Manjari Gopika - Certified Instructor, Passionate Practitioner, and Dedicated Student of Yoga

Manjari Gopika

Manjari Gopika is a passionate teacher and practitioner of yoga asanas and Bhakti Yoga. After twenty-something years of feeling unconfident in her body, Manjari Gopika found herself in a yoga class, and very shortly thereafter experienced a shift in her mind and body.

Ten years of practice, four trips to India,  countless Bhagavad Gita classes, alignment lessons, and one 200 hour teacher training later, Manjari is more in love with yoga and more in touch with her true self than she ever thought possible. Manjari's mission is to help others be their strongest, boldest, authentic selves through the tools of yoga practice.

After 11 years in New York City, Manjari moved to Dallas with her husband and four year old daughter in May 2020, where she continues to teach yoga group classes and courses on zoom. She is the founder of Real Yoga, a facebook community where she offerspose tutorials, classes, short meditations and philosophy talks that help people incorporate yoga into their everyday lives.

Her students are curious individuals of all ages, sizes, and professions, who appreciate that yoga is something that enhances their relationships--with themselves and others--and their experiences in the world, and who enjoy learning the profound alignment of classical poses, while understanding that “perfection” is not “one size fits all”.

I’m so excited for you to connect with Manjari, check out her work, and follow along as she continues to share her mission as a teacher and practitioner of yoga to help students grow into their strongest, boldest, authentic selves and use the tools of their practice to lead fulfilled lives.

I'd love it if you'd introduce yourself, what you do, and what you're working on.

My name is Manjari Gopika, and I am a certified instructor, passionate practitioner, and dedicated student of yoga. I am working on bringing new people to yoga and helping my students deepen their practice through online zoom classes and my private facebook group, Real Yoga.

How did you get started?

It was a slow but steady progression. In 2011, after going through a break-up, my confidence was low, my exercise routine was non-existent, and I was at a point in my life where I felt a bit untethered. I began taking yoga classes. Within a short period of time, I noticed a significant shift in my mind and body, as I continued to practice, I fell in love. One year later, I began studying yoga philosophy and ancient texts and many years after that, I decided to complete my 200 hour yoga teacher training in New York City so that I could gift to others the fulfillment, strength, and wisdom that yoga has given me.

What inspired the work that you're doing?

For most of my life, I felt uncoordinated, inflexible, and did not feel confident in my body.

In yoga class, sometimes the teacher would give an instruction and I would think, “I’m going to fall”. Then I would do it--and not fall (or at least not for a few seconds!).  I slowly realized that I was much more capable than what my mind would let me believe. I thought, “if I had no idea that I could do this one thing, I wonder what else I can do that I am not aware of?”

What really hooked me, with yoga, though, is this: there is no such thing as winning or losing.

There are no points. No one is “bad” at yoga, and no one is “good” at yoga; everyone is practicing yoga. 

Through yoga, I learned that being myself and giving my all was perfect.

That is what inspires me as a teacher: showing you that there are parts of yourself that you have not met yet and that who you are is perfect and complete.

What is your biggest passion? Do you feel like you're living your passion and purpose?

My biggest passion is to help myself and others be their strongest, boldest, authentic selves and I believe that yoga is the way to do that. The work we do on the yoga mat directly correlates with the physical world we inhabit, and in this time where so many people are experiencing overwhelm, anxiety, and burn-out, the very practical tools of yoga are as timeless and relevant as ever.

What is your joy blueprint? What lights you up, brings you joy, and makes you feel the most alive?

This reminds of what Marcus Aurleius wrote in Meditations on the three relationships in life: “ 1. With the body you inhabit , 2. With the divine, the cause of everything in all things 3. With the people around you”

I feel joyful when I am connected to these three relationships, which manifest for me through my yoga practice, my spiritual life, and my family, friends and students.

I feel the most alive l when I am teaching because I know that my students are one yoga pose away from a whole new outlook on life. Every time that a student realizes that their perceived limitations were all self-imposed, I feel like “YES! I am making a difference in the world!”

How do you live intentionally? Are there tools/resources/practices that you rely on to help you stay mindful and grounded?

I love this question because living intentionally is the primary way that I bring joy into my life.

My husband and I are long-time practitioners of Bhakti yoga, the yoga path of devotion. We prioritize our spiritual lives by rising early, eating a vegan diet, reading sacred texts, listening to inspirational talks by Bhakti yoga teachers, and spending a couple of hours each day chanting a sacred Sanskrit mantra. Everything we do is tied to the question, “am I bringing myself closer to who I really am, or farther away?”

What would your younger self think about what you're doing now?

My younger self would be very surprised to see that I am not a Broadway actress since acting was my love, my passion, my talent and what inspired me to move to New York City when I was 23 years old. My younger self would really, really like me and think that I’m a badass that has grown into my boldest, most authentic self.

Do you have a go-to mantra or affirmation? 

I’ve been chanting several rounds of the maha mantra every day for almost ten years. “Maha” means “greatest”-- it’s called the greatest mantra because the power of all of the hundreds of vedic mantras combined exist within this 16 syllable mantra. It is said that by chanting this mantra every day with pure intention, all of the confusion, envy, anger that has accumulated on our consciousness over the years will dissipate, like wiping dust off of a mirror, and we will reconnect with our source of unlimited love. Sounds like it’s worth trying, right?

What is your biggest dream?

My biggest dream is to be the reason that everyone in the world tries yoga--even if it is only for 15 minutes!

To learn more and connect with Manjari visit her website www.manjarigopika.com/shop and use the FREE4ME discount code to experience one free group yoga class as her gift to you and you can find her classes here plus you can find her Facebook group called Real Yoga here and on Instagram @manjari.gopika.yoga

Joy Corner is an interview-style blog series brought to you by Seek The Joy Podcast. Our mission continues to be a desire to share your stories, truths, joys and inspiration in your words. We invite you to join our corner, and share your joys, passions, and moments of inspiration as we continue to seek the joy, together. Join this series here