Ifra
Papa Samba Ifra Ndiaye, or simply Ifra - an open mind and wide horizons.
"I find it difficult to describe myself with one word; I certainly perceive myself as an African. I have been practicing yoga for the last ten years, because I like it: yoga gives me energy required to realize my ideas and allows my personality to grow".
Ifra holds a Master's degree in biology; he is a chairman of the Afropol corporation, the director of the Center of African Culture and Art in Krakow; he is also the founder of Teranga, the Polish-African Cooperation Foundation.
Kamila Berny
A novice artist; In 2004 Kamila received an honors diploma from the Marian Jarzemski studio. In the same year, she received her MA in history of art. She started practicing hatha-yoga four years ago.
"Painting carries away; it deepens breath and sharpens the senses. I can say that the act of creation of a painting is like practicing asana. At the beginning, I think, 'what does this all mean?' Later, something emerges and with practice, technique and internal feeling a shape forms, which I can continuously refine and change. Actually, I am not the one, who governs these changes, they occur by themselves. A necessary condition is openness to this process. I stop thinking about lines, shades, colors... I dive into the moment and give away the helm. When this happens, I feel that a genuine painting has been created, that the practice of asana was effective. Only then I feel full of joy and confidence."
Joanna Jakubowska
A student of the 4th year of philosophy at the Jagiellonian University; for Joanna yoga is a life raft in the deep ocean of ontological questions and academic ponderings. "Yoga and philosophy are like two halves of the same apple" -she claims.
She has been practicing yoga for five years; she has conducted classes for the last two. Despite the looks of an innocent angel she is capable of being quite willful and demanding - with respect to herself and others. An alert style of instruction, a warm voice and positive energy won the favors of faithful students and quiet admirers.
Maciej Wielobób
Maciek is an emerging star of hatha yoga; a graduate of a pedagogical school (a specialist in therapeutical, i.e. special pedagogy), currently a postgraduate student of the pedagogical department at the Pedagogical Academy specializing in health pedagogy.
Yoga taught Maciej discipline and distance to less important matters; at the same time, it allowed him to get rid of backbone-related problems. Since July 2006, he passes on his experiences to others by conducting Sadhana classes. In his teaching, Maciej tries to harmonize effort with relaxation and theory with practice.
Roman Grzeszykowski
I believe that we live in order to put into practice the potential present in each of us, to follow what we intuitively consider good and precious. To do things in life thanks to which we feel that we come true, and to achieve goals we believe in. I think that by proceeding this way we can attain happiness because regardless of our views, this life is one and unique, hence it is worth living the way we want.
Yoga helps me to realize the substance of my faith, it continually becomes a way of life - and everyday life turns into yoga.