Name: Katrina Marie Flahive
Lives in: Mendota, Illinois, United States of America
From: Born and raised in the cornfields of Midwest, USA!
Job: I am a teacher and entrepreneur at heart! My degree is in biological sciences, and although I planned to use my love of anatomy to be a college professor, surviving a school shooting guided me to shift gears to younger people. I still teach and share my love of anatomy but in a different way.
I used to have my own class of three-year-olds at a preschool, but as my yoga business grew I took a step back and now focus on sharing yoga, nutrition, and science with our entire preschool as the enrichment coordinator at our school. I go into my classroom a few times a month and have the joy of working with all of our children, ages two to five. We play as I help them discover the world around them and be mindful of the health of their bodies, minds, and hearts.
I also own the coolest she-shed, Shine Yoga Garage. There is a yoga studio in the back with a large garage door that we can open to take in the midwest sunset over the cornfields as we practice. I love cars and trucks and still love to work on them when it fits into my schedule. I detail vehicles by appointment in the front of the she-shed and take meditation breaks in the hammock that hangs in my car lift. While the studio combines my loves and is my physical happy place, it is both local and global, so you can join any of our classes virtually from wherever you are!
I offer trauma-informed yoga group classes or privates sessions to kids, teens, and adults. I teach vinyasa, yin, restorative, meditation, Nidra, trapeze, and Kundalini classes. I also love to offer chakra or astrology-themed workshops, classes, and events. I love helping women work with the cycles of the moon and their bodies and become aware of what is happening energetically within and around them. The journaling workbooks we use for these can also be purchased on my website. In addition to my own yoga classes, I am also a lead trainer for Uplifted Yoga and Kundalini University. I have the honor of helping yoga teachers find their voice so they can share the practice of yoga with the world. I work alongside Brett Larkin, Guru Singh, and the incredible teams on both the vinyasa and kundalini teacher trainings. In addition to the school shooting, I have also survived an abusive marriage, which is why I am so passionate about trauma-informed yoga. I get to lead a trauma-informed yoga call on our Uplifted 300hr and sharing that has become a major focus of mine. I am currently working on creating a trauma-informed yoga offering to help teachers of all types of yoga be more trauma mindful.
Tell us your first three jobs (ever!): I first had my own car detailing business (still do!). I also worked at a daycare and worked customer service at a bank all through college. I still work with cars and kids, but no more banking!
Zodiac sign?: Taurus Sun, Pisces Moon, Sagittarius Rising
Enneagram type: Type 2, Helper
What do you love about Greece? I don’t know. I haven’t been there YET!
Tell us something most people don’t know about you: Most people know I have celiac disease, but they may not know that Ritz crackers are the only food that can make me cry about it. I grew up eating them with my grandmother, who was my very best friend, and when I miss her physical presence in my life I really just wish I could eat a Ritz cracker.
Where we are most likely to find you in Lynn’s Kundalini Yoga (i.e. SUP Yoga, night yoga, etc.) : I hope you find me at one of Lynn’s Kundalini classes soon! I also love SUP yoga!
The first time you tried Kundalini Yoga? I mentioned I survived an abusive marriage, I also survived the terrifying and threatening divorce process. The resulting anxiety and PTSD are very difficult at times. I knew I needed Kundalini Yoga for years, but wasn’t sure I was ready for it. Brett Larkin always said how provoking it could potentially be and I had been provoked enough already. I finally got the courage and the first class I tried was one of Brett’s classes in the Uplifted membership. This was at the very beginning of the pandemic and I don’t think I even finished the entire class because so much was coming up for me and I hadn’t been to therapy because of said pandemic closing my therapist’s office. I didn’t have a very good handle on my PTSD at this point so I took a break. When Brett asked me to join the Kundalini YTT I was still unsure, but I knew was being guided so I jumped in. The first class I took within the training was Guru Singh’s Krya of Forgiveness, and wow was it powerful for me. I knew I’d always be practicing and allowing myself to be lead deeper into this practice ever since. Now I am teaching Kundalini Yoga at my studio and working with Brett and Guru Singh on the training and connecting with future Kundalini Yoga teachers all over the world!
Tell us your top tip to combat climate change: My top tip is to simply slow down and be more mindful. Often people are so rushed they don’t have time to think about taking care of themselves let alone this beautiful planet we live on. If each one of us is just a little more mindful we can make a HUGE difference. Meditate instead of scrolling on a device. Walk instead of driving. Like I said, I love cars, but the fact that I’ve been detailing more electric cards recently makes my heart happy for our Mama Earth!
Anything else you’d like us to know?: I am excited to connect with this community! Check out my website, www.katrinamarieyoga.com, and reach out anytime!