“The life changing ideas of our world are formed by the insane beliefs of stubborn men and women, unwilling to conform to societies boundaries and have their genius shrouded by the tired ideas of others. Be different, be yourself. Change the world.”
- Eric Marshall, a good friend.
Azhen Sanctuary was founded and built by two brothers
With the help of family and good friends.
Jaymie and Shelby Friesen were raised in the construction trades and started their first business at age 13.
One might have described “the Friesen boys” as overly rambunctious as they grew up getting into trouble and having a little too much fun – or is there such a thing?
Through pain and laughter, their paths have lead them here and have given them the skills to create a better way of living and to offer those teachings to others.
Here are their stories…
Get To Know Jaymie
At 10 years old Jaymie was sweeping floors on job sites and grew into building custom homes from the ground up with his dad and grandfather.
Though a valuable skill, it also lead him to see a trap in modern society – working a job you don’t like to pay off the student debt that got you there, and to afford the house you hardly spend time in; running through life unconsciously.
This made him dream of a better way to live.
Jaymie experienced fights with depression and rivalries at school until dropping out in Grade 11. He spent a year reading, meditating, doing yoga and building the philosophy by which he would live his life.
He dreamed of and planned to build a homestead filled with good community, which was the basis of what has become Azhen.
Ironically, the people that were once rivalries became friends and co-owners of this sacred place… such are the beautiful things of life.
Jaymie walked his path as usual, founding several businesses and travelling the world, until some bizarre incidents uncovered his dissociative disorder caused by childhood trauma.
This was a mental health issue that had both haunted him and saved his life during the rougher moments of his upbringing.
With the help of his brother, his healing journey led him back to his Indigenous heritage, ceremony, and meditation.
These days you can find Jaymie roaming through the forest smiling at life.
He swears the aliens will come take him home one day.
Business.
Jaymie’s most notable experience is operating a $60m telecommunications software business and founding Habitat Botanicals – a toxin-free bath & beauty brand with compostable packaging that was acquired by Pela in 2020. Though he has started several others including a cell phone customization business, landscaping company, clothing brand, and digital marketing agency. Jaymie’s most valuable skillsets are marketing and being a creative visionary.
Education.
Jaymie attended BCIT’s construction electrical program and continued his interests in Physics at the University of the Fraser Valley. He strongly believes in self-education and learning through experience and mentors. As such he’s an avid reader and loves to attend mastermind communities where he can level up, such as the Baby Bathwater Institute. Jaymie plans to build a curriculum for his future children of the many vital things the modern school systems fail to address.
Spirit.
Jaymie has always held a close connection to nature and spirit. Though he has strayed from it at times, life has a way of always bringing him back. It was his mothers wish to name him Wolf, representing guardianship and guidance, but family issues wouldn’t allow it. She’s tells stories of him speaking to spirits as a child. Jaymie has been led by intuition and by a vision from the Creator toward new possibilities for living in alignment with nature. This is the path he walks.
Get To Know Shelby
As a kid Shelby was shipped off every summer to work with his uncles. This was the beginning of his mastery of the metal trades and his talent for making you laugh until you cry… or just cry.
He spent the beginning of his career helping build custom $15-30m homes in Whistler, BC, and working as a boiler maker before starting RYD Motorsports where his design skill and attention-to-detail garnered national attention.
A mix of partying, crappy food, lots of sugar, and the normalization of an unhealthy lifestyle combusted into severe anxiety and depression.
Shelby was bed-ridden for months and couldn’t work for almost 2 years.
At first he thought he could walk into a doctor and get fixed up with a pill, as most of us have been led to believe. This was the opening of his Pandoras box when it came to understanding the many broken systems in society.
His journey led him to nutrition, fitness, breathwork, mindfulness, community, and ceremony… and even believing some of the “conspiracy theories” Jaymie used to tell him about.
These days you can find Shelby in the kitchen creating wicked beyond organic meals, out on weekend adventures, or training for his next half-Ironman.
Shelby swears if the aliens don’t take them home one day they’ll solve anti-gravity and build a ship of their own.
Business.
Most notably Shelby started RYD Motorsports, a custom fabrication business with a focus on premium chassis and suspension parts for lifted trucks and race cars. It won multiple national awards and magazine covers for Shelby’s designs until it was acquired in 2020. His previous 10 years were spent on the construction of high-end $10-30m homes such as the Amanderu Estate, nominated for World’s Best Ski Chalet.
Education.
Shelby attended BCIT for boiler making after spending 10 years as a metal fabricator. He is a self-taught and award-winning mechanical and structural designer. Shelby studied under Nicolette Richer at Richer Health, renowned for curing chronic illness, for certification in wholefood nutrition. He also believes in self-study, is an avid reader and loves to attend mastermind communities where he can level up, such as the Baby Bathwater Institute.
Grit.
Shelby is a big believer in self-discipline in his daily habits, whether it’s food or fitness. He trains daily, running and biking, and swims as often as he can. When his half-Ironman was cancelled due to covid he pooled some people together and arranged his own, which he completed twice. After his health struggles he strives for optimal mind and body. His grit inspires those around him to live better and feel better through action.