Healing through Hardship: A Self Evolution Autobiography of Discovering my Dharma.

Turning my gifts, strengths and struggles into soul-aligned purpose and evolving through hardship was my Quest to Dharmic Blissfulness!

Solace through Spirituality and Music

In 1962 I incarnated into this life as Debra Lynne Lake, nicknamed Debbi and then called “Deb” once I became a local 'kid' rock star in my thirties. I grew up in the mountains of Vermont where the woods and meadows were my playground, horses and dogs my passion, and music my expression.

As a young child, I endured scary and explosive mood swings from my alcoholic and manic-depressive mother, and was the only girl in a badass tribe of brothers who thought I was their football to kick around... Who found it entertaining to send their little sister careening like a torpedo on her sled down a steep, wooded mountain slide they'd slicked with water to freeze into a dangerous slippery slope. Brothers who tossed me on the back of their roaring snowmobiles, and hydroplaned across snowy pastures – aiming toward a narrow opening in the vicious barbed-wire fencing. When all I wanted was to gently play with Barbie dolls and stuffed animals.

I take after my beloved father – the kindest, most loyal and hardworking man of all time. He taught me my first three chords on the guitar, and we shared the same passion for singing and playing music.

I was always intrigued by spirituality, philosophy and how life evolves, which began with writing to missionary pen pals as an adolescent and being crowned Queen at my Summer vacation Bible camp. As a teenager, I led friends through guided meditations. Later, as a wilderness camp counselor, I soothed young campers with that same practice.

My innate nurturing nature was evident early in life when “Henry,” a surprise colt, was born of the family horse. When he became a rambunctious little stallion that nobody wanted to take care of, I stepped into my nature of care-taking with unconditional love; and he became my first nurturing care project when I was only six years old. I took riding lessons, and by age eleven began working summers at a stable in exchange for free jumping and dressage lessons. Through love and devotion, I trained and transformed two other forgotten pasture rescue horses into trophy-winning, show-jumping dressage horses; at age 16 made money teaching riding lessons to neighborhood kids; and the following summer became a camp horse-jumping riding instructor.

Meanwhile, my mother was treated for her manic depression disorder and became my prize horse show support MOM, embraced by all my horse-show friends.

After my first heartbreak in my early twenties, I polished my writing skills and landed my first newspaper job writing new business announcements for a weekly advertising paper. My brilliant, witty, and quirky best-friend-mother helped me turn these otherwise mundane articles into hilarious stories, which brought many clients to those new businesses, many paid ads to the newspaper, and many followers to my byline!

And then, I wrote a song to the man who broke my heart – which initially propelled my writing career – and that song resulted in him proposing marriage to me!

So, you could say that simply polishing a creative gift allowed me to soar into a passionate creative job to earn money, and to win the heart of a potential husband!

Music is healing… And a way to express my authentic soul-felt love.

Chloe is a natural at pretending to play guitar!

I loved to sing and play guitar, but even more, I loved nurturing other people’s musical passion. I created a high school folk music band where any student was invited to play regardless of their musical ability, recruiting two generous musical teachers who embraced my mission. The “folk group” evolved, eventually performing several community events and often featured on “Harmony High” (a high school radio show).

After high school, I ventured away from my rustic, country mountain roots to explore more diverse cultures; to experience city life, the ocean, the beaches; all while taking writing, music, and early childhood music education courses at various colleges.

My Creative Family

I married a successful artist, and we eventually moved back to Vermont to give our young son Jonathan a vibrant colorful mountain life, and nurture his passions for snowboarding and piano. As a soulful adult, Jonathan Zaccheo is still an immensely talented improvisational pianist, while also pouring his heart with enthusiasm to an exhilarating day job.

After my first marriage, I became “Deb Zaccheo” – a local 'kid' rock star – as I embarked in a career as a children’s musician and musical teacher; owner and operater of two Music Together (R) centers. Music Together is an internationally renowned family music and movement program.

I developed an ultra-easy beginner guitar program where very young children (and seniors with stiff fingers) could learn to play popular songs with easier fingering. My after-school guitar programs were a hit in several area schools.

After 16 years in the business, my music programs evolved into musical therapy as I engaged more people with anxiety, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease; and became a huge regular hit at assisted living centers in Vermont.

Music: Another Connection to Spirit

During that time, I also performed at Catholic Folk Masses and was a regular Congregational church soloist; leading church school music productions and elaborate Sunday School Christmas pageant musicals where all the students were stars! I belonged to a church choir made up of many eccentric characters, and we performed two sold-out Christmas Concerts with renowned pop folk singer Judy Collins.

Then I Fell off the Cliff…

But like any exhilarating adventure, there were mountains to climb with rocky cliffs to fall from… like when Mom died from a sudden fatal heart attack when I was only thirty-seven and my son five. This tragedy was the beginning of my downward descent. I began to drink too much, and music gigs dried up. I became disconnected from the soul of me. After two failed marriages and struggling financially as a single parent, I sank into sometimes-suicidal sadness and anxiety, with a few emergency-room panic attacks that eventually landed me prescribed with depression and anxiety medication.

Amazing Grace – “I once was lost, but now I’m found” – a hymn that I have performed thousands of times!

My saving grace was reconnecting to the Divine. The more challenging life got, the deeper I dove into my Spiritual roots and began to Evolve through my troubles at the Universe–ity of hard knocks … where I was a long-time student! I found my sanctuary of peace literally inside my heart chakra, and found a way to connect spiritually with my mother through a song I wrote called "Mother Angel." I helped my beloved father transition with one of our favorite hymns, “Fly Away,” which we often played and sang together. I stimulated roars of laughter from cabaret and variety show audiences whenever I performed comedic and theatrical songs.

Holistic Healing Journey

After a second digestive explosion, and an ambulance trip to the emergency room with severe dehydration, I was brought to my knees and into the world of self-holistic healing. A quick “Divine Align” poofed me to a yoga teacher training retreat in Kauai, where I became immersed into a tribe of mystical seekers, and where I adopted yogic practices and Vedic wisdom to continue my personal healing journey.

After a couple years of researching natural holistic healing on the internet, I discovered Ayurveda! “At last, a practical holistic medical SYSTEM that made sense!”

New World Ayurveda, (NWA) was my graduate school after being a long-term student of the “Universe”-ity of life… and majoring in living the hard way. Experiential education IS INDEED the most integrative way to learn; However, I found a more graceful approach when I enrolled in NWA, an intensive clinical case-based hands-on approach to studying the Science of Ayurveda. We were trained in Heart Based Meditation (HBM), and practicing HBM twice daily was one of the requirements for graduation. This was brilliant because meditation is the foundation to all healing.

I went on to study Ayurvedic Psychology and Spiritual Mentoring, and came full circle to my teenage meditation roots – learning how to teach Heart Based Meditation and to tap into inner bliss through somatic heart centering.

During my first year of Ayurvedic Practitioner training, I was introduced to Jyotish (Vedic Astrology) and became OBSESSED with this Sacred Vedic Science, as it encompassed the “soul” of all I believed in. I found my Dharma, my truth, and the following year I took Clinical Jyotish at NWA, allowing me to put this deep-dive training into practice right away by offering readings to EVERYONE… Which rapidly grew into a flow of referral Jyotish clients. I continued taking Vedic Astrology courses (the Eastern Science of Jyotish is considered to be a lifelong study) and enrolled in Sam Geppi’s brilliantly systematized certification Astrology School, steeped in Vedic principles and astronomically correct Science.

It is evident through my Vedic Astrology Birth Chart that my dharma is to be a Transformational Astrologer and a Holistic Life, Health and Energy Healing Coach who teaches meditation.

I attended NWA for three and a half years, immersing myself in training to become a practitioner of Ayurveda; Ayurvedic Psychology and Spiritual Mentoring; Jyotish; and Somatic Healing Light Yoga Pranic Energy. This process brought my body into balance so it could naturally heal my digestion, depression, anxiety, and overwhelmed nervous system. I raised my vibration and up-leveled my brain through meditation.

“Now I live a pure and simple, organic and holistic, vegetarian Ayurvedic lifestyle, while blissfully skipping through each day in awe at how my Divine life is unfolding, with such grace and ease, while also being my badass self."

Meanwhile, I continue to take courses and attend Meditation retreats. I recently enrolled in the Coaching Institute, mastering in Activation Method Life and Energy Healing Coaching.

But I have MUCH MORE than education and training to offer my clients…

I have had the EXPERIENCE of ill health; being overweight, underweight, suicidal, labeled Bi-polar and ADHD. Now I understand that while I may have some ADHD and Bi-polar TRAITS, I was mostly just out of balance – out of tune with the natural rhythm of my nature. I ate the wrong foods and had poor sleep protocols, which all resulted in severe physical, mental and emotional imbalances that have been restored through the Vedic Sciences of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Psychology; Jyotish Astrology; Healing Light Yoga Pranic Energy; Heart Based Meditation; and Activation Method Energy & Holistic Life Coaching.

I was reminded again that when the body is in balance, it naturally heals itself as one day I noticed that a bunion of many years had literally vanished from my foot!

Evolving through hardship and struggle made me resilient, resourceful, creative, adventurous, and deeply connected to source. I earned the badge of badass (thanks to my brothers)!

With a combination of education, EXPERIENCE, heightened intuition, and “walking the talk," I really get YOU, as I have likely walked in your shoes.

Would you like to walk (or even dance) with me, while I sometimes hold your hand, to help you awaken and align to your soul’s calling – through a quest to blissfulness that unlocks your Dharma?

We will connect your experiences and circumstances as milestones, so you can see and own the unique gifts and strengths expressed throughout your life; and learn how to polish your precious gems so you can brilliantly shine and uplift those around you.

Free Evolve Solve Dream & Do Coaching Session