Leah Simmons ON: Finding a practice that transforms you from the inside out, building a movement through lockdown, the power of community, self-development, balance and staying wild

There are some people who seem to have figured out how to make movement about so much more than the body. Leah Simmons is one of them.

A certified Pilates instructor, personal trainer and Kundalini yoga teacher, Leah has spent years exploring the relationship between physical strength, mental wellbeing and emotional resilience. That exploration eventually became Kaaiaa, her innovative training method that combines different modalities to create something that, as I can personally attest, feels less like a workout and more like therapy.

In this episode of the Wildfemmes podcast, we get into what Kaaiaa actually is, how Leah developed the practice and why it has resonated so deeply with people around the world. We also talk about the less glamorous reality of being human: the inner dialogue, the ego, the conditioning we carry around and the stories we tell ourselves about what we can and can’t do.

One of my favourite ideas from our conversation is the distinction between saying “I can’t do something” and “I don’t want to do something”. They sound similar, but they come from completely different places. One closes a door. The other asks us to be honest about whether we’re actually choosing not to walk through it.

And then there’s the story of how Kaaiaa really took off.

During lockdown, Leah decided to give a free Zoom class every single day. Not for a week or a month, but for 78 days straight. Eventually more than 700 people were joining from all over the world. What started as a simple offering during an incredibly strange and isolating time became a global community and demonstrated something Leah already understood: people don't just want to move their bodies. They want to feel connected, supported and part of something.

We talk about how to begin your own self-development journey without making it another enormous project to add to the list. Leah shares some of the books that have influenced her, what self-care actually looks like in her life and how she thinks about balance, particularly when life inevitably refuses to be balanced.

There is no perfect routine, perfect version of yourself or magic point where you suddenly have everything figured out. Perhaps the work is simply learning to pay attention, staying curious and being willing to explore what might be possible.

That feels particularly Wildfemmes to me.

Because staying wild isn't necessarily about blowing everything up or reinventing yourself overnight. Sometimes it's much quieter than that. It's listening to yourself. Questioning the rules you've inherited. Trying something different. Getting stronger. Falling apart a little. Starting again. And learning to trust yourself through all of it.

This is a conversation about movement, but really, it's about being human.

And perhaps that's why Kaaiaa feels like therapy.

What the full conversation here.