Mary Richardson-Perez
Mary has always had a passion for new experiences and places, given that her family was quite nomadic before settling in Nashville, TN. Early in her yogic journey, Mary traveled to India twice for several months at a time to immerse herself in the practice and culture. In this birthplace of yoga, Mary learned Pattabhi Jois’ Ashtanga Yoga, and explored pranayama and shat kriya practices under the guidance of her esteemed teacher, V.K. Shesadre.
Now with 23 years of practice and over 12,000 hours of teaching experience, she has honed an approach that effortlessly integrates lightheartedness and depth, exploring yogic philosophy and the ancient sacred traditions of self-discovery and realization. Along the way, she’s deepened her training by studying with knowledgeable teachers from very diverse traditions. She completed her teacher training at the Living Yoga Program and finished a BA at the University of Texas focusing on Studio Art (painting). She continued her studies at UT in the South Asian Studies Department focusing on Indian Philosophy/Culture and Sanskrit.
Mary is a steady and gentle guide and is actively involved in workshops, teacher training, private lessons and advanced trainings. Given her passion for the history and traditions of yoga, she met regularly with a professor, Stephen Phillips, for a few years after her academic studies to study such texts as the Upanishads, and to continue her studies in Sanskrit.
Currently, Mary is enrolled in a social work graduate program, and intends to complete the clinical hours required to be a LCSW. Mary has focused most of her graduate work on utilizing or researching meditation, somatic practices and various other yoga related techniques as interventions for anxiety, depression and to assist in nervous system regulation. Given Mary's desire to be of service, she blends a reverence for the ancient traditions of yoga, with an informed modern-day approach, to support each practitioner where they are at.