Nuggets of wisdom from Kathy Aman
As I walked across the yoga studio at Breathe Yoga, Rochester, NY, I knew this was a special place. The calmly welcoming, peaceful exuberance held the room. It didn’t take long before I realized the source of this uncommon but lovely energy. Owner, Kathty Aman, who infused the 60 minute yoga class (which she so seamlessly, and beautifully co-led with five other yoga leaders) with a Thanksgiving address from the Native Americans indiginous to this region, the Hadenosaunee. A testament to her humility, level of consciousness, clear belief in the connectedness of all people and things.
We sat down with two time Breathe Yoga franchisee Kathy Aman to glean what we could of how she cultivates and emits so much love, acceptance and encouragement. She gave us some practical and sage wisdom. Here are three main nuggets for you.
Put yourself first-If you can’t put yourself first you can’t do anything (even though you think you can.)
When Kathy decided she wanted to do her first 200 hour yoga teacher training she was in corporate sales and traveling internationally (think India, Philippines) several times a month. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to do it but I was really committed to it, I really wanted to be a yoga teacher.” She reflects “When I finally did finish it, I realized, really seriously, that I could do anything I put my mind to. More than any business accomplishment. This was an accomplishment I had done for myself and I had put myself and my own desires and what I needed FIRST.” Never understanding comments that women couldn’t have it all and would need to sacrifice something (motherhood, career, or self-care.) She says, “I worked all my business and travel around teacher training.”
Putting yourself first also involves taking care of yourself while you do something that is important to you. This year while her business (along with the rest of the world) was recovering from the pandemic, Kathy tore her ACL (doing another thing she is passionate about, skiing) and within a short period of time she also had surgery on her foot. Though some chose to fold and walk away, Kathy demonstrated her resolve to stick with her desires first which meant learning to lead from home, taking care of her physical, mental and spiritual body as well as her business. She is leading by example. Seen in her style of teaching…”Where is your head, where is your heart as you’re in this challenge?…When you take that out of the yoga room that becomes your life.
Have a spiritual ritual-
When asked if on her journey she’s doubted herself and/or her gifts and how she gets through and past challenges and doubts, Kathy advises Spiritual Hygiene! Having a spiritual ritual, a practice (spiritual hygiene) that will help all the things stirring in and around you to settle, allowing what is needed to rise to the top. Spiritual rituals, she says, are super purposeful in helping us quiet down the voices, the demons and the old patterns. There are so many to choose from. Katy herself meditates, journals, sends herself affirmations, and even has started taking five deep breaths and drinking water on a consistent basis throughout the day as spiritual practice!
Ask for help-“It keeps the energy moving between you and me and makes both our loads lighter.”
When Kathy tore her ACL and was going to be alone at home while her husband worked nights. She reached out to her community (she sends texts headed ‘calling all angels’) and was brought meals three times a week for 8 weeks of recovery. She says “It was hard to ask ,and felt silly to have people doting on me that way but I knew it was what I needed and I knew my community needed it as well.” Kathy strives to be an example of the messages she teaches and says she hopes that “the next time you need help you will see that it’s not wrong to ask for help.”
