KATE MCQUILLAN
Yoga Teacher
1000 H R S
Dublin Yoga Teacher
DESCRIBE YOGA
If I was to describe yoga in one word it would be connection. Connection of the body and the breath, of the mind and the body and ultimately connection to each other and the community. For me personally it connects me to my emotions and lets me process feelings whether negative or positive. It allows me to work through things on my mat and brings a lot more focus, clarity and understanding to situations that arise of the mat. Its a way of life and not just about the physical yoga asana part.
MY JOURNEY
I was introduced to yoga by my Mum at an early age, I remember her teaching us ‘Salute to the Sun’ when we were little. I got really into Bikram yoga first because it was the intensity that I needed and craved at the time. But it was a trip to Central America that put me on this path, I ended up getting stuck in San Marcos on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala in 2011 due to flooding and decided to take the ‘Moon Course’ in Las Piramides Del Ka, the days consisted of yoga, meditation, metaphysics and a lot of self-questioning and discovery.
I did my first 200hr in Chakra Yoga in The Phillipines, my second 200hr in Hatha yoga in India and my third 200hr in Vinyasa yoga in Bali. I also completed my 300hr in The Elbowroom in Dublin. I trained in Kids Yoga and Yin Yoga with Josh Summers. My next training will be Rocket Yoga with David Kyle, which I’m very excited to take.
GIVING BACK
I went twice to Gaza in 2019, a good friend of mine Jenny Higgins, started up the Gaza womens Yoga & Circus Hub in 2018, the aim of the project is to improve womens and girls physical and mental wellbeing in Gaza, through social circus, yoga, mediation and community.
I came onboard to teach women how to teach Yoga , so they can share and teach women and children in Gaza. The women chosen for the project are all trained physiotherapists with excellent anatomical knowledge, so I teach them a mix of yoga asana, meditation and nidra. It was a difficult experience but extremely humbling and eye opening, the daily injustices Palestinians have to endure is over whelming and I would be lying if I said this hasn’t changed my life. I left in awe of the resilience and heartfelt kindness and warmth from the Palestinian people. I cant wait for my next visit to all my colleagues and friends over there at the end of this year.
MY FAVOURITE POSE
I absolutely love practicing inversions such as headstands and the challenge and journey of learning something like pincha but my all time favourite pose would have to be Halasana / Karnapidasana ( Plough / Ear pressure pose) I just find it the most satisfying stretch all along the back body and theres always such a dreamy feeling on the release.
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU
I’m currently teaching in YogaHub @yogahub, Sweaty Soul @sweatysoul and The Space Between @the_spacebetween Dublin studios. I generally teach quite an energetic vinyasa flow either in a heated or non heated room. I have no yin classes on my schedule anymore but I’m hoping to add them back to my schedule soon.
HOLDEReight MATS
Yes, I love them so much, I have gotten obsessed with using your travel mats, firstly because of the convenience factor, I move between a few different studios and hate having to lug around a large yoga mat at all times, I love being able to fold the mat and pop it snuggly in my backpack, secondly, I teach a lot of hot yoga so the fabric mat is perfect for the sweatiest yoga practice, it stays grippy even when wet and the best thing about it is it can be popped into the washing machine after. Also the patterns are gorgeous
LOOKING FORWARD
I have recently taken on the role of Workshops and Courses coordinator for Yoga Hub @yogahub so I will be working on curating a year full of interesting workshops and courses from international and inhouse teachers which I’m pretty excited about.
My own training plans involve my rocket yoga training with David Kyle, Assists training with Michael James Wong along with various other workshops and another trip back to Gaza. I’m also delighted to be joining the amazing teacher training team in Yoga Hub for the summer intensive 200 TTC
KATE IS ON OUR BIRDS OF A FEATHER
TRAVEL MAT | €60.00
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