Kristen Srimati Hughes thrives in the flow of yoga. It is through deep listening of the breath and mindful awareness of body that she discovers the magic that is total union with the divine. Srimati has traveled throughout North America and Central America sharing her wisdom with people of all cultures and languages. And, it is one of her deepest joys to reach each person on a soul level within each class, training, and workshop.
“Yoga transformed my life. It is that simple. As a young girl, i loved movement and being in my body. Yet, I had no idea how powerfully intelligent this body vehicle, this bag of tissues if you will, could ever be. It was in my first year of college, as a 16 year old, that I found my yoga practice. I had always grown up in the spirit of the Divine, yet through the eyes of a very dogmatic approach. So, when I came to school life at such a young age, I threw out all that I had known in search for something deeper. What I found was the unexpected. Broken, raw, and vulnerable, I tried to piece myself together and find my inner voice within a mass of busy student life, all of which was nothing more than a game of hide and seek. The people I met were all wearing masks, and in this I lost my true self.
Deep within the the brokenness I found inner strength. Through my yoga practice I was able to let go of self imposed limitations, feelings of self hatred, and a deep longing to fit in. Through my yoga practice, I no longer had to “fit in”, but rather, I found me: the ultimate expression of my authentic form.
As yoga transformed my entire spirit and guided me onto a path of true self love and self discovery, I have continued to dedicate myself to this walk every day. It is a path of personal growth and, a path of radical self expression. Where I once was afraid to be different, I now welcome the challenge. Where I once hid from my own image, I now embrace the reflection of the Self. For we are all One being, One energy, One body, yet our uniqueness allows the myriad of voices to be heard in the symphony of life. Each day for me is an opportunity to dive deeper into my connection with this One energy. Over the past few years, Spirit has welcomed me into this experience in brand new miraculous ways. With shamanism, the spirit of plants, music, dance, and the true essence of the heart, I transform again and again before my very eyes. And I know this to be true for each person here on this planet. With many different lineages, guides, teachers, and wisdom keepers, I thrive in connecting the dots. For we are unified here on the Earth, we have simply forgotten. And as we remember our own true essence, this inner knowing of who we are and where we came from becomes clearer and clearer. We need only to ‘listen to the voice of our heart’.
I believe that when the body and mind can link through the union of the heart, Oneness is met. And, it is in this state of Oneness that I strive to guide my students to on and off the mat.
May our journeys forever be rooted in the One. May we thrive in the face of challenge. May we leap into the unknown with open arms. And may we be blessed again and again by our journey into the depths of our own unique beingness.”
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Srimati’s training spans across many different styles of yoga. She has been practicing for over 10 years and received her first 200 hour YTT certification in Charleston, South Carolina at Holy Cow Yoga in 2010. From there she moved across the country to Denver, Colorado and began studying from many different teachers. In and out of studios and in and out of workshops, she soaked up as much information, light, and wisdom as she could. She has studied asana practices with many well known teachers such as, John Friend, Richard Freeman, Desi Springer, and Siva Rea, and she has spent many hours learning and practicing the various styles of : Anusara, Jivamukti, Vinyasa, Prana Flow, and Sri Daiva to name a few.
Currently, Srimati travels to transformational festivals to meet people from around the globe and share her practices with all she meets. The last few years of her path have been dedicated to merging her love for the shamanic arts and Earth Mother with her foundation of the practices of Yoga. Mantra, meditation, and pranayama are at the forefront of her daily devotional life. And, it is her honor to bring complete unity to her practice and all of her classes.
The breath of Spirit guides her each day, and with gratitude she speaks from her heart to yours.