Name: Kate Ashley
City: Rochester, Kent, UK
Studio: Rooted in Yoga
Style of Yoga: Vinyasa Flow, Power Vinyasa, Rocket Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Pregnancy Yoga, Children’s Yoga
Favourite Pose: Too many. But Wild thing, Camatkarasana, never fails to open my heart, inspire creativity in my body and feel groovy in my mind.
In 5 words or less, what is yoga: Peace of mind
Who Inspires Your Practice And/Or Your Teaching?
So many people, but if I had to choose one it would be Tabitha Dean, an honest inspiring yogi who I met on a retreat she was running. I was feeling very low at the time and in a transitional place in my life — desperate and struggling to let go of addictions, sorrow and ill health.
Tabitha was warm, fun, honest and SO energetic. Her lust for life and dedication to self-honesty, truth and love gave me so much inspiration and self-belief. She had created a wonderful company offering yoga retreats and holidays organically out of the life she was living, and it inspired me to do similar with my life.
Tabitha's yoga is much more than the practice on the mat. She lives, breathes and dances with the yamas and niyamas in her soul, and you can see it sparkle in her eyes.
When in doubt, I think of her energy, her strength and her self-awareness, and I remember I have it in me too. She is also now a dear friend.
What Is One Thing You Wish Everyone Knew About Yoga?
Just how much it can truly transform your life. Practicing postures is fabulous, it keeps the body strong and helps focus the mind, but the magic is developing self-awareness.
Connecting to your mind, body and breath on and off the mat and gently allowing your practice to slowly expand into your daily life can be life-giving, and It changed mine. Before yoga, I was disconnected, withdrawn and riddled with disease, depression and anxiety. I felt trapped in a body and a mind I did not understand and it became suffocating.
Yoga gave me a connection with myself I had not known or even imagined possible; It brought me space, freedom and happiness. I see many people thinking so much about the postures and striving for the perfect alignment. Feel the postures, engage your mind with your body and experience yoga –this is where the magic happens…and where life begins with peace of mind.
Find out more about Kate and her wonderful work here.
