This week, Harmony and Russell sit down with the dynamic and deeply grounded Amy Kokoszka—a Polish-Canadian Ashtanga Yoga teacher living in Ireland—whose journey weaves through Sivananda, Hatha, and eventually, Ashtanga yoga. But this conversation isn’t just about yoga.
Amy shares how the raw power of “Women Who Run with the Wolves” inspired her to create healing spaces for women through story, circles, and breathwork. She speaks candidly about the physical and emotional upheaval of perimenopause, the loss of her business during the pandemic, and how weight training helped her reconnect to her strength—literally and spiritually.
We dive into what it means to be a “deviant” in a tradition-bound practice, how yoga becomes a ritual of remembering, and why sometimes the soul doesn’t guide the body—the body guides the soul.
This episode is a heartfelt reminder that our bodies, our stories, and our strength are sacred. Whether you’re navigating hormonal shifts, looking to reclaim your power, or seeking community, Amy’s voice is a balm and a rallying cry.
In this episode, we talk about:
Amy’s multicultural upbringing and how it shaped her identity
The journey from Hatha and Sivananda yoga to Ashtanga
Reclaiming personal power during perimenopause
How lifting weights revitalized Amy’s yoga practice
The sacredness of women’s circles and storytelling
Navigating injury, spondylolisthesis, and adapting the practice
Breathwork as a tool for release, resilience, and self-connection
Challenging orthodoxy in yoga traditions
The influence of Women Who Run with the Wolves on Amy’s path
Balancing discipline with wild intuition
Why rest, ritual, and reclaiming strength matter as we age
Learn more about Amy:
Amy Kokoska leads immersive women’s retreats that integrate yoga, breathwork, and ritual. A seasoned yoga educator, retreat leader, and storyteller, she has over 20 years of experience in Ashtanga, Yin, and trauma-informed practices.
Rooted in the wisdom of Women Who Run with the Wolves, Amy weaves movement, mythology, and deep soul work to guide women on a journey of self-reclamation. She explores the vast space of Chitta Akasha (the inner sky of consciousness) where wild imagination, ancestral wisdom, and embodied movement meet. She previously owned a yoga studio and now devotes her work to leading retreats and deep-dive workshops that bridge ancient wisdom with modern embodiment practices. She is the founder of Women & Wolves, a workshop series exploring the Wounded Healer and Wild Woman archetypes through movement, storytelling, and ritual.
Ashtanga yoga was Amy’s first love and remains the practice she continues to turn to for strength, discipline, and self-discovery. It deepened her relationship with self-practice, fostering resilience, devotion, and inner transformation. She also offers a monthly Primary Led Ashtanga class in Cork, sharing the profound power of the practice with her community.
Discover her work at hayokayoga.org.
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