Sparkling Soul Yoga

"You don't look sick."

It's something many people living with invisible illnesses hear.

At 30 years old, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

I was living in Melbourne, working long hours in a demanding job, and pushing through exhaustion because I thought that's what adults did.

Until one day my body simply said, enough.

Some mornings I couldn't get out of bed.

My muscles ached constantly. Even my skin hurt to touch.

I couldn't think clearly. I lost my appetite. I was exhausted beyond words.

Blood tests came back normal, but I knew something wasn't right.

Thankfully, one of the GPs I worked with referred me to a specialist, who diagnosed me with fibromyalgia.

Then, in 2005, I experienced another major flare.

The brain fog became so severe that I was walking into walls. I underwent MRIs and saw a neurologist because there were concerns I might have multiple sclerosis. It wasn't.

Fibromyalgia has a way of coming in waves.

There are periods where it feels overwhelming... and periods where it quietly settles into the background.

After the birth of my son in 2007, my symptoms gradually became dormant.

Nearly twenty years later, I still don't take a single pain-free day for granted.

Because I know what it feels like when your body won't let you do the things you love.

That experience changed me.

It made me curious.

I started asking, "What helps my body feel its best?"

So I researched.

I learnt.

I experimented.

I changed the way I lived.

Today, I prioritise sleep.

I protect my peace and manage my stress.

I eat in a way that supports my body.

I move every day.

I practise yoga.

I live in a warmer climate.

I pay attention to what my body needs instead of waiting until it screams for my attention.

Will those things work for everyone with fibromyalgia?

No.

Fibromyalgia is complex, and every person's experience is different.

But these habits have helped me build a life where movement is no longer something I fear losing.

And that's why Sparkling Soul Yoga exists.

Not because I believe yoga is a cure.

But because I have lived the difference that consistent movement, quality sleep, stress management, breath, and caring for your nervous system can make.

After more than 25 years working in healthcare, I've seen what happens when we only focus on treating illness.

Yoga reminds us we can also invest in creating health.

Every class I teach is built around that belief.

Not perfection.

Not flexibility.

Not handstands.

Health.

Vitality.

Longevity.

Because every morning I wake up and my body moves freely...

..I remember the years when it couldn't.

And I will never stop being grateful for that. 🤍

✨ I'd love to know... has your health ever changed the direction of your life? Share your story below. You never know who might need to hear it today.

Kym # # #

Sparkling Soul Yoga

You might think that strength in yoga is defined by holding hard poses, going for the deepest stretch or progressing through different poses each week. But over the years, I’ve come to believe it’s something else entirely…

I see real strength as listening instead of pushing. Using a prop when it supports you. Slowing down when your body asks you to. Returning to the same pose, not because you can’t do more, but because you’re choosing to deepen your understanding and connection, rather than chasing the next challenge.

Yoga is not about proving what your body can do. It’s about building a relationship with your body that is grounded in trust, awareness and compassion. To me, that is the strongest practice of all.

Start your day with movement, fresh air, and a little kindness towards yourself.

If you've been thinking about moving your body more, reducing stress, or simply taking an hour out for yourself, I'd love to welcome you to a Sparkling Soul Yoga class this week.

🧘‍♀️ This week's classes:
✨ Wednesday - 5:45am (Zoom)
✨ Friday - 6:00am (Outdoor Yoga, Hardcastle Park, Hawthorne)
✨ Saturday - 7:00am & 8:00am (Outdoor Yoga, Hardcastle Park, Hawthorne)

Our classes are suitable for all experience levels, with options offered throughout so you can move in a way that feels right for your body.

As an Exercise Physiologist and Yoga Teacher, I'm passionate about using yoga to support healthy ageing and longevity. A regular yoga practice can help to:
🌿 Improve strength, balance and flexibility
🌿 Support healthy joints and bone health
🌿 Enhance mobility for everyday life
🌿 Reduce stress and support mental wellbeing
🌿 Improve posture and breathing
🌿 Build body awareness and confidence in movement
🌿 Encourage better sleep and recovery

Healthy ageing isn't about doing more - it's about moving well, staying connected to your body, and creating habits that help you feel your best for years to come.

Come and enjoy the beautiful riverside setting, breathe some fresh air, and start your day feeling calmer, stronger, and more energised.

Everyone is welcome. Simply bring a yoga mat, a water bottle, and anything else that helps you feel comfortable during your practice.

I hope to see you on the mat this week.
www.sparklingsoulyoga.com.au/book-a-class

Kym # # #
Sparkling Soul Yoga

Yoga is for everyone. But not every pose is for everybody. The most important pose, is the one that works for YOU.

Our bodies are wonderfully different. We all have different bone structures, injuries, mobility, life experiences and needs. A pose that feels supportive for one person may not feel right for another and that’s completely okay.

Yoga is about learning how to work with your body, not against it.

The most meaningful practice isn’t the one where you achieve every pose. It’s the one where you honour your body, listen to what it needs, and let go of the pressure to look like everyone else.

Kym,
Sparkling Soul Yoga

🩵

Outdoor yoga is back in Hawthorne this weekend

I’m officially back and so happy to be returning to the beautiful banks of the Brisbane River at Hardcastle Park.

This weekend’s classes:

✨ Saturday 11 July
7:00am & 8:00am - 45-minute Slow Flow Yoga

✨ Sunday 12 July
8:00am - Sparkling Soul Yin
A 60-minute outdoor yin class to help slow the mind as we slow the body.

Every class is thoughtfully designed to support both physical and mental wellbeing - helping you find a greater sense of calm and peace while moving in a kind, supportive and therapeutic way.

You don’t need to be flexible.
You don’t need to be experienced.
You don’t need to move or look a certain way.

Come exactly as you are. Take what works for you and leave the rest.

📍 Hardcastle Park, Hawthorne
Near the Hawthorne Ferry Terminal

All levels and all bodies are welcome. I would love to welcome you to the mat this weekend. 💛

Kym # # #
Sparkling Soul Yoga

www.sparklingsoulyoga.com.au/book-a-class

✨ 20,000 views ✨

My Sparkling Soul Yoga YouTube channel has just passed 20,000 views.

But the story of this channel started long before I ever thought about views, subscribers or numbers.

It started with my patients.

At the time, I was teaching yoga in a mental health hospital. My patients could practise with me during the week, but they would often ask me what they could do on the weekends or when they couldn't sleep at night.

So I started filming practices for them.

Nothing fancy.

Just yoga they could access when I wasn’t available.

A way to continue moving, breathing and practising outside our time together.

And from that very simple beginning, the Sparkling Soul Yoga YouTube channel grew.

That beginning still sits at the heart of everything I do.

Because I believe yoga has a role to play in population health.

I believe movement, breath, rest and practices that support our physical and mental wellbeing should be available to more people - not only to those who can afford a studio membership, attend a retreat, travel, or fit a scheduled class into their day.

Healthcare is not equally accessible.

Gym memberships are not equally accessible.

Travel is not equally accessible.

Even time, energy, confidence and feeling safe enough to walk into a class are not equally available to everyone.

But support for our wellbeing should be.

That is why the Sparkling Soul Yoga YouTube channel remains free.

It is a growing library of practices that can be accessed from a lounge room, a bedroom, a hotel room, a workplace, a hospital room or wherever someone happens to be.

Practices for mornings and evenings.

For stress and anxiety.

For strength, mobility and rest.

For the days when you have energy, and the days when simply pressing play is enough.

And now, as I travel, I film these practices wherever I go - in the mountains of India, on rooftops, riverbanks and streets across Spain.

Because while travel is not possible for everyone, perhaps through these practices I can share a little piece of the places I am fortunate enough to experience.

20,000 views.

20,000 moments when someone chose to move.

To breathe.

To pause.

To rest.

To support their physical health.

To support their mental health.

This is what yoga as a population health strategy means to me.

Not replacing healthcare.

Not pretending yoga is a cure for everything.

But recognising that accessible, inclusive and supportive movement can be one part of helping more people care for their wellbeing.

It started with my patients asking:

“What can we do on the weekends?”

And now, more than 20,000 views later, I am still trying to answer that same question.

How can I help more people access yoga when they need it?

One practice at a time.

One person at a time.

One view at a time.

Thank you to every person who has practised with me, shared a video, subscribed, or quietly pressed play.

This is why I keep showing up.

And why I will keep sharing yoga for free.

💛

Kym # # #

Sparkling Soul Yoga