Christen Rak

Yoga was a flame that was lit for me in the throes of finals at the University of Vermont in 2000. I walked into my first Bikram yoga studio and was instantly hooked. I did not know at that time it was the beginning of my soul’s purpose and my way to combat my alcohol addiction. Yoga allowed me to work through things–not only physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually as well.After college, it was not long before I found my way to my first yoga training at 7 Centers for the Arts in Sedona, AZ. I completed every training this place had to offer–200 Hour in Hatha/Vinyasa, 500 Hour in Yoga Therapy, and 800 Hour in Kundalini as well as their Ayurvedic apprenticeship.I began teaching by traveling all around the Flathead Valley in Montana teaching donation classes. In early 2016, the previous owners of Mandala Montana were ready to sell and offered the business to me. The rest is history–I bought the business and ran a successful hot yoga studio for over 8 years.Fast forward to now, we all change and have the need to expand and grow. That is what is happening now. I am ready to step into a new role–running retreats, training, and helping with addiction recovery. I have purchased a property in Florence, MT which is a sacred healing ground, i.e. retreat center.My vision is to provide aspects of deeper holistic healing in the way that my greatest mentor, Ruth Hartung did. In her honor, I will carry on the tradition of ‘ashram-inspired’ immersion yoga training. I will also be offering a myriad of retreats to aid healing, help healers, provide continuing education, and support those dealing with addiction.