Today we are thrilled to highlight one of our biggest supporters and people who make our work possible, Erin Rachel Doppelt. After leading a trip to Israel, Erin learned what it meant to slow and realign with her life. This realization ultimately led her to India, where she volunteered in the Kalwa slum with Gabriel Project Mumbai and where she also found out about Sundara. Erin is a clinical psychology and education graduate who started a spiritual counseling and meditation business during her studies from Columbia University. This business then organically transformed into business coaching, where she has helped over 100 women pursue their goals.
“What’s your purpose in life?”
I believe that my purpose is to help people wake up to what truly nourishes them; embodying their highest self through Eastern Ritual Western Psychology and mindful entrepreneurship. I believe that meditation and mindfulness is an incredibly powerful way to transform your life. We all used to be entrepreneurs, so returning to entrepreneurship is one of the best ways to always consistently share the medicine on your heart and live in purpose energy.
“What are your biggest accomplishments?”
My personal biggest accomplishment would be finding a romantic partner that was as spiritually and Jewishly connected as I am while also loving travel, ethnic food & adventure. He is my highest soulmate and the biggest accomplishment of my personal life so far.
Professionally, it would have to be growing a deeply spiritual multiple six-figure business and being published in Healthline, SXSW, and NBC. Additionally, my clients are abundant and living a freedom-based lifestyle, making money and are confident; sharing straight-up medicine. I always knew I wanted to support the healers and help them share the medicine of their hearts, so it feels very rewarding.
“What made you who you are today?”
I am really close with both my siblings and always wanted to be a mentor for my younger sister, yet also be an inspiration to my older brother. It is so important to me to hold people to their highest self.
When I was 17 years old, I went on my first trip to Israel and I had this profound spiritual awakening whilst laying in the desert looking at the stars, just recognizing that we are small specs of dust who should not take ourselves too seriously. No one is going to remember us in a couple of centuries from now and that is completely alright, so you may as well live your life to the fullest and connect with what joy looks like to you.
“How did you initially get connected with Sundara?”
I volunteered in Mumbai with Gabriel Project Mumbai and really connected with Sundara’s Executive Director, Michelle. Since then, I had ended up bumping into Erin, Sundara’s Founder, in Los Angeles. From there, we have grown to be close friends - which is not surprising since we share the same value of empowering women worldwide (and the same name!)
“Can you tell us why the organization and its work speaks to you?”
I first found Sundara’s soap recycling centre in Mumbai and I realized how we take for granted washing our hands with soap. I am passionate about supporting Sundara’s work as access to water, sanitation and hygiene shouldn’t be such a novelty in places like India. Many people are falling sick and even dying from illnesses which could have been prevented - the solutions have existed for such a long time, we just need to make sure that everybody can access them. It’s important to support hygiene initiatives, especially if that leads to longevity across the globe and empowering women to share the medicine on their heart.
I also love the new Sundara’s new initiative, RISE, that is supporting women entrepreneurs from all around the world!
“What is your hope for 2021?”
I hope that people become more gentle and start by becoming a more positive voice in their own head. That can look like developing positive mantras, meditation or time and stillness; but I hope that we can take the edge off by allowing ourselves just to be living, breathing beings. We are here to live and enjoy, not to build our life around a job that may not be nourishing.
"What advice do you have for anyone who is committed to giving back more this year?"
Start now, don’t wait till you feel “ready”; it does not exist. Stop planning and take action. Finding a way to give back will give your life meaning, and supporting women to become the heroes of their own communities can be revolutionary for both the individual and all the other girls who will look up to her. Everything is an energy exchange, so it’s important to think about what you can do that will be of the highest good for humanity.
"Why would you tell other people to care about the work Sundara is doing?"
You are responsible for the wellbeing of humanity. Moreover, my faith taught me that when you are invited to transform the life of somebody who you don’t know and will likely never meet, that is the highest form of good that you can do.
Want to join Erin in supporting RISE by Sundara?
You can click here to donate today.