Rumi reminds us, “Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.” Artist and yogi Kathy Martinez, channels this timeless wisdom through prospecting rare stones and from crafting yoga inspired jewelry and malas. This practice for her offers both devotional qualities as well as therapeutic aspects. Her tale is a wonderful example of carving out time to follow one’s natural instincts and in doing so tapping into a well of peace and balance amidst the commotion of everyday life. “This all started with the simple intention of creating personal pieces for us – my daughters, my partner and me. Pieces that spoke to us. Later it evolved into creating pieces for friends and family and sharing some of our collection at local craft and art fairs and to now crafting commissioned pieces with purpose. Because of our busy, hectic lives we sought out any available time we had in which we could feel at peace – making jewelry did this for us. Along her path she became introduced to meditation and mala beads (and yoga), and from that was born her signature collection, InspiredbyKat. These days, when she’s not in her studio designing, you just might find her in Warrior Two – a pose she favors for the strength she feels in its alignment.
Over the past two years as Ms. Martinez’s collections have swelled (to include bracelets, earrings, mini malas and a host of men’s jewelry), her creative team has grown increasingly intentional in terms of selecting stones with purpose – both spiritual and metaphysical. They consider deeply the inherent beauty and energy of each stone they bring into their work as they continue to witness their accessories’ ongoing lives beyond the walls of their studio. “It is especially gratifying when clients that select our pieces based on the manner in which a particular piece speaks to themy. We find ourselves in a very joyous place whenever we create pieces with the intention that being in that happy place will transfer to those who acquire our malas and other pieces. Our designs, when worn in practice or in leisure, go on to serve as an identity or alignment form when worn.”
“Let go of things that no longer serve you,” and “Be present,” are a couple of mantras that Ms. Martinez finds herself clinging to as of late. “Since I started to practice yoga, these phrases continue to echo for me. The reason may be because I struggle doing both. Trust me, I am working really hard at it, and I have found that being present is such an amazing place to be that I really want to learn to do this all of the time.”
The full InspiredbyKat collection, designed as wearable representations of our own personal journey(s), is available through their website and in select specialty boutiques and yoga studios throughout the U.S. They also look forward to (hopefully) being a part of Wanderlust in Tampa and Miami and Yoga Journal Live. For a limited time, InspiredbyKat is offering an exclusive discount for all BOSTON YOGA and LA YOGA readers. Use the promo code of: BOSTONYOGA or LAYOGA for a 15% discount upon checkout.
Author Susan Currie is an Associate Editor at LA YOGA magazine. Her words and images have been featured in the Boston Globe, Elephant Journal, Yogi Times, the Tishman Review, the Huffington Post, Spirit of St. Bart’s and on the cover of the book Moving into Meditation (Shambala) by Anne Cushman.
Susan is also the creator of the Daily Inhale and an RYT 200 registered yoga instructor. She unpacks her various professional experiences through the creative and yoga workshops she leads throughout the country. Her new book, GRACENOTES (Shanti Arts 2017), a blend of words and images, is now available in wide release.