Accelerate your Spiritual Development.Join the Watkins Wisdom Academy and learn from the best spiritual teachers in the world.
www.watkinsmagazine.com
Leah Russell5 min

Kindred Spirit Award

The votes have been counted and the results are in! Find out who has won in each category this year and why you voted for them.

  Thank you for getting behind your chosen nominees and voting in your thousands.  The votes were coming in right up until the last moment and some of the categories were exceptionally close – in fact, there were just 5 votes separating the winner and runner up for one of the awards. We would like to congratulate all of those nominated in this year’s awards – each individual and organisation has made an outstanding contribution to the world of spiritual and compassionate living. Here we profile the winners in each category and tell you a little about their accomplishments, as well as announcing the winner of the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award and the Editor’s Pick.    

MBS Writer of the Year: Isabel Losada

  Isabel Losada, described as ’The UK’s Sassiest Spiritual Author' (The Bookseller) combines humour with a serious look at her subject matter. She has worked as an actress, broadcaster and public speaker as well as a comedian and author. Isabel remains firmly committed to narrative non-fiction & swimming against the tide. Her latest book is Sensation: Adventures in Sex, Love and Laughter.
Category runner-up: John Matthews

isabellosada.com

   

Emerging Voice Award: Vex King

  Vex King is a young British social influencer, mind coach, writer and lifestyle entrepreneur. His aim is to help others transform themselves and their lives. He fuses his natural business acumen and creative knack for the arts with a philosophical mindset, spiritual wisdom and faith in a positive attitude to achieve success. As an optimist, visionary and philanthropist, Vex is the owner and founder of the Bon Vita lifestyle brand – a platform which delivers empowering perspectives, spiritual wisdom, practical solutions, inspirational stories, life lessons and more. Vex is the author of Good Vibes, Good Life and he’s using his positive influence to spread good vibes only so that people can unlock their full potential and demonstrate greatness in all areas of their life.
Category runner-up: Lee Harris

vexking.com

   

MBS Blogger Award: Emma Mumford

  In 2016, Emma Mumford underwent a spiritual awakening after a bad relationship break-up and after suffering with severe depression, Emma knew that her calling in life was to grow into the personal development world with her own brand. Emma has found her purpose and happiness in life which is to share her experiences and teachings on the law of attraction, spirituality and living your dream life. Now, Emma is a twenty-five year old award-winning life coach, blogger, YouTuber, speaker, Reiki master, best-selling author and regular on ITV's This Morning. Emma dedicates her time to updating her blog, creating content on YouTube, her 'Spiritual Queen' merchandise range, life coaching clients, her podcast and creating inspiring content daily for her social media channels. Emma is focused on spreading the word of spirituality.
Category runner-up: Russell Brand

emmamumford.co.uk

   

MBS Personality of the Year Award: Melanie Tonia Evans

  Melanie Tonia Evans is an expert in the field of narcissistic abuse recovery and self-empowerment. Learn more about narcissistic abuse and how to break free from abuse. From Melbourne, Australia, Melanie uses Quanta Freedom Healing as her main heling tool. She also offers the Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Program (NARP), a system for healing your toxic relationship trauma that doesn't involve years of therapy, plus the Empowered Self Course and Transforming Family of Origin Wounds.
Category runner-up: Vianna Stibal

melanietoniaevans.com

   

Retreat/Healing Centre Award: The Animal Healing Trust

  The Animal Healing Trust provides sanctuary for abused and abandoned horses and ponies and allow them a place to heal from whatever they have been through be it on any level, physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. The Animal Healing Trust is run, managed and operated by a team of dedicated volunteers who are committed to ensuring that every animal receives the best possible care. It costs between £2500 and £3000 per month to keep the horse sanctuary going and the Trust is always looking at ways to raise more funds.
Category runner-up: The Cliffs of Moher Retreat

animalhealingtrust.org.uk

   

Community Initiative Award: Sensory Solutions Herbal Evolution

  Sensory Solutions Herbal Evolution is an arts and health-education, Community Interest Company run by the Seed SistAs, Fiona and Karen. They promote empowerment, autonomy, freedom, health, and diversity through teaching about plant medicine. All their herbal medicine courses, publications, talks and tours promote the aims of the CIC: to educate about and promote the growing and use of herbal medicine. Fiona and Karen combine medical training and years of clinical experience with their love of creativity and plants to put herbal medicine back where it belongs: in your hands.
Category runner-up: Mankind Project

sensorysolutions.co.uk

   

Lifetime Achievement Award: Matthew Sanford

  Matthew Sanford has inspired and enhanced the lives of thousands by sharing the fundamental importance of the mind-body relationship. For him, connecting mind and body is not just a health strategy; it is a movement of consciousness that can change the world. After a devastating car accident, Matthew was paralyzed from the chest down. Despite his injuries, he became a nationally recognized yoga teacher and workshop leader.  He teaches at national yoga conferences, studios, and institutions around the United States. He teaches traditional students and is a pioneer in adapting yoga for people living with disabilities. The fact that he teaches people in both demographics tells you something not only about Matthew, but also about yoga. “We all live on a continuum of abilities and disabilities,” he says. “The principles of yoga apply to all people, to all bodies.” In 2002, Matthew founded Mind Body Solutions , a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming trauma, loss and disability into hope and potential by awakening the connection between mind and body. Matthew Sanford has inspired and enhanced the lives of thousands by sharing the fundamental importance of the mind-body relationship. For him, connecting mind and body is not just a health strategy; it is a movement of consciousness that can change the world.

matthewsanford.com

mindbodysolutions.org

   

Editor’s Pick: Glennie Kindred

  Glennie Kindred is the author of twelve books on Earth wisdom, native plants and trees and celebrating the Earth's cycles, including Earth Wisdom, A Hedgerow Cookbook and Letting in the Wild Edges. She is a highly respected teacher and much-loved expert on natural lore and Earth traditions. She has a strong and committed following and is renowned for her ability to enthuse people with joy, love and wonder for the Earth, for creating simple heartfelt ceremony and the power we collectively have to bring about change, both for ourselves and for the Earth. Her latest book, Walking with Trees, was published in 2019. Glennie is also an artist, and all her books contain her own beautiful and detailed illustrations. Her books are practical and inspire the reader to self-empowerment. They explore the wild edges of our relationship with the Earth through our native plants and trees, tree lore, herbalism, Earth wisdom, alchemy, celebrating the Earth’s cycles and creating heartfelt ceremony. Glennie Kindred is also the editor and co-creator of the yearly publication, the Earth Pathways diary. She is a seer, shaman and a wise woman. When I met and interviewed Glennie some years back, I was blown away by her self-effacing a manner, her depth of wisdom and her passion and enthusiasm. I felt inspired and grateful to her for a lifetime spent guiding us on a journey to weave ourselves back into our birthright and connection with Nature.

glenniekindred.co.uk