For our latest campaign, we invited Magda Janik, a yoga teacher who chose the beach, the ocean, and warmth over city life. For years, she has been traveling while teaching classes, meeting people, and honing her craft. She talks to us about places close to her heart, the changes that yoga brings, and how she found herself where she is now.
Many people practice yoga, but not everyone becomes a teacher. You did. When did the thought of teaching first come to you?
The thought of teaching came to me when I was finishing my first teacher training course in Bali. When I left, I really didn’t think I could be a teacher. I treated the course as a contribution to my own development. Of course, somewhere in the back of my mind, in the realm of dreams, I had such an idea, but I was holding myself back a lot. Only during that one-month teacher training course did I convince myself that I wanted to do this, that I felt a calling, and that I would like to try.
Before you devoted yourself entirely to yoga, you worked in an office. A lot must have changed for you to quit your job and start leading classes?
It was a very complex decision. After my first course, I returned to office work, but already with the thought that I wouldn’t stay there for long. It is totally not my world; I don't fit in there, and I don’t want to waste my time on a job that doesn't bring me joy—on the contrary, it takes away my health and the space to do something more creative. I worked in marketing, in the CRM department. It wasn’t a boring job, but the structures in which I functioned did not suit me at all—time constraints, hierarchy. What had to change? My thinking. I needed to believe in myself, to believe that I could follow my dreams and do what I truly love. I had to find deep wells of courage within myself. To put myself out there with my yoga, to step into the role of a teacher, and to gain confidence in that role. A lot had to change in my perception of the material world—I needed to get rid of the fear that had accompanied me for the greater part of my life. I think many people struggle with this, with the primal fear of survival in a financial context. Leaving a comfortable full-time job required letting go of fear. Health aspects also played a major role. My job and the stress associated with it were exhausting me, and that strongly influenced my decision.
How did your loved ones react to the change?
I have a very supportive family. They are used to me jumping in with strange ideas. They don’t even comment when I come up with another crazy place to move to. Friends always tell me that I am brave, and that is motivating. Among them, I have the reputation of someone who goes after what they want. For me, not much time passes between an idea and a decision. I trust my intuition a lot, so I don’t overanalyze.
Being a teacher, leading classes and meditations are your path of development. What do you learn by teaching others?
I learn diversity. Not to apply one template to everyone. Just because I perceive the world in a certain way doesn't mean that someone else sees things the same way. These are the greatest lessons. I am simply learning about people. They come from different backgrounds, with different experiences, different expectations, different problems, and traumas. It is a fantastic education that never ends. There are as many different stories as there are people.
What qualities do you value in a teacher? What kind of teacher are you yourself? What kind would you like to be?
I value warmth, reliability, and openness. With a teacher, I want to feel welcome, I want to be part of the practice, I don't want barriers or exclusion. I really try to be the kind of teacher who is there for the students, not for herself. In my shala, on the mat, there is a place for everyone who wants to come. I respect teachers who constantly expand their knowledge. I am also constantly developing myself and I never want to stand still. I want to keep learning, be reliable, and be a good human being.
You run workshops and classes, bringing together people interested in yoga. What do these meetings give you? What does the community you help create mean to you?
Workshops and meetings on the mat are the heart of my work. Nothing replaces a real meeting where we exchange energy, look each other in the eye, and share space while practicing asanas or meditating together. It gives me a lot of energy and makes me very happy. I cannot imagine functioning only in the online space. Unfortunately, these are the times we live in, where many things have moved online, but these are crisis measures—if there are no other options, we use what we have. However, I always strive to meet in person with others who practice. The yoga community is like a family scattered all over the world to me. We have common goals, similar intentions, and we use similar tools to work on ourselves.
Since you mentioned being online… how do you find harmony between being on the computer, on your phone, and being offline?
What happened to us in the spring was not easy. I functioned in the online world earlier, having my Instagram profile, recording practices on YouTube, but it wasn't on such a scale. Now, being online is more intense. I don't hide the fact that it is a challenge to stay in balance and not overdo it. If work is on the computer, you can close it and put it aside, which I often do. It’s harder with a phone, but I have my tricks for that. At home, I try not to carry my phone with me. I put it where it’s not visible. When I am in company, I leave it in my bag or pocket. I always have notifications turned off for apps. From time to time, I do detoxes—I turn off the phone, I don't look at social media. I try to have one day a week offline, and it’s usually Sunday. That’s my day for the home, and there is no room for a phone in it. And self-awareness is important—honestly answering myself whether I am addicted to using the phone, to social media, and simply working on that, without lying to myself.
You travel a lot, moving from place to place. How do you ground yourself, how do you get used to a new space?
I have my rituals. In every place, I build a space for yoga practice and meditation. That’s where I lay out my mat, crystals, incense, palo santo. The practice itself grounds me; it gives me a sense of being at home. I also like to have a few things—my mug, preferably handmade, ceramic, one with a soul, my blanket, my mat.
To which place do you most like to return physically or in your thoughts?
I most like to return to my beloved Bali, the island from which I left in March, in the middle of the pandemic, and to which I have not been able to return yet. It is a place of power for me; I will always return there if there is any possibility.
What did you discover there, what were you enchanted by?
The energy—very strong. The nature, the proximity to the ocean, the quality of the surfing waves, the yoga you can try in every style there, the openness of the people. There is really no concept of being "weird" there. Being weird is normal, and everyone can feel at home there.
You are a free spirit, always on the move. Are you planning to settle down somewhere permanently, and if so, do you already know where?
That moment will surely come. I am thinking about starting a family; I would like to have children. However, I absolutely don't know where I will live. The only thing that is certain is that it will be near the ocean, but I can’t pin the spot on the map yet.
When COVID-19 broke out, you promoted #światstanałnagłowie (the world turned upside down) on your Instagram. How has your world changed, your perspective, what did you take away from this whole situation for yourself?
I left Bali, which was my home. After two years, I started to believe that I would stay there longer, but the Universe showed something else. It was a great lesson in humility and acceptance. The whole situation with the epidemic taught me not to get attached to my plans, assumptions, and arrangements. A lot of things fell apart, a lot didn't work out, and many things that were almost certain didn't happen. A bitter lesson, but very necessary. I absolutely don't regret it. At the same time, new things were born, so the balance is positive despite everything.
You have been practicing yoga for over eight years. What changes do you notice in yourself?
Greater self-control. Control over anger, aggression. Previously, I was very neurotic; when I erupted, it was like a rolling snowball—it was very hard to stop me. Yoga and meditation allowed me to look at myself, my reactions, and the patterns I operate by.
Do you have your favorite rituals before and after practice?
Before practice, I always set an intention with which I step onto the mat. I like to write before and after practice, and during, if something comes to mind. I really like to burn incense, cleanse the space with sage, and invite good energy using palo santo. I believe in the cleansing properties of these rituals and in the power of the crystals that I place near me.
There is a lot of warmth in you. Where do you draw your energy from on a daily basis?
I like to smile. Little things make me happy. Those small things that everyone finds in their everyday life recharge me and give me energy.
