Today we’d like to introduce you to Monica Graves.
Monica, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In this all-too-short life, if we are one of the lucky ones, we come to know a moment that changes everything. A phrase, a conversation, a provocation. We aren’t expecting it and it lands like lightning.
The most significant “electric awakening” I experienced was exactly a decade ago. In the 2008 economic downturn, I’d found myself laid-off from a high-profile Director role at a marketing firm in Southern California. It was jarring at first, but the universe had big plans for me. As luck would have it, earlier that year, I’d unintentionally stumbled upon the powerful practices of yoga and meditation.
Admittedly, I didn’t even want to go to my first yoga class! My then-roommate dragged me to the studio, and I loathed every second of the Vinyasa II flow. I could barely understand the movements, let alone follow the Sanskrit cueing. I was silently cursing my roommate and vowing NEVER to subject myself to this torture again. Until… we laid down into Savasana.
I felt as though someone had taken a crowbar to my heart and pried it wiiiide open. My body softened, my mind cleared, and tears rolled down my cheeks as I connected with this deep, unexpected sense of coming home.
One Savasana and I were plummeting into the rabbit hole. I became insatiably curious to learn all I could about these wisdom traditions that were slowly shifting my entire understanding of health, well-being and wholeness. I studied many forms of yoga and meditation, breath and visualization, whatever I could get my hands on. I was like a kid in a spiritual candy store.
It was abundantly clear that my lay-off was a huge blessing. I decided I wouldn’t take another job unless it had something to do with mindfulness. A lofty goal and challenging in its own right! My quest had been unsuccessful for 6 months and (f)unemployment was about to run dry. Maybe it wasn’t the time for this transition. I’d better apply for marketing jobs, too, or it’s back home to Pennsylvania I go.
Through the magic of Craigslist, I finally made progress. On the very same day, I’d landed phone interviews with a marketing firm and renowned wellness center. The in-person interviews came just a day apart. Then… the phone call offering me the job. The firm extended a mind-blowing offer to on board as their Director of Marketing. An hour later, the wellness center called. The entry-level position was mine if I wanted it. At about a third of the salary.
I felt like the universe was dangling me off the edge of comfort and stability and testing me… are you going to leap towards your dreams or WHAT?! I shared with the hiring manager of the wellness center that I had a huge decision before me. She offered all the time I needed to decide, so long as I promised one thing: “As you consider which path is right for you, just promise me you’ll ask yourself, ‘What is my Dharma?’”
Another confession… after we hung up, I went straight to the Google machine. “What the hell is a Dharma?!” Ha! I was a total newb. I *sort of* got the concept after watching a few videos but knew immediately… the fact that she’d even asked such a potent question assured me that I’d be infinitely supported if I followed my heart on this new career path.
I worked at The Chopra Center for over 6 years and served in many roles – Retreat Host, Workplace Wellbeing Program Manager, and Guest Services Manager, among others. I received certifications in Primordial Sound Meditation, Ayurvedic Lifestyle and 7 Spiritual Laws of Yoga. I had the honor of honing my teaching skills at the Center with guests from all over the world and also traveled across the US to share these incredible practices at conferences big and small.
It turns out, along with being a spiritual guide, a huge part of my Dharma involves proving that it’s okay to leap off cliffs! In 2015, the department I was managing was consolidated and my position eliminated. Another crystal-clear message from the universe – it was time to make an even bigger jump.
At that moment, I decided to sell everything I own, launch my company Soulbare Wellness and travel through Central America. I set out to learn about other wisdom traditions and marry soul practices from around the globe. I held a big vision to create an integrative workshop and retreat offerings, unlike anything that existed before. I deeply desired to provide individuals and organizations with their very own opportunity to blast open the boundaries of the comfort zone and leap off the cliff into the life of their dreams.
Now, though San Diego is one of my home-base cities, I live quite freely as an intentional nomad. It’s my passion and purpose – my Dharma! – to travel the world and instigate big, bold, beautiful living within each and every person I meet.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh goodness, no! To look back at THE most defining, turning-point-type moments of my life, I can see a consistent theme. The story always reads Severance and Surrender.
Severance of all things comfortable and familiar, until I’m left with practically nothing.
The universal principle that to truly create space for the New, we have to purge and let go of the Old…. that lesson has been delivered to the extreme!
Then, in the emptiness, its an unwavering surrender into trusting the unknown. Trusting myself and my ability to attract the right knowledge, resources, community, support. Sometimes it doesn’t show up right away and that’s where the *real* challenge and opportunity for growth comes in.
Over and over again, I have to sit with my urge to run back to comfort. To breathe through the uncertainty. To re-commit myself to my dreams with an unwillingness to give up. It’s often terrifying, to be honest! But that breathless, speechless, holy-moly-I-did-that! feeling that comes with each milestone… I wouldn’t trade that for the world.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Soulbare Wellness – what should we know?
Defining Soulbare Wellness has been one of the greatest challenges as a business owner. So I went back to the roots of this soul journey and asked: What is the Dharma of this company? How can it help the world? How can it serve?
And when we’re doing this deep work, the answers are always shifting! But right now, I can feel clearly that Soulbare is here to serve the world as a:
RESOURCE:
Of experiential education in wellness + wellbeing for individuals, organizations and events.
REVOLUTION:
Of the ancient wisdom of Meditation, Ayurveda, Yoga + Reiki, expertly translating them into tools for modern-day health, wholeness + vibrant living.
REVELATION:
Of your true Self. An invitation to bare your soul (get it?). To say Hell NO to the old paradigm that does not serve. And to shout Hell YES to the unwavering choice to live each new moment with passion, purpose, presence and positivity.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Eternal Optimism, without a doubt. First and foremost, I need it as a business owner to see through the cloudy days and identify silver-lining solutions.
Secondly, this principle in practice creates such a huge positive shift for the Soulbare community. It’s at the core of every single workshop, retreat, conversation. Whether we are working with meditation or Reiki or Mayan ceremony or just deep breathing… we are always focused on the creation of what’s possible for our lives.
There is no dream too big, bucket list item too wild, there is no course of action for self-love and soul-exploration that is off the table. Every guest/student/client is encouraged – instigated – to go big, live bigger, and love biggest of all.
Pricing:
- Adventure Retreats – $748-$1,998
- Conference + Event Curricula – $500-$4500
- 1:1 Lifestyle Design Sessions – $180+
- Online Courses – $48-$248
Contact Info:
- Website: www.soulbare.com
- Phone: 814.602.5591
- Email: monica@soulbare.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulbare
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulbare
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/msgraves
Image Credit:
Luis Carlos Garcia
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
