ABOUT

Find the joy of yoga - with a tropical breeze!

I always dreamed of living that tropical life - living in connection with nature, practising yoga and enjoying the warmth. I created yoga.with.kia to document my yoga journey in Bali and Sri Lanka but also to invite you to join me in my practice. No matter where either of us are right now, for a moment we can both virtually travel to a tropical island and practise together.

I have created a bunch of yoga videos (from 15 to 60 minutes) as well as meditations and breathing practices for us to do together. I'm continuously building the library, but sometimes it's also good to go back to the same exercises again, as repetition is the mother of learning, and we can see our improvement that way. Also, the more we repeat, the easier it becomes to go with the flow as we know what to expect.

I hope to see you on the mat!

Love, Kia

Kia

Who am I?

I am an adventurous soul who loves sunshine, palm trees, turquoise water and tropical fruits. I'm a registered yoga teacher by the Yoga Alliance (RYT200), and I'm here to share my yoga practice with you, with a tropical breeze!

I went on my first yoga class back in 2011, but it wasn't until 2019 until I started practising yoga more regularly. I fell in love with aerial yoga and I practised in a local studio - until the pandemic. Since then, I practised various yoga styles mainly at home, but I struggled to find good platforms. In February 2023, to deepen my own yoga practice, I fulfilled my dream of joining a Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) in Bali, and now I'm looking forward to sharing my journey and learnings with you!

My approach to yoga

Yoga can mean different things to different people, but the word itself means "union". The union between the mind and the body is a powerful one, and respecting the traditional roots of yoga, I don't see yoga just as a physical exercise or just as a spiritual development practice, but as a union of mind, body and soul.

I believe that yoga is for everyone, but I also understand the discussion on cultural appropriation of yoga by the western yoga industry. I am not of Indian heritage and I see myself as part of the problem. However, I do seek out education about appropriation and I am continuously learning what is okay and what is not, and sharing my learnings with my students. I find it important and necessary to acknowledge and respect that yoga is a part of Indian culture and heritage, and to avoid misappropriating sacred symbols, scripts, practices and even words. Having learned yoga history, philosophy and meditation techniques from teachers that have been born in India and have traveled in Indian Ashrams, I have deepened my understanding of the cultural background and importance of yoga.

Yoga is not stretching, "getting toned", seeking results, becoming zen, or being awakened. It is a way of living that helps us take care both of our mental and physical health. And that is my purpose with yoga.with.kia - helping us make yoga a natural part of our everyday lives, for our wellbeing.