This weeks “Empowered Woman of the week”, is a woman I met about four years ago, at a really tough time in my life. Aila and I worked together and became friends. I found her sweet and nurturing attitude, pull me in like gravity. When I met Aila, I felt this sense of trust and peace, as if she had been my friend for years or in another life. I opened up to her about all the things going wrong in my life, things I couldn’t even tell my closest friends. I looked to her for advice and direction. I was so happy I had met a woman who I just knew in my gut I could trust.
She listened to all my problems and worries without judgement, and offered peace and advice where she could. She told me to trust my intuition and follow the direction it was telling me. I’m so glad I took that advice, even if it was a slow progression, it changed my life. I later learned that Aila was a healer which made total sense to me as to why she could listen so well, and why she could touch my shoulders and massage them only for a few minutes and really almost take away the stress and bad energy. I find her so inspiring because she’s so authentic. She truly cares about people and wants to help them anyway she can.
Aila left her communist country at age 9 for a better life. Her family and her left Cuba on a small boat to go to Jamaica. This was incredibly dangerous, but they were dreamers and desperate for a chance at the life they always dreamed of. When Aila told me this story, I knew she was a dreamer, and a fighter. I knew she had courage and strength. I was inspired by her in so many ways. We are close to the same age but I still look up to her immensely. Aila and her lovely boyfriend Jonathan have started a business called “The Love Gurus” in Los Angeles. They are a real life couple, helping others to love themselves, create conscious relationships, and live a positive and joyful life. They do all kinds of workshops that could be so beneficial to so many, not just couples, but people looking for a higher consciousness and more ways to practice self love. I’ll let you read the rest, and see why Aila is such a beautiful soul inside and out!
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Tell me your full name, age, and where you’re from.
Aila Rose, 33. I was born in Cuba and moved to Miami when I was 10.
My family and I fled Cuba on my father’s fishing boat when I was only 9 years old. No one told me where we were going until we were halfway to Jamaica. They had been planning this in secrecy for months and they couldn’t risk getting caught because everyone involved would’ve gotten thrown into jail for god knows how long. The rest of the trip was dreamy, like a beautiful vacation. We were cruising through the middle of the Caribbean, surrounded by crystal clear water, schools of colorful fish and coral reefs. Everyone was happy. Their excitement and sense of freedom was palpable. As the sun began to set over the horizon, we could see city lights in the distance. We were almost there.
My mom and dad went to the front of the boat to watch the sunset. It was a picturesque moment, the kind you might see on a postcard. The evening air was calm and serene. The very next moment the boat shook. My brother had unknowingly steered us right into a coral reef. A huge hole ripped open the side of the boat and we began sinking. Without hesitating, my dad jumped into the dark ocean in search of help.
I sat next to my mom watching the water pour in faster by the minute as the tide continued to rise. When the water reached the top bunk, where we were all gathered, my dad magically appeared with a small canoe. He brought my mom, the two other children that had come with us and myself back to shore. I remember laying back on the cold sand, completely numb, looking up at the full moon and listening to my dad rowing in the distance. It felt like a dream. Our trip to freedom almost cost us our lives.
As it turns out, our boat sank right in front of a 5-star resort called “Half Moon Bay” in Montego Bay. The resort restored the boat and it remains on their property, to this day, as a tribute to the people around the world who risk their lives for the dream of freedom.
That’s my mom and two cousins next to the boat on the picture. The plaque reads: “Fifteen refugees – eleven men, two women and two children sailing from Cuba in this boat made landfall here on March 8, 1996. Some settled in Jamaica and the others were accepted by the United States of America. Their boat has been restored and will be maintained on this site as a tribute to all of those anywhere in the world who risk their lives for the dream of freedom.” Their plaque is slightly inaccurate. There were actually 10 of us. Three children, three women and four men.
We are all lucky to have survived. We made our way to Miami with the help of some friends in Jamaica, about four months later.
“This photo is of my mother and cousins.”
2. Tell me a little about your upbringing? What were you like as a young girl and teenager?
I grew up in a small fishing town in Cuba. There was hardly ever electricity so I spent most of my time playing in nature, climbing trees, and running around freely with the other children in our neighborhood. I was always involved in something creative, from dancing to singing, putting on plays, and doing radio shows. That changed when we moved to Miami. I became very shy, since I didn’t know english, and was bullied over it. This experience drove me to excel in academics. I went on to graduate at the top of my class in both High School and University.
“Honestly, there is no better feeling than spreading consciousness and helping people navigate through difficult situations.”
3. What did you want to originally be when you grew up? Did you ever think you would be where you are today? What made you want to become what you are today?
My dream as a child was to be an actor. In Cuba, they played American movies every Sunday and the whole family would gather together in one room and watch them. It was everyone’s time to dream. We got a glimpse of other worlds we weren’t allowed to visit or even talk about. I grew up wanting to bring that feeling to other people, the feeling of hope.
I never thought I’d become a spiritual healer, it just happened naturally. In a lot of ways, acting prepared me for the healing journey. Through acting classes, plays, and comedy training I was able to break out of my comfort zone and discover a deeper understanding of who I really was. It felt so liberating. So hopeful. My life was now reaching far beyond my acting career and childhood ambitions.
Eventually, I recognized that the feeling I really loved was that of connection. Being connected to myself, nature, friends and family. I wanted to help everyone experience the same freedom. To help them find out who they really are and what they connect with. Honestly, there is no better feeling than spreading consciousness and helping people navigate through difficult situations.
I still end up in front of the camera but in a way that educates, empowers, and enlightens anyone who watches. It’s all around my real-life experience. It is less about acting and more about being.
4. When did you move to Los Angeles and how come?
I moved to Los Angeles when I was 25 after finishing a television shoot in San Francisco. I still remember driving down Fountain Ave in the middle of traffic. The weather was perfect. The sun was shining down and I had this calm sense that I belonged here, so I never left. All I had was my suitcase and a dream.
“Success to me is nothing more than allowing myself to be in the moment. To truly ride the wave and be authentic to my feelings.”
5. How did you get started doing what you’re doing and how did you really start to become successful? What does success mean to you?
Healing comes naturally to me. I’ve always seen and felt energy around me. For as long as I can remember, people have opened up to me about their struggles. Even complete strangers would tell me their life story. In those moments I always know exactly what to say. It feels like the right words, movements, and advice comes through me. This grew as I began meditating and deepening my spiritual practice. Eventually, I stopped pursuing my acting career and decided this was my path. When I did that the doors swung wide open. I knew, beyond a doubt, that I had made the right choice.
Success to me is nothing more than allowing myself to be in the moment. To truly ride the wave and be authentic to my feelings. Success in business is when I see the lightbulb turn on in a client’s eye. That moment when they realize where their blocks have been and the transformational power they wield over their own lives.
6. Tell me about your business and the projects you’re currently working on?
I opened The Love Gurus alongside my boyfriend to help people love themselves and have more conscious relationships. We developed a unique method of healing called Bridging™that helps our clients “bridge” the gap between the mind and body, the conscious and subconscious, the earthly and the divine. It is a very powerful way to teach the path to enlightenment.
We also developed a Goddess Workshop that empowers women through their sexuality. I teach women about their bodies, how to get rid of stored trauma, how to experience more pleasure and attract what they really want into their lives. Helping women dissolve all the shame and guilt around their sexuality and self-worth is one of the most amazing things I have ever been a part of.
“Don’t worry so much about the competition, because if you believe in what you’re doing you will attract the right clients to you.”
7. What is your greatest achievement thus far, and what or who inspires you?
My greatest achievement is opening up our company The Love Gurus. It was truly one of the most difficult and most exciting things I’ve ever done. It’s been scary at times, not knowing where our next paycheck was going to come from, but somehow the money always showed up. It was a leap of faith and worth every second of it.
I am very inspired by Dr. Joe Dispenza and Dr. Bruce Lipton. Their discoveries on the brain and subconsciouss behaviors helped us understand our healing method from a more scientific perspective.
8. For people who want to build or grow their business or brand, what advice would you give?
The most important thing is to develop your own voice and opinions. There is a lot of fluff out there but when you develop good content people notice and they respond. Instagram and Facebook have been amazing vehicles to get our business out there and connect with like-minded individuals. Don’t worry so much about the competition, because if you believe in what you’re doing you will attract the right clients to you.
“So when I pursued healing full-time and all the doors magically opened in a way that never happened with acting. ”
9. What career and life advice would you give young girls who look up to you?
Do something you love but be aware of how that’s unfolding in your life. It was interesting because, for me, I loved everything about acting. I loved the feeling I got when I performed, I loved going to class and learning about how humans behaved, and I loved studying it – but when it came to the business side of acting, it completely disempowered me. I despised the auditioning process and the self-promoting aspect. I felt like I wasn’t contributing anything to the world and this slowly ate away at me.
I eventually realized that what I loved the most about acting was the connection I felt when working with other actors, the process of developing characters and learning from different scenes. Beyond acting, I noticed what really inspired me and fed my soul was helping people. So when I pursued healing full-time and all the doors magically opened in a way that never happened with acting.
10. What are you most looking forward to in the future?
I’m really looking forward to creating retreats for singles and couples. I believe that creating conscious relationships is so important, especially when bringing children into this world. A child born out of a fully conscious love can truly change the world.
11. What is your ultimate life goal?
I want to develop an easy way to teach consciousness and introduce this into the school system.
12. What are things that people assume about you, that aren’t true?
I don’t know. I’m sure people have opinions and assume things about me, but I’ve learned not concern myself with all of that. Whoever spends time with me sees the true me. I focus on showing up fully in those moments and being genuine and authentic.
13. What is something most people don’t know about you?
I don’t do well in very large crowds. I feel everyone’s energy, so it’s overwhelming for me. I feel the most at peace in nature or in an intimate group of people.
“Imagine a woman without these mental and societal limitations and the wonders she can accomplish. It’s happening now and it’s amazing to watch it unfold.”
14. Why do you think women empowerment is so important?
Women are incredible creatures. Society has attacked our self-worth for centuries now, shaming our bodies and our self-worth. We have been resilient in silence, still protecting those around us, regardless of the consequences we suffer. Imagine a woman without these mental and societal limitations and the wonders she can accomplish. It’s happening now and it’s amazing to watch it unfold.
15. What would you say your best qualities are?
I’m a really good listener and relentless at getting to the bottom of the truth.
16. How can women support each other more?
Women need to realize that we are not each other’s competition. Our only competition is ourself and our mind. Our inability to see our worth is destroying our future and all of our possibilities. When we encourage one another in our goals and visions, and give constructive criticism instead of insulting or putting each other down, we all thrive.
17. How can women feel more confident?
Discover what makes you unique, what makes you feel good in your body and what makes you feel good in your heart. Follow that. The moment you stop hiding and stand in your truth, not only will you shine but you’ll inspire others to do the same.
“Rewiring your brain is simple, but it’s not easy, and it requires practice and determination. ”
18. How do you overcome insecurities? How can others overcome their insecurities?
The best way to overcome bad habits is by creating new and empowered ones. Rewiring your brain is simple, but it’s not easy, and it requires practice and determination. Practice self-love when you find that you are speaking down to yourself. Catch yourself in those moments and change the dialogue in your head. Slowly, you train your brain to be more positive.
19. What are the things in life you value the most?
Honesty, Vulnerability, and Kindness.
20. What does it mean to you, to be an “empowered woman”? How did you become empowered? If there is anything else you want to add then go ahead!
I became empowered the moment I stopped asking the world for permission to be me. I realized that no one was going to give me the validation I was looking for, because even if I heard it, I wouldn’t have believed it. It needed to come from within. Empowerment began the day I decided to love myself and didn’t settle for the things that didn’t serve me.
“Empowerment began the day I decided to love myself and didn’t settle for the things that didn’t serve me. ”
Wow! How amazing are you? Thanks Aila so much for the chat!
You can follow Aila on the social media links below. Her business social and website are listed as well.