Today we’d like to introduce you to Mandi Gray
Hi Mandi, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I had been practicing yoga for over 20 years and had always found peace on the mat. After a career in Interior Design for over 15 years, I decided I would follow my peace, my passion. I took my 200hr Yoga Teacher Training and Yoga Trapeze Training. Once certified, I began working on my 300hr training while starting to teach classes.
Once I became a 500hr RYT (registered yoga teacher), I continued teaching many regular classes a week, collaborated with wellness professionals and decided what my next steps in my yoga journey would be. I decided my calling was to become an educator. I had such a passion for this modality and I wanted to share it even more deeply than I currently was able to share.
After thousands of hours of teaching a variety of classes, I was certified to teach Yoga Teacher Training. I wrote my own 200hr YTT program (approved by Yoga Alliance) and have been teaching/guiding others to become yoga teachers ever since.
As of this December I will be an
E-RYT500hr teacher and will be offering a 300hr YTT in 2025.
I am also a certified Breathwork Coach, Trauma Aware Facilitator, Reiki practitioner and Herbalist.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Once I set my mind to embark on my yoga journey, that has been my focus. That is not to say that it has been a smooth road throughout, but even with life’s bumps in the road, I have remained resilient and steadfast in my passion and determination to stay on this path. I know I am here to serve others and to offer this beautiful practice.
I have learned throughout this journey that if something does not feel right, it does not feel authentic, then it is ok to try something else, to find what does. We are never on one straight path. Being open to detours along the way has been something I embrace.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My company, Tranquil Growth Yoga & Breathwork, offers Yoga Teacher Trainings, Yoga Trapeze, Hatha/Vinyasa and Yin Yoga instruction, as well as, Breathwork Coaching. All of these practices offer amazing benefits to our minds, bodies and spirits. Practices are based in pranayama (breath techniques), asanas (postures) and meditation (dhyana) upon the needs and wants of each student.
It is difficult for me to say what I am most proud of, because I believe all aspects of my yoga career are in service to my students. I do absolutely love teaching classes (both studio classes and private classes), but I am defiantly proud of my Yoga Teacher Training programs. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to train and guide individuals who are embarking on their own yoga journeys.
I lead by authenticity and feel it is key to finding a following. When we are truly ourselves and lead from the heart, those who are meant to find you, who resonate with you, will find their way.
My next 200hr Yoga Teacher Training starts January 2025. If interested, applicants are able to find out more information and apply on my website.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The lesson I have learned and that I am still learning is to not only give to others, but to give to myself. When you are in a career of service, it can be challenging to find the time for yourself, but I do know this is very important to fill my own cup, so that I can show up for my students. I also know this will be something I will have to be conscious of for the rest of my life. It is so important to give time, rest, love, and compassion to ourselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tranquilgrowthyogabreathwork.com
- Instagram: @tranquilgrowthyoga
