Hope Duncan of Wichita, Kansas on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Hope Duncan shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hope, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Who are you learning from right now?
Right now I am in the throws of a learning cycle. I am taking online courses surrounding restorative yoga, ecstatic dance facilitation, and yin on the horizon. I often times will put Jung, Ram Dass, or Watts on my projector in the studio to ground me and remind me of my true nature.

In addition to my online learning, I am currently under the wing of a very special lady, Constance, of Retreat to Joy. She is a gifted MSBR facilitator and with her wise guidance, I am working on an entry level certification.

Constance is a very close friend and mentor. I live a good distance away from my family and in a lot of ways she fills a lot of familial shoes. I am so lucky to learn from her, share a neighborhood with her, partner with her on projects, and even more lucky to be her trusted friend.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I am Hope. I serve as Through Breath Yoga’s Studio Director. I have been certified in a 250 hour Kundalini yoga program at Kansas City’s Sat Tirath Ashram, I am currently working on my online certifications in Restorative, Yin Yoga and Ecstatic Dance. Through Breath Yoga is the altar on which I share my creative expressions of healthy, happy and whole.

September of last year, that I was brought in to help organize the place a little further and to teach. My fiancé opened the place up in 2020, and I was making pretty decent money at REI at the time. It was at REI that I discovered my love for non-profit missions. I left the store to work at a local non-profit until funding ran dry and I was laid off. I did a little stint with Kansas Appleseed last year too, and now I am full time in the studio and Executive Director at a tiny little river clean up non-profit SNEK.

When I claimed this position, I began to pen our mission statement, our vision, our values, and our inclusivity, so that all could see what our aim is. Our mission is to create an inclusive sanctuary where individuals can embark on a transformative inward journey. We empower our community to embrace challenges, cultivate inner strength, and foster meaningful connections in a peaceful and supportive environment. And that is 100% what we do.

I think that our studio is unique as we at our core are a Kundalini studio and the only studio in Wichita, Kansas that offers Kundalini teachings regularly. Though Kundalini is the heart of TBY, we are constantly evolving in newer methods like ecstatic dance, restorative yoga and mindfulness practices. I am a big believer in there are many ways to reach happy and healthy, so mixing mediums creates a dynamic and a balance. Nothing really is off the table as far as where we are heading with yoga and mindfulness teachings. My personal philosophy is learn one, do one, teach one. It is my hope that by teaching one person, it will translate to the teaching of many through the ripples of goodness people discover in the practices.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was a daredevil. If you ask my mom about me, she would tell you stories of my fearlessness. At the age of 3, I was climbing stock trailers and walking the very top of the rails 8 ft off the ground. I would often climb trees until the branches got too thin. I often spent time riding the wheels off of four wheelers, dirt bikes, being thrown off horses, playing in the mud in my easter dresses. I have always had the heart of a wonderer who wanders, but the world never let me keep my date with running away with the circus.

The world may have told me that a girl should not do such things, that perhaps I should have become a lawyer or a house wife, but I never listened. I still have a lot of that little girl in me. I ride a little 125 Kawasaki motorcycle all over the city all four seasons. I may not climb trees anymore, but I do occasionally find a good cliff and a good little body of water to haul myself over and into. While I do not play in the mud anymore, I do ceramics. I love a good water crossing on a hike, and I do get to travel far more than I ever did as a kid often selling our little wares. The smell of horses is still one of my most favorite smells on the planet.

What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
I grew up with a work hard play hard mentality. My father worked hard and he drank heavily. My home was often tumultuous between the screaming and fighting, things constantly being thrown and silences kept in contempt. My poor mother once threw a heavy and cold bbq pit on my dad cause he came home raving mad looking for a gun to dish out redneck justice on some guy “cheating” at pool. 6 months before I turned 18, I emancipated myself from my home and finished high school at a neighboring town. The first chance I had, I moved four hours away.

20 years ago when I moved to Wichita. I quickly found out that I didn’t have the tools to self regulate. I ended up in court mandated anger management classes. I had a child, and I, a drunk, married an addict. For 10 years I worked in the a funeral industry, and in 2018, my world came to a crash.

The void called me daily and I wanted to die.

When my great-grandmother died after a long battle with Alzheimer’s, my courage swelled. I left my husband and took my son to start anew. I had began therapy with a clever therapist, and she helped me find my values of healthy, happy, whole. It wasn’t long till I stumbled upon my partner and Kundalini Yoga.

Kundalini yoga was my first real step into what yoga truly is, the union of body, mind and spirit. It was truly my first real step into mindfulness helping me to form real pathways to peace. It helped me find my heart’s calling to service and a deeper understanding of stewardship. It made me a better mother and this year is my 6th year of being alcohol free. I have healed the wounds of my past and forgiven the ignorance of others, and have moved myself into a better understanding of what trust, grace, peace and forgiveness mean.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
Sadhguru tells a story that speaks to this question. A jnana yogi (Path of knowledge), bhakti yogi (Path of devotion), karma yogi (Path of Action), and raj yogi (Royal path of meditation) were walking separately through the forest when a great thunderstorm erupted. At once they began looking for shelter, and converged at a run down temple where the only shelter was underneath a stone deity. Underneath the statue, all four yogis held onto each other for warmth, safety and protection. Suddenly god appears. Perplexed, the yogis begin asking why god didn’t appear after mastering difficult practices or the praise and worship that they gave unto. God says, “I have been waiting, at last your four idiots have gotten together.”

The lie is this, that one approach is going to get you into your healthy, happy whole.

My belief is that we as organisms that have a dynamic range of emotions and varying caliber of physical fitness from day to day. We must not only attain but also balance knowledge, devotion, action, and meditation to make lasting peace. We can’t just sweat our collective asses off and be balanced individuals, just the same as over intellectualizing our current state, or giving all our time away to others. Is it good to sweat? Yes. Is it good to think things through? Yes. Is it good to give your time away? Yes. Is it good to push your limits? Yes. Will doing one all the time balance you and make you healthy or happy? I will leave that answer up to you.

Another lie is that spiritual leaders, teachers or gurus are perfect pictures of humanity and their teachings show you how you all should live your life. The truth is that we are all human, all are learning, and not impervious to making mistakes. Life is a mixture of varying degrees of messiness, luckiness, and skill. It is important to remember comparison is the enemy of happiness and every role that is played creates the whole of our existence. Remember each path is important, carrying the lessons that bring us balance. The beauty of life is that we can choose from this rich pallet of teachings to use for our own artistry: the expression of our spirit.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Living in the city. I miss being in the country. I miss the quiet.

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