KATY JOHNSTONE
Who are you, what do you and why do you do it?
I'm Katy, daughter of Lesley and granddaughter of Margret. I am of service to this world through holding space for others to move, shift and BE which ultimately creates freedom. I guide Yoga, facilitate Ecstatic Dance and am also a Hawaiian Massage Bodyworker. Why - Because these practices changed my life and helped me feel truely free, embodied and empowered as a woman, I feel it’s my duty to provide space for others to know liberation too.
How did yoga come into your life and what has that journey been like for you?
Yoga found me when I was so very lost, confused and distant. At a young age I had dealt with death quite frequently, disliked my body and was so far from my family that I had no roots to remind, nurture and help me know the difference between inner wisdom and outside influence. I had lost a sense of who I was and was seeking confirmation from many places outside of myself. The practices lended me so much wisdom for understanding, for connection and remembrance - and made it possible for me to start viewing my vessel as a subject, rather than an object. This was a huge gateway for me in my self love journey - to finally appreciate what amazing things my body can DO over what it looked like.
Yoga taught me how to be internally strong, and in particular the chakra and koshas system and helped me finally understand the energetic experiences I had spent a long time confused about. Philosophy gave me a path in which I could navigate my internal and external worlds with balance.
Yoga became a map that I could really explore and take my time in discovering who I was. It certainly started as a physical journey, but as the layers get peeled back - directing energy, knowing intuition and discovering true bliss are all practices I have come to embody and share over time. The journey has been wild and yoga has both kicked my ass and put me back together.... all inside one breath.
Do you think to change your cultural surroundings, and studying yoga played a role in generating your creative output? Is there a connection between the practice of Yoga and creativity?
100% yes. Before I moved to Australia, I remember girlfriends back home talking negatively about others when they’d “changed”. As if changing was a bad thing. Taking myself half way around the planet undoubtably allowed me to re-invent myself. I was able to release old stories as there was nobody around to keep me attached to them. I sometimes thought that maybe I could even change my name and nobody would know!
Especially when I was single, I felt this empowered sense of becoming ANYBODY I wanted to be. Initially, being invited into the doof community was a huge part of me fully choosing, accepting and liking the sides of me I’d pushed away in the UK (a place, that for me, hadn’t always celebrated my individuality and creativity). I genuinely felt like I had been reborn and over the years was able to rewrite the stories about myself that I wanted to world to know. I became this version of myself because I followed my intuitive guidance and... I made the choice to be me.
In terms of creativity, it’s funny because I still don’t consider myself a deeply creative person. Empowered, embodied and inspired yes - but for me creativity bursts through in the wildest moments when I very least expect it. Usually, it’s when I am immersed in nature for days on end. Slowness and often sticky emotions are mainly what birth my creativity.
My main creative output is through the language I use when teaching. I love to find ways to describe things that hopefully help others to feel embodied... like “feeling your bones bobbing up and down like driftwood, carried by the breath...”. I love to blur the lines between us and nature and find it really helps us find union between the inner and outer landscapes.
How can we bring up other females?
With presence, knowledge of inner understanding and empowerment.
What do you do when you're feeling unmotivated? Do you have any rituals or practices that help keep you focused, inspired, creating?
I honour my cycle more than I do any other religion or spiritual tradition. I am always tuning into the why behind the what of my body’s rhythms and wisdom. Often when I am unmotivated it is because of a hormonal change, so I begin with movement as medicine. Focus and inspiration come and go, and I am okay with that. I try to be as gentle as I can with myself and if there is a day I am just not feeling it - then I give myself a break and cut this idea that I have to be 'on' all the time!
A ritual that is most important to me is.... a good hot bath in winter. Or a swim in the ocean in summer. Being immersed in water cleanses me on every single level and I let the spirit of agua restore me and help me remember. She is my teacher, my guide and my healer.
What is a defining issue facing females today?
Sexism, gender based violence and reproductive health are the most present defining issues I have sat with in my personal experience. I am grateful that my path has allowed me to step into my power, and I do feel as of late, that I have been able to create a balance of the energetic imbalance I have felt in the past.
On a larger perspective, I am educating myself more and more on the horrifying issue of birth trafficking globally and aspire to be able to bring more awareness, voice and impact around this issue. It's fucked.
Do you have any tips to give to new female entrepreneurs, on how to be successful without neglecting self-care and good mental health?
In honesty, I struggled big time with this when I first started out. I consistently felt like I had to sacrifice my time/energy/money to help others and it left me with a cup that wasn’t full... not ideal when your role is to energetically hold space.
I’m learning about this every day but for me finding balance has been to remember that it is an achievement to rest. (It took a lot of mental de-conditioning to allow me to believe that statement!)
It’s also important to receive, so having a cheerleader team/support network in terms of energetic management is very important. I try to get a massage every fortnight and have sessions with a mindset coach just so I am able to really see and feel my limiting beliefs that are holding my back from my truth and potential.
Are there any current projects you’re working on that you can tell us about?
Yes! I am doing deep powerful space holding work with my dear friend, Emily. We have been running Sisterhood & Sensuality retreats called "Earth To Ether". These weekends are journeys into our wild womanhood and intuitive inner intelligence.
I also run a monthly Cacao, Yoga and Ecstatic dance event in Manly at the Plant Room - Called "Unbound". I am also serving as an intuitive body worker and Hawaiian massage therapist (and offered this at Wierd Women 2021).
To connect with Katy go to @unboundyoga
