Magnanimity of Mind
My first yoga teacher used to talk about the concept of "Magnanimity of Mind." Despite the talk, I really was not grasping it. I was 20 and the phrase really stuck with me because I wanted to figure it out. How does one create magnanimity of mind? What does it even mean? Through the years, I've come to realize that the practice of yoga itself cultivates this concept within a person. Wikipedia says "Magnanimity is the virtue of being great of mind and heart. It encompasses, usually, a refusal to be petty, a willingness to face danger, and to take action for noble purposes."
When change occurs, it can be scary. Becoming Director of Yoga Center of Columbia, I have big shoes to fill. I offer many pranams (humble bows) to Kathy Donnelly for her incredible leadership for decades. There are not many yoga studios who have stood the test of time like YCC. Each of the teachers and staff who work behind the scenes deserve immense gratitude as well because it is through their efforts that we all have this sanctuary to turn to each week.
In Sanskrit, the word manas refers to the mind, and it also refers to the heart. I just love this idea because the mind-heart connection, one might say the body-mind-heart connection, is right there in the word. In the practice of magnanimity of mind, one's heart opens as well, to show love and to show vulnerability. And doesn't Brene Brown say that our vulnerability is our strength? Through mind-body practices such as yoga, meditation, pilates, and even qi-gong, we can access this virtue of being great in mind and heart even in the midst of great change. Kathy may be passing the baton, but the Yoga Center will remain the same nurturing community it has always been.
At the Yoga Center of Columbia, there are over 100 classes each week for all abilities, all bodies, and all ages -- not just yoga, but also pilates, meditation, qi gong, and even foam rolling. Plus we have some amazing and exciting workshops coming up this fall too. Won’t you join us for a class this week?
