Dr. Marc Halpern, is the founder and President of the California College of Ayurveda. He is one of the few Westerners recognized in both the United States and in India as an authority on the subject of Ayurveda. He is a Western pioneer of this ancient tradition and has been a pillar in the development of the profession in the United States . A Doctor of Chiropractic with post-graduate certification in Holistic Medicine, Dr. Halpern began his Ayurvedic studies in 1991. He studied with many noted teachers from India and the United States including Dr. David Frawley. Dr. Halpern is the co-founder of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association for which he served as Chairman of National Committee on Ayurvedic Education from 2000- 2005. He is also a co-founder of the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine.

In 2005, Dr. Halpern was presented the All-India Award for Best Ayurvedic Physician by the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare ( Gov't of India). This award was the granted by the Hakim Ajmal Khan Society of New Delhi .

Dr. Halpern is a contributing writer to several books on Ayurveda and Holistic medicine. He has published articles in almost every major journal and magazine of Yoga or Ayurveda and 2005 he was interviewed by Mike Wallace on CBS's 60 minutes. Dr. Halpern's own remarkable story of personal healing was featured in the national magazine, Spirituality and Health. He has been repeatedly quoted in most major newspapers including the New York Times, Miami Herald and the Los Angeles Times.

In addition to his work with the California College of Ayurveda, Dr. Halpern is a regular speaker at International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers World Wide and the developer of the Ayurvedic Yoga and Ayurvedic Nutrition certification courses.

Education

1987: Graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic-West with a Doctorate in Chiropractic.

1991: Post-graduate certification as a "Holistic Health Care Specialist" completed through New York Chiropractic College . Studies included Homeopathy, Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Herbalism, and Holistic Case Management.

1992: Post graduate certification completed in Ayurveda through the American Institute of Vedic Studies under the tutelage of Dr. David Frawley.

1993-1996: Additional Ayurvedic Study and/or internships with Dr. David Frawley, Dr. Suneil Joshi, Dr. Subash Ranadé and Dr. Avinash Lele.

1995: Awarded a first of its kind special certification as a Teacher of Ayurvedic Medicine by the American Institute of Vedic Studies.

1995 – present : Hosted and attended dozens of Ayurvedic programs with noted Ayurvedic teachers from around the world at the California College of Ayurveda

Highlight of Dr. Halpern's Accomplishments

1989 –1990: Owner and Director, Peninsula Chiropractic Center , San Mateo , CA .

1993 – 1996: Director, Ayurvedic Healing Arts Center , Nevada City , California . Performed consultations and developed an herbal pharmacy for use with patients.

1995 - Current: Founder and President, California College of Ayurveda , Grass Valley , California . Wrote the college's two textbooks: “Principles of Ayurvedic Medicine” and “Clinical Ayurvedic Medicine”. This was the first California state-approved college to offer comprehensive education and certification in the field of Ayurveda. The College is also recognized by Gujarat Ayurveda University in Jamnagar , India .

1998 – 2001 - Founding board member and facilitator, California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. A state association dedicated to licensing Ayurvedic practitioners.

1998 - Selected to the Board of Advisors of the Australian College of Ayurvedic Acupuncture.

1998 - Selected to the Board of Advisors to the International Academy of Ayurveda in Puné , India .

1999 – 2000: Selected to the Board of Advisors of the journal Inside Ayurveda.

1999 – 2005: Founding Board member, National Ayurvedic Medical Association .

2004: Selected to the Advisory Board of Light On Ayurveda Journal.

2005: Awarded the Hakim Ajmal Khan Award for “Best Ayurvedic Physician.” Presented by the A. Ramdass , the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare ( Gov't India).

Selected Speaking Engagments

Dr. Halpern has been a speaker at hundreds of conferences, yoga centers and colleges throughout the World. Below are a few of his past speaking and seminar engagements.

•  National Convention of Vedic Astrolgers : 1995

•  National Health Federation: 1995

•  Yoga Journal Conference: 1996

•  Northern Arizona University : 1996

•  Center For Spiritual Awareness: 1998,9

•  Iyengar Yoga Institute, San Francisco: 1998, 1999, 2001

•  Sacramento State College: 1999

•  Unitarian Universalist Church : 1998-2000

•  Spiritualist Church of the Foothills: 1999

•  Conference of the California Chiropractic Association

•  Sivananda Yoga Ashrams in Grass Valley : 1998-2006

•  Ananda Church of Self Realization: 1999

•  Sivananda Ashram in Neyar Dam , India 2000

•  Benares Hindu University, Varanasi, India: 2000

•  Ashtang Ayurvedic Medical College : Pune , India : 2000

•  Sivananda Yoga Retreat, Nassau, Bahamas; 2000-2006

•  South-West Yoga Conference: 2000

•  Sivananda Yoga Center , Reith bei Kitzbühl , Austria : 2001

•  East-West bookstores ( Mountain View and Sacramento ): 2001

•  Yoga Institute of San Francisco : 2001

•  19: University of Creation Spirituality: 2003

•  Open Secret Bookstore: 2003

•  Yoga of Sausalito 2003

•  California Association of Ayurveda Conferences: 2001-2003

•  National Ayurvedic Medical Association Conferences: 2003-4

•  Body-Mind-Sprit Conference: 2005

•  American Hindu University Conference on Ayurveda and Longevity: 2006

Published Articles and Essays

Dr. Halpern has published hundreds of articles and essays in magazines, journal and newsletters. Below is a brief sample

•  “Asana and Ayurveda,” Yoga Journal , November 1995 (feature article).

•  “Asthma,” Alternative Medicine Digest , No. 21.

•  “Ayurvedic Management and Treatment of Parkinson's Disease ,” Inside Ayurveda .

•  “Pranayama and Ayurveda ,” Journal of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, Fall 2000.

•  5.“ Reflections on Ayurveda in India and the West,” Yoga Life , Summer 2000.

•  “Ayurveda,” in Donald W. Novey , Clinician's Complete Reference to Complementary and Alternative Medicine . St. Louis : Mosby , 2000, pp. 246-257.

•  “Managing Cancer (3 parts),” Light on Ayurveda: Journal of Health, Fall 2003 and Winter 2003 issues.

•  Contributing Writer to Ayurveda: Nature's Medicine , Dr. David Frawley, Lotus Press.

Memberships

California Chiropractic Association

American Herb Association

California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine

National Ayurvedic Medical Association

International Association of Yoga Therapists

Nevada City Chamber of Commerce

Grass Valley/Nevada County Chamber of Commerce

Other Activities

Dr. Halpern has been practicing yoga on a regular basis since 1993. He has studied hatha yoga with Donna Farhi , Asana Editor for Yoga Journal , and taken extensive classes in the Sivananda yoga style.