Sacred Spiritual Space

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Rapid City, SD
Sacred Spiritual Space

E-RYT®500, RPYT, YACEP® Yoga Instructor & Teacher Trainer - Sound Healing Trainer
Sound, Breathwork, & Cacao Ceremony Facilitator I’m Clarissa!

I’m a Midwest girl, born and raised in South Dakota currently living in the Black Hills region of South Dakota. I’m here on this planet to help as many people as I can transform themselves and live the life they dream of! Yoga and all the ceremony work I do have given me the confidence and strength to do this and forge a new path. My dream is to help you do the same! Growing up I was a shy girl who was often teased and bullied for wearing glasses and being small and freckly. I struggled for years with poor self-image and was never happy with the person I saw staring back at me. I never felt good enough or sure of what my path was. And I never thought I would be brave enough to share my story, my vulnerabilities, and insecurities with the world. After college I struggled to find my path. I was unsure of where I belonged. I fell in love with the world of museums and pursued a Masters in Historical Administration in 2012 where I met my husband Wade. But even during grad school I felt out-of-place. I was good at the work and enjoyed the opportunities and thrill of working with the history of places and people. But, I still felt like I was missing something. In the fall of 2016 I quit a good full-time job in pursuit of a dream. My dream is to share my love and passion for the practice of yoga and the lifestyle I have built around me that transformed my life. After discovering yoga in college and dedicating myself to a practice I began to see myself not as a weak insecure person, but someone with drive, passion, and self-confidence. Attributes I thought I had long ago lost in my childhood. Today, through the practice of yoga and a lifestyle of confidence building I enjoy the person I am. I love that I have talents that come naturally, like teaching yoga and facilitating ceremonial spaces and I love that I always have more to learn! I strive to live as authentically to myself as I can working with people, brands, and companies I believe in and put my heart and soul into what I do. I love to teach, I love to travel, to experience life in a way that most only dream of and to ignite that passion in YOU my students, readers, collaborators, and peers. I love to travel and adventure and I am currently booking traveling teaching dates. Want to host me at your studio or retreat center? Shoot me an email info@clarissamae.com

My husband Wade & our pups Inkling and Ollie & I love to be outside and camp and visit new places. We recently welcomed our son, Thomas into the world March 2022 for a whole new adventure! Yoga Facts:

- Registered E-RYT® 500, RPYT®, YACEP®

- 200 hr training in Rock Island, IL at the Tapas Yoga Shala with Evan & Kelly Harris in May 2014

- 500 hr Yoga Teaching certification in May 2017 at Tapas with Evan & Kelly Harris

- Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training in June 2020 with Roberta Kellinson

- 200 hour Advanced Meditation Teacher and Mindfulness Coach Training in June 2021 with Master Dev Om. Included in this training: 7 Chakra Healing Therapy, Yoganidra Master Training, Master Breathwork, Shiva Consciousness, Heartfulness, Sufi Meditation Master Training).

- 100 hour Sound Ceremony Training in Guatemala in July 2021

- Cacao Ceremony Facilitator Training with Amaruanka Ceremonial Living October 2021

- Munay Ki Shamanic Healing Initiation with Sharon Ramel January 2022

- Munay Ki Initiation with Amaruanka Ceremonial Living June 2022

- International Yoga Retreats to Guatemala 2017and Greece in 2019 through a company I co-founded with Erin Damm, Light the Spark Within Retreats.

- I offer Women's Retreats in the Black Hills area, create special events around the Moon, Equinox/Solstice, Astrology and incorporate Sound Healing, Cacao Medicine, Shamanic Healing and Breathwork into my offerings.

- I have taught at various Yoga conferences and festivals including Ustava Maa at the Shri Jasnath Ashram in India, Vegas Gone Yoga in Las Vegas, NV, Fields of Yogis in Cedar Rapids, IA, the South Dakota Yoga Conference in Deadwood, SD.

- I guest taught and did photography for the Yoga Goddess Academy retreat to Costa Rica in April 2018 (book me to guest teach on your retreat and take pics!)

- December 2015 I spent a month in Mysore, India studying at the KPJ Ashtanga Yoga Institute with Sharath Jois. I have also spent time learning from authorized and certified teachers like, Tim Feldmann, Kino MacGregor, and David Robson.

04/12/2026

04/08/2026

Enjoy this 5 min Sound Journey to reset your system, bring you back to your center, and realign you to joy & abundance.
Tonight I kicked off my next cohort of Sacred Sound, a 100hr hour hybrid immersive sound training.
It’s such a joy to share these practices and guide others to bring their own unique experiences & expression to their world & community!
❓One of the stories students shared tonight was their first memory with sound, the feelings, emotions, and engagement they had with sound. I’m curious what is your first memory of sound? Share in the comments, I’d love to know!
Upcoming Sound Journey’s
- Wednesday 4/8 Black Hills Salt Cave and Spa
- Friday 4/10 Moccasin Springs
- Saturday 5/2 Beltane Celebration outside Custer! Details here: https://bit.ly/beltaneblessings2026

03/27/2026

Hope to see you this year at the South Dakota Yoga Gathering - this will be my 9th year holding space at this event and it's one of my favorite events of the year.

Details, tickets, and registration here: https://www.sdyogagathering.com/

Meet Clarissa Mae

Sacred space holder and yoga teacher with 18 years of experience, Clarissa Mae brings her elemental, ritual-infused approach to sound, breath, and movement to SDYG. In “Heartstream: a journey of cacao, flow, & Resonance,” she will guide an outdoor immersion beginning with ceremonial cacao, flowing into intuitive movement and breath, and culminating in an expansive sound journey, offering participants a heart-opening, multi-sensory experience designed to harmonize energy and deepen presence.

Read more about Clarissa Mae and her class on page 43 of the SDY’Zine →
https://sdyzine2026.my.canva.site/

03/20/2026

🌸Took my doggies for a Spring Equinox run in the Hills & dropped into my channel to connect to the land, to offer a prayer for the rain, a prayer for peace in our world, and offer this simple song in gratitude.
🌲Sometimes the ritual & ceremony is just being open enough to receive at any moment.

03/06/2026

🌸Spring Equinox: Cacao, Breath & Bloom at Victoria’s Garden  Sunday, March 22 • 10:00am–12:30pm

🌷Join us in honoring the turning of the season with a nourishing morning of cacao, breath, sound, and living beauty.

🌿We’ll begin with a gentle cacao ceremony to open the heart and set intention for the season ahead, followed by guided breathwork and mindful movement to awaken the body and invite fresh energy in. From there, you’ll settle into a restorative Sound Shower Journey designed to help you release winter heaviness and reconnect with yourself as we step into spring.

🪻To close our time together, we’ll transition into a hands-on spring floral design experience led by Vicki of Victoria’s Garden. You’ll create a petite seasonal arrangement with blooming branches, Dutch tulips, and fresh spring textures, something living to take home and enjoy as it slowly unfurls in the days ahead. 
🌼Pricing Early Bird: $65 (through March 6) Regular: $75
BIO:
Clarissa Mae is a Sacred Space holder, sound practitioner, and E-RYT 500/RYPT/YACEP with 18 years of experience. She weaves sound, breathwork, movement, cacao, and ritual into transformative, multi-sensory experiences rooted in the elements, seasonal cycles, and ancestral traditions. Clarissa leads international retreats, advanced trainings, and Sacred Sound: A J.O.U.R.N.E.Y.© to Sound Healing, and offers individualized sound, cacao, and breathwork sessions to support deep healing and embodied growth.
📸

02/18/2026

This Friday!
🧘🏻‍♀️Elemental Resonance: Cacao, Breath & Sound is a 90-minute immersive experience designed to support grounding, emotional release, and energetic renewal.
❤️We begin with ceremonial cacao to open the heart and invite presence, followed by an Elemental Breathwork journey inspired by Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. Each element supports a different layer of your physical, emotional, and energetic body.
🎵The experience closes with a full-body sound immersion using crystal bowls, drums, chimes, and voice to soothe the nervous system and integrate the journey.
All are welcome.
Friday, February 20th
At
5:30-7:00pm
$45

02/17/2026

🎵A 5-minute Sound Journey to mark the turning of the cycle.
🎧Headphones On.
🎊We’re stepping through the Lunar New Year, into the spark and momentum of the Fire Horse, under a New Moon in Aquarius. This a moment that invites courage, vision, and the willingness to move differently than before.
♒️Aquarius energy asks us to imagine new futures.
🔥🐴Fire Horse energy asks us to act on them.
🌑The New Moon reminds us we get to begin again.
🌀This short sound immersion is a space to reset your nervous system, clear mental static, and listen for what’s ready to emerge next. personally and collectively.
🧘🏻‍♀️If you’re feeling the pull toward change, creativity, or simply grounding back into yourself… start here. Breathe. Listen. Receive.
Upcoming gatherings + spaces to go deeper:
• Elemental Resonance at in Sioux Falls
• Spring Equinox 3/22 at in Rapid City
• Rite of Passage 1:1 sessions for life transitions, integration, and intentional new beginnings
🌟 Sacred Sound 100Hr Training April-May - hybrid online and in the Black Hills!
Details + registration in bio.
🪘Beautiful drum and Waterfall Disc from

02/08/2026

❤️Sink into deep rest with Yin Yoga under nourishing red light, then drift into a closing Sound Journey.
❤️This layered experience supports nervous system regulation, tissue hydration, improved circulation, energetic balance, and deeper sleep—helping your body release tension while your mind softens and resets.
❤️Leave grounded, restored, and gently recharged.
❤️I started offering Red Light Yoga classes a few years ago and they are some of my favorites! Be sure to register in advance on MindBody!
Yin Yoga & Sound
Sunday, February 15th
At
4:00-5:15pm
Red Light Panel from 🔗Link in my@bio

01/11/2026

🪶Since moving to the Black Hills in 2018 my connection to birds of prey has really amplified. Much of my Soul is tied to the land out here, the animals that live here, and plants that grow here.
🪶The first time I met Freya was the first time I had ever been so close to a Red-tailed Hawk & it brought me to tears. It felt like my Soul recognized the Spirit of this incredible creature and vice versa.
🪶As often as I can I volunteer with the Black Hills Raptor Center as an educational presenter and go to classrooms, retirement homes, and other events to handle and talk about our Bird Ambassadors. For me it’s an absolute JOY.
🪶I find it a true honor to have the opportunity to volunteer in this way & I often say it’s the best volunteer gig! The mission of the Black Hills Raptor Center is to conserve and protect native birds of prey and their natural habitats through education, rehabilitation, and research.
🪶I count myself lucky to be part of an amazing team of volunteers who work with these amazing raptors and excited for all the incredible work this organization will be able to do with the new Rehab facility!
🪶 Why raptors matter:
🦅Natural balance keepers – they control rodent and pest populations.
🦅Environmental indicators – healthy raptors often mean a healthier ecosystem.
🦅Protectors of open land & farms – they reduce the need for poisons and pesticides.
🦅Ancient symbols of vision & guardianship – connecting sky, land, and life.
🤍 How we can help:
🤎Support rehab & education centers like the Black Hills Raptor Center
🤎Avoid rodenticides & toxic chemicals – poisons travel up the food chain.
🤎Choose non-lead ammunition when hunting – lead fragments cause fatal poisoning when raptors feed on remains.
🤎Respect habitats & nesting areas.
🤎Learn, share, and advocate.
🪶Freya is an official Bird Ambassador of the Black Hills Raptor Center.

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https://www.sacredspiritualspace.com/

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My Story

Hi there!

I’m Clarissa! I’m a Midwest girl, born and raised in South Dakota currently living in Spearfish, SD. I’m here on this planet to help as many people as I can transform themselves and live the life they dream of! Yoga has given me the confidence and strength to do this and forge a new path. My dream is to help you do the same!

Growing up I was a shy girl who was often teased and bullied for wearing glasses and being small and freckly. I struggled for years with poor self-image and was never happy with the person I saw staring back at me. I never felt good enough or sure of what my path was. And I never thought I would be brave enough to share my story, my vulnerabilities, and insecurities with the world.

After college I struggled to find my path. I was unsure of where I belonged. I fell in love with the world of museums and pursued a Masters in Historical Administration in 2012 where I met my husband Wade. But even during grad school I felt out-of-place. I was good at the work and enjoyed the opportunities and thrill of working with the history of places and people. But, I still felt like I was missing something. In the fall of 2016 I quit a good full-time job in pursuit of a dream. My dream is to share my love and passion for the practice of yoga and the lifestyle I have built around me that transformed my life.

After discovering yoga in 2008 and dedicating myself to a practice I began to see myself not as a weak insecure person, but someone with drive, passion, and self-confidence. Attributes I thought I had long ago lost in my childhood. Today, through the practice of yoga and a lifestyle of confidence building I am elated at the person I am. I love that I have talents that come naturally, like teaching yoga and creating fun sequences or working one-on-one with students. I also love that I have spaces of growth left like delving into new content creation and creating programs for people. Yoga has given me so much and that practice is something I want to share with the as many people as possible!

I strive to life as authentically to myself as I can working with people, brands, and companies I believe in and put my heart and soul into what I do. I love to teach, I love to travel, to experience life in a way that most only dream of and to ignite that passion in YOU my students, readers, collaborators, and peers.

I love to travel and adventure and I am currently booking traveling teaching dates! Want to host me at your studio or retreat center? Shoot me an email info@clarissamae.com

My husband Wade & our newest addition Inkling (heeler/boston terrier mutt & love of our lives) & I love to be outside and camp and visit new places so if you are looking for content creators for your property or site we’d love to visit!

Yoga Facts:

I completed my 200 hr training in Rock Island, IL at the Tapas Yoga Shala with Evan & Kelly Harris in May 2014.

I’m completed my 500 hr Yoga Teaching certification in May 2017 at Tapas with Evan & Kelly and am a registered E-RYT® 200, RYT® 500, YACEP®.

I led my first international Yoga Retreat to Guatemala in Nov. 2017 and am working on my retreat to Greece April 2019 with my friend and co-leader Erin Damm & Light the Spark Within Retreats.

I have taught at various Yoga conferences and festivals including Vegas Gone Yoga in Las Vegas, NV, Fields of Yogis in Cedar Rapids, IA, the South Dakota Yoga Conference in Deadwood, SD.

I travel and teach events for GAIAM and other brands around the country!

I guest taught and did photography for the Yoga Goddess Academy retreat to Costa Rica in April 2018 (book me to guest teach on your retreat and take pics!)

I practice Ashtanga Yoga & in December 2015 I spent a month in Mysore, India studying at the KPJ Ashtanga Yoga Institute with Sharath Jois. I have also spent time learning from authorized and certified teachers like, Tim Feldmann, Kino MacGregor, and David Robson.