Meet Kia Miller of Radiant Body Yoga

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kia Miller.

Kia, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born in the Falkland Islands off the S. E. Coast of Argentina, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. I grew up on a 110,000-acre farm with 36,000 sheep, 150 horses, and many cattle. The settlement I lived in had eight main houses, a group house for unmarried people, a community center and small school. It was a small, tight-knit community of people who worked on the farm. My father was the manager. I learned from an early age that there is strength in community.

I went to boarding school in Argentina from age 7 – 11. I came home for three months a year, and savored every moment training horses, sheepdogs and working the farm. At age 12, I moved to a boarding school in Port Stanley, Falkland Is. Less than a year later, in the Spring of 1982, I woke up one morning to see tracer bullets flying past the window of my boarding school. The Argentinians had invaded and were taking the Islands from the small British platoon who had been stationed there.

I saw war firsthand, death, planes exploding in the sky, brave and also horrible actions taken by soldiers on both sides. Being in this war was to shape a lot of who I am today. I moved to England at 15 to finish my education and at 18 started modeling in London and Milan. It was in London that two major forces came alive in my life. I became an anti-war activist and fell in love with yoga!

My activist work led me to make two documentaries, one covering an anti-nuclear pilgrimage in Great Britain, and another covering Native American Land rights in N. Dakota. A pivotal moment came when I saw that many of those motivated to be an activist were doing it from their own unresolved pain, which made them less effective in their pursuit.

I realized that if I wanted to inspire real change that it had to happen from the inside first. Heal yourself and then heal others. Lead by example, not by merely pointing the way. This paralleled my work in yoga, where I was experiencing deep healing and connection to my inner being.

I took a yoga teacher training in Los Angeles in 2003 at Yogaworks and then another in 2005 at Yoga West, and have not looked back since. I have continued to study and teach what I am learning. It never gets old to me as the yoga tradition covers every aspect of life: how to live, how to die, heal trauma, dissolve old beliefs, awaken energy, vitality and inspire creativity and connection.

What began as a physical practice to help me stay fit soon became a refuge where I could discover more of myself and inner potential and also help others to do the same. From the very beginning teaching yoga did not feel like work, it is a way I get to share what I am passionate about. The more I give, the more I have to share, and the more opportunities flow.

My dream was always to travel, to lead people through immersive and transformative experiences, and ultimately to teach teachers and build a conscious community. This is what I do today! I created a brand of yoga called Radiant Body Yoga that has all the essential elements needed to lead a person from stuck-ness on any level to expansion, healing and personal power.

The key ingredients within the Radiant Body Yoga practice are physical postures (asana) to keep the body fit, toned and flexible. Specific sequences (kriyas) that unlock stuck energy and shift the frequency of the practitioner. Breath techniques to build more energy and vitality. Meditation techniques that work to calm and focus the mind, and lifestyle tips to help sustain a high vibe and attract opportunity.

I now have a thriving community of teachers and practitioners of Radiant Body Yoga.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My greatest struggles have not been external, but more internal. Learning to trust myself, and the natural timing of things.

I knew for three years that I wanted to create my own teacher training, but it took time for the concepts to mature and take shape. I also knew that I wanted to market in a specific way that was in integrity with what I was teaching and not fear based. This meant going against what many ‘experts’ were telling me, however, the results of following my intuition have paid off over and over again, and when they haven’t, I have always learned something vital!

In yoga, we learn that challenges offer the best opportunities for growth and evolution, and in fact, the practices are geared to help us learn how to navigate challenges more smoothly. I have learned that if I follow my inner guidance the road is pretty smooth. If I try to ‘push’ things along inevitably, I create struggle! My daily practice helps me keep my channels clear so that I live from my inner guidance.

One of the gifts has been to see that life is happening FOR me, not AGAINST me. My greatest allies in the bumpy patches have been my personal practice, community, and my teachers.

Radiant Body Yoga – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Radiant Body Yoga (RBY) is a lifestyle brand, focused on sharing ancient yogic philosophy, and practices to those interested in self-inquiry, personal growth, the establishment of presence, and an ongoing commitment to expose and experience a deeper truth.

We offer 200-Hr, and 300-Hr Yoga Teacher Trainings, immersive retreat experiences, yoga and healthy living workshops, food cleanse journeys and yoga teacher mentorship.

I am known as a teacher who shares Kundalini Yoga in an accessible way. I blend modern vinyasa flow as a warm-up with Kundalini Yoga, giving a great all-around experience. I teach all over the world at conferences, festivals, retreat centers, and yoga studios.

I love seeing the lights go on in someone’s eyes when they have an experience of elevated consciousness brought about by a kriya (specific sequence of postures, breath, and sound), breath technique or meditation. I love sharing tools that can literally turn someone’s life around.

I am delighted by the community that has grown around RBY. We have teachers in many different countries and practitioners all over the world. My next initiative is to train teachers to lead RBY trainings in their country so we can spread the love further!

I am constantly studying, deepening my own practice, and traveling to India every year to lead groups, but also to spend time with my own teachers. This gives me my edge, as there is always more to learn, greater refinement possible, more skill in life and as a teacher.

Life is a gift. Yoga teaches us how to access that gift and the wealth of our inner potential. I am constantly in awe at the depths of consciousness and awareness possible.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is living in a state of flow. That flow comes from maintaining inner alignment and keeping my external relationships in harmony.

I have lost my flow when:
-I am pushing or trying to manipulate external forces to show up in a particular way.
-If I have lost joy and inspiration.
-If I am taking things personally.

Flow feels expansive, prosperous, stress-free, exquisitely present, inspired and intuitive.

In flow I take risks, I am adaptable to each circumstance that arises and inspired!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kiamiller.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kiamilleryoga/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kiamilleryoga/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/KiaMillerYoga

Image Credit:
Fluid Frame, D J Pierce, Sonomati, The Nomadic Filmmaker Audrey Billups

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