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april 2016yogajournal.com.aupranayama for purity of body and lungs,
and meditation to quieten the mind. “It is
everything I need in one practice and I am
always inspired to come back to my mat.”
Off the mat Masha continues a yogic
life, passionately involving herself in
humanitarian projects like the Africa
Yoga Project, an organisation empowering
people in Africa to live a better life through
yoga. She also aims to integrate the Happy
Melon philosophies of “Beginner’s Mind,
Compassion, Non-Judgement, Non-
Striving, Acceptance and Letting Go”
into her daily life and conversations.
Masha’s transition from teacher to
studio owner happened just last year when
the opportunity arose for her to co-create
“People want to slow down
and they need a practice like
this today more than ever.”
Happy Melon. “I knew there was a lot to a
yoga studio. I didn’t want to just open a
yoga franchise.”
Happy Melon was born with the aim to
inspire the practice of mindful meditation
alongside activities people knew already
such as yoga and pilates. “The mindfulness
side of the business grew faster than
anticipated. It proved to us that people want
to slow down and they need a practice like
this today more than ever.” Since opening
the space only ten months ago, Masha said,
“It’s really peaking. I can feel the buzz and I
thrive on it. There’s a really strong sense of
community and that’s what it’s all about.”
She said Happy Melon’s philosophy is:
“Get the mind right and the body will
follow.” The aim is to demystify meditation
and the vision is “that by 2025 a
mindfulness practice is as common as a
yoga practice”. Masha told me she was
optimistic about this goal. “I can really see
it happening. Yoga has grown so much in
the last few years and it’s all heading
towards mindfulness.”
What’s been the biggest challenge for
Masha on her journey as a student, teacher
and studio owner? “The greatest challenge
as a student has been to stay a student
and not get caught up in the ‘I know it all’
mantra. As a teacher it’s about evolving and
growing so you can continue to challenge
and inspire your students. As a studio
owner it’s about surrounding yourself with
the right people. If you have the best people
around you it is so much easier to grow.”