Highlighting Our Graduates: Kate Wilson
We are so pleased to introduce Kate. ACMM graduate, Naturopath and Meditation Teacher in Victoria’s beautiful Frankston South.
Tell us a little bit about yourself
My name is Kate Wilson. I’m a Naturopath & Meditation Teacher, Mother, Lover and Friend of the Earth and its amazing inhabitants. I live in beautiful Frankston South with my daughters, my awesome partner, pets and beautiful view of SweetWater creek.
I am an ‘eternal optimist’. Which, I’ve been told can be a bit frustrating for others, but I always seek happiness. Like everybody else, I have experienced my share of discomfort, navigating my way through sole parenting with little ones, and a serious health diagnosis. However, I do believe that I have maintained my commitment to joy and managed to stay true to my optimistic nature amongst it all.
Had I practised meditation from a young age, I may have navigated some of those experiences better. I might have had more self-worth and confidence, been more grounded and less stressed.
I love to teach and I am at my best when I can be of service to others. However, there have been many times when I was not aware of imbalances in these relationships. Meditation has helped me to set healthy boundaries and be present to my experiences.
What attracted you to become a meditation teacher and study with ACMM?
Becoming a meditation teacher, was firstly for my own self-development. I felt that there was an unexplored, forgotten part of myself that was yearning to be discovered and nurtured.
Secondly, I felt that my naturopathic clients were also all in need of this same ‘self-discovery’ and ‘stillness’. So, becoming a meditation teacher was to support the whole health of my clients. I now teach all of my clients breathwork and help them to cultivate a daily mindfulness and meditation practice.
Finally, I feel the lack of ‘stillness’ and ‘knowing’ of the self, is a fundamental cause of sickness in our society. I believe that a regular meditation practice can ease addiction and poor mental health, which deeply impact the health of our community. If we can gently introduce these practices into a variety of different areas (ie, schools, workplace, aged care etc), then I feel we will reduce the burden on our health care system and improve quality of life.
I chose to study with ACMM because I feel that it is a renowned college and graduates become accredited with Meditation Australia.
How has meditation impacted you on a personal level?
Every day I witness the fruits of my practice. Every day, I observe my interactions with my children and family, with my clients, my colleagues and even strangers. I am so much more present to each moment. My work as a naturopath has deepened too and I feel that I am able to support my clients on a more profound health journey.
My stress, worry and pressures are handled with more grace and humour. I notice when I am being triggered and approach these experiences with curiosity and gentle awareness. I have become more gentle with myself and with others.
What does your personal meditation practise look like? What styles or types of meditation do you enjoy?
I love my morning ritual. It anchors me and is the self-care that I have craved all my life.
Each morning I have a ritual that includes some yoga and then 30-45 minutes of meditation. I engage in tea ceremony and journal.
Most of the time, I self-guide in silence or I also like listening to a chanting track from Insight Timer, sometimes I use mantra, visualisation, pranayama or Wim Hof breathwork.
Sometimes I like to be guided and experience the heightened mediative effects of group meditation and I go to a local meditation class.
I also do a short 15 minute health meditation in the afternoons for a quick pick-me-up.
Tell us more about your wonderful business..
My business is called SweetWater Wellness Collective.
Last year, I set up a beautiful multi-modality wellness centre in Frankston South, so that I could have a room to practice naturopathy and a space for hosting group meditation classes. The entire vision and knowingness of this space emerged from a meditation a few months before.
I was in such alignment as I began the journey, everything just kept falling into place and the space flows with energy – hosting more amazing healers and teachers, wellness workshops and weekly meditation classes.
In addition to my naturopathic consults, where I teach one-on-one meditation and mindfulness tools to my clients, I host a 6 week beginning meditation course and a weekly group meditation class.
The flow has shifted since the Coronavirus outbreak and we have had to start practising online, but we are all finding our groove with a new way of doing things – embracing the challenges. The current plan is to use the divine SweetWater space to host and stream my online group meditation classes. This also enables me to to see my naturopathic clients, mainly via video call.
I have many more meditation projects in the pipeline. It’s my plan to take meditation deeper into our wider community, bridging the gap between community health and ‘alternative’ health.
Do you have any events, workshops or classes coming up in the next few months?
I have a 6 week Beginning Meditation Course currently running and another will be held soon. People can check out the SweetWater site, Facebook Group or follow my Instagram account for more details on workshops and classes.
Over the 6 week program we learn the foundations of meditation with emphasis on correct technique, how to become the observer of thoughts, and understanding the meditative process.
Learning easy, take-home strategies on how to embrace a daily practise that suits your schedule and lifestyle. The course aims to cultivate self-awareness and foster ways to invite mindfulness into our relationships and daily lives. It is an interactive course, with opportunities to share our experiences along the way – exploring resistance and the wandering mind and learning tools to overcome these barriers, surrendering into stillness.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about becoming a meditation teacher?
I would say YES! This course is a life changer! And the world needs more people sharing the tools for going inward. As you dive deep into your own practice and learning, your ability to teach others naturally blossoms. The ACMM course preps you beautifully with all the tools and confidence you need to move into the role of teacher and host groups.
What have you enjoyed about studying with ACMM?
In addition to the teachings and the practises, I have loved connecting and learning from my awesome coach.
We love sharing our graduate stories. There are so many paths that our students take upon completing their qualification here at ACMM. Check out some other stories of how students are using their qualifications; Meet Bronwyn, Meet Tim, Meet Frida.
