peer supervision group for two and a half years. She also received supervision from Dr. Monahor Shinde, MD (Eating Disorder Institute), from India.
She was inspired by her rock dissertation and a wave of female bands. Along with financial assistance and support from Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love, executive rock producer Tina Silvey Co, and drummer Kyle C Kyle, Dr. Lisa embarked on a seven year journey, directing writing and produced award winning documentary film, Not Bad for a Girl (1995). She toured internationally and spoke at over 70 universities, art houses, museums, psychological conferences and radio/TV stations about madness and creativity, music, sexuality, gender performance and deconstruction. A member of the International Documentary Association (IDA), she offered psychological consulting/acting coaching to Renee Humphrey, Alicia Witt, and Leslie Hope in Rafael Zelinskys Sundance Festival winner and psychological thriller film, “Fun”. She co-produced Stories about Breast Cancer with performance artist Sheila Moorland and planted 1300 upper torso mastectomy casts on posts on the lawn of the Griffith Park grass symbolizing breast cancer gravestone casualties staged during National Breast Cancer Awareness week. She raised $26k for breast cancer research co-producing an auction of famous undergarments at the Playboy Club.
After a frantic pace as psychologist-by-day and a film maker and thereafter international public speaker-by-night, she shelved Not Bad for a Girl, for 12 years. (Twelve years later, she re-digitized her film and put Not Bad for a Girl onto DVD as a feature, along with 99 chapters so you can view the film by artist/band as well as the final cut version. You can finally find and buy Not Bad for a Girl vol 1 and buy for university gender classes, rent it or own a personal copy!!! When she has time, she works on a volume 2 book of the many of the other all female bands that could not fit into vol 1).
Seeking balance, light and spiritual inspiration, she created a vision quest to Montana, navigated by her red tail hawk allies. Inspired by Lynn Andrews novels, she consulted with medicine woman Lynn Crow as well as counsel with Brook Medicine Eagle. Upon her return, she joined a Taoist improvisational healing meditation group and worked with a Chinese acupuncturist in Santa Monica. Convinced by her body’s messages and her counsel that she needed to create balance, she creating her first phoenix fyre. She walked away from all that she was in L.A., shelved her film and phased out her thriving private practice. In 1997, she relocated from Silverlake to San Diego.
In San Diego, she planted a healing garden and cultivated breathing and stillness. She founded Sacred Sanctuary. Occasionally, she gave health interviews about chronic fatigue, herbs and rediscovering stillness and vipassana. She expanded her education to Holistic Health and Expressive Arts therapy at the Expressive Arts Institute, University of California, San Diego’s Expressive Arts program, and the Natural Healing Institute; studying spa, massage, energy medicine and acupuncture. She studied a variety of dance forms and worked with a variety of teachers including Odissi: Guru Yudhisthir Nayak, Butoh: Charlene Penner & Diego Pinon, Flamenco: Adrianna de Cillo, belly dance: Elle, Heather Stance, Urban Tribal Dance Co, and Naga Yoga and Qi Gong with Guru Rakizitina and the BonaDea collection. Much of her work was inspired and encouraged by shaman and medicine women. She began offering moving meditation ceremonies and shamanic healing rituals presented at clubs & private events including: Montage, The Mayan, Bliss, Fetish, Stimulus II, Club Utopia ( Las Vegas) and the El Rey Theatre. She performed in private groups and selective full moon lodges, sweat lodges and intentional communities. She presented with Technomania Circus, Circanalia & Kyrad’s LA Underground Circus, Moontribe and Mystic Family Circus. She choreographed shamanic rituals and worked with various talent, including dance choreographer Brian Frette, for her Tantra Theatre and Dance Co at Burning Man (1999-current). She facilitated these rituals with Anahata, VisnuPria, Stardust, BlueGirl, Adrienne, Fantuzzi, Karl Fyre God, MJ and Hamsa Lila, Vickie Morgan, Elissa Kisselburg at Sacred Sanctuary (SD, NYC) (2006), Love Temple (2001-2002), Francoises (2002), M. Samko’s Ph.D. parties (2000-2005), Divine Ranch (2003-2004), Shangri-La (2001-2), Sedona Temple (2004), Earthdance (2004-5), SD’s annual 11/11 celebrations (2001-2003), Burning Man (1999-2004) and clubs from LA to Miami Beach (1999-2008).
In 2000, Dr. Lisa opened to the public Sacred Sanctuary to those who shared the vision of cultivating conscious awakenings; hosted classes, seminars and workshops on nutrition and conscious eating, sound healing, permaculture/conservation, world dance and drumming, meditation, mindfulness satsung, karma, purification, liberation from the tyranny of our egos, energy medicine, yoga, enlightened sexuality and shamanism by Dr. Lisa and guests. Dr Lisa has been a guest speaker on radio and TV regarding health, mindfulness, compassion and creativity.
Christiaan Sun joined Dr. Lisa and the two studied with the Boutenkos, Gabriel Cousens, M.D., Daivd Wolfe and many raw food chefs as well as holistic health and nutrition consultants such as Aajonus Vonderplanitz and Jameth and Kim Sheridan and Ayurvedic and Buddhist yogis on the use of diets and raw foods for cleansing, healing and awakening. From 2000-2003, the two offered health talks and raw food preparation classes and cleansing retreats at Sacred Sanctuary for those suffering with hepatitis, HIV, cancer, food and drug addiction and assisting clients to overcome obstacles to conscious eating and living. Dr. Lisa has continued this tradition and blends conscious eating and raw food with all programs and still recruits nutrition interns.
Dr. Lisa/Sacred Sanctuary has hosted Tibetan Buddhist monks on pilgrimage and raised monies for an orphanage in Tibet and a Monastery in India. This included Dawa, who was introduced to Dr Lisa by Jim Applington. Dawa and his wife nourish Tibetan children orphaned by the ongoing Chinese invasions and devastations to Tibetans. Many monks and rimpaches from the Gaden Shartse Monastery, have stayed at Sacred Sanctuary, blessed her home, facilitated purification rituals, offered prayers, sand mandalas, butter sculptures and helped many who suffering. The monks hosted various debates and studies with re-named Dr. Lisa and her guests and renamed and commemorated her as DeviLisa.
In 2002, with her heart chakra wide open, Dr. Lisa accepted an offer to work in the California State Prisons as a contract psychologist. It was here, in prison, that she earned a second “street Ph.D” in criminology at prison. She defines prisons as higher institutions of fear, violence, sociopathy and predatorial relationships. Already in alignment with the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, Dr. Lisa interviewed with ex-convict, John Sherman, who became self realized after meeting Gangaji in federal prison. Dr. Lisa conferred with the progressive staff at San Quentin Prison and created Satsung in the Hole at both RJ Donovan State Prison in the hole and New Folsom State Prison’s SHU. For many years, Dr. Lisa studied prisons. She became an advocate for disenfranchised prisoners, political campaign writing, prisoners going before parole boards and advocacy for prisoners abused by the system. She was extremely successful with litigation for institutionalized prisoners with SHU syndrome and successfully sued and challenged misguided wardens and misguided correctional officers who had lost their way and practicing prisoner abuse. Confronted with corruption at high levels and ultimatums, Dr Lisa no longer wanted to work under the guise of a lisence and discarded it so she could courageously liberate herself and whole heartedly fight prison corruption/extortion without the shackles that prevented her from being a true advocate. In (2004) She made the choice to minister and coach prisoners headed to Pelican Bay and to segue-way from gang scripts to alternate lifestyles.
Amazing miracles were witnessed; such as prisoner Len, who had previously aspired to live and die in prison, as a soldier/Aztecan warrior. When Len met Dr DeviLisa, he began to deconstruct. Over time, Len began removing his gang tattoos and slowly became acquainted with new possibilities as Zen Len. Zen Len trusted Dr Lisa and her vision for Len to offer gang awareness to at-risk Hispanic youths and he did so with the TFK foundation and at juvenile hall. It was through her allegiance to Sureno Len that Dr Lisa learned the high arts of detachment and releasing her own prisons. She has been assembling a massive memoir of her odyssey midwifing prisoners, parolees and ultimately herself. By fathoming criminology, she has been able to recognize humanity’s primitive predatorial relationships and help facilitate spiritual liberation. She is assembling her notes, letters, and correspondence and experiences over 12 years and share this story and it’s many consequences.
From 1999 onward, she studied and offered Tantric yoga puja, dance, meditation, energy medicine and sexual healing and ascension with inspiration from partner, Robert Frye. She worked with and had training with Tantric facilitators Bodhi Avinasha, Mantak Chia, Kamalla Allen, Ph.D., Tantric yogi guide Rakizitina and many yogic guides. Most importantly, she engaged in a phenomenological study of prana and created a methodology and shamanic path.
In 2003-4, she called in Visionary Midwives and produced Women’s Weaves (WOMBN) and Spiral Awakening and The Spiral Arts Institute. In 2004, she spread her vision to NYC and the east coast. For the next 12 years facilitated Enlightened Sexuality and pranic sessions (energetic workshops). Her interest in sexuality was to reclaim women’s sovereign rights and by doing so, discover its inherent spiritual and energetic power and channel this power into evolution and higher states of consciousness. She was also more interested in white tantra, sensual energy and sensual IQ; as opposed to sex. She returned to San Diego and launched Enlightened Sexuality Survey for womyn (2008) and the Yoniverse Summit to raise awareness and funds and support alternatives to female genital mutilation (FGM) in Africa and the Middle East. She communicated with Rugiatu (AIM) in West Africa andDr. Nancy Peddle raising money and documenting the evolution taking place to eradicate the secret societies in Sierra Leone, Gana and Mali, etc. Her teen Enlightened Sexuality education program and abroad kicked off in 2008 and she presented at AASECT’s national conferences on the subject 2009, 2010 and 2011. She presented WOMBN at SSSS (Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, 2014). In 2014 she finished editing her first draft off film, Enlightened Sexuality. Dr Devi Lisa studies, teaches and celebrates the pursuit of her own brand of white tantric sensual intelligence and spirituality. Dr. Lisa has been on the board of directors of the Association of Holistic Health.
Dr. Lisa has dedicated years rescuing and rehabilitating pit bulls (her stars: Passion, Rosie, Otis/Odabear, Carmen and Oliver). She uses pit bulls for her dog bite prevention program in elementary schools (1997-2004), after-school programs and elder care facilities. Otis and Jenny (her Rhodesian Ridgeback) have been awarded by the US Humane Society for their dedication to children and elders. Odabear has been covered by local news. Odabear handed the torch to Oliver and Greta who work with PTSD clients, autistic children and physically impairments adults.
Dr DeviLisa has been devoted to consciously housing and maintaining a large exotic collection of serpent guides. This began from a vision in Montana under the guidance of medicine woman Lyn Crow and many medicine women to follow. It culminated in the refinement of a spiritual practice she refers to as Snake Medicine as a way to rediscover pranic power for healing and awakening presence. Dr DeviLisa revived ancient rituals women for healing for centuries. She offers Snake Medicine, in various formats, to all ages from elementary schools, churches, yoga and qi gong classes, shamanic rituals and intentional gatherings. She has been covered by radio show, Animal Talks, Alan Swayer’s documentary film “Meditation: East Meets West 2006)” and was invited on the Jon Stewart Daily show following “Snakes on a Plane” ( 2006), to dispel fears and discuss snakes what snakes really like to do. She was interviewed and filmed by ” href=”http://spiralawakening.com/national-geographic-features-snakes-henry-rollins-and/” target=”_blank”>National Geographic for a show hosted by Henry Rollins, “Snakes Underground” (2010) Her classes have been covered by the Orange County Register (2012) facilitating Naga Yoga Snake Whisperer classes. She was inspired when reading a published book of her Italian cousin, Ana Vitta (Italian actress, sculptor, artist, jewelry designer) whose work also celebrated ancient women mysteries in connection to the serpent. Dr Lisa participates in reptile conventions, snake shows, fairs and other events sharing the arts of Snake Medicine as a Snake Whisperer.
Today both in NYC and San Diego, she is a shamanic educator and guide, and coach of quantum spiral awakenings pathways. She works with breath, mana/prana/qi, awareness, presence, the elements and animal medicine. She is moving into writing, teaching and retiring!
A lifelong devotee to the ocean, marine life, waves and body surfing since childhood and inspired by the wave break at 56th street; her summer home (Newport Beach), she is currently an avid bodysurfer and swims with the Del Mar Bodysurfing Club, and you may find her in San Diego, Mexico, Hawaii, Brazil, Austrailia or Costa Rica. She recently placed second in the World Bodysurfing Championship in Oceanside (Aug/2014) and fourth (Aug 2015). She loves ocean swimming, kayaking, boating, scuba diving and snorkeling . Dr. Lisa offers Goddess Wave ® clothing, energy dance meditations and art, qi rituals at sunset cliffs and del mar cliffs, bodysurfing sessions/retreats.
If you are inspired and want to sit still, gaze, laugh, cry, rejoice, harmonize, heal, awaken, dance, surf, swim, evoke or co-create with her, contact her!
SpiralAwakening at gmail dot com
Always looking forward to the possibilities~ xo
