Vera Morgado owned a holistic center in Maputo offering reiki, yoga and meditation, and I could feel these influences in her tranquil, five-room guest house in Maputo.

Located in a quiet corner of Maputo known as the Coop, the Mandala Guest House and Bed & Breakfast is in a residential area within walking distance of the waterfront and close to the University Eduardo Mondlane. Like all Maputo guest houses, it has 24-hour security, but it’s wise to take a taxi after dark.

My first impression of Mandala was a feeling that this was a haven. I entered through a garden gate flanked by flowers and greenery. A mural of mirror shards on a white wall wall whose paint was fading helped create a harmonious and welcoming scene.

Inside the colorful interior, a guest sat at the dining room table working on a laptop computer — a student from the University of Cape Town doing research in Mozambique.

The entrance, dining room, and entire house and common areas were full of art and local crafts. Several large pieces were of Vera herself. Once I met her, it was easy to see how her magnetic quality might inspire artists. On another wall was art by Gonçalo Mabunda of what looked like an antique typewriter.

Vera started the guest house three years ago to help make the house pay for itself. She’s the first to admit Mandala is not for everyone.

Most of her guests are in town on business or connected to the government. Companies send her customers, she said, and many return again and again. A lot are from the U.S., Australia and Sweden.

She’s picky about who stays at Mandala, and is the first to admit it’s not for everyone. If you’re used to all-the-bells-and-whistles business hotels, then you may not like Mandala. Some of the rooms share a common bathroom. “It’s my home,” Vera said. “It’s not about the money. I use my intuition. I turn people away.”

Having said that, Vera gives treatments in reiki, meditation and energy to guests who want it.

“I like to give energy to the rooms,” she said. “Sometimes people say, ‘I slept too well,’ or ‘I slept too much.'”

So what is a mandala? It’s harmony, a place where people sleep and work well together, Vera told me. It’s a center. It’s also art, often involving geometric concepts. One definition says a mandala is a spiritual and ritual symbol representing the universe in Buddhism and Hinduism. “I really love sacred geometry,” Vera said.

My breakfast was satisfying, with fresh fruit salad of apples, oranges, bananas and papaya, scrambled eggs and outstanding rolls that I spread with jam and butter. Coffee and tea flowed freely, and I lingered at the table, checking out some of the books Vera and guests had left for those still to come — books on yoga, meditation, “An Adventurer’s Guide to Mozambique,” “Catch a Fire — The Life of Bob Marley.”

Here are some comments from the guest log to show what other guests thought of Mandala Guest House:

“Stayed one night…feeling home. Returned another night…feeling home…feeling ubuntu.”

“Vera, thanks for opening the door for me, us, all of us.”

“A beautiful, loving and peaceful nest, inspiring and extending the soul. Thanks for being here.”