We were lucky to catch up with Towani Clarke recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Towani, thanks for joining us today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

I was deep in camel pose when I saw nothing but black. Instead of hearing the yoga teacher there was ringing in my ears. I felt nauseous to the pit of my stomach. Energy was leaving my body  fast, so I slowly got out of the pose before I blacked out in a heap on my yoga mat. I was in a new yoga studio, visiting a city in a country that wasn’t home. If I collapsed here nobody would know who to contact..

How did I get to this point? We’d have to go back at least 5 years to when I walked out of my marriage of 11 years with my 10-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter. The funny thing was after 5 years I thought I was fine, and had moved on in my life. I had moved back to my hometown, got a decent job, and set up a new home as a single Mom. That year I quit my decent job to pursue my heart’s desire to teach yoga and design clothes. Connecting to my heart and what I wanted to do for myself was a new way of being. My yoga teacher training had brought me from Lusaka Zambia to Cape Town South Africa.

A week later in the same studio in Cape Town I had the same sensations but this time in Dancer’s pose. Again I got out of the pose before I collapsed.  Through my yoga training, I realized both poses were heart chakra (energy center) opening poses. Obviously, although my mind said I was ok and over the heartbreak of the end of my marriage, my body was telling me otherwise.   Literally, I still had a lot to get off my chest.

I learned firsthand how emotions, if not fully worked through and released, can get trapped in our tissue and energy. In the subsequent years, I learned how yoga and other modalities can help us release the energy trapped in us allowing us to truly move on in our life. The greatest joy has been seeing clients release their pent-up emotions and energy after traumatic events, find out more about themselves, and move on with joy. Currently, I work with people to help them heal and rediscover themselves after heartbreak through yoga, mediation, mind shifting course work, and reflection.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My personal yoga practice started as a way to find the energy to have a life outside of work and be with my kids. After a week at work, all I wanted to do was lay on the couch all Friday evening. Then I discovered that after doing yoga on my sitting room carpet I had a second wind of energy to go out and socialize. Yoga helped me tap into who I was, who I was becoming, and what I wanted to be. For the first time in my life, I asked myself what I wanted to do, not what I could do or should do (and mainly for others and not myself). I discovered my yoga practice was helping me heal and move on after the heartbreak from the end of my first marriage.

Building on my personal experience I started Kuthuta (Yoga) in 2009 in Lusaka Zambia. The business has evolved as I have evolved. In 2020 I moved to Denver Colorado to marry, and be with my lover and fellow life conspirator. Kuthuta helps clients move on from where they are stuck in their emotions and body after an injury or other traumatic event. Kuthuta does this by helping clients increase their awareness to connect and know themselves better, in the process they release the energy and tension that is no longer serving them. The freed-up energy and increased awareness of who they are, help them direct their lives in ways and areas that serve them better. Kuthuta classes are holistic focusing more than just the physical aspects of the pose but on what the pose feels and what information this gives us about ourselves. The classes and courses promote self-awareness, discovery, and mastery.

Kuthuta currently offers:
– A Online Yoga Monthly membership to help clients increase their awareness of their body, emotions, and thoughts to work emotions through their body freeing up their energy for other pursuits.
– Rediscover Yourself after Heartbreak 6-month coaching course to help clients understand why heartbreak is so painful, how to release what no longer serves them, bring in what does, alchemize traits that may be manifesting their negative side into their positive side, and find their inner core and purpose.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I’ve pivoted several times. My 1st pivot as in my early 30’s when I shifted from working in commercial agriculture to using my management experience and MBA to improve the business processes and efficiency of a corporate law firm.

My second and major pivot was leaving the law firm to start my own yoga business and women’s afro chic clothing label. This was a major internal pivot as this time I was pivoting to something that I loved as opposed to just something that was convenient and available.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Intuition and being a keen observer of others to hone what works when with whom and why. This means maintaining an open and learning mindset. Sometimes the learning is unlearning what no longer serves.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kuthuta.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kuthutayoga/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kuthutayoga
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/towani-clarke/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kuthutayoga9205
• Other: Heartbroken to Heartfelt Purpose Private Facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/heartbrokentoheartfeltpurpose