We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Malaika Bonafide a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Malaika , great to have you with us today and excited to have you share your wisdom with our readers. Over the years, after speaking with countless do-ers, makers, builders, entrepreneurs, artists and more we’ve noticed that the ability to take risks is central to almost all stories of triumph and so we’re really interested in hearing about your journey with risk and how you developed your risk-taking ability.
Unknowingly, and unbeknownst to me I have always been a risk taker. When I think back to my teen years I was willing to tie sheets together and toss them from my forth floor bedroom window in an attempt to escape being grounded. Of course my mother caught me and thank goodness because it wasn’t the best idea and the knots would not have held, but I was definitely going for it.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Born and raised in Cambridge MA. raised by my mother and grandmother I come from a long line of resilience risk taking women. My mother’s only child and born under the independent, fearless sign of Leo I’m sure it was written in the stars.
I began my journey into wellness as a way to healing my own challenges with mental health, depression and after experiencing a grand mal seizure from stress. I had practice yoga with my mother as a child but this was different.
As a single mother of 3 I had been navigating life in survival mode and one day my body & mind said “that’s enough!” The seizure was my tipping point and my awaking after years of depression, medication and stress.
In an attempt to regain balance and cognitive skills in the aftermath, I opt-ed for yoga and meditation instead of pharmaceuticals.
Taking a yoga class at a newly opened local studio at the time and being encouraged by my instructor to join the upcoming YTT (yoga teacher training) I embarked on a life changing journey that continues to unfold and grow still till this day.
Practicing, teaching and facilitating Yoga classes, events and Sound bath (sound meditation sessions) now for over 10yrs I feel such gratitude for what this experience has shown and taught me. Becoming a Yogipreneur as I like to call it was not something I envisioned for myself and yet feels like divine alignment.
Prior to becoming a full time yoga instructor, as a stay at home mom I taught myself how to make beaded jewelry and accessories as a creative outlet. I would stay up late night creating as a way to combat post patum depressive episodes and insomnia. One day I decided to pack up my toddler daughter and my board of creations (earrings, bracelets necklaces and waistbeads) and hit the local hair salons to see if I could sell my jewelry and just like that Ms. Bonafide Creations was born.
Today my focus professionally is sharing the healing benefits of yoga and sound meditation. I believe yoga to be the well that keeps giving. I hope to be a beacon of hope and inspiration.
Currently I offer yoga group classes, corporate classes and private contracted events in and around the Boston and surrounding areas as well as hosting Sound Bath Vibe sessions (sound meditation sessions with crystal singing bowls).
You can find my classes, events and jewelry at msbonafidecreations.com
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back on this journey self discovery, assurance was the most impactful quality I can think of. It was something I had to build on, trusting myself and my abilities and with each endeavor growing stronger and more clear. Not always knowing the next step but believing there was one or creating one is what has gotten me to this point. We don’t always have a full plan or know what is to come next and that’s ok, that’s where we build and get to know ourselves and learn. Daring to explore and fail if need be is the path to finding our way.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
As a student of life, I believe that we need to continually learn and refine our experiences.
In the last year I have stepped in to the role of YTT instructor (yoga teacher training) offering insights on Yoga and Your passions as a way to inspire new teachers to find there teaching path.
Contact Info:
- Website: msbonafidecreations.com
- Instagram: @ms.bonafidecreations
- Facebook: Ms. Bonafide Creations and Yoga
- Youtube: Ms. Bonafide Creations
