Magnificent Mali was swinging through the jungle on the vines that hung between the trees she loved to swing high in the trees it made her feel very happy to feel the breeze on her face and the little lurch in her stomach as she swung down and then up again. Mali’s friends were also swinging through the forest they all met in the middle of the forest and were having fun and laughing. They could look down and see the other animals running and having fun as well.

Mali loved to have fun in the forest with her friends and would spend every day just hanging out in the tree tops if she could but Mali knew that she needed to do more to be fit and healthy and she and her monkey friends planned to visit Sunni in the park the very next day.

It was a long walk to the park from the forest and the monkeys all chattered played on their way to the park. They were looking forward to seeing Sunni – it had been a while since they had visited and they were looking forward to playing hide and seek in the park, where it was easier to chatch each other.

Mali saw Sunni first and sung out “Hello there Sunni”.

“Hi Mali, how’s it going?” asked Sunni.

“Really good Sunni, we are here for a visit and to play hide and seek, want to join in? Bet you won’t find me” teased Mali.

“Sounds like fun, how about I start as in” said Sunni and he turned his back and started counting.

All the monkeys slinked off to find hiding spaces, one climbed Sunni’s big tree, another hid in his flower bed and when Sunni finished counting there wasn’t a Monkey to be seen.

“Coming ready or not” called Sunni.

Sunni started looking around the park for the monkeys, he guessed that they would be hard to find and he looked behind his big tree, and down behind the rocks but he couldn’t see a monkey.

He looked behind the play equipment in and around the Barbeque area but still couldn’t find any monkeys. Then as he was about to give up he heard a giggle high above him and Sunni saw Mali hanging from his tree by her tail.

“That’s not fair Mali you know I can’t climb the tree!” said Sunni.

“Can’t catch me, Can’t catch me, Can’t catch me” sang Mali. Soon all the monkeys were chanting and Sunni saw one of them in his garden bed tipped him and the game started all over again.

There are games and fun things for you and your friends to try at www.eponayoga.com

Everyone was wondering what Mali was up to... She had put up a few signs saying join me for some Monkey Madness.

Rafferty went to the park and asked Sunni "What's this Monkey Madness?"

"I don't know but tit sounds like fun" replied Sunni.

They decided that they would all go and see Mali and find out what her Monkey Madness was all about. When they finally found Mali in the forest she was sitting down quietly - it didn't look like Monkey Madness to Sunni or Rafferty.

"Mali, what's this Monkey Madness" they asked together.

"I'm having a madness day here in the forest full of challenges in balance and climbing in the trees" she said.

"Humm that sounds like fun" said Rafferty.

"Perhaps we should come along" said Sunni.

So Rafferty and Sunni decided to come back to the forest the next day for the Monkey Madness.

When the arrived there were Monkeys going mad all other the place. They were balancing, swinging from their tails and chattering away. Sunni tried to copy Mali she was standing in a monkey Grip which is really rather hard, especially if you are not a monkey!

Rafferty joined in the fun and showed Mali a different pose which she tried, it was the turtle pose. Mali thought it was funny  that Rafferty was showing her a pose that really belonged to Tula.

The Monkey Madness went on for hours and afterwards Sunni and Rafferty both felt very tired and healthy.

It was a big day for Mali. She had been looking forward to it for a long time. Mali and all her Monkey friends were going to have a party. All the girls went round the forest finding flowers to tuck behind their ears and the boys even had a bath before the party was due to start.

Mali and the other girls had planned the party with lots of dancing and best of all yummy party food. They made yummy fruit smoothies and fruit kebabs and there were even little lolly bags for at the end of the party for everyone to take home.

When it was time to start, Mali put on the music and everyone started to arrive at the clearing in the middle of the forest. Everyone was very happy and excited - they were ready to play and have lots of fun.

First they played a running game where they had to race from one big tree around another and back again. They raced around until they all had to lie down and rest. Mali said to everyone "Let's play Simon Says! I'm it! Simon Says sit like this" said Mali as she put the soles of her feet together and her knees out and then raised her arms above her head and placed her palms together. All the monkeys did it really well.

"Simon say stand like a tree" said Mali as she raised herself up onto her feet and then placed one foot against the inside of her other leg and put her arms into the same position above her head.

"Stand like this" said Mali Only a few of the monkeys tried to stand like Mali was she was on one foot with her other leg up behind her back and holding her foot with her hand - there was a bit of giggling when one of the younger monkeys lost their balance. "I didn't say Simon Says Giggled Mali but there are too many of you to all be in! I choose you she said pointing at the little monkey who had fallen on the ground".

"ummm Simon says clap your hands" he said.

They all clapped.

"Simon says wag your tail like a dog" and they all did even though it looked very funny.

Simon says catch me if you can" he said as he raced off through the trees with all the monkeys chasing behind him. There was lots of giggling when he let himself be caught eating all the fruit kebabs.

Mali had a very big day full of lots of fun and laughter.

For Mali the hardest thing in the whole world seems to be just standing still.

She likes to scamper around, fidget and giggle, not to stay still. But today Mali has promised her mum that she will take time to stand still for a few minutes.

Mali has thought about how she can stop and stand still and decided that the best way is to go somewhere quite. So Mali went to the glade in the middle of the forest where it is quiet and even the air is still. Then she decided to stand still like a tree.

So Mali took a few breaths to still herself and get calm and then she stood quietly with her feet together and shifted all her weight onto one leg and spread her toes to help her balance. Then she lifted her other leg and placed her foot against the inside of her other leg. She kept breathing very gently so that she wouldn't lose her balance and then she lifted her arms above her head and held her hands together.

mali managed to stand like that for a few minutes and then she did it again on the other side using opposite legs. mali decided that she did feel calmer for having stopped and standing still for a while and decided that she would try to stop and stand everyday just like a tree.

Mali knew her mum would be proud of her.

It was early in the morning when Mali woke up from her sleep. She had been curled up in her nest, high in the trees when she heard Rafferty crow Cock-a-doodle-doo, Cock-a-doodle-doo he crowed every day. Everyday Mali woke to the sound of Rafferty's crow. It was kind of comforting to know that he was always there, ready to wake Mali so she could enjoy her day.

Mali stretched, rolled her shoulders and yawned loudly. She took her tail and hooked it round the branch above her little nest and started swinging through the trees. Mali giggled and swung from branch to branch, she was heading to her favourite tree, the big old Mango tree on the edge of the forest. Mali loved the lush fruit and the way eating Mangos made her feel. Bursting with life and full of energy.

Arriving at the Mango tree Mali could see that there were other monkeys clambering through its branches, they were all there for a wonderfully healthy breakfast, fresh mangos. Yummy!

"Hello!!!" called Mali.

"Hello" they all cheered back.

Mali grabbed a big juicy mango and delicately ate it, licking the juice off her finger tips. She reached for another just as a mango flew past her. Her little friend Max had thrown an over ripe mango at Mali hoping to make a big mess! mali stopped reaching for the lovely ripe mango and grabbed an over ripe one and threw it back at Max as she called out "heads Max!" All of a sudden all the monkeys in the tree started to throw the over ripe fruit at each other. The squealed and cheered and soon everyone was all sticky with mango.

"Lets go get cleaned up Max" said Mali and they all flawed Mali down to the creak where they washed off the mango and made themselves clean.

"That was fun Max" said Mali "but next time you'd better watch out cause I'm ready for your Monkeying Round!" she exclaimed.

Mali was monkeying around and showing off she would do the hardest yoga poses in front of the other forest animals and then she would show them how to do them.

They would all line up to learn Epona Yoga Poses from mali. The Elephant liked the Cobra pose but Mali thought that he looked very strange doing it!

One day there was a travelling circus passing by the edge of the forest. Mali could see al the animals and thought it would be fun to swing by. She swung on the vines and landed on top of the circus truck that was carrying the monkeys and other small animals.

They chatted for quite a while and Mali decided to visit the big town that was nearby with the circus and catch a ride back the next day.

When they arrrived at the town it was all activity as the circus tent went up and the towns people came out to see what was about to happen. Up and down the main street went the parade. Mali rode on the back of an elephant with another monkey and they performed the tightrope which was a rope held between two elephants trunks!

"Wow you have great balance Mali" said the circus monkey. Thanks said Mali it comes from doing yoga and swininging in the trees.

That night there was a big performance in the Big Top Tent. Mali went in the ring with the clowns because she was too scared to go with the lions.

After the show they all ate left over popcorn.

The next day as the circus went back past the forest Mali left the truck and said goodbye to her new friends.

Mali was hanging around in the trees on the edge of the forest looking at the beautiful day and she decided that it was too nice a day to stay home, so she clambered down out of the trees and raced across the fields that lead to the farmyard.

On the way Mali talked to Mr Sun, “Hello Mr Sun, isn't it a beautiful day?”she asked.

“Yes it is a lovely day, I plan to shine all day and blow away any pesky clouds” replied Mr Sun.

“That's great Mr Sun, cause I want to run and play all day in the sunshine with everyone at the farmyard” said Mali.

Mali could see the farmyard and the park, “perhaps I should see if Sunni wants to come too, what do you think Mr Sun?” Mali asked.

“What a wonderful idea Mali, I'm sure Sunni would like that” replied Mr Sun.

So Mali raced off into the park looking for Sunni, he soon found him and they both decided to go to the farmyard together.

When they arrived at the farmyard they could see that the farmer had been very busy ploughing the fields.

Rafferty was very pleased to see them and showed them all around the farmyard and he even gave them some farm fresh free range eggs to take home when they left.

Mali has lots of friends in the jungle. There are lions who are Mali's friends even though they are sometimes a bit scary. Lots of colourful birds and elephants.

ali was swinging through the trees and she spoted her friend Jumbo the elephant. Jumbo was walking calmly through the trees holding a bunch of bananas in his trunk. Mali scurried over to Jumbo and said "Hi Jumbo, nice looking bananas you've got there! Do you think I could have one..."  "pleeeeeaaassseeeee" she begged.

Mali loves bananas and just seeing them was making her hungry. Mali knows that bananas are a very healthy snack that not only tastes good but makes her feel full of energy too.

"I suppose so" said Jumbo, "but can I have the skin back" he asked.

"Of course you can have the skni silly" said Mali as she clambered over Jumbo to get to the bananas.

Mali carefully pealed the banana and ate it and then handed the skin back to Jumbo who prompty ate it too!

"Waste not want not" said Jumbo.

One day Mali was hanging in the trees on the edge of the jungle so that he could see out of the trees and into the fields. It was a beautiful day in the fields but up high in the trees it was quite cool. and the sunlight was filtered through the beautiful leaves.

Mali decided that it would be fun to run in the fields so she jumped out of the tree and started to race over the fields towards the park.

Mali got very excited when she could see Sunni liying near his seadlings. "Sunni, Sunni" she called. Mali was quite breathless!

Sunni got up and raced to meet his friend Mali.

"Hello Mali" said Sunni, "You're puffing hard... Have you run far?" Sunni asked.

"Yes all the way from the forest!" replied Mali.

"Why don't you sit and rest a for while and I can show you my seedlings" said Sunni.

"Great" said Mali as she collapsed into a heap on the ground.

Sunni lowered himself down onto the ground and stretched his legs out behind him and pushed his arms out below him making him stretch his back as he faced the sun.

"That looks beautiful Sunni" said Mali, "I think I can do it too!" Mali copied Sunni and they were both in the Yoga Cobra Pose. This is one of the poses that you can learn with Epona Yoga.