In current times, harbouring worry has become normal. We regularly feel in knots, often so tangled that we hardly know where the anxiety starts or ends. Until that is, the hand of Mariana Salinas reaches out. Strong in presence yet gentle in manner, she invites you to Sadhana Works where through classes of Kundalini yoga, nutrition and flower essence therapy, she unravels tension and worry. “We help you create a conscious lifestyle” she says, pouring us a cup of hot ginger tea. The steam rises and a few knots inside us uncurl. We already feel at home.
Like warmed honey, our conversation with Mariana flows with ease, never hardened by a difficult thought. Her years of studying under Deepak Chopra, living in an Indian Ashram and mastering studies in psychoanalysis and literature, have made her more than adept at understanding human nature. Her intelligence sits at the heart of Sadhana Works, which aims to help people reconnect with themselves and heal. For some, this might be a session of Naturopathy at her Sadhana Works centre in Palma or, as recent times have proven popular, an online class of Kundalini yoga on Instagram Live. “We’re facing a pandemic of fear and uncertainty right now. There’s never been a more important time to reconnect,” she says, bringing her hands inward. “In Kundalini yoga, we take you to a place within where you can see more clearly.” We pause, wondering if it’s like holding-up a mirror? She smiles, “no, it’s stronger than that, more solid. We’re really discovering who you’re meant to be.”
With the help of her three children, Ines, Martina and Rodrigo, Mariana also runs Kundalini yoga classes for children. In observing how her own three are growing-up and unpicking difficult topics, Mariana says that she sees “conscious living” relevant to all ages. “There’s a curiosity in children that we think disappears as we age, but we never actually lose it.” She pours us some more ginger tea and cuts a slice of buckwheat bread. “Life is a question by nature, it always has been. But to keep asking the question? Well, that’s the spiritual attitude.”
For Mariana, reaching out to help as many people as possible is a big part of her Sadhana Works mission. Her online classes are run by donation, where every cent raised goes to making food parcels for families in Mallorca and her home-country, Mexico. “There is so much poverty in the world, but unbeknown to many people there is a lot in Mallorca,” she says, gesturing beyond her garden wall. Every week, her children join her in delivering food parcels to those hit hardest by the recent economic downturn. “It’s this wonderful cycle, where everyone benefits” she says, highlighting that making change, always starts from within. “It’s right here” she beams, smiling from her heart to ours. And just like that, with another flutter of warmth, another knot inside us starts to uncurl.
Photos by Sara Savage