Aerial, Ashtanga, Nidra & Yin Yoga Teacher

Kate’s first ever yoga class was as a teenager with a friend’s mum. She recalls thinking at the time how nice it felt to move her body in this way, yet surprisingly challenging. Kate didn’t practice yoga again until she was in her late twenties, when it literally found her at her office! She worked in the City at the time doing a somewhat different practice, that of a lawyer. Needless to say, she was no stranger to stress in such a role! Connecting her with her breath, the yoga practice calmed her mind and grounded her … helping her to tune out of work’s challenges and be in the moment. After over 20 years of practice, Kate still feels those benefits and, together with the strength, flexibility and balance it has granted her are the reasons she shows up on her mat …

Kate always leaned towards a dynamic form of yoga and discovered Ashtanga in 2011. Kate wasn’t in great shape after the birth of my second child and the practice soon helped her regain my strength. Kate was drawn to how she could work deeper in each pose while bringing the focus inwards. When Kate transitioned to the Mysore room, her practice transformed and she developed in so many ways, by virtue of the great teachers that she has been lucky enough to practice with: Sarai Harvey-Smith, Sarah Vaughan, Melanie Cooper, Gingi Lee and Scott Johnson.

Having thought about qualifying as an instructor for a long time, Kate finally took the plunge in 2018, when she completed Level 1 teacher training with Melanie Cooper. Kate realised that qualifying later in life was an asset as she feels she has a lot to share. Kate prioritises making yoga, accessible to everyone. Further, Kate tries to instil in students the need for self-care through a practice of both Yin and Yang forms of yoga. Kate’s fascination with how the body functions or sometimes fails to! Kate has therefore developed her working knowledge of anatomy and functional movement, which helps to guide students through any issues they are experiencing with their practice.

Since qualifying, Kate has invested in her professional development to build on her yoga knowledge and, more recently has completed her Level 2 teacher training at the beginning of this year at the Shala, which comprised modules in Pranayama, Yoga Nidra, Yoga Philosophy, Aerial Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Yoga Anatomy and Asana in Depth. Kate has also explored the Traditional Chinese Medicine origins of Yin Yoga with Norman Blair and Kate Henley (a TCM practitioner), studying the 5 main meridian pairs and how they relate to the seasons and working with them in the Yin Yoga practice.

Observing her children grow up has made Kate believe that a child’s mindset is the best way to learn so she enjoys making her classes fun, creative explorations of the body with no attachment to results or shapes .. always prioritising function over form.