Every day we witness transformation around
us as night becomes day and day becomes once again night, I love those times of
transition when things are soft and the light is quiet, the noises change
around us depending on where we are living and even the smells as you may catch
the waft of coffee in the morning or an evening meal being prepared. Now as I sit in my garden in Kampala, Uganda
I love to watch those transitions and listen to the insects begin to chirp or
the bird calls in the morning, and see the sky create a beautiful dance of
shapes, colour and light. It brings a
sense of real peace to me. Yoga has
brought me that transition too, as I think back to how I was before I found it,
before I allowed it to gently and lovingly change me into a much softer and
quieter, a stiller and happier being.
Give an angry man a yoga mat and show him the practice he becomes a
gentle soul with open heart, give a fidgety man who can’t sit still a yoga mat
and show him the practice he becomes at peace and finds stillness, give an
anxious man a yoga mat and show him the practice he becomes strong and full of
courage, give an unhealthy man a yoga mat and show him the practice he becomes
healthy. And so the list goes on. I found this lovely story by John Mundahl and
would love to share it –
The Man with the Funny Yoga Mat – by John
Mundahl.
Once a man came to my yoga class.
The first day he walked up to me and said
–
“I
need exercise. Will I get that here?”
“Yes.” I said. “Yoga can be exercise.”
He was blunt and direct and walked away.
I watched him spread out his yoga mat.
But I could see that the mat wouldn’t lie
flat.
The edges were curled up.
The next week he came to me and said,
“I’m sleeping better. But I don’t
want to give up ice-cream.”
“That’s fine.” I said.
He walked away and
I watched him spread out his yoga mat.
The edges were still curled up.
But I could see that his mat was trying to
lay flat.
The next week he came but he was quiet.
He only spoke to me after the class.
“What is this anyway?”
“What is what?” I asked.
“Yoga.”
“It’s what you want it to be.” I
said.
He was puzzled, but curious.
And I watched him walk out the door yoga
mat under his arm.
The next week he came and said,
“I’m loosing some of this!”
As he shook his belly and laughed for the
first time.
He spread out his yoga mat
And I could see that the edges were
starting to lay flat.
On the last day of class
He came up to me with a soft face.
“There was a beautiful sunset last night, did you see it?”
Yes, I saw it.” I said.
Then he walked away to a quiet corner of
the classroom,
And spread out his yoga mat.
And the edges were flat, his yoga mat lay
flat.
I am forever grateful for yoga and all
that it has brought to me, for all my guru’s whom have taught me and all the
yogis I have shared the practice with. To finding the path and going along it
with a happy heart.
AUM Namah Sivaya,
May we all have happy hearts as we return
to our natural selves.
Mangala / Nicky
Current Class times
Mondays- 8.30-10.00am Butabika Recovery
College, for mental health patients, support workers, Dr’s and Nurses.
Tuesdays- 6.30-7.45pm Edge Fitness Center,
Naguru, All Welcome
Wednesdays- Gems Cambridge International
School Secondary Students
Thursdays-
Gems Cambridge International School Primary Students and 5.00-6.30pm All
Welcome (above the sports complex)
Yoga Mangala has also began its first
community yoga teacher-training program for local Ugandans, with two wonderful
new students, Elizabeth and James, wishing them all the joy, light and peace on
their journeys to become yoga instructors for the community.
