In ‘Eat, Pray, Love’, Elizabeth Gilbert said:
“Yoga is the effort to experience one’s divinity personally and then to hold on to that experience forever.”
I started doing yoga when I was 19 and it was more of a form of exercise for me. It took me some time to recognize how the practice helped me, my body, my skin and my soul and absorbed into me a sense of spirituality that is rare to discover. We have constantly talked about yoga being our savior. Whenever we list down the benefits of this ‘way of life’, we talk about its effectiveness to cure certain diseases, its efficacy in maintaining a good body-shape, its charismatic effects on the sensuality and subsistence of a person. But, we sometimes do miss out on the divinity that yoga brings along. She helped me reconnect with that particular aspect of yoga.
Now, just give me your heart for the next ten minutes as I tell you her story of fulfillment and rejuvenation.
She started off with media studies in the hustle-bustle of the biggest dream city of India, Mumbai. She wanted to make it big working in the film-industry as an assistant director for 4 years. She says that her job was stressful and would constantly lead her into panic attacks. She started meditating in her free time. Eventually, she found her solace in yoga and meditation. The practice taught her about the essence of life and brought to her existence the clarity which had been missing for years. She knew this is how she wanted to lead her life: serenely.
She went on to explore the world of yoga and did a teacher’s training from the Sivananda Ashram in Neyyar dam. She interned in a few yoga studios and then changed base from Mumbai to Goa where she started teaching yoga on the beach. Just imagine the idea of perfecting some relaxing yoga positions on the sands of a beach watching the peaceful waves move as the sun rises in the morning.
I read the following lines somewhere:
The word yoga itself means “union”: of the individual consciousness or soul with the Universal Consciousness or Spirit. Though many people think of yoga only as physical exercises — the asanas or postures that have gained widespread popularity in recent decades — these are actually only the most superficial aspect of this profound science of unfolding the infinite potentials of the human mind and soul.
For her, teaching yoga comes naturally and flows through without any effort. Sometimes, she would sit quietly on the sun bed and meditate watching the sea. She believes in smiling as the art flows through her veins. Yoga is not about sweating out. It’s about feeling more connected with your soul by the end of it. Her style of teaching is centered on hatha yoga mixed with Yin and Restorative. Hatha yoga is a system of physical postures, or asanas, whose higher purpose is to purify the body, giving one awareness and control over its internal states and rendering it fit for meditation
So, next time when you go for your yoga classes to try out the art by yourself, stretch longer, feel the posture, connect with yourself, imagine the presence of God and give yourself a smile. It has the power to bring about a change in you, more internally than externally.
For Diksha, the yoga inspiration of this post, it’s mandatory to live from the heart because that’s what can make your life complete. She’ll be doing a yoga workshop this year in December in a sea side yoga retreat. She has imbibed the spirit of yoga and spirituality in people from the US, UK, Germany, Russia, Denmark and several other parts of the world and has made some long-lasting beautiful friends.
At the end of it all, as she gives off a sparkling smile gazing at the beach, she says:
Yoga for me isn’t the asanas; it’s what you feel after the asanas. It’s about smiling, being happy, and feeling ‘love’ for all we have and all we don’t. Yoga lies in humility and silence.
Note: Diksha has recently begun a yoga business in Mumbai. Like her Facebook Page here : https://www.facebook.com/smilingyogimumbai
To know more about her upcoming workshops and sessions, please drop an email at: dikshalalwani89@gmail.com
About Nikita Mandhani
I am a professional blogger, a feminist of some sorts and a writer. I touch diverse and far-fetched subjects and talk about different countries, customs, significant political or women issues, humanity, health, food, beauty, love and life. You can find my writing here and there and know more about me on my blog: ReadStuffWithMe. If there’s anything you need to talk to me about, just drop me mail: nikita.md@gmail.com