Mary Lee Aranas was born I-Chun Lee in Taipei, Taiwan. Her family immigrated to Toronto, Canada when she was eight. She received her English Literature and Theatre bachelor of arts from the University of Ottawa, with additional English Literature and Creative Writing courses from the University of Toronto, and Brock University, St. Catharines.
In Toronto, shortly after graduating, Mary auditioned for CanAsian Artists Group’s production of Yellow Fever by R.A. Shiomi. There she met her husband, Raul, the play’s director, and after a whirlwind romance, began life as a wife and actress in New York City. She was an ensemble member of New York’s Pan Asian Repertory Theater for over a dozen years, performing in Chekhov’s The Three Sisters, Ping Chong’s Noiresque, The Empress of China, The Dressing Room, The Imposter, Letters to A Student Revolutionary, The Man Who Turned Into A Stick, Eating Chicken Feet, Rosie’s Café, The Song of Shim Chung and more. Mary also worked in regional theater at The Berkshire Theater Festival, McCarter Theater, The Cleveland Play House, Cincinnati Playhouse In the Park, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, and Actors’ Theater of Louisville’s Humana Festival in plays from Ionesco to David Henry Hwang to David Hare.
Mary discovered her yoga practice shortly after her son Raphael was born. In 2001, Mary’s mother died of breast cancer. Mary then shifted her focus from theater to the healing arts, having seen two strong young parents die by cancer. Since 2002, Mary has taught Yoga full-time, everything from vinyasa to meditation, to yin and restorative yoga, to partner AcroYoga. She has led workshops, teacher trainings, immersions, and retreats worldwide.
Mary first began coaching while mentoring her students and teachers. She now holds certifications in multiple fields: reiki master, yoga therapist, sound healing, AcroYoga, Thai yoga bodywork, health and life coach, transformational coach. She is also a lay minister, compassionate communication facilitator, Mama Gena community leader, and woman-centered coach. Her vision is fueled by Marshall Rosenberg, Byron Katie, Richard Schwartz, Abraham-Hicks, and Regena Thomashauer. As a coach, Mary supports women to transcend their outdated, secret, limiting stories, and move into their full selves as goddesses of creativity, passion, joy, purpose.