From my Desk to my Mat : A glimpse of my Yoga Journey!

Listening to many mental and physical problems faced by people of all age groups made me think, are we taking proper care of ourselves? With extremely busy lifestyle and work pressures are we able to cope up with it?

I was also living this life on the edge till now. I was suddenly motivated to take a break and forced to take a deeper look into my life and health which pulled me towards Yoga. Till now Yoga had just been one more type of exercise for me consisting of asana and pranayama. I enrolled myself into the Yoga teacher’s training course to take a deeper dive into the subject. Yoga is just not an exercise but a lifestyle, and joining this course made me realise that there is an ocean full of knowledge out there. 

What made me join Yoga?

I always desired to know more about myself and my purpose in life to get a closer look to my soul. After much research I was able to zero it to Yoga which led me to a fruitful and fulfilling life. My research led me to The Yoga Institute in Mumbai. It is one of the most premiere and oldest institute to learn Yoga. It was also an advantage for me that is was very near to my house. Also the course is structured along the lines of traditional and spiritual Yoga. I joined the teacher’s training course, which would intensively expose me to yogic life style and basics of traditional yoga. Also, this would entitle me to become an official Certified Yoga instructor.

What is Yoga that I have learnt?

Yoga is a life style of exercise, a disciplined science focusing on physical and mental well being. Yoga is a journey of the self, to the self, by the self. It is not about being flexible physically, instead it stretches your mind beyond its limits. This art is not just about body strength, it is rightly to develop mental grit and willpower. Its not just an exercise but an experience.

Going back to school! 

For me the experience was just like going back to school. Here desk, bags, lunch boxes, uniforms were missing. New designer cartoon school bag was replaced by a simple jute bag, uniform was replaced by loose comfortable clothes, black shoes were replaced by no shoes at all inside the institute. All text book were replaced by just one main text book which I like to call the Bible of Yoga. No lunch boxes were shared, instead we shared each other’s stories during the break time. Summer vacations was no more casual fun but was about studying, preparing and appearing for exams. Finally all the classmates were transformed into upcoming yogis. While all of this changed, the discipline, sincerity and urge to learn remained the same. 

Although the school life and yogic life had their own differences, I could still point down few similarities as well. Unlike homework given at school, we were given homework in the form of assignments, asana presentations, conduct yoga teaching sessions and practise techniques and asana. Back in school in order to maintain discipline we were asked to put finger on our lips before any teacher arrived in our class, similarly here we closed our eyes, sat erect in silence, and conditioned our self before the start of every lecture. Discipline was to be followed while taking our meal as well since we were not allowed to speak to anyone while eating, in fact we had to strictly maintain silence (Maun) so that one can feel, observe and experience the food served. But human nature doesn’t allow one to follow rules, and since we are not use to keeping quiet, we ate quickly so that we can speak to our friends while taking a stroll in the premises post lunch. Gradually our base shifted from the eating area (Naivedyum) to the Gazebo which was an open space in a circular format covered with a shed, surrounded by lush green trees, and attached with a small rivulet of water continuously flowing around the area. One could dip their feet in and experience the natural spa along with a great peaceful view. 

A typical day at the Institute! 

My day at the Yoga Institute used to start at morning 9.45am. Always welcomed by the lovely gatekeeper by a "Namaste". This was followed by entering into a totally different world within the heart of Mumbai. The premises of the institute is very well maintained and are surrounded by exuberant trees all around. There was also a small marble fountain which would add up to destressing yourself instantly. The place is filled with positivity with daily changing motivational quotes and buzzing with very eager students all around. We had proper time table, with different aspects of Yoga being taught by various teachers. Before the start of each session we had to condition ourselves(unique technique of the institute to prepare our mind and body), followed by a small prayer and ending it with Om chanting, we open our eyes and soul with a big bright smile to receive valuable learnings from our teachers. This was followed by a big Namaste exchanged between the students and the guru’s meaning we respect each other and bow down in front of the Ishwar within you. We also bow down our head towards the dedication and purpose on our mat.

There were specific meal times, where we were served "Saatvik" food (no spices, less oil and easy to digest) as they believe that food and water play a very crucial role for our wellbeing. This was usually followed by strolls across the premises and small chats with our new friends. After attending lectures, at 6.00 pm we ended our day as we finally roll back our mats, all drained and tired, bid good bye and thank each one not forget the guards, helpers, cooks around, and end our day at the institute only to reach home soon, so that we can meet again and look forward brightly to gain more life lessons. 

Hands down the Institute premises has a vibe of its own. It has a sense of calmness in between all the chaos of a city like Mumbai.

Yoga Gurus 

The teachers and gurus at the institute are extremely well trained and knowledgeable who left no stone unturned to explain us each and every concept of our curriculum so flawlessly. Their dedication and knowledge about yoga is undoubtedly unmatched. Our each and every doubt or confusion were solved within a snap of our finger. Also, we were also blessed with weekly lectures by Dr. Hansama. And what’s better than listening to life precious lessons straight from the horse’s mouth. The valuable lessons we learnt from various gurus/teachers were to let go, surrender ourselves and strip ourselves from the external influences and internal obstacles. I must say in these 200 hrs of learning, they reshaped our lives by inculcating values of gratitude in us, taught us ways to heal from the past and prepare for future, showed different techniques of meditation which helped us connect to our deepest self and the universe for self-purification, gave in depth explanation on each asana and pranayama, and lastly inculcated the training skills in us to train other people. They have surely left a lifelong impression on our hearts by reminding us to carry a winners attitude each time we feel like giving up. Overall, we were fortunate enough to have such an amazing and friendly faculty who not only shaped our learning experience as a guide or mentor but who also sowed the seeds of mindfulness, peace and tranquillity inside us. 

Struggles aka. sweet pains faced during the course! 

As it is rightly said that the best view comes after the hardest climb. Starting from sitting on the floor the whole day for 8hrs daily, without any back support to theory lectures which would make me go bananas in the first week. The yoga sutras and complicated words in Sanskrit totally went totally above my head making it difficult for me to grasp. Honestly it was difficult to concentrate at start, but slowly with proper explanation and examples, I got a hang of these Sanskrit words and their meanings. Initially there used to be some sense of under-achievement seeing my slow progress over few who had already started excelling. But slowly with the motivation of our teachers all of us started doing excellent progress. This was even more surprising as we all had come from different backgrounds but moving towards a same goal. In addition to this, there were few medical subjects like Human Anatomy and Human Physiology, which were quite challenging but I was lucky to get help from my family members who are from medical field. Lastly, the anxiety about examinations which I was going to appear after years was overwhelming, but I was able to overcome all the obstacles with hard work, practice and dedication. Now I am proudly a "Certified Yoga Instructor" – a landmark achieved! 

Reflections 

When I look back at all these moments, I truly understand the changes what Yoga has got inside me. The path to reach this point was quite difficult and not like any walk in the park that one would think of it. It tested us to our physical, mental and emotional limits making us much more stronger individuals who would be able to make difference in the society. It definitely changed us.

Few take away lessons! 

As its rightly said that knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practise. I have indulged myself into every bit of the following and I hope and wish to regularly practise the same:-

1. Silence – A powerful sword to avoid problems. 

2. Breathing - Our whole life is from the moment we were born till we have our last breath. The power to control it, gives us immense control on oneself.

3. Dharma - the route to fulfilment goes via Dharma. 

4. Gratitude - appreciate even the smallest of things in life and see how beautiful your life becomes.

5. Calmness - Staying calm makes our body a strong receiver of positivity. The more that we are at peace with ourselves, the better we are to maintain and communicate in relationships.

6. Taking the plunge - to achieve the best for yourself you need to come out of your comfort zone.

Conclusion! 

Yoga helped me heal my body, my anxiety and most importantly my relationship with myself. Loving thyself is what I gained from this training. I have formed relationships and friendships deeper that I had imagined (friends and fellow batch mates) because of them I easily connected together to think alike.

Being blessed to be guided by best of the teachers and gurus, I have achieved a sense of eternal harmony. I pay them my deepest respects who introduced and taught me this beautiful art called Yoga.

Now that I hop back from my mat to my hustle and bustle, I hope this article reaches everyone and they can also be motivated to come out of their comfort zone to achieve positive Mental and Physical changes. Since we all have the power to do that, I believe that one share or right awareness can bring that change. 

Happy International Yoga Day! 

                                    🙏 NAMASTE 🙏 

                                       

                                    By- Khyati Haria

                     (BYT200 - Certified Yoga Instructor) 

O Womaniya, you are more than enough!

Although writing is a small gesture of expression, but today through this article on behalf of all the women out there, I express strength, gratitude and love by sharing a tiny experience with you all.

To embark upon, I am sure one can imagine and relate to our big fat Indian weddings and associate oneself with having a massive family size. I recently attended a close knit family event, where we all ladies of the family got a chance to attend the function without our partner and kids. Each one of us looked pretty and incredible like always, draped beautifully in sarees, hair neatly spun into a bun giving a classy and glamorous look. Of course there were dad’s, brothers, uncles and other men’s too, but I am sparing them for the reason you exactly know why? Because on this Women’s Day, I wish to put light on my recent experience through which I can relate why Women are Warriors. 

My family ladies gang consists of my sisters, sister-in-laws, mothers, aunt’s, nieces who usually tend to occupy minimum of two rows in any family function. We also consume and relish almost entire starter platter being served at one go. To explain in short, this is the size of my family’s feminine crowd. We have variety of power packed talent in house. To introduce them in short, one of them is a teacher, while other is a professional home baker. One conducts homeschooling with two kids and pets, while other runs a family business. One handles and beautifully manages the house, while other is a Chartered Accountant. One helps her husband in his business, while singing is passion for other. One works for a well-known firm, while other works for a social cause.  While having fun with this talented bunch of mine, I realized that nowadays women enjoy equal status in the world because they have successfully navigated through their struggles. And let me tell you those four hours with such enthusiastic, hardworking and loving beauties were spectacular for each one of us. We had “our time” minus any kind of interruptions. We enjoyed every bit of the event, constant chitchatting, hogging on mouthwatering food pleasing our taste buds, clicking pictures and of course little gossiping. How could we achieve all of these together? Usually during such functions, women are seen either feeding their kids, serving food for their betterhalfs, some taking frequent visits with their child to the washroom, few are occupied with work calls, all of this resulting in missing out the real fun. 

While we were all attending the function, I was pretty sure multiple thoughts about one’s child, home, work, routine household chores, maids etc. were wandering in each one of us heads. And the only reason I could conclude upon here is that a woman’s mind is never at rest, it is always running with multiple tabs open in her head like Google. A woman’s bond with her responsibilities is just like the relation between Mind and Heart: inseparable. In order to have a healthy heart you need to have a healthy mind, and just like we need air to stay alive, similarly we need a woman to lead a home. Further to correlate, the way our heart never leaves the mind, likewise a woman has a superlative bond with her duties and not ready to leave them, because she feels it’s her responsibility (Dharma) to serve others. While doing her yoga, she is unconsciously thinking of what menu is to be cooked for dinner. While taking bath, she makes a list of items to be bought from market, or while cooking food, she thinks of her child’s school tests, even while taking her meals, she calculates the time left to pick up / drop her child to classes, while cleaning the house, she thinks of umpteen number of unanswered calls to be made, and while working in office, she thinks of not giving enough time to her family and the list goes on. Her mind is never at peace. The thinking cycle is never ending. And if you feel the woman in the houses are living the most comfortable lives, then you failed to view the other side of them. Every woman in the society has to go under some challenges of juggling work, handling children and family as well they usually deprive themselves of many pleasures in their day to day lives.

While listening to various interesting stories of my female gang on one side and thoroughly relishing the lip smacking crisp starters and fresh juice on other, one question that crossed my mind immediately was, Is Woman born with a label on her head “On Duty”? Can a woman give up on her responsibilities sometimes? Can she let go of her duties or should she feel carefree for few moments? Don’t women need a break? Only because she a superwoman with some great powers given to her magically right from birth doesn’t mean one should not appreciate her.  Wouldn’t it be great if we all cherished the spirit of every woman who spends their entire life doing limitless work and sacrificing for their loved and dearest ones without having dreams and goals?

Well the fantastic event was about to end and the joy of meeting your closed ones is unexplainable. It’s a common ritual in our family to occupy a large space by arranging chairs in a circular format, and have a memorable time by sharing each other’s experiences, discuss current affairs and routine life. While we were doing so, slowly our topic of discussion was diverted towards woman, her challenges and the art of balancing it out. It is rightly said that it’s possible to be a woman, a mother and an achiever. We also discussed how today most of the woman play significant role in the social, cultural, political and economic spheres. The woman performs the role of wife, partner, organizer, economist, mother, teacher, health officer, artist, queen etc. Women in India are also shining in sports and all other services that have traditionally been performed by men. We felt the world will be a much better place if we celebrate woman’s achievements and break the bias. We should call for change and celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who are playing extraordinary roles in our day to day life. We in the developing world are still in the culture and tradition of a male – oriented society. Infact we need to acknowledge and change the orientation from male dominance to gender neutrality and parenting friendly environment.

Finally we finished our meals, clicked infinite pictures and now it was time to disperse and go back to our actual roles and grind into our routine life. Goodbyes are always difficult specially when one has thoroughly enjoyed every bit of happiness with their loved ones. While I was driving back home enjoying nonstop soulful songs of Lata Mangeshkar, I felt uplifted and remembered the memorable time spent with my feminine crowd and how it truly pacified my soul. I decided to lock these moments by penning down my experiences. Many thoughts about womanhood wandered in my head and today I appreciate each and every woman wholeheartedly and would like to convey that every woman out there doing any job, or in any role being a mother, being sister, being a wife, being a daughter, being a friend, we all have a very precious birth. Being a woman we are honored to be mother, an adoring daughter, caring sister, funny and amazing friend. We are heading towards a generation where we are equivalent to men. So just be yourself, stay motivated, keep yourself healthy and happy. Let there be strength for each other. Let’s be the icon of Love, let’s be super amazing moms. For every woman her family is her strength, we sacrifice a lot of things for our family, we make promises and we keep it. You are the inspiration, the motivation and you are independent. You build the world, you have dreams and have the power, you are beautiful and you are proud of that.  May the marvelous feminine energy cover our own warmth and greatness by following to be strong:-

Mentally – learn to be so strong, that you do not depend on anyone else, when you feel low. Make yourself so powerful to deal with any situations and crisis that arise. Diversion is a great pathway to any problems. Learn the art to survive. Giving up doesn’t help, it just piles up. 

Physically – stay fit, move your body, say bye bye to laziness. It’s a long term investment for any individual. Try and invest in yourself, your physical fitness. Design a daily regime and ask yourself daily, Did I move Today? 

Financially – No one knows what life holds ahead. So men or women, have to be financially independent. 

A big shout out to all the women’s making progress that no one recognizes because you never let anyone see your darkest moments. You’ve been silently winning battles and reinventing yourself. Be proud of every step you are making in the right direction. Keep going. You go this. 

And while I head back to my routine hustle and bustle again, here’s my short creation in a form of a little poem which will help us all to accept, appreciate and allow woman to grow and legitimize themselves in all life prospects. 

Let her live the moment flawlessly,

Let her embrace her beauty gracefully,

Let her dance her heart out,

Let her finish that cup of tea peacefully,

Let her enjoy cooking at her own pace,

Let her meditate in tranquility,

Let her finish that important call without interrupting,

Let her have that extra hour of sleep,

Let her take few deep breaths,

Let her enjoy her meals calmly,

Let her have her much needed “me time”,

Let her be late sometimes,

Let her not be strong all the times,

Let her throw those tantrums of being exhausted,

Let her make those unintentional mistakes,

Let her live her dreams,

Let her go out on her limb to help others,

Let her not economize and sometimes,

Let her spend that little extra,

Let her not be judged,

Let her take that break from her routine and,

Let her paint the town beige.

Because a little is all she deserves! 

Let’s not strengthen her weakness,

Rather let’s build her strength.

Remember woman remember, no matter whatever you do,

You are more than you can see and 

You are loved endlessly! 

Happy Women’s Day!!