Meet Joanna Rajendran | Keynote Speaker/Mindset Mastery Coach/Author of must-read book MY GURU WEARS HEELS
We had the good fortune of connecting with Joanna Rajendran and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Joanna, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
One of the greatest blessings in my life is the friendship I had with the late Tao Porchon-Lynch. Before she passed at the age of 101, I spent over 20 years being certified by, studying under, assisting and traveling with the master teacher and world’s oldest yoga instructor. Inspired to pay it forward by sharing, I wrote a book about all the magic witnessed and lessons learned called My Guru Wears Heels. Already teaching yoga and meditation, once the book was published, it enabled me to broaden my audience and serve people both on and off the mat. I founded The Rajendran Group, LLC. and began keynote speaking, leading retreats and offering workshops to help people to stop REACTING to life and begin CREATING the one of their dreams. My two most popular offerings are 12 week courses entitled BEST.LIFE.EVER. (for individuals) and BEST.TEAM.EVER. (for communities, teams and corporations)
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Everything in my life, both personally and professionally, has brought me to this moment. When I was 17, I was college student who had just been raped and was going through a dark period in life. The season of healing that followed transformed me. It put me on the path of seeking peace which led me right to my mentor, Master Teacher Tao Porchon-Lynch. I was blessed to benefit from the wisdom gathered in her 101 years on this planet and turn her hindsight into my foresight. I began teaching yoga, started and sold a yoga inspired clothing line and ultimately wrote a book (MY GURU WEARS HEELS) and launched my coaching and speaking business.
None of it was easy and all of it was worth it. Even the hard stuff. Actually- especially the hard stuff. It’s easy to see and celebrate the shiny result of success but it’s in the less sexy process where most of the growth occurs. Turning trauma into triumph doesn’t happen overnight but it does happen. By the time I reached 40, I had experienced both personal and professional challenges including: financial setbacks, building a business amidst an economic collapse, fertility issues and most frightening- medical complications with my new baby.
The blessing was learning that while I didn’t always get to control what happened in my life, I had supreme power in choosing my response to the events. For example, I can choose to discuss being raped without calling myself a victim of the rape. I can curse like a sailor and lead a meditation. I can teach prenatal yoga while praying for my own ability to conceive. I can choose habits of happiness that make my life experience as joyful as possible. And I can use simple tools and actionable steps to manifest anything and everything I want. And the best part is that I now spend all my time teaching others to do the same. After decades of taking and teaching different workshops and retreats, I now share my favorite, results-driven, joy-filled exercises in my 2 fave courses. Through these courses, retreats and keynote speaking, I get to honor all that I learned in my time and travels with Tao by sharing those insights with this and future generations.
Looking back, both my path and what I thought were detours from that path, offered me the experiences needed to learn as a student that which I was passionate to offer as a teacher. Being able to create the life of my dreams not inspite of, but likely because of, every winding road, has positioned me perfectly to help others do the same.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would LOVE to shout out…
* Tao Porchon-Lynch. My mentor, although now deceased, was the embodiment of peace, passion and purpose. She influenced every aspect of my life and I’m honored to keep the flame of her torch lit by continuing her mission in my own unique way.
* Tony Robbins & Sage Robbins (and their entire team). Without spoiling a key part of my book, Tony and his generosity, curiosity and kindness changed the trajectory of my life. He provided an incredible endorsement quote on the back cover and did a social media post to tell his audience about Tao, our friendship and MY GURU WEARS HEELS. He has since hired me to teach breathing and meditation to his private coaching clients The Platinum Lions. I am forever grateful to and for him.
Website: www.joannarajendran.com
Instagram: @joannaraj
Linkedin: Joanna Rajendran
Twitter: @JoannaRajendran
Facebook: Joanna Rajendran
Youtube: Joanna Rajendran
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