Divya Ma Lovingly

Divya Ma grew up Catholic in Manila, Philippines, and later became a yogic nun. She travelled in Bangkok, India, Jamaica, the United States, Mexico, and Canada, teaching meditation, yoga, and humanitarian services. She has been one of the pioneers in introducing yoga classes in U.S. public schools with preschoolers, elementary, and middle school students and teachers in the 1990s. Starting in 2000, she lived in a solar-powered yurt in the Ozark Mountains in Eureka Springs, Arkansas for about ten years. Presently, she lives with her spiritual partner, Gopala, in Wisconsin.

Divya Ma describes the inspiration for her story this way: “One night, I was trying to sleep when I suddenly thought of a leaf that I saw one autumn day as I was walking on a trail surrounded by trees. The leaf brought a big smile to my face and touched my heart. I watched the leaf dance and dance until it landed softly on the ground. As I fell asleep, I imagined I was that leaf. Words, feelings, and images came flowing like a gentle river.”