Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Sloan.
Katie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Just over a year ago, I had a freak accident and shattered my elbow to pieces and dislocated my shoulder. Prior to this, I was a a really active person, but this accident had me in bed for almost six months because of the medication I had to take to recover.
As I slowly began to heal, I started looking for ways to move again. I started a few Yin Yoga classes and would find myself crying my eyes out after every class because it suddenly became a space where I could breathe and process some of the trauma from the accident. Jesus is a huge part of my life, so all I could think about was how amazing these classes would be if He was at the center because to me, he’s the ultimate healer. I was easily imagining myself leading people in these type of classes and even creating a space for them to encounter God.
I casually started googling Christian yoga, not even knowing if there was such a thing as it can be a controversial topic. However, I eventually stumbled upon Holy Yoga Global. A worldwide training center for people who love Jesus, to become qualified yoga instructors that have Christ at the centre.
I was SO excited, but I thought there was no way I could do this training with my arm still healing, but you know what? I rang them anyway.
I was shocked to hear the calm voice on the other end of the phone say, ‘Katie, you could very successfully do this training, because it’s not about the yoga…’ I was a little confused, but she explained to me how I could achieve my certificate. She warned me it would be a lot harder for me because I would need to think differently, but I could definitely do it. Two months of debating finally found me in class training to become an instructor. She was right, It was hard & several times I wanted to quit because I couldn’t practice a majority of the poses in my body, I had to do them in my mind. However… they kept encouraging me to keep going. I began to grow such a deep compassion for anyone that might feel disqualified from walking into a yoga room and started to learn every modification under the sun.
This journey began to change me internally in the best way and I suddenly realized what the ‘calm voiced lady meant.’ It’s not about the yoga… it is, but it also isn’t… these classes are designed to create space for people to encounter God and walk out their own personal transformation. The breath and movement of yoga is a beautiful and powerful vehicle for that. I ugly cried through the first 3 days of training and then suddenly I began to grow. My own personal transformation journey was far greater than I imagined.
Has it Been a Smooth Road?
I still couldn’t put weight on my arm, it stopped me from being able to do a lot of the poses we were learning. I wanted to quit, I felt so inadequate, yet my trainers, almost with a sparkle in their eye, encouraged me to keep going. It’s like they knew exactly what was going on. Sometimes we equate hard circumstances to ‘not meant to be.’ But this isn’t always true. Sometimes it’s part of our destiny. I pushed through and I’m so glad I did.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Now, I teach beginners yoga for women! I have always had a heart to empower people, it brings me alive. So through my journey, I grew a lot of compassion for women who might feel disqualified for any reason, for waking into a yoga room. Social media often tells us you have to be super skinny and super flexible to come to yoga or that you have to wear all the right gear. I want to destroy that perception. I want any woman of any size, shape, age or color to come and feel successful in this space and walk through her own personal transformation with God.
Because of my accident, I also put on a lot of weight, I don’t fit the typical yoga instructor image. However, it doesn’t disqualify me at all. I’m working at a healthy pace back to my ideal weight right now, it’s still part of my journey. So I hope that this can also encourage others.
I want those women who are struggling, who don’t feel like they belong, who aren’t super flexible yet, to come and find a space for themselves to breathe and transform on their own journey.
What makes my classes different is that they’re Christian focused. I’m creating a space for women to go deeper with God and encounter Him on their mat. It’s also a space for women that are just exploring and might want to know what He’s about. There’s no pressure to connect with God, just an invitation. A lot of Holy Yoga classes are about holding space for people on their journey while engaging their body and breath at the same time, that’s my heart.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Well, I’m from Australia, so coming to live in the South was an unexpected culture shock, but in the BEST kind of way. I LOVE the kindness of the people here, I am still taken back by people excusing themselves all the time and saying ‘bless you girl’ when they say goodbye at the cash register in almost any shop. I’ve made incredible friends in supermarkets and outside coffee shops!! Strangers one moment, friends the next!
The inside joke I have with my husband is ‘I’m on the Truman Show aren’t I?! They’ve done a part 2 and they’re filming my life with all these ridiculously kind people… where are the cameras?’’
The thing I like least is being on i75 in peak hour. Scary stuff!! Lol.
Pricing:
- First class is FREE! So people can see if they like it.
- Drop in is $15
- 5 class pass $60 ($12 a class)
- 10 class pass is $100 ($10 a class)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.groundingcoach.com/
- Email: katie@groundingcoach.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/groundingcoach?igshid=u7yekpkcfs2
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groundingcoach/
- Other: Tik Tok – https://vm.tiktok.com/JRYWYoY/
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