Lifestyle – Palakpahwa

Today is International Yoga Day and there’s no better day than today to share how Ashtanga changed me and my life. To be honest, I have never been a physically active person, be it sports or working out. But fortunately, I am blessed with good genes so I’ve never gained weight beyond a certain limit. So, that was certainly not the reason why I started practicing yoga. I wanted to adopt yoga as my practice because I felt that my body needed to be stronger and more flexible. I wanted to have more physical strength and a toned body. I tried going to the gym in the initial days but I somehow didn’t feel connected to it. That’s when my husband suggested giving yoga a try.

My journey with yoga started about 7 months ago, and in the beginning I started by trying out different formats such as Vinayasa flow, Hatha Yoga, Vin-Yin, Ashtanga and Prana Pump. Some of these formats worked for me and some of them didn’t really do what I was looking for. So anyway, I continued this for 3-4 months, until one day I realized the difference I was feeling in my body and mind primarily because of Ashtanga. This was the one type that made me feel challenged, pushed me to my limits, gave me peace after and made me excited to show up to every class. Little did I know that it would change me as a person. A lot of it was also because I had an amazing guru. She’s going to be a guest blogger on my site soon so stay tuned!

And that’s when I realized that I should build on my Ashtanga practice and dedicate more time to it rather than spending time on the different formats. My yoga guru, Isabel, advised me to join the Shala that was dedicated to this practice. This was a huge transition for me, because I went from a guided class format into a self-paced practice in the Shala. If you’re wondering why, it’s because that’s how the Mysore style of Ashtanga works.

Ashtanga is a dynamic style of yoga that is a combination of poses, breath work, movement and building a connection with your body. And the Mysore style was originally taught in Mysore, India by Sri K Pattabi Jois. Today, it's a global phenomenon and I can see why.

In my previous yoga studio, I was used to my guru starting the first 5-10 minutes of the class with a chant and talking about the history of the practice itself. But now, in this Mysore styled Shala, I suddenly found myself in the middle of a group that did their own practice at their own pace. The guru is always there to guide you and help you with your alignment as and when you need. I have to be honest, I found this format hard initially, but I realized eventually that it’s designed to allow you to connect with your body and listen to it. It’s designed to avoid all distractions and get you lost in your practice as if there’s no one else around and it’s just you and your body flowing in a rhythm. I am still a beginner and have a long way to go but I am more than excited to continue on this journey. In fact, sometimes I wonder why I didn’t start this sooner.

And if you’re thinking how it has really changed my life, let me tell you about the many benefits that I have personally felt over the months,

Helped me build a routine

Typically, Mysore Yoga is meant to be practiced in the mornings, preferably before sunrise and on an empty stomach. I know this sounds hard. It certainly did to me when I first signed up for the Shala. I now wake up at 6am in the mornings on the days when I go to the Shala. On days when I am unable to go to the Shala, I practice at home to not miss a day in my practice. I always believed that I am not an early morning person but my guru told me that I needed to unlearn this concept.

There’s no such thing as a morning or a night person in yoga. And these are the beliefs we need to unlearn in this practice.

Strengthened my mind and body

Yes, that was the very reason I started this practice and I am happy with its effects on me so far. In just 7 months, I can already feel that my body is becoming more flexible and robust. And that in turn, is also helping me become mentally strong.

I remember walking with a hunched back until a few months ago, but Ashtanga has helped me improve my posture and alignment.

I am still working to get stronger arms though and I know it’s going to come with time.

Left me with a feeling of fulfillment

Seeing your body and mind progress the way you want is the most rewarding thing.

The determination that goes into this practice and the resilience to keep up with it is immense. It is a commitment for life so when you see the results of that hard work, it's the best feeling ever.

Had healing effects

Oh yes, I still remember the day when I got my flu shot. I got my shot in the morning and my right arm was pretty sore for the whole day after that. But I had my Ashtanga class in the evening and I decided to go. Believe it or not, my pain was completely gone when I came out of the class. My arm felt as if nothing had happened.

I am so amazed at how this practice can literally heal your body in ways you couldn’t imagine.

Brought more discipline

Not to say that I have not had a disciplined life for the most part. But discipline can mean different things to different people. When I say that yoga has brought discipline to my life, I mean that it has moderated my life and helped me cut down on habits that were unhealthy. It has helped me cut down on my late nights and other shenanigans.

It has helped me adopt a better diet so that I can physically keep up with this practice. It has helped me sleep well and dedicate at least 8 hours to my daily sleep so that I can wake up fresh for my practice.

Brought peace and calmness

I have been feeling more at peace and it has brought a sense of serenity in my life.

Spending my time on my mat in silence, where I only focus on my body, my breathing and my movement, has given me a sense of inner peace. This peace is what I also take with me off the mat and have started applying it in many situations.

Pushed me to my limits

Initially when I started, I was scared. Scared of the poses that I was made to do because I wasn’t sure that my body was made for it. The poses were challenging and I was mentally not prepared. But as I progressed through the practice, it gave me more courage to overcome this fear and push myself to my limits. Of course, it’s made me conscious of my personal patterns and I listen to my body a lot more now. I don’t overdo it and thankfully, I have amazing yoga gurus who guide me on when to stop.

This practice has challenged me to push myself and go beyond what I thought was ever possible. That physical courage, in turn, has helped me build mental courage. I now know that everything is possible if you believe in yourself and take that leap. It has inculcated more confidence in me.

Helped me practice gratitude

I still have a long way to go in my spiritual journey through this practice. I want to connect with myself spiritually and feel that I am part of a bigger context. But the one thing this practice has brought to me is the feeling of gratitude. I, for one, have taken a lot of things in my life for granted and have had much less appreciation for things.

The positivity that this practice brings has helped me practice gratitude, and appreciate the little things in life. I am blessed to have a great life, great relationships and amazing things that I am so proud of.

And that pretty much sums up my Ashtanga yoga journey so far. I know I have a long way to go in this practice, and a lot to learn and unlearn. But I hope this blog was able to inspire you and make you think about that one practice in your life, if not yoga, that can strengthen you and make you feel more purposeful.

Happy International Yoga Day y’all!

admin

I grew up in India and I come from a not-so-typical Punjabi family. Having grown up in a family of working-class parents with Government jobs, I’ve had a very disciplined life for the most part. My parents always stressed on the importance of education so all the extra-curricular activities took a back seat until I finished school. I was an introverted kid and had only a handful of friends because most of my time used to go in studying and finishing my homework. I was always a dedicated student and never let any distractions come in the way.

Until I was about 20 years old, I was doing things the way I was conditioned to do them. Which basically meant, following the traditional path everyone follows of going to college, getting a job, getting married, having kids and living happily ever after. Not once did I realize taking a back step and discovering my true passion. I finished college and worked in India for about 4 years in the IT sector before moving to the States.

My life took a drastic turn after I moved to the States. From never having lived on my own to moving into a completely different country so far away from my own was a big move in my life. Like many other immigrants, I also went through culture shocks and adapting to the different ways of life in this country. I moved here for a Masters degree and it was nothing short of a roller coaster for me. Many changes happened in life such as going through a minor depression, gaining weight due to stress and unhealthy eating, experiencing a fast paced student life, making new friends, managing my own finances, running my own errands, maintaining a great GPA and working hard towards finding a job.

While all of this took a toll on my mental, emotional and physical health, it did give me some great experiences and valuable lessons for life. After finishing my MBA, I moved to Atlanta for a job, which is where I am currently based. Today, I work for a luxury fashion retail company as a Senior Manager of Data Analytics. I love my job and have worked really hard to get where I am today. I feel blessed to have gone through all these unique experiences in my life, which is what shaped the person I am today.

Thus, I wanted to use these life experiences to share a few lessons I’ve learned along the way with you all,

Be good – I am not a religious person but I am a strong believer in Karma. Life is a full circle and what goes around comes around. So always be kind to everyone around you and do good. Everyone is going through a journey in life and it means a lot to be kind and humble to each other. So the next time you think you’re being mean or judgmental, just take a step back and make a conscious effort to give all the love, kindness and humility that you can.
Be confident – Perhaps the most valuable and important skill to have but also the most difficult to inculcate. I truly believe that we all have our own unique talents and personalities but they’re often not reflected enough because we lack confidence. Being confident is being powerful and owning your life. It helps celebrate your strengths and use them fully.
Be authentic – For me, this has always been the essence of my personality. I absolutely do not believe in fakeness and have always been my authentic self, no matter what the situation. In this screen-obsessed world, people are often just trying to fake so that they can fit in and be likable. But my life experiences have taught me that being my true self has helped me gain more trust and respect in my relationships.
Be passionate – I think life would be too boring if we didn’t have a fire within us. And as I mentioned earlier, growing up in a society where we’re conditioned to follow the traditional path to a successful life made me realize the importance of finding my own passions. I’d rather be less successful pursuing my passions than be unhappy doing something I don’t like.
Be open to learning – Some of my most valuable lessons in life have come from people I have always regarded as my mentors. In my personal and professional life, I have come across some strong and successful individuals that I have always looked up to and it is their constant feedback that has helped me course correct my own journey. It has helped me self-reflect, look through my flaws and work on them. So I believe it’s very important to accept constructive feedback, be open to learning and improving oneself.
Be strong – Living on my own in a completely new and different country made me realize how fragile I was emotionally. I went through a lot of stress during my first semester of MBA because everything around me was so new, different and unwelcoming. But these experiences taught me the importance of being mentally, emotionally and physically strong. Our mind can be our biggest enemy sometimes and being able to control and reason with it is what I call mental strength. Being able to think rationally, conquer your feelings and control negative thoughts is very important and I am still learning this skill.

While this is definitely not the complete list of important life lessons, this is what has worked for me so far. Hope you enjoyed the post! I would love to know what has been your most valuable life lesson in the comments below.

Palak Pahwa

How Ashtanga Yoga changed my life