Native Yoga Toddcast

Dorcas Murunga - Yoga Teacher Shares Her Journey and Impact in Kenya

• Todd Mclaughlin | Dorcas Murunga • Season 1 • Episode 131

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Dorcas Murunga is a yoga teacher based in Nairobi, Kenya. She is a certified yoga teacher with the Africa Yoga Project and has been an inspiration to her local community. Dorcas is passionate about sharing the transformative power of yoga and has been teaching various styles of yoga, including power yoga, yin yoga, and African yoga. She is dedicated to meeting her clients where they are and helping them on their yoga journey.

Follow Dorcas on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/dorcas_murunga/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
Visit here here on The Africa Yoga Project website: https://www.africayogaproject.org/blogs/media/finding-me-on-the-mat-you-too-can-how-yoga-changed-my-life
Dorcas teaching on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/S313HEIXxpo?si=SIKXaT8RfaIPlFUa
Dee Designs for Distinct Stuff
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054493899233&mibextid=ZbWKwL

During this conversation Dorcas speaks about:

  • How she discovered yoga as a way to lose weight and improve her health.
  • Despite facing initial resistance, she has been able to change perceptions about yoga in her community and inspire others to embrace it.
  • She believes that yoga is a powerful tool for personal transformation and encourages everyone to give it a try.

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Todd McLaughlin:

Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. So happy you are here. My goal with this channel is to bring inspirational speakers to the mic in the field of yoga, massage bodywork and beyond. Follow us @nativeyoga and check us out at nativeyogacenter.com All right, let's begin. Hello, I'm so happy that you're here. Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast today my special guest is Dorcas Murunga. She is located and Nairobi, Kenya in Africa. And check her out on Instagram. You will see the link below at @Dorcas_Murunga. And also I have other links that you can find her on different platforms. She is a yoga teacher. She is teaching with the Africa Yoga Project. She has been an incredible inspiration to her local community. So strong, so positive, so focused on sharing yoga, and I love hearing her stories about how yoga has transformed her life and is making a huge impact on her community. Because we are working through the zoom and through the internet, the sound quality and parts of this conversation get a little bit glitchy. However, it is really easy to hear darknesses message loud and clear. So I do apologize for any sound disturbance while you're listening. But just try be patient, listen through a couple of little glitches and she comes right back in clear and strong. So I really appreciate your support. And this is such an amazing conversation. And I love hearing about how yoga is empowering all of us around the planet. And I hope you enjoy this too. Definitely go follow Dorcas and send her some love. And let's go ahead and begin. I'm so happy to have here today, Dorcas Murunga. Dorcas, did I pronounce your last name properly?

Dorcas Murunga:

Yes, you did. Dorcas Murunga And my yogic name is Kavita yoga mama. Kay. So these are the names I go by. In terms of yoga, but my name's Dorcas Moringa. From Kenya.

Todd McLaughlin:

Thank you. And where in Kenya are you?

Dorcas Murunga:

I am in the city capital city, Nairobi.

Todd McLaughlin:

Nice. And are you born and raised there?

Dorcas Murunga:

No, I was born and raised. In other parts of Kenya, actually the western part of Kenya a place called kaka Mega. So in Kenya, we have around 42 tribes so different places. So I happen to come from the western part of Kenya.

Todd McLaughlin:

Amazing what what is your local language or what language did you grow up speaking?

Dorcas Murunga:

I grew up speaking lujah so he got called Lana. English.

Todd McLaughlin:

Excellent. Nice. And how did you come in contact or first learn about yoga?

Dorcas Murunga:

Well, I was heavyweight of my practicum I am. I am a mother of three boys 22 and 10. So after my last one I gained weight and so I was concerned about that I had health issues. So I was in my heart looking for something that I would work with as a lifestyle not to just read may be for losing weight. So I sell bags that can sell African bags. So in my theory, in an essay, I met a friend and was yoga. So just on the path we crossed, and I said hi. And I, I reached out to her and I was selling my bags like hooking. And then I told her, I sell bags, and I liked that she was working out just walking around the stage. So we had that cheated together. And then the following day, she booked some bags. So on my way to deliver bags, that's when I knew her but that she was a yoga teacher from Bolivia. Her name is Jamila. So from there, I was the first time I was hearing about your and this was in 2016 16. So I had to admire and want to learn more about yoga. That was the first time I was getting in contact with yoga 2015 2016 there.

Todd McLaughlin:

Yes. And did you did she teach you class was that your first experience was taking a class with her

Dorcas Murunga:

first experience, I had to book a class, it was expensive for me, I could not afford it. So a class here goes for 3000 shillings, which is like $40 or$30. There. Wow. So not afforded an hour, I cannot afford it. So I offered to exchange the yoga practice with my African bugs that I was selling she she loved what I was doing with the African bags. So I offered if that could be an exchange for yoga classes. So I, we came to an agreement for that. And I offered also to stay close to have because I was so eager to lose weight to learn more. And also to I like to go deeper into practices that come to me. So I thought yoga came to me. So I took that advantage and offered myself to exchange classes with the bags that I was making.

Todd McLaughlin:

Nice. That's so cool. And at this point, we're Yeah.

Dorcas Murunga:

Yeah, my first yoga class actually. It was in 2015. That when I will never forget, it was an hour of power yoga. She started me off with yoga.

Todd McLaughlin:

Which is pretty demanding. Did you feel like from that first time were you? Did you feel encouraged? Or did it make you feel discouraged? Were you were you excited about it? Or did you think oh boy, this is gonna be really challenging.

Dorcas Murunga:

It was challenging. I sweat a lot. It was challenging because of the weight. But interesting, because it was a new practice. And interesting because I was finding the posture.

Todd McLaughlin:

Yes, yes. That's cool. Yeah. Did you from there start to practice on your own? Or did you continue to take classes regularly regularly with her?

Dorcas Murunga:

I began to take classes twice a week with her with other also other clients were coming to her house, actually, she was teaching from her house. So I joined other class clients twice a week. And yeah, I offered to be her assistant for the time that she was in Kenya. The three years she was in Kenya offered to assistant. So there have been doing yoga. Nice since then.

Todd McLaughlin:

Nice. And do you currently teach yoga?

Dorcas Murunga:

Yes, I teach yoga. I love yoga. I I teach. I teach yoga for kids. I teach yoga, power yoga, yin yoga, African yoga. And I'm always learning Kundalini yoga and practicing it for myself, and I was certified the Africa yoga project in 2018. When she was leaving, I had to apply to research and see how I can afford to be a teacher to maintain the, the practice and being weighed because I started losing weight after the first practice. The first year I started losing weight. So I got encouraged, inspired. So I continued with the practice as I wanted it to be a lifestyle. And when she was leaving Kenya to go back to Bolivia, after her contract three years, I could not sustain the practice myself. So I had to be a teacher, to keep healthy to keep the yogic lifestyle, and also to inspire others because now I had set I was certified, I had the confidence, I was getting clients, and my community was noticing. So all this empowered me to continue sharing yoga as a volunteer as well. And the scholarship that I got, with Africa yoga project, demanded me to be sharing yoga for free. So I was going for outreaches in schools. I was going for outreaches in orphanages in homes. And I'm still doing that I'm still doing the outreaches and I'm still earning from yoga actually is the main source of income for me now. Also with the bags, but yeah, that is, in summary, my journey with yoga, very interesting, very inspiring. Especially with my community, when they saw I had lost up to 30 kgs in a year. Wow. So they were coming to me wanting to what I was doing. And I love to post on Facebook, I love to post on Instagram. This way the national television, people found me found my post, and they reached out to know more about it. Wow. So yeah, I it was a very interesting time for me to be on national TV. Sharing a practice that has been very healing for me, has been very transforming for me, has been very inspiring. It was a pleasure just to be featured in national newspapers like a yoga mama who is living healthy, impacting community and doing outreaches you know, so very inspiring journey for me, that's amazing.

Todd McLaughlin:

Dorcas I love hearing your story. That's so cool. Are you like when you teach currently? Are you going to different facilities and teaching or do you have a location that people come to you to practice?

Dorcas Murunga:

So I started off with the private yoga that I teach, meeting people in their residential homes. For a couple of years, I was going to gyms, different gyms, also reaching people in schools going to where the schools and also friends of mine desta yoga teachers also offering spaces for me to teach groups there. So yeah, I had one place that I was teaching around me where we practice I practice so yeah, I have been in spaces teaching yoga, and permanently mine right now is when I have my own small space also with a friend of mine, to use it as a Shala and I'm loving it. Yeah,

Todd McLaughlin:

very nice. Amazing. Do Did you have a either like spiritual practice or some type of religion or spiritual upbringing that you feel blends well with some of the teachings in yoga or what what are your thoughts on the spiritual ideas of yoga in relation to your culture?

Dorcas Murunga:

Well, it was it was a contradiction in the beginning, it's, it was very confusing, even to me. Because I was raised up as a Christian. I practiced Christianity at some point I got saved, born again. And I still value that practice, I still value Christianity, I still practice some of the teachings that are there, and adding on to what I now know on in other faiths and other truths. So it was contradicting because Christianity here in Kenya is considered. When you do your, you are considered as a Christian. Winter's astray. Yeah. So I had also to be hosting church, I was just in church because I was practicing yoga, because I was so vigorous I was so I was coming out loud, because it's a new thing that is working for me, and it's changing my understanding of trading is changing my, my teachings that it was kind of a last to incorporate to knowledges of Christianity and yoga, to be for the betterment of the world and for the betterment of the community, and for me, as well. So Christianity does. Here in Kenya, I would say, most Christians think that yoga is a religion in adjusting to just engrave yoga in me because I was facing opposition from my family members, because they thought I have left Jesus, my church thought I have left Jesus, I thought maybe I have left Jesus in the first years. Yes. But with consistency of researching and going deeper into the practice, it actually helped me to be a better Christian, if anything else, yes, I am. Say, I am a better Christian now than then. Because with the knowledge from yoga, I am finding balance between the truths and the faith. So going back to the stigma that I faced, it really, it really hit me. It really sent me to want to know more about this yoga that I don't know. So I deepened my practice because I was rejected with the church. I was rejected with family. close family members. My husband was okay with it because he was saying he was seeing the changes he was seeing Wait, be more happier. empowered me emotionally? i

Todd McLaughlin:

Yes, that's amazing. nairabet

Dorcas Murunga:

tastic emotional fishery of the soul

Todd McLaughlin:

dorky Dorcas. We're getting a little bit of glitches, we're getting a little bit glitchy from, from the zoom from the internet. I'm so sorry. I apologize. I lost a little bit of the last sentence that you said. Can you repeat the last sentence? You said please?

Dorcas Murunga:

Yes, I said, I found balance with Christianity and yoga, because of benefiting from yoga, losing weight, being emotionally stable, and impairing my faith, as well. So my biggest support was my family, my close family members who supported who saw the benefit. And that was my husband.

Todd McLaughlin:

That's amazing to work. So I'm so happy to hear that. I'm curious, have you? Are you receiving different feedback now? Or do you feel like because you stayed true to what you were feeling and appreciating and what you were finding the benefits of practicing yoga, we're bringing you do you feel like that now that people are watching you and because you're able to stay so strong for so long, that they're also willing to maybe change their opinion about how yoga could be bad and that now they see it's good

Dorcas Murunga:

Yes, absolutely, I would have loved to, I would love to talk about that because it is a journey of now seven years and the people who rejected me the Christian, the church, it was just a Community Church here. The friends, the neighbors who, doubting my practice, by then, after me being featured on national television, they saw the impact that I was doing to the community around and they started coming to ask more about to want to know more about this practice of yoga, they are inquiring, even up to now the family members came around, you know, there's so many more lively, and they saw me being recognized and acknowledged with other people. So they benefit was yoga was added to the people around me. They came along, and I offer my family. I have classes members of chat, we used to go with them there's still this and they would like wait, they would like to go they would like their emotional path well, and yeah, do Shaktis if they come I don't really to my heart that they said they rejected it. I get in public come Yoga is not a religion, but a practice to enhance whatever faith in one is choosing whatever path is choosing. Yes, so right now I'm at peace with the community and all

Todd McLaughlin:

you know, I'm so I'm so excited to hear that because I have had a similar sort of experience different but similar in that I grew up in the Christian faith. And I remember when my dad and I started taking this is this is when I was a kid Taekwondo, which is a type of karate. And I remember that we were told that we should not take karate, because it was from the east and anything from the east, you know, or outside of that the Christian tradition was not allowed. And so I remember at that point, thinking, this is so interesting, I don't understand, you know, but um, you know, it's really, I'm so happy to hear your story, because that seems something that kind of happens universally around the planet a little bit if, if we, you know, are learning yoga, and then people feel like it doesn't fit with their religion. I'm so happy to hear that you're able to stay really strong and that people in our seeing you in a new light. That's really cool. Dorcas

Dorcas Murunga:

I'm really glad that yoga came my way. And I'm really glad I stood strong. It was the urge to know why. Why are they rejected? I don't like to reject something without knowing or going deeper to understand why I don't really act on others opinion. That drives me more into research that drives me more into wanting to act from a point of knowledge or a deeper understanding. And I thank them, I thank them for for that. Because if it wasn't for that, maybe I wouldn't have gone deeper as I am right now. Yeah. So still, instead of defending, so that's a daily practice.

Todd McLaughlin:

That's a great point. I liked that. You see it that way. It's a good point. Like having that appreciation. Like thank you for giving me that little bit of challenge because now I'm more than I love it even more. That's really cool. Can you explain Yeah, can you explain a little bit about what the Africa yoga project is and who started it?

Dorcas Murunga:

Oh objective that was founded by Paige Allison page. Alison was visiting Kenya I think in 2007, and just having a normal Safari, and she noticed some youths just doing head standard handstands as acrobatics. So she went to them and she said, Oh, I can also do this. what you're doing, what do you call it? So they were calling it acrobatic moves. And Paige was calling it yoga. She also showed them she can do this. So they also followed Paige, wanting to know more of how she knew the acrobatic stance, the headstand handstand, and the postures they were doing. So after some time pitch, just realized that the need of introducing yoga in Africa, of Kenya was with the youth pushing her to bring it. So she came by and she founded Africa yoga project, a project that was targeting the youth, to empower them, and to help them even have income. Yes. So she started it as a nonprofit organization, which still is, and she up to now has been offering trainings, yoga, teacher trainings. And now we have 400 yoga teachers that she has all over Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania. Wow, African countries, there is a representative of the youth that get got scholarships to be trained in power yoga. So through this project, is where I found my scholarship to be trained as a yoga teacher.

Todd McLaughlin:

Wow. Yeah, that's so that's amazing.

Dorcas Murunga:

It is amazing. I love I love that Africa yoga project has really impacted mostly the youth because it was targeting the youths and it was empowering them. And making sure it gives out enough knowledge to make them want to go out and teach right now we have also teachers aluminized teaching all over the world, especially in the US, in Germany, in Kenya, where right now most of the teachers are the youths that have come through Africa yoga project.

Todd McLaughlin:

Amazing. That's so cool to hear about. Does um, are you in the process of leading yoga teacher trainings as well? Have you embarked on that aspect of it?

Dorcas Murunga:

It is in my vision plan, long term vision plan, because it needs resources. It needs partnership it needs. I need to empower myself to a point whereby I would offer scholarships because it is expensive here to run a training, yoga teacher training. So these are things that make me admire Africa yoga project because it it has to be global, it has to be incorporation. I singly myself, I would love to do it myself to the end. But I like the Power of unity, the power of coming together to deliver to community. That is what I think I would do in such a scenario.

Todd McLaughlin:

Yeah. Very cool. Can you I've never had a chance to go to Kenya or Nairobi. Can you tell me what Nairobi is like? Can you explain it a little bit like any details? I'm so curious.

Dorcas Murunga:

Yeah, Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya. Kenya is in Africa. And Nairobi is a beautiful city. Kenya is a beautiful country, whereby, as you know, many athletes come from Kenya. You also know about Obama coming from Kenya, the roots running down to Kenya. What's really be proud of my country is that is a country that has potential to sustain itself through it through agricultural produce. You is also a country that is still evolving and fast. And it has beautiful weather. We have the wild wildlife in the city of Nairobi. We have game parks that attract tourists. We have beautiful weather that sometimes it's unpredictable, but it is manageable. We also is a country that is allows different types of we are free. We are free country. I think you are welcome. You are welcome.

Todd McLaughlin:

Thank you, Dorcas I want to come visit. I really do. I really want to see Kenya. I really want to see Yeah, that would be so amazing. Can you tell me if any of the listeners or viewers were interested in say getting one of the handbags that you make? How do you do you mail them? Do you sell them? Do you have a website that you sell them on? Is there? Do you have any of that going where that's possible?

Dorcas Murunga:

Yes.

Todd McLaughlin:

Cool. Is there is there like if I I'm sorry. Maybe it cut out Hold on, hold on one second.

Dorcas Murunga:

website I just have

Todd McLaughlin:

I'm sorry. I apologized to her because we had a little bit of a glitch. Did you say you don't you don't have a website or you do have a website for now? Door torque isn't

Dorcas Murunga:

useful. Now I'm working with the yoga get my yoga services when you visit Kenya.

Todd McLaughlin:

Oh, man Dorcas, our connection just got so disrupted there for a second. So I think you were talking and I could not hear anything. I'm so sorry. The the last part that I heard up to was when I just asked a question about if you had a website, and then I did not hear anything. So I'm going to be quiet. And let's see if it works a little better this time. Can you answer that question? Again?

Dorcas Murunga:

I have a Facebook page for my bugs is known as the designs for this distinct stuff.

Todd McLaughlin:

Got it? Nice. I did hear that. Yay. And when I what I will do to work is to lose my yoga. Yeah. Sorry. No, I was gonna say what I

Dorcas Murunga:

was just giving out.

Todd McLaughlin:

Oh, thank you. Well, what I'll do Dorcas is I'm going to, I'm going to publish the link for your pages. So that when people listen, they can click, and they'll be able to find you really easy. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you.

Dorcas Murunga:

Yeah. They can find yoga. For yoga. Now I am with the yoga experience Africa. On that page, that website, they can easily find my yoga services.

Todd McLaughlin:

Nice. Okay, awesome. I will definitely have that in the link. So everybody listening can very easily find you. Took us I'm curious when you mentioned different styles of yoga, you said that you enjoy power yoga, Indian yoga, and then you use the term African yoga. Is there like a distinction of what you're referencing, when you say Africa yoga or African yoga?

Dorcas Murunga:

Yes, there is a distinction. African Yoga I was certified the last year is more related to Kemetic yoga that came from was found in Egypt. So African Yoga is a practice that is slightly different from power yoga, because Uh, it evolved with the, with the River Nile. So it was discovered from Egypt following the river overnight. And I'm glad it found me. It is founded by Pablo Imani. And I took the training and was certified. And I love the difference. The difference, the distinction, the difference between power yoga and other yoga is with African yoga, I relate with the movements, African yoga is more of movement. And I can relate to some of those and going with the theory behind that. It's different from power yoga, of guarantees, but I bring them I work with them to enhance my peace. I work with them for diversity. I work with them for connection, I work with them all types of yogas to be able to meet my clients where they are. So that is the slight difference.

Todd McLaughlin:

Yes, that's cool. Thank you so much for mentioning that I had heard that that there was the Egyptian style yoga, but I wasn't clear about that. So I appreciate you explaining that to me. When you have like maybe somebody somebody says to Dorcas, there's no way I can do yoga, I'm not flexible enough? Or I just don't think I can do it. What do you how do you answer them?

Dorcas Murunga:

Well, I meet my clients are there because I was met where I was, in the beginning, I was heavyweight couldn't move couldn't finish one hour, as fast or as easy. So immediately somebody says that it is I see myself in them. So I teach from experience, I meet them where they are, if they have injuries, I have empowered my practice to be able to work with people where they are. And I believe that with this builder practices, most of the time when I go to residential houses, before they I can introduce a sequence to them, I start to see what they can do, and support them to do it or recommend some other practices to help them to be able to do that. I have many more heavyweight clients. And they can't even sometimes finish a sun salutation. I'm challenged to see them doing that. So it becomes my my challenge to research on how I can support my clients and meet them emotionally, physically where they are. And it's really even empowering my practices meeting different, right people with different challenges, I just find myself flowing, to want to encourage them to be consistent with the practice. So I offer them a practice that I compiled classes that I know, my client, this client will be able to do this. So I work very hard to compile classes to suit my clients and meet them where they are. And I love it. I think that's the most part that I love.

Todd McLaughlin:

I really appreciate your enthusiasm, because it is so amazing to teach yoga. So I love hearing about what you're doing there. And I love that you're saying that you meet your clients right where they are and just like, see what they're doing, and then try to figure a way to just like, build a little bit off of what they they can do. That's a really cool approach that makes perfect sense. That's awesome.

Dorcas Murunga:

I believe that is not a competitive practice. So that's one thing that I put it out to my clients that we are not in competition with anyone, but just to better ourselves to be better than yesterday. So I do keep records with them. And I do take them photos, where they started and the growth they are making. And it's amazing to see me keeping consistent clients for four years. Yeah, you know, yeah. I love that. Love that.

Todd McLaughlin:

Nice. Did you You did your boys did your husband and your sons have they begun practice with you too.

Dorcas Murunga:

We just practice a circle, something that connects us as a family. Once a week, I don't try to impose my knowledge on them or my practice on them, I want them to come to me volunteering. And they know that every Sunday, they can walk, do yoga with me. I invite them, I actually invite them. I don't impose what I know, though I am tempted to impose because sometimes I see the going off balance there and there. But according to how I have empowered myself, I don't have to impose my knowledge to anyone, not even my family members. So it is more powerful when they come to me to do it. So as a family, it is a family activity every Sunday we do it if they want to join me in my only daily practices. My younger one is the one who really joins me in my everyday like 20 minutes before I go to work that he loves my husband. No. Key just because he does this job for me. Yeah. So I try to find balance and share. Maybe the emotional part of yoga, the yoga of much knowledge with him. If physical is not working with him. I'm more into yoga off mat with him. So with family actually, yeah, so 13 false knowledge on anyone.

Todd McLaughlin:

Great answer Dorcas I agree with you. 100%. Do you? Do you find that? Do you incorporate the Sanskrit terms into your classes? Do you like say for triangle? Do you use the words we teach the tree Konasana? Or because you want to maybe help people that feel fearful about is this a religion? Or is this something that I because I don't understand it? Maybe it's going to conflict with me? Do you try to secularize it or when you teach? Is it different for every person, like you meet with someone? And if if you feel like they won't respond well to using the different terminology that you change it to make it sound more just down to earth?

Dorcas Murunga:

Like I mentioned before, there is already stigma on yoga and religion. So I am very careful. A class I'm asking if they are okay to chant. If they're not okay, I don't check. Yeah. As soon as they read. Create songs. I incorporate Sanskrit for a while and they understand this. meet them where they are. Yeah, yeah. This was because it can raise questions. Maybe I'm not ready. Maybe they're not ready to understand where I am. So if they're not okay with anything, and I'm also cautious and respect with their faith in like with Muslims, I don't chant. Yes, because I don't know about their beliefs. And for somebody to reach a point whereby they are open to chat, they must understand what they're chanting. So I make plan workshops that for people who want to deepen their understanding on Mattis yoga, I would explain to them what chanting or means I would explain what the sounds mean. And the Sanskrit it doesn't work for a beginner because it's creating more confusion. So I go with them and build system see, with the time I started into, or out of the blue I would mention in the class and then I will explain this means this. So even me, it's took me a journey to learn the Sanskrit and I'm still learning the Sanskrit I don't teach throughout Sanskrit. So if I'm still learning it, I'm not able to share from a point of complete 100% knowledge. So I would want to work with them step by step and see their growth and add on that

Todd McLaughlin:

great answer. Yeah, up wise, wise approach. I agree with you on that. Do you feel like? Do you feel like it's gonna just keep growing in Africa? Do you feel like yoga is just gonna keep expanding and getting busier, we had a hearing in the United States definitely feels like there was a point where it was so popular. And then sometimes it feels like maybe he's not as popular as it was. And but I don't really know what the numbers are. And I don't really know exactly, if you know where all that is. But is your general feeling that it is gaining popularity in Africa?

Dorcas Murunga:

Well, yes, it is, very much, especially now that we have a platform where you can find African teachers all over the world. If you visit Ghana, you check the website, from yoga experience, Africa, and you get a teacher from Ghana, everywhere, all over the world. If you want to be taught a class with me and you're visiting Kenya, you can always reach me easily. So I think it's gaining popularity, is also gaining roots, not only popularity, because people, teachers, African teachers are now deepening the practice, to stay not only for commercial purposes, or just practicing self practice is now a lifestyle is becoming a lifestyle. It is a lifestyle for us. So I'm sharing from a comfortable space, because I know, I just want to impact one, another teacher wants to impact one to the fullest, you know. So, once they start coming to inquire more, they stick with the practice. And they share as well. And they invite others to, to, to learn. And I got the platform to invite and share light to matters yoga. When I got to the television, I really shared my heart out because I took it as a national outreach to all over the world all over Kenya, people to understand this practice of bettering ourselves. So I take every chance I have to share yoga, either physically, or on other levels. So I think it's going not only to be popular, but it's going to be lifestyle.

Todd McLaughlin:

I like it. I love it. Yeah, that's that's so cool. Darkness. I'm I'm curious. Was COVID a difficult time? I know, it's difficult for everybody all over the world. How did you? How did you navigate all that with teaching? Was it? Was there a severe lockdown scenarios in Kenya? Or was it not? I'm unaware? Can you help me understand?

Dorcas Murunga:

Yes, there was a lockdown, just like any other places in the world. And it really affected the yoga. And this is where Africa yoga project was affected. Obviously, it had to close down. And since it is operating with them, it was operating with donations. And also practitioners coming in to offer workshops to the academia that were in the project at that time. It was a challenge. So we had to learn to teach online. I had to lose clients because I couldn't go to them in person. So there was a lot of Charlotte closing down in Kenya because of the lockdown because of the contact body contact. So we adjusted to online teaching, which I'm still teaching. And I'm glad I had to tap into that knowledge. I remember that was my first time to teach online during COVID. And now I'm teaching at Nest Home, an orphanage a home that cares and rescues kids that are abused. I have been teaching them volunteering there. And during COVID They could not understand why he was not going there. So I had to switch online to keep in touch with the practice with them. And up to now, I still teach and that is one thing. COVID I would say positive to me that I was able to switch and teach online for the first time and still going so that that really was empowering from COVID Staying with the positives. also COVID empowered me to know more of the cueing because when I was practicing online, when I was practicing, in person I used to offer at adjustment in power yoga, we are taught about adjusting in the hands on some postures. So during COVID, I was not able to give hands on assists. So I empowered myself in cueing, cueing the postures to the right positions. So, that is another class of COVID. Looking for the negative part of the COVID, which I really don't like to tap into it, it was the financial part. But I lost clients. They didn't come back, most of them relocated to other countries. But yeah, I bet on positives that we survived those that survived. Unfortunate for those that couldn't make it. But yeah, we are here, we are here to tell the story, the positive ones. So

Todd McLaughlin:

I agree. We need to stay on the positive sides. And I had a similar experience to Dorcas, I'm so happy to hear what you're saying I had a similar thing I didn't teach online before that. And also the improvement of verbal cueing became stronger because of the inability to just maybe move somebody from here to there to help explain an idea. So I agree with you. Those are some of the positive elements. So I love hearing you know, that they're, you know, we're in different sides of the world, but kind of experiencing a similar type of

Dorcas Murunga:

Yeah, sort of uniting.

Todd McLaughlin:

It was uniting Yeah, good point. Good point. What is like, do you what is your biggest obstacle? Right now, with with teaching yoga, what do you think is the big obstacle? Maybe there isn't. Maybe you have no obstacle? Well, I'm just curious.

Dorcas Murunga:

Maybe I block it.

Todd McLaughlin:

So again, Dorcas I'm sorry. That

Dorcas Murunga:

I said maybe I'm blocking the obstacles. I'm not allowing myself to see the obstacle. It's a challenge.

Todd McLaughlin:

Yeah, good point. Good, good answer.

Dorcas Murunga:

Think for me. And I would say the challenge right now is going to people's residence. Because they have they're not able to come to the group class because of either their gayness. Maybe they are heavyweight, and they can't connect or relate with the group. The energy of the group is very hyper. Maybe people who have been mostly group classes, people are flowing people understand from word of mouth. But in beginners, I have a lot a lot of beginners curiosity is coming my side. I have to practice and teach because most of the beginners don't know the names of the postures is the first time they're doing yoga. So I think my challenge I would find a place whereby people would come to me and consult and get private practices just like a one stop yoga, yoga Shala where you can get everything in one place you get meditation, you get asanas, practices, different types of yoga in one place for me. That would be a class. I choose not to see any challenge. I choose to find options.

Todd McLaughlin:

I love that. I don't want to see challenge. I just look for options. I love it. Man Dorcas you have? You have a great you have such a great outlook on life. I love your positivity. It's infectious. I really do appreciate it. Thank you so much. Thank you, Todd. I really hope that I can have you back on the podcast and or maybe in some way I can just help collaborate in any way possible to just keep keep. Keep everybody getting really excited about yoga. And I will have I'll have the links for your sites so that people can find you and help support. And I'm curious, just in closing, for our discussion, and also sorry, I just really want to thank you, Dorcas because I made a mistake with my time, and you were so, you know, patient in in waiting for me to get set up today. So thank you so much. I do apologize. Can you? In closing? Do you have any thoughts or something else that you would like to share? I feel like you're so positive when we can pick up on that. And that's more than enough. And you don't have to add any more. But is there anything that you would like to leave myself in the listener with today?

Dorcas Murunga:

I would like to, first, thank you for this opportunity to be able to share my opinion and my journey with yoga. I'm so grateful. We have never met and I guess online has connected us and I'm grateful that the impact of yoga beings seen all over the world. That's why you're able to reach out and I'm so grateful for that. And one thing that I would like to leave, parting with is some deepen, deepen any practice that you find helpful to you use it as a tool to help yourself, it's very powerful to know that you have tools to go to, in terms of helping yourself at any situation. I also would want to invite people to those who have never tried yoga, to try the try yoga with an open mind and open approach just for bettering themselves. And the journey of yoga for me as it has been transforming. I invite those who are in need of transforming their lives, to want to try yoga, if you need if you are in need of Transforming Your Life, try different things with an open mind and deepen that practice for yourself and for people around us for the betterment of the world. The goal is one thank you so

Todd McLaughlin:

thank you, Dorcas that was amazing. Native yoga podcast is produced by myself. The theme music is dreamed up by Bryce Allen. If you liked this show, let me know if there's room for improvement. I want to hear that too. We are curious to know what you think and what you want more of what I can improve. And if you have ideas for future guests or topics, please send us your thoughts to info at Native yoga center. You can find us at Native yoga center.com. And hey, if you did like this episode, share it with your friends, rate it and review and join us next time