My Journey
The Facade: Life's not just what it looks like
On the surface, my life seemed flawless. I held a degree from an elite Ivy League business school, cycled through coveted jobs on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley, was in a committed relationship that was surely heading towards a happily ever after.
Beneath this exterior, my world was on shaky ground. The very foundation upon which I'd built my life was teetered on the brink of collapse. My physical health was the first casualty — hair loss, relentless insomnia, and a compromised immune system that struggled even with digesting the most ordinary foods. Mentally, I was in denial, fighting desperately to maintain an illusion. But as my physical, mental, and emotional energy dwindled, I found myself completely burned out and drained, left with no other choice but to walk away. In a matter of months, I quit my sought-after job, left a city I once called home, and ended a decade-long relationship, as I tried to claw my way out from the rubble of my once picture-perfect life.
The Breakdown: Letting the pain speak
In solitude and sickness, I confronted the deep-seated pain and open wounds. For days on end, I cried and screamed, allowing myself to surrender into the rawness of the experience instead of orchestrating an illusion of what isn’t. In the wreckage of my life, I started to understand the inevitability and the necessity of my dark night of the soul. This life had been built on a foundation of other people’s expectations and definitions of success: what life 'should be,' 'was supposed to be,' or 'ought to be.’ I had never felt safe enough within myself to trust myself, nor did I ever dare to ask myself what I truly wanted.
Once I began to work on these unprocessed trauma, I came to realize that my motivation to achieve was fueled by a profound fear of instability and insecurity, byproducts of repeated experiences of abandonment, abuse, and the need to erase my own identity to fit into new environments. The survival mechanisms triggered by these experiences molded me into a fiercely independent, ambitious, adaptable woman, who measured life by material benchmarks and external validations. While these traits had served me well in the past, they had now become shackles and prevented me from truly living.
The Question: Listening to my inner self
If I am not my accomplishments, then who am I? In my quest to answer this question, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery. I retreated into my cocoon, dropped down from my head to my heart. In deep silence, I heard a faint whisper—a new yet familiar voice of inner wisdom that had always been within me. In stillness and spaciousness, I allowed myself to play, experiment, and explore without attachment to any outcome, relinquishing all expectations and surrendering further into the unknown.
The Awakening: Finding my true path
As I learned to let go, I found myself increasingly held by the Universe, and my trust deepened. Slowly, I emerged from the darkest hour of dawn. It was during this transformative journey of healing that my soul's purpose revealed itself: to elevate the collective consciousness by guiding others to live in alignment and authenticity.
Today, I channel this purpose through offering Human Design readings, leading Sound Healing sessions, hosting women’s wellness & healing retreats, teaching yoga, offering mentorship, sharing my artwork and more. From shedding layers of conditioning that wasn’t truly mine, to finding a path that resonates with my deepest truths, I am committed to guide others in remembering their own truths.
My Bio
Tian Tian 甜甜, was born and raised in Dalian, a beautiful coastal city in Northeast China by her loving grandparents. When their health began to decline, she relocated to the United States to live with her father.
At age 11, Tian Tian adopted the name Mary, a symbolic step in her journey towards assimilation to her new life in the suburbs of Massachusetts. Moving to a foreign country with a different culture, learning a new language, and navigating life with her father, a stranger at the time, demanded extraordinary resilience and maturity. Tian Tian embraced these challenges, forging her path and becoming and fiercely independent.
Tian Tian went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in Finance, Statistics, and Philosophy from New York University, followed by an MBA from Harvard Business School. These credentials opened doors to a successful career in investment banking on Wall Street, and roles in both established and startup tech companies in Silicon Valley.
Yet, it was during a profound period of self-discovery, that Tian Tian realized her path had been primarily driven by obligation and a quest for security as an immigrant in pursuit of the American dream, rather than her own authentic calling. This awakening prompted her departure from the corporate world and initiated a transformative nomadic journey that spanned the globe, from India to Bali. During this odyssey, she delved deep into her own spiritual healing and found her true calling.
After 4 years of nomadic living, Tian Tian found new her home in Redwood City, CA. When she isn’t helping others discover their true purpose, she spends her time in outside, in nature, or inside, making art inspired by nature.
Tian Tian Wellness
Tian Tian (甜甜) translates to “sweet, sweet” and is the nickname I was called by my family while growing up in China. The embodiment of sweetness was joyful with effortless ease, as it was my natural state of being! As a child, my days were filled with simple joys: chasing dragonflies, splashing in the ocean, frolicking with my pet duck, showing up to every precious moment full of zest, presence and a big smile showing those sweet dimples. With age, as youthful innocence inevitably faded away, and I, too, gradually replaced life’s sweetness with others’ expectations of who I should be.
The name “Tian Tian” is my reclamation of this sweet, yet rebellious part of me that unapologetically took up space. Tian Tian is the constant reminder that the sweet nectar of life was never lost, merely momentarily forgotten.
Tian Tian (天天) also sounds like “everyday” in Chinese. Through Tian Tian Wellness, my intention is to guide you towards rediscovering your own inherent sweet and eternal joy, your birthright, so you can, too, embody a life well-lived, every single day.
Certification & Experience
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Interior Creatures Human Design 101 (Online, May 2022-Oct 2023)
Interior Creatures Human Design 201 (Online, May 2022-Oct 2023)
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Soulful Yin Yoga Trauma-Informed 50 Hours (Online, Oct 2023)
All Yoga Yoga Teacher Training 200 Hours - Ashtanga Vinyasa, Pranayama, Kriya (Bali, Indonesia, Mar 2023)
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Seattle Sound Temple - Intro To Bowls Play (Seattle, Sept 2023)
Sound Healing Hawaii - Mentorship (Honolulu, Hawaii, May 2023)
Life Changing Energy - Certified Sound Healer Level 1 & 2 (Online, May 2023)
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Siddha Maha Yoga - Shaktipat Meditation Practitioner & Volunteer (Bali, Indonesia; Ujjain, India; Online, Apr 2022 - Present)
Sadhguru Shambhavi Mahamudra - Meditation, Pranayama & Kriya Practitioner (Los Angeles, Jun 2023 - Present)
San Francisco Zen Center & Green Gulch Zen Center - YUZ Group Lead, Meditation Practitioner (San Francisco + Marin 2018-2020)
Harvard Mindfulness & Meditation - Retreat Participant (Boston, Jan 2018 & Jan 2019)
Vipassana Meditation Retreat - Meditation Practitioner (California, Aug 2016 & Dec 2018)
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Radiance Women’s Wellness Retreat (Seattle, Co-founder & Co-lead, Sept 2023)
Go Natural Yoga & Meditation Retreat (Jamaica, Lead & Organizer, Oct 2019)
Patagonia O Circuit 7 day Backpacking Trek (Torres del Paine, Chile, Lead & Organizer, Jan 2019)