Meet Nat Kendall: A Special Mini-Interview
When we think of what it means to be a grounded and embodied yoga instructor, we immediately think of Nat Kendall.
Nat’s teaching style and authenticity in the Yoga space has inspired us deeply for many moons. He’s the kind of instructor that makes you sit up and listen, not because he is loud or particularly directive, but rather because he authentically lives this practice and has put in the effort to hone and purify his voice. Nat's gentle, calming nature and the inherent accessibility of his teachings make him the perfect teacher's teacher.
With over a decade of instructional experience, Nat artfully weaves the vibrational magic of sound through chanting mantra & kirtan with devotional practices of bhakti yoga to offer sessions that profoundly touch the heart. He never fails to acknowledge and honor his teachers as he offers impeccable insight, wisdom, and tangible tools to enlighten your yogic and spiritual paths.
We hope you enjoy this special chat with Nat! You can meet Nat in-person and benefit from the wealth of his teachings by joining us in Yosemite this September 18-22.
“Any time I get to work with Balanced Rock and an organization like this that brings people out into the wonder and beauty of Nature, and brings the teachings out in that way...for me it’s always just such a joy to collaborate and share the teachings out in Nature.”
Welcoming Nat Kendall, Balanced Rock WildYoga Teacher Training Lead Instructor
(00:00:17 - 00:02:55)
The conversation begins by introducing Nat Kendall, one of our lead instructors on the Balanced Rock WildYoga Teacher Training faculty in 2024. Nat begins by sharing his experience, why he’s excited to lead this program in Yosemite in September, and some of the practices we’ll be exploring during this immersive training retreat.
“Any time we get a chance to lift each other up as teachers and refine our skill set, then we’re serving the world in a bigger, more beautiful way.”
Is this a program that’s appropriate for new yoga teachers?
(00:02:55 - 00:03:30)
Nat shares who will benefit from attending this immersive training retreat, sharing that it will be a powerful experience for both new yoga teachers and seasoned instructors alike.
“I enjoy continuing to have that beginners mindset which I think is important for any stage in a teachers career - to always approach this with curiosity and a newness...just to keep our minds really open and expansive.”
“I actually felt very stuck in my voice, I felt fearful of sharing my voice in the ways I wanted to [...] through the power of bhakti, chanting, prayer, and mantra, I’ve been able to clear this area out so much that for me it feels like the pure expression coming from the Heart, up and out for all of my offerings.”
Finding & honing your voice as a yoga instructor, defining Bhakti Yoga
(00:03:30 - 00:06:30)
Nat shares his own journey with finding his authentic voice and how we will use certain practices to clear the throat chakra and step into your true power in Voice. Nat goes on to define what bhakti yoga is as a devotional path and how it can help us surrender, step into our authentic voice for pure expression, and how we can become conduits for the Divine.
How this program will look & feel, a look into the daily practice during the September module
(00:06:30 - 00:09:02)
Nat walks us through what a day on this immersive training retreat looks like in terms of activities, where we will be located, the wonder of the natural world as its woven into the daily flow, and the magic of this intimate, community-oriented space during these blissful 5 days together in Yosemite.
“Through this expression of [bhakti] yoga, we try to truly see the Divine everywhere [...] when we start to do that we can surrender some of the mind stuff that gets in the way of us expressing authentically what needs to come through.”
Two ways you can tap into your Authentic Voice right now + how can you learn more about Nat
(00:09:02 - 00:12:07)
Nat shares some of his tips and wisdom for how you can access and tap into your own Authentic Voice in this present moment. We close with sharing how you can connect with Nat by visiting his website, following on Instagram or Facebook, chanting along to his music on Spotify, or attending one of his upcoming events.
We’re so grateful to have Nat as a part of the Balanced Rock instructional team and we can’t wait to have him in Yosemite this September!!!
MEET PAULA
This mini-interview was conducted by Paula Wild, our WildYoga Advanced Studies Program Manager and one of our Lead Trainers.
You can learn more about Paula by visiting her bio on our team page!