What does yoga mean to you?
TEACHER FEATURE: TOMMY KENDE
What does Yoga mean to you?
12 or so years ago, I randomly landed in a Kundalini Yoga class in the middle of Hollywood, CA. That one class gave me goose bumps the size of mountains. From that day, Yoga has became an integral part of my life.
Yoga for me is a vehicle to learn more and more about myself as a human. I just think it’s incredible how you can literally see your life unfold on a Yoga mat. The emotions, the feels, the resistance, the wins, the edges of my physical, mental & spiritual boundaries… it all just unfolds. The science of Yoga for me is in grounding and creating my safe space. I absolutely love the journey of being a student of yoga, and a teacher that shares what I love – keeping it real – but mostly I am absolutely an inquisitive little kid within the practice.
What principles do you live by?
I live by a pretty simple premise… "I create my own reality.” In essence this means taking ownership over the experience I have of life. I've come to learn that any time I blame the outside world, or others for any conflicts, misfortunes or shortcomings, I become a victim to circumstance. I keep reminding myself that whatever I focus on, is what I create. And it’s always nice to laugh at myself when I take life too serious. Quite often, I’ll be looking down the mirror at home saying “Dude, stop being a dick, it’s not that important!”
How would you describe your teaching style?
I teach exactly how I love to practice. It’s a deep, strong practice that flows with breath, movement, intuition and tension. Usually I have a plan, but then I feel into the people who have arrived in class, and let the room be a guide of where we take the practice. It’s always different. I want people to experience their edge within the practice – that’s usually when there’s growth.
Any fun facts we might like to know?
Through 2008–2012 I lived the rock ‘n roll life with my band Juke Kartel touring around the world. Juke Kartel performed alongside Tommy Lee (formerly Mötley Crüe) and Slash (ex Guns N'Roses). During this time I discovered Yoga and that became my new full on passion. And I love dogs and early morning runs and cold showers.
What else?
I’m a “Greatness Coach”. I have spent the better part of 15 years studying human behaviour, and why we act, feel, do the things we do. It’s pretty epic when you become aware of your own dysfunctional behaviours, and in turn empower yourself to be the master of your own domain. Choosing what to experience/create, and then watching that unfold right in front of your eyes. It’s magical.
One of my specialties is teaching people how to harness their intuition and creative genius. It's incredible when you learn how to “properly” listen into your intuition in a way that serves our true and authentic nature. Then create life accordingly. We’re all creative geniuses so we deserve to live as such.
Check out Tommy’s classes and workshops at Yoga LYFE in Melbourne, or listen in to his podcast THE BS MACHINE WITH TOMMY KENDE and follow along on IG @tommykende