I can imagine you are wondering what Qoya is? (pronounced Koy-a)
Qoya is an embodied movement practise created by Rochelle Schieck in 2009 that offers women a profound way to reconnect with their inner wisdom and embody their own truth. Embodied movement is a way to explore thoughts, emotions and sensations through engaging the body fully in movement, practising being in the present moment and using this as a way to better understand and express yourself at a deeper level.
Allow me to share a little more about how this magical practice awakened my soul back in 2020.
It was the middle of the pandemic. It felt like the world had gone crazy and if I wasn’t careful I might go crazy too! Having my freedom taken away and called into question was a big deal for me as freedom is one of my core values and desired feelings. I feel so blessed to have had so many self-nurture tools that allowed me to support myself through that madness. I spent a lot of time in self-reflection and went through a lot of personal changes during that time. I knew that I was looking for something that would bring together the various ideas I’d been having. Enter Qoya!
I joined an online Qoya session. I hadn’t heard of it before. As soon as I began moving my body during the session, I felt something within me come alive, a remembering of a part of myself that I hadn’t realised I had forgotten, it felt like magic.
Explaining Qoya with words alone doesn’t feel like it does justice to the essence of this wonderful practise. I believe a true understanding comes from experiencing it first hand for yourself. Though I will attempt an explanation now.
What is Qoya?
Qoya is movement with meaning. It is based on the idea that through movement we remember. We remember that at our very core we are wise, wild and free. Wise, wild and free draw reference to the movement forms that make up a Qoya class.
Wise – from the ancient tradition and wisdom of yoga. The asanas, breathwork, intention setting, meditation, relaxation, contemplative practises that all help to reconnect up to our own wisdom, the wisdom of the body.
Wild – from the creative expression of dance. This is not dancing to perform or about what it looks like. In Qoya we move the body to express feeling, you know how children move and dance there body in a wild, expressive and carefree way.
Free – from slower, rhythmic movement, connecting into moving the body in the way it wants to be moved, enjoying the feeling of moving the body.
In Qoya there’s no “right” way —only following what feels good in your body. Embrace the freedom to explore your own truth. Each class offers a unique experience through the exploration of a different theme, tailored to meet you and your body where you are in the present moment.
As someone on a journey of recovering from perfectionism, this liberating aspect of Qoya resonates deeply with me. I have felt a joy and freedom that had long been missing through this wonderful practise. Qoya has helped me to remember my own truth and follow what feels good for me. That it doesn’t matter where or what situation I am in, I can connect to a feeling within my body and move from that place.
I know from the many woman that I have worked with over the years that so many of us feel bogged down by the day to day and disconnected from something, but we don’t know what. I believe what we are looking for is ourselves, that part of us that gets lost with the things we are juggling. I also believe that Qoya allows us to find our inner map back to that place of truth within.
It is still a game of ping pong between my head and heart, though more I connect into my body, the more I can hear the wisdom and truth of my heart, which is a much kinder voice and guide through my daily life.
If you would like to experience Qoya for yourself then check out the dates I have coming up on my website click here.