Kayla Oconnor

I am an artist, handstand-enthusiast, and yoga instructor. Trained by Nike yoga instructor, Jonah Kest, I have since expanded what it means to embody yogic practices through self exploration, reading, and connection. When I lead kid's yoga at the Cherry Creek Country Club in 2017-2019, I always marveled at how this yogic practice can expand both time and attention, even in the youngest of kids. From there, I dove deeper into my own practice in 2020 as a means of coping with my daily panic attacks. Through meditation and breath to movement practices, I began to slowly show up with more confidence in the world. It is because of this that I lead each of my classes with a "spirit-forward" attitude, encouraging a deep openness to a world beyond the asanas. I specifically enjoy teaching power vinyasa flows with challenging postures to further drop students into the present moment. I also thoroughly love to teach handstand workshops, as a way to re-invite a sense of play in adults. As a yoga instructor, I encourage people to exist in their current state of being, rather than showing up how they think one "should" show up. Some of my large aspirations are to expand the accessibility of yoga through free classes both online and in person, partner with Alo yoga on a larger scale (I am currently partnered with Alo yoga in Denver), partner with Nike yoga, lead retreats around the world, and potentially open my own studio. Yoga is a large part of my life, and I love nothing more than sharing the community it brings. To expand this community, I have created a brand, Mind & Company, centered around the discovery of awareness and reminders to 'Fill Your Mind With Good Company.' You can learn more about my work with art and yoga on Instagram at @mind_and_co, or on her website at mindandcompany.co.