This week’s interview is with Katie Rudd.
One of our recent graduates, contemporary dancer Katie Rudd talks about the power of Yoga to bring us home to our bodies.
Katie graciously shares her passion for movement with us and suggests that advanced Yoga is doing less ‘with a deeper focus on intention’. We love it – and think you will too, so read on…
Contemporary Yoga (CY): Why do you practice Yoga?
Katie: I have always loved movement – for as long as I can remember. I first came to Yoga as a purely physical pursuit – as a complementary training method to my full-time job as a contemporary dancer. But what started as a means of gaining more flexibility, fluidity and better breath engagement, has evolved into so, so much more over the last 13 years.
Now, I practice Yoga because it makes me feel grounded. The self-discovery and reflection time is what makes Yoga so powerful and nourishing for me. My mat has become my spiritual home; the place where I have learnt so much about myself. It is my favourite dose of ‘me-time’. Yoga is a constant ever-evolving practice in my life which I am so grateful for.
CY: Why did you decide to become a Yoga teacher?
Katie: During the 2020 lockdowns I would meet eight of my extended family members each Tuesday evening to guide them through a Yoga practice on zoom. Seeing the difference an hour of Yoga made to them during this stressful time was a big realization of how significant this practice can be.
It inspired me to want to be able to gift this same kindness and self-love practice with more people than just my family.
Since completing my CY teacher training, I am…
… Slowing down! The idea that “advanced Yoga is doing less” really drove this – I suddenly realised how busy my Yoga practice had previously been. I had this intense desire to strip back the layers and find more clarity and simplicity in my time on the mat.
I am constantly reminding myself to do less, but do less with a deeper focus on intention. The reward from this type of practice feels so enriching and wholesome to my entire life too.
Yoga to me …
… Is an important component for living a sustainable life. How can we take time to care for others and our environment if we are strung out and disconnected from ourselves? I feel like there is not enough importance on self-sustainability practices in the push to conquer the environmental improvements our earth so desperately needs.
Our actions towards ourselves should reflect our actions and care towards our lands; we are all interconnected as one. “Ko au te whenua, ko te whenua, ko au”.
As a Yoga teacher I am most excited to share…
… A method of mindful physical practice that helps people understand their bodies better. I am a big believer that our body is our first and forever home whilst we embark on the journey of life. Yet, I am bewildered at how seriously unfamiliar some people are with their structure, physicality and mind-body-breath connection.
I get great satisfaction in seeing people becoming empowered by discoveries and learnings about their body-their home. My favourite saying is “motion is lotion”. I truly believe in the power of movement to improve how we feel, think, react, and live in general…there is so much to gain from moving the body!
Contact details for Katie Rudd:
nzdc.org.nz/company/people/katie-rudd