One Small Spark

Dear friends,

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate to spend an evening with the Mandela Washington Fellows—a remarkable group of 24 young leaders from countries throughout sub Saharan Africa. They had just completed an intensive six-week course in leadership and entrepreneurship here in the U.S. and were wrapping up their final presentations and celebrating their achievements.

After dinner, a few members of the group shared their experiences. Each speaker brought their own energy, curiosity, and personal history to the event. But they all spoke about how they arrived with a spark—just the beginning of an idea—and were now leaving with a fire lit inside them, ready to return home and use their ideas to make something wonderful happen.

It was a very moving evening. Each person had come into the program with an idea and each left knowing that he or she would return home and make a difference. They each could create positive change. The excitement in the room was palpable.

Their transformations were inspiring.

And that brought me right back to my yoga mat.

We each come to the mat with our own small spark - our own reason for being there. It may be curiosity, stress, a longing to connect, a need to move - whatever. We spend time on our mat exploring with the tools that we have - our mindfulness, our breath, our movement. Whatever happens, we leave the mat changed. We might be more grounded. We might be more energized or more connected.

It's another transformation.

We have that same potential as those young leaders - that spark is within us as well. We have the same opportunity to make a difference, to make a positive change. It won't be big - it doesn't have to be big:

A smile.

A kind word.

A gesture of support.

We can kindle our own small sparks into something wonderful as well.

Love & yoga,

Nina G