RISING: A Woman's Journey of Healing Through Rituals
The book that started the method. A narrative of regulation, ritual, and the slow return to yourself.
For the woman who has done everything right — and still loses herself in the moments that matter most.
You don't need more insight.
You need a way back to yourself.
You have read the books. Done the therapy. Built real self-awareness around your patterns and your pain.
And still — in the conversation that matters, in the intimacy that terrifies you, in the moment your voice should be steady — something takes over.
You go blank. You apologize. You cry when you didn't want to. You replay it for days.
And then you wonder what is wrong with you.
Nothing is wrong with you.
You are simply under-trained for the emotional intensity of being a woman in relationships that ask everything of you.
RISING is the story of what comes after the breakthrough. After the diagnosis, the journaling, the hard-won understanding that somehow still leaves you reactive, exhausted, and ashamed of how you showed up.
It is Mandi Gardner's own story. And it is probably yours too.
ABOUT THE BOOK
RISING: A Woman's Journey of Healing Through Rituals is a deeply personal account of rebuilding identity and reclaiming steadiness — not through more processing, not through a better communication strategy, but through the one thing that actually worked.
Ritual. Daily practice. The quiet, radical act of returning to yourself — over and over — until steadiness becomes who you are instead of something you perform.
Part memoir, part framework, part invitation — RISING traces the path from reactive survival to intentional self-devotion. From losing herself completely to building a life rooted in sobriety, emotional freedom, and genuine connection.
Mandi does not write from theory. She writes from the wreckage and the rebuilding. From addiction and violent relationships to long-term sobriety and a loving marriage. From years of carrying everyone else's emotions to finally learning — through yoga, ritual, and relentless daily practice — how to stay steady inside her own.
WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR
RISING is for you if:
— You have done years of therapy and still collapse in intimacy
— You feel powerful professionally but fragile in the relationships you love most
— You understand your triggers but cannot stop them in real time
— You are exhausted from knowing better without being able to do better in the moment
— You want to stop surviving your life and start feeling steady inside it
— You are ready to stop processing and start practicing
Read the Story. Then Train the Method.
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What Readers Are Saying
7 five-star reviews on Amazon · 2 five-star review on Goodreads
“RISING is the author's very personal story about trauma and suggestions for how to recover. There's something here for everyone, not just those who have suffered unspeakable trauma in their lives. To me, the theme of the book is vulnerability - why it's so hard to be vulnerable and the benefits of letting yourself live more authentically. Mandi talks about the value of rituals, which I had thought of as routines and habits, not rituals. I love the reframing of our daily rituals into practices that add healing to our lives. Each chapter is summarized with suggestions for daily, weekly, and annual rituals. It's a book you can come back to again and again.”
- Amazon Verified Reviewer“I had the opportunity to read this work of art prior to its release and here are my honest opinions. "Rising" is a deeply personal, well written book that interlaces personal experience with educated tips for growth that women from all walks of life can learn and implement. Mandi shares pieces of her own story in a meaningful way allowing the reader to reflect on how their own pasta may be affecting their current mental wellness. Her methods for healing include implementing mindfulness, differing frequencies of rituals(or routines if the word ritual scares you), and facing the past in a way that allows you to free your future. I'd recommend this book to women in all stages of adulthood that may be looking for help understanding themselves and attempting to fix the way they relate to the world we are living in.”
- Amazon Verified Reviewer
“What I like most about this book is the structure. The author takes very complex subjects and writes about them in a very straightforward way that makes it feel accessible. The author briefly explains her mindset and why she includes what she does without overwhelming the reader. The author works to synthesize Western & Easter thought, showing that mental health and spirituality are closely related.”
- Amazon Verified Reviewer
About the Author
Mandi H. Gardner is a relational nervous system trainer, trauma-informed yoga teacher, and the founder of Holistic Evolution Shala. She is the creator of Regulation-Based Ashtanga TM — a disciplined method that integrates traditional Ashtanga yoga with DBT-based interpersonal effectiveness skills to train high-functioning women to stay steady inside the conversations that shape their lives.
With over twenty-five years of experience as a hairstylist, Mandi built deep, trust-based relationships with women long before she stepped onto the mat. Her personal journey — from addiction and violent relationships to long-term sobriety, emotional freedom, and a loving marriage — is the foundation of everything she teaches.
RISING is her first book. The method follows.