We were lucky to catch up with Yogi Mandhi recently and have shared our conversation below.
Yogi , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
As a young child, I always remember being the helper or teacher, playing school with my friends; often uniting my classmates together. It was my high school psychology teacher Mr. Fuentes who suggested I become what I always played as a child. Fast forward into my late twenties, after a long day of teaching 4th grade, I realized I wanted to expand my reach beyond the children in my classroom. I wanted to go into homes and help families find peace and mindfulness somehow, but I wasn’t sure how. Ultimately, what I really wanted to do was help people connect with themselves on a deeper level with meditation. I’ll never forget the day when I was journaling about my Ikagai; a Japanese word meaning “reason for being.” I concluded that my greatest passions were singing, dancing, traveling, yoga, and helping others. Sadly, I thought the probability of me living out my Ikagai being a mother, married, and an overworked elementary school teacher, did not seem plausible. A year later I was in Denver awaiting the reunion of my estranged father of 20+ years. I was practicing yoga and found myself wishing I could be a full-time yoga teacher. Yoga helped me cope and manage everyday stress and gracefully steered me through a traumatic divorce and a host of other tough life circumstances. I truly equate the abundance of awareness I gained from my yoga practice as the propeller that forced me to make some drastic, yet positive changes moving forward in my life. Little did I know, I unlocked a key to coming back to me.
Unexpectedly, as it usually occurs, my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer a year after I reunited with him. During the same time, I was offered an amazing job opportunity to work as a schoolteacher in Abu Dhabi. Coming from a military family, I had no doubts thinking teaching abroad would help me restart my life after divorce. Then, my life then took another 180 degree turn when the judge in divorce court did not allow me to take my daughter abroad. I wanted the best for my daughter and definitely could not leave her behind and so I had to let the opportunity go. The day I learned the sad news in court was literally the day before all teachers had to report back to work. My job was technically still on hold for two years as I thought I would be teaching in Abu Dhabi. I knew going back into the teaching pool would cause more stress and so I decided to keep my job on hold and I would “figure it out.” I moved back in with my parents for a year and began teaching yoga privately with a friend from high school that requested private classes. After journaling and reflecting, I saw how easy I could create a full-time business teaching private yoga to non-traditional students who wanted to learn but didn’t want to go to a gym.
I am so grateful for life’s struggles, the ups and downs, and all the grief. All of these things led me to create a more fulfilling life for myself with purpose that was aligned with my soul. By the grace of God, for the past 6 years I found a way to teach yoga full time and provide for my family. I truly feel I am living out my Ikagai; helping others, working with children and families, and I get to work on my own terms. I get to wake up every day happy, enjoying life, singing, playing music, and dancing every day! Unknowingly, I birthed the traveling Rockstar Yogi; Yogi Mandhi!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I found yoga in 2003 right after graduating high school when I joined Shapes Gym for Women. I had an amazing teacher (Theresa Clearo) and quickly fell in love with the practice. What I loved most was how relaxed and peaceful my body felt after yoga, and I loved slowing down and stretching; joys I found as a young child being a former cheerleader and gymnast. I’m grateful my life took a turn in 2016 when I taught my last year at grade school before becoming a full-time yogi. I always wanted to teach yoga but never thought it could support me financially. During one of the hardest times of my life I created a private yoga booking service that helps individuals, families, businesses and hosted special events such as “Bachelorette Yoga” and birthday parties. I became what my first business cards say: “The Traveling Rockstar Yogi.” I found myself in peculiar yet cool situations and places i.e. the “Rockstar” part. I also love playing guitar and playing for my students during Savasana. I wake up grateful every day because I get to live the “yogi lifestyle” and help people achieve a high level of connection and awareness within themselves. I am honored to help people make daily positive choices which then creates a ripple effect outward into their relationships, family, and community.
I love my business so much because I get to be creative with it, travel, and I’m always doing something slightly different because I specialize in personalizing classes for students, businesses, and organizations. During my journey as a private yoga instructor, I have met a lot of interesting people including some Buccaneers football players and celebrities. I’ve traveled to different states bringing yoga to retreats and events such as the Ragnar Race in Atlanta, GA. Recently I taught an Ashtanga certification course and co-hosted a retreat in Egypt! In the local business world, I’ve had the privilege of working with 25 companies through the Tampa Bay area including Top Golf, Benzer Pharmacy, and Patient Point. Along the way, I have made amazing connections and lifelong friendships. I even have an “adopted” Asian yogi family that I’ve been working with for the past 6 years whom I love so much! As you can tell, I am very ambitious and have a huge heart and love sharing with others the gifts of yoga!
It hasn’t always been easy though, especially surviving 2020, making it through dry spells/summer, etc. I am grateful for the perseverance and positive mindset I have, which has kept me afloat when life got rocky. These are all qualities one can gain/improve with a regular yoga and meditation practice and one of the 5 principles in yoga; “always be positive.” I am now expanding into a company and creating a venture business with a focus on sustainability; not only in the body and mind, but in the workplace, and rebuilding our connection with our community and the environment. I knew long before I was on a mission, and now we are gathering with community support. Additionally, I am excited to share that I have just been accepted into the Entrepreneurial Incubator Program at the University of Tampa for the 2023-2024 school year. I believe my business will take flight within the next 12 months. You will see me, the Rockstar Yogi, having fun, spreading the joys and health benefits of yoga all over the nation! In the future, I see myself on YouTube and coaching other yogis on how to become full time private yoga instructors. If this resonates with you, please reach out to connect!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Yoga has given me superpowers! I found meditation as a teenager in high school and yoga at 18. With 20 years of experience practicing and teaching yoga, I’ve learned some useful life changing concepts that I actively practice. The most important skills I’ve gained over the past 6 years teaching privately include: achieving impeccable flexibility in the body and mind, an ambitious ability to stay positive and persevering during uncertain times, and connecting deeply with my students; building life-long relationships and even family. One of the first things I noticed that shifted when I began my yoga journey was how relaxed my body felt after class. At first the physical tension in the body started to shift and change. Then I started noticing myself becoming aware of how I was shifting in thought. I noticed myself observing my thoughts more as flexible ideas and saw them as powerful, malleable, and full of energy. This mindset made it easier to look for a positive outlook on life when many would reminisce in their misery. I learned suffering can be a choice and we always have free will in some way while we are alive. Other times, we just have to surrender and let go of our attachments to what we think is ideal. This practice has helped me form a connection with God; something I thought I would never say previously being agnostic.
Through my journey, I spent countless hours connecting deeply with individuals on an intimate level, listening to their every breath, bodily and facial expressions, and tuning into the sensations they felt in their body. Oftentimes, I would feel their sensations in my own body, and it would help guide the class. My teaching skills have improved as well as my intuition and empathic abilities. I believe this is what makes me a great teacher because I give my students %111 percent. I listen to their every breath, tune into their energy, and create personalized private yoga sessions that fit their abilities, needs, and goals. There are many success stories from my students making great gains and I have received many 5-star reviews of my work to prove. What I love most is how happier and healthier my students have become when staying committed to their practice. Many of my students have health issues and going to a gym is not enjoyable or even possible for some. Since starting this journey, I have truly learned how to connect deeply with others and have made some lifelong friendships.
My advice to new yogis, or yogis wanting to teach privately full time is to make a plan, go all in, and learn something new each day. I believe I am successful because I put my all into my practice, I minimized distractions, and never gave up. I was determined to be a great yoga instructor and I am definitely building up the reputation receiving the Platinum Top Pro Status on Thumbtack and Lessons.com as well as the portfolio of my work. I also stayed positive and open when times seemed to be uncertain and trusted in the process. Sometimes we have life changing experiences that we can catalyze into something better. I used my struggles to focus on creating a business I love, turning pain into gold, and you can do it too!
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Our goal at Yogi Mandhi LLC within the next 12 months is to have several highly qualified instructors on our team to assist in spreading the joys of yoga around the Tampa Bay area and beyond. After 6 years of being in business, I am now ready to expand and work with more companies to reach more individuals. I believe everyone can practice yoga and meditation; however, it may look different and that’s okay! I want to debunk the myth that yoga is religious. On the flip side, yoga can be a great practice to help one connect deeper with God through meditation, no matter their religion. Yoga is a philosophy, a science, and a lifestyle, or way of living. The greatest gifts one receives from practicing yoga include awareness (in all areas) a.k.a. mindfulness, and one learns to take care of their mind and body like stretching when they feel tension instead of sitting in it thinking there is no hope. Taking some deep breaths in stressful situations is always helpful advice because it slows us down to respond instead of react. However, yoga is much more than stretching or taking deep breaths. It’s more about what you learn in the process and what you can unlearn. In yoga, we listen to our body and often what transpires on the mat transfers out into a positive change in the real world. A flexible mind brings a flexible body and vice versa. Our mission is to teach individuals and companies yoga and meditation so they can become more conscious of their lifestyle, habits, and use this awareness to help their community and the planet!
I am looking to make connections locally and globally that have aligned missions aimed towards sustainability in the home, workplace, and the environment. We hope to make partnerships with big companies and organizations and other daring enterprises that are ready to rock the stage promoting mindfulness and sustainability, making it trendy baby! With our collaboration with the University of Tampa Incubator Program, we hope to make some great partnerships and strides to create a solid platform and launching pad for our business. We are looking to reach 100+ companies in the next 12 months. We are also hoping to bring yoga and meditation to some fun local organizations such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, addiction recovery groups like the Phoenix, Harvest House, and Alcoholics Anonymous and Fortune 500 companies who are ready to upgrade their workplace experience. We also work online with clients such as a recent class we brought to the employees of Patient Point where we hosted a hybrid chair yoga class online and in-person reaching 300+ members who joined across the nation! If this sounds like one of the companies you work with, let’s connect and create some movement that’s sustainable and expansive for your company, the community, and the planet. At the same time, we can always come into stillness and find our inner peace, something yoga and meditation teach us! We can be both, a rockstar and peaceful! Join our mission by connecting with us online at www.yogimandhi.com
Contact Info:
- Website:www.yogimandhi.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogimandhi/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yogimandhi/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yogimandhi/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfT258Y2_48RS6OapaC-4GA
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/user/1228712529?si=942b516814b14c2c
Image Credits
@nacovizionimagery on Instagram
