Kia Ora...Wunya...Namaste

I'm Kym. The above three greetings invite you to join me in weaving together threads from three beautiful cultures. I am Māori - "Kia Ora" translates wishing you life and health, "Wunya" from the traditional custodians (Gubbi Gubbi people) on which my studio stands is a greeting meaning welcome, and "Namaste" from Sanskrit literally translates to I bow to you.

My studio is named Kotahi. This is a Māori word that directly translates to the one. This literal translation to English misses the mark slightly. The following quote from Trevor Moeke eloquently describes the feeling behind the name - "From one you can infer oneness, unity and the whole value set that goes with that, which is reciprocity, a sense of knowing yourself in order to know others, to articulate in your culture and confident in that in order to be able to recognise and respect that in others".

Yoga has woven its way through my life for the last 20 years or so my work life was largely desk bound. Over the last two years I have followed my heart and stepped away from the desk job, trained as a yoga teacher and a special needs Teacher Aide. I now split my time between these two roles, along with being a wife and a mum. The property Kotahi sits on is 5 acres which includes loads of trees a couple of Billabongs and all sorts of native wildlife ensuring birdsong drifts through each of our classes.

My yoga classes involve movement with breath in the hope that when you come to the end of the class you can fully relax, ready to leave the studio with a lingering feeling of calm.

I am grateful to the teachers that have lit the candle to guide my path. The people, the ancestors, the lineage, the land and all her original caretakers - I acknowledge the gift of knowledge especially through story telling that I love so much and have an eternal thirst for.