YAMA Teacher Feature: Mirna Salgadinho

We would like to introduce Mirna — a qualified Integral yoga instructor (200-hours) and Yoga for the Special Child practitioner. Mirna is a mother of two twin boys, one of whom has downs syndrome. She has been a part of our YAMA family since the beginning and now teaches yoga to children with special needs on behalf of YAMA and also on her own at SEN schools. As a qualified professional dancer and ballet teacher, she was an early adept of body awareness as a way to bring harmony and wellbeing. Today Mirna believes that yoga’s deep-rooted, ancient and gentle techniques can bring great benefit to kids and adults with different strengths. Mirna is also active in Hong Kong’s community of parents of children with special needs. Below is her journey in her own words:

I moved to HK in 2006 and soon wanted to find a way to exercise and relax after long days at work. Six years later, I became a mother to two wonderful twin boys. After their birth my entire life changed as I had to reconcile work, family and motherhood like every working mother.

However, this was compounded by the additional care we were to give to one of the twins who was born with special needs.

Searching for support and therapies on the internet I discovered Yoga for the Special Child YSC® by Sonia Sumar being taught in Hong Kong.  After enrolling my son on YSC® with Hersha Yoga, I saw him gaining great benefits from the practice. Soon after Hersha was bringing the Yoga for the Special Child Training program which I immediately joined. 

Since the training I started teaching kids with various abilities and diagnosis and each day is like no other. 

Very often, when my own son was little, his Yoga classes where not very long but I found that those times were one of the most cherished of his day, a time when he felt at ease, comfortable with his abilities and fully connected with his teacher.  

Yoga for the Special Child classes are typically fun and gently challenging. There is so much joy in meeting the kids, seeing them appreciating yoga and flourishing at their own time and pace. The kids have also inspired me to further my learning and lead me to take on the Integral Yoga Teacher Training.

Through my son’s experience, my personal practice and teachings the kids, Yoga turned to be not only a good way to exercise the body but most importantly, a way to help me and others to connect with valuable inner resources.  

I’m very grateful to be part of YAMA helping to bring yoga to every child and every family.  It has been and continuous to be life changing.