Welcome to Mandala Montana Retreat Center in Florence, Montana.

For over half her life, Christen Rak has devoted herself to the practice and art of yoga, and it shows in every class she teaches. With her soothing, meditative tone, she helps students connect deeply with their bodies and inner awareness. Christen has worked with everyone from young beginners to World-Class Olympians, always meeting her students where they are. If you are ready to evolve your yoga practice, I highly recommend following Christen's guidance--you'll find her practices both inspiring and transformative.

Christen's YTT was incredible. The curriculum was well thought out and supported by her own experiences and reputable Ayurvedic resources.I deeply appreciated her attention to detail and dedication to the individual growth and success. Her teacher training has and excellent balance of experience and knowledge. Challenging enough to be engaging, while providing support for growth and success as a yoga teacher. I appreciated her real world experience as a yoga teacher, studio owner and practitioner because it provided a well rounded look at the different directions you can take in yoga. Her YTT helped me dive deeper into self and meet the world with deeper compassion and awareness.

"This is the medicine" - I found my body repeating this phrase quietly to myself throughout the last yoga class I took with Christen Rak. I have spent so much of my life feeling uncomfortable being in my own body, so what a gift it is to find a space in which I get to really attune to my body, to really savor and celebrate all my edges and expressions. Rarely have I found another teacher like Christen who is able to so openly empathize with the experience of the body. Whenever I attend a class from Christen, I see and feel this in the understanding movements and masterful fluidity of her flows, in her genuine style and curious guidance throughout the practice, and in her heartfelt laughter and celebration for our own unique and communal experience of coming back to ourselves—especially to those parts of ourselves we might find it more difficult or uncomfortable to come back to on our own. For years, I have had the opportunity to know Christen as a friend and mentor, and, the more I come back to her classes, the more I understand how intimately she continues to cultivate a yoga practice that offers the gift of exploring and learning how to more fully attune to yourself. I have found for myself that Christen's genuine presence and skillful movement practices create and foster a space for growth in which I am able to more fully explore and celebrate my presence, my power, and a felt sense of contact within my body. This community, this empathy, this attunement, this contact, ...this is the medicine.

I am incredibly grateful for my yoga teacher training with Christen Rak. She is a beautiful soul whose deep knowledge and passion for yoga shine through in every class. Christen blends creativity and fun with a strong foundation in the wisdom of yogic texts and years of real-world teaching experience. Her approach is both holistic and practical, offering students the tools to develop their unique teaching styles while cultivating a lifelong interest in yoga. With Christen, you’re not just learning poses — you’re learning how to live the teachings of yoga. Her genuine desire to share the transformative benefits of yoga ensures that every student leaves feeling empowered, inspired, and equipped for a meaningful practice.