Wildish Way helps empower women through archery and animals

Meghan Hindi is a certified life coach, archer, author, Doula and speaker. She is a survivor of abuse. Instead of wallowing in how it severely impacted her life, she’s turning it around and using what she went through as a tool to help other women become empowered and regain their self-esteem and self-confidence. She runs a program called Wildish Way located on a place of serenity that she and her husband have created in West Milford.

“After a visitor heard my story and saw my farm, she said, ‘You are taking broken things and making them whole again,’” Hindi said.

She feels society creates false pretenses.

“So many women feel the daily crushing pressure of perfection, shame, regret, anxiety and fear that if they show who they really are, they risk losing their community (family, friends, faith, etc.),” she said. “My only goal with each and every client is to help them find freedom from these pressures, and to help them discover how powerful and incredible they really are. I believe this will positively impact our entire community and heal so much division, because it turns out this joy and empowerment is contagious.”

Hindi discovered her passion for helping women through hardships when she became a birth doula in 2014.

“Witnessing the raw power of birth changed me in ways I never expected,” she said. “And I would come to discover that death is so parallel to birth when I lost my mother just a few months later. That was when I was first struck with the cycles of birth and death, and the sheer joy that one can experience when they let go, live intuitively and embrace self-affirmation and love through the hardship.”

Years later — and after experiencing her own “ecstatic and transformative births” of her children, she brought her background of abuse, loss, grief and survival through it all to the world by launching a book, in 2019, titled “The Healing You Can Do.” Now, as a certified professional life coach (CPLC), she combines all aspects of the grounds in West Milford for private coaching and group sessions and events. These include archery, interactions with horses, hiking, communication, mindfulness, and, soon, once their fire pit is complete, some events incorporating that.

“What would the world be like if girls and women felt free to live life without fear of the unknown?” Hindi posited. “Because life as a woman can be magical, but first the mysteries must be open source knowledge for all. I have seen firsthand the life changing heart healing that can happen when we gather together to dance, celebrate, share our stories and lift one another up.”

Because Wildish Way is a place for all women in all ages and stages of womanhood, she does require that all minors be accompanied by an adult who takes part in the program with them.

Wildish Way got its beginnings in Washington State a year after Hindi’s book release. Then she and her husband got a “calling” to relocate to New Jersey. Hindi is a strong believer in karma, and as other properties fell by the wayside, the one they selected bloomed into the perfect spot for the move.

“Our first archery class was incredible and they will be offered weekly through the spring, summer and fall,” she said. “More classes will be added as the demand grows.”

Kendra Dilaver, of West Milford, was delighted and impressed after she attended her first Wildish Way archery class.

“I’m absolutely obsessed now,” she said. “[Hindi] is a very safe, nurturing and empowering woman, and the classes are a way for me to release all the trials and tribulations of the week.”

Dilaver said that since her daughter was born four years ago, she never does anything for herself.

“I find it really therapeutic, she said, “And I woke up so much ‘lighter’ the next day. Unfortunately, we all have our past and our demons in our past that really hurt us.

“[Hindi] is amazing at reading people and keeps on reminding me to ‘stop thinking so much,’” Dilaver said. “I over-analyze everything and she is teaching me how to ‘just breathe’ and focus on the moment I’m in now. It’s not just about pulling back and shooting an arrow. There is breathing work and so many more components. It’s not like shooting a gun, it’s about trusting your intuition.”

Wildish Way is located on a property that its clients refer to as “an oasis.” It’s a large, wooded space that lends itself to being very calming.

“She’s instructing archery, but it runs a lot deeper, and I’m sure the group of women with whom I took the class will open up and learn to know each other much more through this program,” Dilaver said.

Tara Kalian found Wildish Way through a Facebook post.

“I jumped on the chance to be around horses and maybe find a safe place to talk about big things going on in my life,” she said. “I found quickly I could tell her anything and it wasn’t long before my time at Wildish way became an art of the fabric of my weekly routine. So, when she offered an archery class, I was all in. Talk about empowering. I never thought I would shoot a bow and arrow and never from horseback. I treasure my time with [Hindi] and will always be grateful for the support and community she built.

LeeAnn Gennett said that five stars are not enough for what Hindi does. She worked with Hindi in the context of her archery classes, but it became a lot more than that for her.

“First and foremost, she is all about safety, which is what you would expect from a certified instructor,” Gennett said. “[Hindi] teaches and demonstrates correct form, different shots, confidence and the ability to find the inner warrior in each of us. She knows just exactly what to say to get you to hit your target. If you follow her instructions, you will not only have fun, but you will hit the target fairly quickly.”

Gannett said that she has a gift for helping “dig deep within yourself and embrace your feelings.”

“[Hindi] encourages you to let go of your preconceived notions and over-thinking,” she said. “This will allow you to become one with the bow and allow the arrow to become an extension of your feelings. Sensing nature all around you, listening to the birds, the wind rustling the leaves and the music playing in the background sets the tone for you to get in touch both emotionally and physically to prepare for archery. We cheer each other on, scream, holler and hug. It is an incredible experience.”

Shawna Barttelt discovered Wildish Way when Hindi was in the Vancouver area. Though Hindi has moved to New Jersey, she still does several sessions a month with her virtually.

“I have been working with [Hindi] for the past 18 months; her ability to read you and help you open up is incredible,” she said. “She taught me so much about myself through working with Bentley and Avalon as well as mindfulness through archery workshops. Archery with her cannot be beat. She celebrates every little victory and reminds and teaches you that there is even beauty in failures.”

Archery classes start at around $50 per person for an hour session. For further information about Wildish Way, visit wildishway.com or email Hindi at wildishway.rebirth@gmail.com. She is also available for book readings, outreach/speaking events, private archery events, collaborations, and more. She can also be reached at 201-815-8172.