Flowing into my Ikigai: YOGA

{"slug":"flowing-into-my-ikigai-yoga","recentPosts":[{"id":"cl8kb5f23jq1w0ciscs2h2bxw","slug":"benefits-of-yoga-for-pregnancy","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"What are the Benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Yoga for Pregnancy is excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor. Read more to understand the benefits of Yoga for Pregnancy","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:42:36.767798+00:00","coverUrl":"kvvlqndsbow5dsckhw7i.jpg","content":{"text":"When you get pregnant, people come out of the woodworks with advice, remedies and old wives tales. Everyone’s got an opinion on how you should spend your pregnancy. But the one thing we know for sure is, yoga is great for mom and baby alike. If you’re curious about prenatal yoga, you’re in the right place. Let’s break down why this type of yoga is excellent for moms (and babies).\\nWhat is prenatal yoga?\\nPrenatal yoga was designed for women who are expecting. Rather than taking a regular class and having to worry about modifications or safety, this class is specifically designed for pregnancy. The practice can help women with common pregnancy aches and pains, ease hormonal and emotional stress and help women’s bodies prepare for birth and their postpartum journey. A regular yoga practice when pregnant has tons of amazing benefits!\\nBenefits of Prenatal yoga: \\nWe asked women who’ve done prenatal yoga while pregnant for their reviews, one said “ It’s excellent for stress relief, pain relief, and preparation for labor.” And they all said they’d recommend it to friends! \\nSo let's break down the benefits: \\nRelaxation : \\nPregnancy can be very stressful! But yoga will help you to relax physically, mentally and emotionally and create a safe, relaxing environment for birth. Prenatal helps you with coping and breath techniques for all stages of your pregnancy.\n\\nPreparation for birth : \\nFor first time moms, and even sometimes vets, labor can be scary. This practice will help you to learn birth techniques so you’re relaxed and ready to go!\n⁠\\nYoga can Help with Labor : \\nIn a 2015 study\\n, It was found that a regular yoga practice in the last 10-12 weeks of pregnancy can improve the mother's comfort during labor and help facilitate the labor process. The “yoga group” in this study on average was in labor two hours less than those who didn’t practice. Past your due date? Prenatal Yoga is also known to help induce labor\n⁠\\nCommunity : \\nYoga classes have always been known to help us build community but during pregnancy, it's so important to have a group of women who understand what you’re going through. Taking part in a prenatal class puts you in a group of women who get it. You’ll have a built in support system and maybe even first friends for your baby!\\nFrequently Asked Questions about Prenatal Yoga:\\nIs Yoga for Pregnancy safe?\\nYes. Yoga is generally considered safe during pregnancy. However, you should always consult your doctor & make sure you’re practicing with a teacher who understands the prenatal experience and can keep you safe. Our teachers are experts in yoga and are ready to help you on your journey. If you’d like to check out our offerings, you can get started today with a two week free trial! \\nWhen during pregnancy can you practice yoga?\\nDuring your first trimester, you can stick to your regular practice with some modifications. \\nYour second trimester is a GREAT time to start prenatal yoga! At this point, you’ll be starting to officially come into your “pregnancy body” and you’ll need to be practicing poses more specific to prenatal. The second and third trimester are considered the “prep period” for your body to prepare for labor. So it's a great time to keep moving and stretching in your new skin as you make room for the baby to grow! \\nWhat yoga poses should you avoid doing? \\nFor the most part, yoga is considered safe during pregnancy. You really only need to focus on any poses that put pressure on your abdomen. You should avoid any and all twisting poses, backbends and inversions.. \\nYoga for Pregnancy Poses you can perform at Home :\\nIt’s important to stay active during your pregnancy for both mom and baby! You should try to get in some sort of movement daily for at least 30 minutes. You can stick to low impact workouts or walks but if you want to do some yoga at home, it’s a great way to end your day. Yoga while pregnant can help with pain, help you sleep better and fight tiredness and fatigue. \\nHere are some poses you can practice at home to keep you moving! And as a bonus, most of these poses will also help your body prepare for giving birth!\\n1. Bound angle pose (Baddha Konasana) :\\n\\nBaddha Konasana pose will help you open your hips, releasing any pain in your back. It can also help to reduce swelling\\nHow it helps with labor: Opening the hips will help you to stretch the muscles needed to open the birth canal.\\n2. Cat-cow pose (Marjaryasana Bitilasana) :\\n\\nMarjaryasana Bitilasana pose release back and shoulder pain and also reduce pressure from the belly\\nHow it helps with labor: Back pain is a common occurrence during the birth process. This pose will help to keep your muscles limber and help to avoid muscle spasms and pain in your back during labor. \\n3. Yogi squat (Malasana) :\\n\\nBeen sitting too long? This is a great hip opener and will also release lower back pain. \\nHow it helps with labor: This pose will widen the pelvic floor making the birth easier,which may help to reduce injury during birth.\\nRemember, if you’re practicing at home, it’s always best to consult your doctor and make sure yoga is safe for your pregnancy.\\n\\nOther ways to practice self-care during pregnancy\\nBeing a mom is the hardest job in the world. And there are no days off. Starting with pregnancy, we feel out of control of our body, its growth and the way we feel. Remember to take time during this beautiful process to practice self-care so you can be present, happy and relaxed. \\nBook a prenatal massage :\n\n⁠⁠A prenatal massage is GREAT for mom and baby. It can help reduce stress and swelling without meds, help you to sleep and get your body ready for labor and delivery.  \\nTake a bath :\n⁠\n⁠Taking a warm bath while pregnant can also help to reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. It’s a great way to relax and rest your growing body. If you’re feeling pain or swelling, it can be very beneficial to relax in a warm bath. \\n\\nAyurveda for Pregnancy :\\n\n⁠\n⁠This week, MyYogaTeacher has a special Ayurveda event running where you’ll learn how to align with your best self through nutrition and health changes. This specific class is designed to help you have your most healthy pregnancy with nutrition guidelines for a mom and foods to help with baby's development! \\n\nYou can also choose to work 1 on 1 with an instructor of your choice through your MyYogaTeacher membership! Let us help you have your healthiest pregnancy possible! \\n\\nGet started today!\\n"},"category":[]},{"id":"cl8ka13l4ionz0ck2fe0pme7l","slug":"chronic-neck-pain-relief-yoga-poses","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Are you suffering with Chronic Neck Pain? 10 yoga poses to find relief!","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-27T14:11:15.683866+00:00","coverUrl":"rbh6duxy7hy3y207sg1c.jpg","content":{"text":"Do you suffer from chronic neck pain? Nearly 30-50% of adults suffer from recurring neck pain. \\nNeck pain can be a common occurrence for people who:\\nhave long commutes or sit at a desk all day\\nwho have issues with posture \\nwho have chronic sleep issues\\nOur neck and shoulders can also be a place where we may carry tension or pain due to stress. In any case, the good news is yoga can help you to relieve your neck pain and move on symptom free! \\nDaily changes you can make to avoid neck pain\\nStay in alignment. Keep good posture and try not to carry heavy bags on one side of your body. Also, if you sit at a desk and work on a computer, move your monitor to eye-sight so you’re not looking up or down. Need help finding your center? \\nWe can help here at MyYogaTeacher! \\n\\nStay active! It’s important to stay mobilized.  If you sit all day, take breaks to move around and give your body a break from being stuck in one position. Can’t take breaks at work? Try to go for a walk on lunch or maybe before or after your workday. \\nCheck your sleep environment. Make sure your mattress and pillows are still in good shape. Look into the best pillows for your sleep type or body. Getting quality sleep will help you avoid tossing and turning and can be your remedy to wake pain free. \\nIf you’re feeling like you need to move, starting with any slower yoga practice will help! Yin, hatha and restorative classes will all leave your body feeling relaxed, renewed and free of pain. Want to flow on your own? Here are our top ten poses to try! \\n10 Yoga Poses to relieve Chronic Neck Pain :\\n1. Easy seat with ear to shoulder stretch\\nThis pose releases your neck and shoulders and helps relieve tension and stress.\\nStart by sitting with your legs crossed and a straight back. Shoulders down. Bring your ear down to your shoulder. To deepen the stretch, bring your opposite arm overhead. \\n\\n\\n\\n2. Child’s Pose\\nReleases tension in the upper body including the neck and chest.\\nBring your knees as wide as the mat and sit into your heels. You can bring your chest to the mat and extend your arms forward or come to rest on a pillow or bolster. Try to hold this pose for up to 5 breaths. \\n\\n\\n\\n3. Downward facing dog\\nHelps to relieve neck pain by strengthening the upper body and releasing the spine. \\nStart by coming onto all fours. Check your alignment- make sure your shoulders are over your wrist, and your hips over your knees. Without changing the position of your hands and feet, push up and back to bring your heels into the ground. Relax your head, neck and shoulders down. \\n\\n\\n\\n4. Bridge Pose\\nReleases chest, neck, spine and hips.\\nLay down on your mat, bring your feet as close to your glutes as possible. Bring your hands to the sides of your body palms down. Push into the feet and hands while you lift your core and back to the ceiling. Try to relax and breathe here. \\n\\n\\n\\n5. Wide Leg forward fold\\nReleases spine, neck and back. If you’re in pain perform this stretch slowly, and come up one vertebrae at a time. \\nBring your feet as wide as you can, feet facing forward. Hinge at the hips and slowly bend forward and down towards your feet. You can hang here or grab yogi toe lock around your big toe. \\n\\n\\n\\n6. Cow face pose\\nStrengthens core and spine.\\nSit up tall and stack your knees directly over one another. Reach one arm back around your waist and one arm over your shoulder with your palms reaching towards one another. If you can, clasp your hands. If not, rest them on your back, you will still benefit from the pose. \\n\\n\\n\\n7. Sphinx pose\\nThis pose will help to physically open up the shoulders and neck. Looking side to side slowly is a great addition to the pose. \\nLie on your stomach and bring your hands next to your chest facing down. On your inhale press into the ground and lift your upper body. \\n\\n\\n\\n8. Thread the Needle \\nIncreases mobility and releases tension in the upper body. \\nCome on to all fours. Check your alignment, make sure your hips are over your knees, shoulders over your wrist. Reach one arm out to the side and thread it through the opposite side under your ribs. You can stay here or open up the opposite side by reaching the hand to the back or straight up and over. Make sure to do both sides. \\n\\n\\n\\n9. Legs up the wall\\nReleases tension and stress from the upper body by reversing blood flow. \\nFind a wall near your practice space and sit next to the wall as close as possible. Lower your head, neck and shoulders onto your mat, then roll onto your back and stretch your legs up the wall. You can stay in this restorative pose for up to 10 minutes. \\n\\n\\n\\n10. Savasana\\nSavasana releases any stress, lowers heart rate and calms the body. \\nCome onto your back on your mat, and release your body down. This is known as corpse pose because it is a full and final rest at the end of our practice. Release and let go of any and all tension. \\n\\n\\n\\nClasses to help relieve neck pain \\n\\nYoga fusion for joints \\n- This class will help you roll out your joint pain and stretch your tight limbs and joints. \\n\\nYoga for Back Pain\\n - Sometimes, neck pain can be caused by tightness in the spine. Experts say yoga helps soothe muscle pains. Try this class to strengthen and lengthen your neck and back for pain relief! \\n\\nYoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain\\n - Do you sit all day at work? Struggle with your posture? This class will help relieve upper body tension. \\n\nSo if you’re ready to make your neck pain a thing of the past, join us today. Our trial includes two free weeks of group fitness classes, one on one classes and so much more! \\nGet started on your yoga journey now!\\n"},"category":["yoga_poses"]},{"id":"cl8cuq5nnh5860biyek2vhu2w","slug":"reproductive-rights-for-women-yoga-workshop","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop - Supporting Women Through Yoga","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":null,"readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-22T09:28:27.679552+00:00","coverUrl":"dkjwcigamkavxe0yziwq.jpg","content":{"text":"Announcing MyYogaTeacher’s first ever Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\nHere at MyYogaTeacher, we believe in the wisdom of women to make their own choices about their health. \\n\\nThat’s why we’re excited to offer the\\n Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop on October 2 from 9 AM - 11 AM PST (12 PM - 2 PM EST) for only $10!\\nIn the past, our community events have been free. So why are we charging a nominal fee for this one?\\nBecause ALL proceeds from the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop go to support the \\nCenter for Reproductive Rights\\n charity, a nonprofit organization, the \\nonly\\n global legal advocacy organization dedicated to advancing reproductive rights.\\nIn the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade and on the day before the new term of the Supreme Court begins, we think this workshop is a perfect way to silently protest this new ruling through self-care and donations to an organization like the Center for Reproductive Rights.\\nThis will also be a time of healing and processing with a couple of awesome expert yoga instructors!\\nHow to join the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop\\nWhether you’re a member or not, \\nJust click this link and register \\nas you would any other group class! Simple as that.\\nIntroducing a very special guest yoga instructor coming just for this event!\n\\nMeet Harpinder Mann, RYT-500!\\n\\n\n\\nHarpinder is a yoga, meditation, mindfulness teacher, and decolonizing activist based in Los Angeles. She works with women of color who want to reclaim their power and intuition through the lens of a spiritual, joyful, and sustainable path. Her studies have spanned from reading the Japji Sahib since she was 3, to over 700 hours of yogic training within the traditions of Raja, Vinyasa, Kundalini, and Prenatal Yoga. \\nWe’re super excited to have her lead the beginning of the workshop. Afterwards, MyYogaTeacher yoga instructor, \\nTrupti Parikh\\n, will lead us in asanas, and a discussion session will follow.\\nAre you ready to experience a workshop where we solely focus on supporting and advocating for women’s health \\nwhile\\n improving our mental, emotional, and physical health?\\n\\nJoin us for the Reproductive Rights for Women Yoga Workshop!\\n\\nTogether, we make a difference."},"category":["workshops"]},{"id":"cl8a9804vy5de0biznpg4ai2t","slug":"yoga-benefits-for-runners","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Yoga For Runners : Why Runners Should Incorporate Yoga Into Their Training?","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Adopting an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Read now to learn more","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-20T13:50:56.406936+00:00","coverUrl":"tbdacuzob0fuqml8dyjd.jpg","content":{"text":"Training for a big race? Setting some goals you want to crush before the year ends? No matter what your reasons, yoga can be a great way to cross train for running from a 5k to a marathon! Running is great for your heart and body but can also be a huge strain on the muscles. Having an active yoga practice to complement your running routine can have tons of benefits! Let’s dive into how yoga can help!\\n1. Breathing\\nProper breathing and breath stabilization are both incredibly important principles in Yoga and Running. If you can practice proper breathing while running, you can maintain speed longer because you will take long deeper breaths to match your long strides, instead of short breaths which cause instability and speed decline.\\nPracticing Pranayama for runners - \\nAdding a pranayama breath practice before a run can help you to maintain focus as well as speed. Even if running is a release for you, and feels relaxing, Using breathwork to relax and focus can help you clearly see the physical and mental road ahead. Pranayama can also help if things are going off course on your run. If you need to regain control, you can come back to your breath and refocus. With these practices together, your run really can be a religious experience, or a way to relieve stress! \\nTo start a pranayama practice, all you need to do is focus on controlling your inhale and exhale. Start by standing tall and relaxed, or sitting tall and calm if you prefer. Close your eyes and focus inward. Start by breathing in for two and out for two. As you continue to grow your practice, you can  build up to breathing in for six and out for six. You can even play with pausing for two to four breaths in between your inhale and exhale. When you finally build a practice you’re confident with, you can start to set intentions and visualize your success. With this practice, you’ll begin to see your running dreams come true!\\n\\n2. Flexibility/Strength\\nIt would be great if in life, we only ever needed to do one thing to get to our goals. But in reality,just like we can’t have cookies for every meal, cross training for runners is essential to maintaining a long term healthy routine. While you could easily just add weight training or stretching a la cart into your week, yoga gives you more by going deeper and getting into those smaller, harder to access ligaments and tendons you might otherwise miss with strength training . Adding yoga into your running routine can reduce the risk of injury and help to maintain your goals. The more flexible your muscles are, the less likely they are to tense up or be stressed during running so you can move with more confidence and ease. Not to mention, it’s always great to look forward to a nice long stretch after a run. \\n\n3. Conditioning \\nWe all know running is GREAT for your cardiovascular health, can add years on to your life and keep your heart pumping at its best! But it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a veteran, running can make your body sore. Yoga is great for conditioning those tired and fatigued muscles without having to “take a day off” to rest. In between your runs or on conditioning days, you can take a class focused on your back or knee health, or even a class to open tight hips after a long run. There’s nothing the magic of yoga can’t do! \\n\n4. Balance/Posture\\nEven though running is a “walk in the park” compared to ballet where balance is concerned, you still need to do your best to focus on alignment while you move.\\nYoga can improve your running form by elongating the limbs so you cover more ground in less time. You'll be PR’ing in no time! Proper alignment is also important when running because as you increase your speed, the level of impact (and injury) becomes greater. Maintaining your body's alignment during movement assures you arrive at the finish line aliment free! Love a tree pose? Want to learn to fly into a warrior? Lots of yoga poses force you to balance on one leg, which helps you to build a unilateral movement practice much like the ebbs and flows you take while running. \\n5. Stress and Mental Clarity\\nFeeling stressed before a big run? Worried about your PR? Yoga can help! Focus your breathing and set an intention. You’ve got this!\\nFocus and clarity are so important when running so you can know where you’re headed and stay on track. Add your yoga practice in before training or race days and you’ll feel your worries melt away. According to scientists at \\nHarvard,\\n adding just minutes of yoga to your week can improve your outlook, slow down the body and decrease stress. You’ll find your body will be more relaxed, focused and ready to run for those goals when you release your tension with yoga. \\nGetting started:\\nSo what do you need to get started? Simple! Yourself, a mat, some water and a quiet space are all you need! Are you ready to add yoga into your running routine? \\nGet started with a two week free trial of our classes and one on one sessions!\\n\\nLet’s figure out where your yoga practice would serve you best! \\nDoing yoga BEFORE your run will help you to warm up your muscles and ligaments. By fully warming up your body before you hit the pavement, you decrease the chances of injury, help with an easier recovery and can improve your PR as you continue to train! \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice before a run :\\nHigh Lunge - This pose stretches the legs from top of the thighs down to the ankle\\n\\nWarrior II - Helps with focus and stamina. Great before heading out!\\n\\nSide angle bend - This stretch helps to stretch the side body and release any tension in the shoulders and spine. \\n\\n⁠Prefer to do yoga after your run? That’s a great option too! Yoga is great for recovery after a run! Finishing your running routine with a yoga stretch helps you to rebalance. You can stretch muscles or limbs that became tight during your run and strengthen anything  that may have become fatigued. You can also refocus and deepen your breath to reset for the next part of your day. \\nBest Yoga Poses to practice after a run :\\nButterfly Pose - a basic hip opener to ease into your stretch\\n\\nHalf Pigeon - A great pose for multiple alignments! Working through the psoas and hip flexors. Make sure to practice on both sides.\\n\\nHappy Baby - This pose is great for finishing up your hip opener extension while giving a nice massage to the back and stretching the soles of the feet.\\n\\nWant to take a class? Try some of our favorite classes for runners!\\n\\nYoga for Strength and flexibility \\n\\n\\nYoga for Knee Pain\\n\\n\\nYoga for Back health\\n\\nReady to join us for class? \\nGet started with a free trial now! \\n\\nRemember, with a great training plan for your runs, and an ongoing yoga practice you’ll be ready to run to your greatest finish line feeling and looking your best! Just like peanut butter and jelly, yoga and running are great together!"},"category":["fitness","yoga"]},{"id":"cl81n0o6wh1g80ajz2gpco553","slug":"yoga-at-home","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"How to Start Doing Yoga at Home","subTitle":"Everything you need to know for an at-home yoga routine","seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Get a beginner’s guide to starting yoga at home with tips and suggestions for setting up your own practice, including online yoga classes and private lessons.","readTime":null,"excerpt":"Learn how to perform yoga at home with this quick and easy guide","tags":[],"createdAt":"2022-09-14T13:07:13.39269+00:00","coverUrl":"cqivxw3vkrcihpumlny7.jpg","content":{"text":"There are lots of reasons for doing yoga at home instead of a yoga studio, some of which include distance, busy schedules, kids, financial concerns, and health issues. The good news is you can set up your own yoga practice at home, and still get all the benefits of a regular yoga routine — without the studio. It can also be a great way to integrate yoga into your life on a regular basis, and it’s easy to do in your own home.\\nCan Anyone do Yoga at Home?\\nAnyone can perform yoga at home, and you don’t have to be an advanced yogi to try. Even beginners can practice yoga in a home environment, all you need is adequate floor space, a few (optional) pieces of equipment, and guidelines for practicing the primary yoga poses. \\nIf you’re a beginner, it’s recommended to first learn from a certified yoga instructor, so you can progress with the proper technique and alignment to avoid injury. Thanks to online learning platforms like\\n MyYogaTeacher\\n, you can still practice yoga at home with the help of a qualified teacher.\\n11 Tips on How to Perform Yoga At Home\\nThe idea of starting a yoga practice in your very own living room can seem daunting or intimidating at first, especially if you’re accustomed to attending classes in a yoga studio. But with a little bit of preparation and creativity, you can set up your own yoga space and develop a mindful yoga routine that can benefit your life.\\nHere are some suggestions to help get you started:\\n1. Make Space in Your Home for Yoga\\nIt’s easy (and fun) to make your own yoga space, and you can design it as a temporary space or a dedicated one, depending on your needs. All you need is enough floor space to move around and stretch out the full length of your body — a little more than the length and width of your yoga mat. This can be your living or bedroom floor, your kitchen, or your backyard. Just make sure there isn’t any furniture or objects lying around that could get in your way or cause injury.\\n2. Decorate With Calming Accessories\\nYou can also create a comfortable and inviting space for yoga by hanging calming or inspiring artwork on the wall, lighting a candle or incense, and keeping a few house plants nearby for a pleasing atmosphere. The more you can tailor and dedicate your space for yoga, the easier it will be to motivate yourself to keep up a steady routine. Hanging a mirror in front of your practice space is also helpful in maintaining the correct alignment while performing postures.\\n3. Be Prepared With the Right Equipment\\n\\nYou’ll want to invest in a yoga mat, and it’s wise to also keep modifying props on hand — like blocks, bolsters, blankets, and a strap. If you’re just starting out and you’d like to improvise for props, you can use pillows, blankets, and other items around the house to suit your needs. Just make sure your props are sturdy, supportive, and nearby for when you need them.\\n4. Practice Regularly\\nThe best part about practicing yoga at home is it can be done any time you want. The challenge lies in your dedication and commitment to the practice even when your couch appears more inviting.\\n \\nAccording to this study\\n, it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to create a new habit. It’s important to be patient with yourself and identify guidelines for your practice that you can realistically follow through with. \\n5. Schedule Your Yoga Session\\nSet yourself up for success by committing to your yoga practice at a certain time of day, and for a specified number of days per week. It’s best to start out easy with goals that are achievable and progress as you gain momentum. For instance, if you’ve never been an early riser, don’t expect yourself to suddenly start practicing yoga at dawn. If that’s the case, try scheduling your yoga session for late morning, afternoon or evening, and keep your existing schedule in mind when planning a time that works for you.\\n6. Keep it Simple\\nRegardless of your experience or ability level, practicing yoga at home means watching out for your own safety. Make sure you have props handy for when you need them, and avoid overdoing it with strenuous poses. When it doubt, keep your routine simple. Even if you’re an advanced yogi, those basic, primary yoga poses are still an important part of a holistic yoga practice, and may be less likely to cause injury.\\n7. Listen to Your Body\\nThe best way to avoid getting hurt while practicing yoga at home is to listen to your body. If any posture causes you discomfort or pain, stop practicing it immediately — no matter how easy or difficult the pose. Don’t push yourself too hard, and remember to focus on your alignment. If you are unsure of how to execute a specific pose, try learning it from a certified instructor before performing it on your own at home.\\n8. Take an Online Yoga Class\\n\\nBy far the best way to practice yoga at home is with an online class. This way, you get all the benefits of doing yoga at home in your own time, with the added help of an instructor who can make sure you’re performing poses safely and effectively. You can find\\n \\nonline group classes\\n for every type of yoga at\\n \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n, with over 42 classes offered throughout the day. Private, 1-on-1 instructors are also available for at-home yoga, giving you plenty of options to get the right kind of training while still practicing in the comfort of your own home.\\n9. Squeeze in a Short Practice\\nThe beauty of an at-home yoga practice means you can squeeze in a quick session when you just have 20-30 minutes of time. Even short yoga routines are beneficial for your body and mind, and performing a few of the primary yoga poses on a daily basis will change your life for the better. Try incorporating the Sun Salutation flow series into your morning routine when you first get out of bed in the morning, or practicing some relaxing poses like Legs-Up-The-Wall or Savasana in the evening. \\n10. Switch it Up and Make it Fun\\nYoga doesn’t always have to be serious, and you can make your home yoga practice fun and spontaneous for you and your family. Practicing with your kids is a great way to help them learn mindfulness and self-awareness, while stretching and strengthening their growing bodies. You can also take your practice to the backyard to enjoy sunshine and good weather, or invite friends over to share in the experience. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box!\\n11. End Every Practice With Savasana\\nWhen practicing yoga at home, it can be tempting to skip important parts of the journey due to time constraints, distractions, or disinterest. If there is one element of yoga you should never skip, it’s Savasana, or otherwise known as Corpse pose. Always end your practice with 5 minutes of relaxation to help your body integrate the routine. Keep a blanket nearby to warm your body after it has cooled down, and consider an eye pillow to help you relax. Your body and mind will thank you as you move on to the rest of your day, having given yourself the gift of healthy movement to better your life."},"category":["yoga","therapy"]}],"randomPosts":[{"id":"ckfqxn9ao013k0136vj4w0am0","slug":"teaching-as-a-learning-experience","author":{"name":"Pranjal","teacherMytSlug":"pranjal-1","pictureUrl":"pranjal-1.jpg"},"title":"Teaching as a Learning Experience","createdAt":"2019-04-17T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"pranjal-1.jpg","content":{"text":"Recently, one of my friends asked me “You \\npractice yoga\\n, how has it changed your life?” However, how could I know what changed when I can’t remember a time when I didn’t practice yoga? \\n\\nI was very hyperactive as a child so my parents encouraged me to play sports and other physical activities. It was my grandmother who got me to start practicing yoga. \\n\\nMy grandmother was my first guru. \\n\\nSince then I have fallen in love with practicing yoga. It makes my body feel alive and my mind refreshed. If some days I am not able to practice, it makes me restless. So, this is where my yoga journey started, almost 20 years ago, under the gentle and encouraging guidance of my grandmother. \\n\\nI loved yoga and playing all sorts of sports. So, in school I was always participating in competitions. My love for yoga kept increasing. When the time came to decide what I was going to do after I graduated high school, I had only one thing in mind: I wanted to be a yoga teacher. But back then, yoga was not booming as it is now. My parents encouraged me to look at other interests which could help me earn. I was (and still am) interested in wildlife so I completed my Bachelor’s and Master’s in Biodiversity. I continued practicing yoga and I thought I could teach it as a hobby - if not take it up as a career. \\n\\nDuring the summer break, I attended a fitness instructor course which got me a part time job at a gym. During my final year of my Bachelor's, one of my clients at the gym asked if I practiced yoga as she thought I was very good at teaching her different stretches. She then asked me if I could start yoga classes at the gym. \\n\\nI was overwhelmed. \\n\\nI had never thought that I would get to live my dream of becoming a yoga teacher! I was extremely nervous and scared as I had never talked in front of so many people! Let alone teach them anything! Also, I was only 20 years old and all my students were above 40 years of age - which was intimidating. What if no one listened to me? What if no one liked how I was teaching? What if someone was injured because I gave the wrong instructions? These were the questions running through my mind. \\n\\nMy parents, the gym manager, and the clients each encouraged me to at least give it a try. So, I decided to teach a trial class. Only 5 people enrolled that day but even that was too much for me! On the day of the class, I was up early reading up about each asana and the sequence I had chosen. When I started teaching, even though I was nervous the entire time, I was surprisingly confident. I found out that I was learning quite a lot in the process of teaching! The people who came for the class were kind and encouraged me to keep teaching, saying they would attend my classes every week. \\n\\nAt first, teaching was terrifying.\\n\\nI painstakingly planned out entire classes, posture by posture. I practiced explaining how to get in and out of poses. I searched for hours on end until I came up with a theme or focus for my classes that I truly felt inspired by. I researched answers to potential questions from students. It was time consuming but the effort was rewarding. It never felt like work. Teaching yoga gave me a sense of satisfaction and happiness that I had never experienced before. To advance my knowledge in yoga and to get a formal certificate as a yoga teacher, I completed a Yoga Instructor Course from SVYASA University, Bangalore. This opened so many opportunities for me. \\n\\nI started conducting classes at the yoga center at a very reputable hospital in Pune. Here, I conducted sessions for doctors and hospital staff. Many of my students were doctors and knew much more about the human body than I did. They gave me feedback to improve my anatomical cues for my classes. \\n\\nI went back to my yoga school to teach yoga to kids. Teaching yoga and other sports to kids was a very rewarding experience. This made me realize the importance of yoga for improving overall health and sports performance. \\n\\nI got the opportunity to teach yoga and fitness to table tennis players who take part in competitions at state and national levels. My training has helped them improve their strength, flexibility and their game. \\n\\nI conducted two sessions on yoga for Workplace Stress Management at the Amazon office in Pune. Here I taught corporate employees how to manage and relieve stress with easy asanas, breathing and meditation which could be done at their desks. I taught two \\nonline yoga \\nsessions at the College of Charleston, USA as a part of the curriculum for Indian Culture. \\n\\nI now have 7 years of yoga teaching experience. \\n\\nI have experienced the benefits of yoga and I want to pass that on to as many people as I can. My classes have been a wonderful learning experience for me as a teacher and as an individual. They helped me to overcome my fear of public speaking, improve my communication skills and develop networking skills. I think these are essential for people in all walks of life. \\n\\nJust as my personal practice gave me the confidence to be who I am, teaching made me realize that confidence is very different from the confidence you need when teaching others. My experience has helped me gain that confidence over the years and I have reached a point where I can confidently teach a class of at least 30 students comfortably. I always want to keep learning and during my Master’s I found out that I like doing research. I have decided to pursue a degree in Exercise and Fitness research. I want to get into research about yoga so that what I teach will have scientific backing and not just ancient wisdom. \\n\\nYoga has opened up so many opportunities for me and I hope to keep on growing and learning. You too can take a similar journey and find out how yoga can change your life. By taking an online class at \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n with a certified instructor, you can \\nstart your personal practice in your very own space\\n and experience all the wonderful benefits of yoga. "}},{"id":"ckfqzbak8025a0178p0voa977","slug":"what-is-three-part-breath","author":{"name":"Jitendra","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":"jitendra1.png"},"title":"What Is Three Part Breath?","createdAt":"2020-03-30T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"Social-post-10-1.png","content":{"text":"Yogis tend to view breath differently, and no story greater sums up this concept than hearing about the tests police offers have to take in the academy. In one of the tests, contenders are strapped in to a lie detector and asked several questions. They are also asked something every yogi hates to hear:\\n\\n“Just breathe normally.”\\n\\nI have taught yoga for four years, and any time someone tells me to focus on my breathing I snap into Three Part Breath. It is hardly conscious, but as the soon-to-be-frustrated LAPD testing assistant would attest to, it is far different from “breathing normally.”\\n\\nThree Part Breath stems from the Pranayama concept of \\nyoga\\n— the idea that through controlling our breath we can control our minds and, potentially, tap into a higher power. In Sanskrit, Prana means life force, or breath sustaining the body; Ayama translates as “to extend or draw out.” Extending and lengthening our breaths calms and quiets the mind, which is the goal of yoga as a whole. \\n\\nThrowing poses in the mix was designed for us to challenge that control— an expert yogi can control their breath even in handstand or with their feet behind their head. The struggle of that breath control, for most of us, is a reminder that we are human, and thus we are all works in progress. \\n\\n[CTA-DEFAULT]\\nWhere do we start with\\n Pranayama\\n? Three Part Breath. \\n\\nSenior yoga teacher Swami Karunananda states, “three-part deep breathing is the foundation of all the yogic breathing techniques. Studies have shown that you can take in and give out seven times as much air— that means seven times as much oxygen, seven times as much prana— in a three-part deep breath than in a shallow breath.” \\n\\nIn yoga, you are encouraged to flow through your practice maintaining this three-part breath to the best of your ability. It helps you focus your mind, relieve stress, and move inward, deepening your poses and strengthening your practice. Sounds amazing, right? It also sounds nearly impossible once you’ve held chair pose for a minute straight and the teacher is still going. Because truthfully, in challenging poses, three-part-breath is hard. And the best way to get better at it is to practice.\\n\\nHere’s a little Three Part Breath practice you can try right now:\\n\\nFind a comfortable spot, sitting or lying down. Sitting is a great choice if you’re looking for energy; lying, on the other hand, might help you feel your breath deeper and relax more. Without changing anything, notice how you’re breathing now. Let your thoughts pass you by— do not cling to them.Begin to deepen your inhales and exhales.Start imagining that your belly is a balloon, or a ball— something to be filled with air. Comfortably fill it on your inhale, and empty it on your exhale. Repeat this a few times, growing accustomed to it.On your next inhale, when your belly is full, take another sip of air, filling your rib cage. You may feel some expansion and opening in your upper back— this is great. On your exhale, let your chest empty of air first, then your stomach. Continue this for several more breaths.On your next inhale, fill your belly and your rib cage— then breathe just a little bit more into your upper chest. Feel your heart rise with your breath. This is the third part.On your exhale, empty your upper chest and throat, then your ribcage, then your belly. Continue this for 8 to 10 rounds, and start to feel your body relax. Note that this shouldn’t feel like you’re filling your lungs to burst, but rather that you are moving through levels as if your breath was an elevator. This should feel comfortable and deep. \\n\\nThe more you practice Three Part Breath, the more natural it will feel. It is a great way to get your breathing practice started, and a great way to move inward during your next \\nonline yoga class. \\n\\n"}},{"id":"ckj8x24cw75fo0934a9ivozbm","slug":"yoga-for-flexibility-poses","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Yoga for Flexibility: 8 Yoga Poses That Make You Bendy Fast!","createdAt":"2020-12-28T18:50:02.147552+00:00","coverUrl":"yoga-for-flexibility-poses-1.png","content":{"text":"If you're feeling about as flexible as a board, yoga can help! Contrary to what some people believe, you don't have to be already flexible to get started with yoga. In fact, practicing yoga regularly can help you increase flexibility and mobility. But with thousands of poses to choose from, how do you actually practice yoga for flexibility? Keep reading... we're going to teach you some great poses!\\n\\nBefore we get to our yoga poses to increase your flexibility, let's take a minute to look at why flexibility is important and explore the connection between yoga and flexibility.\\n\\nWhy Is Flexibility Important?\\nFlexibility is a key indicator of overall good physical health. Maintaining flexibility helps us in several ways:\\n\\nOver time, we can lose flexibility for any number of reasons—stress, bad posture and movements, aging. But that doesn't mean that you just have to accept this loss of flexibility and live your life without being able to tie your shoes.\\n\\nThat's where yoga comes in. Practicing yoga for flexibility can relieve tight hamstrings, calves, hips, shoulders, and more. When you participate in a yoga class or find a \\nyoga trainer online\\n, you're on your way to increasing your flexibility and your health.\\n\\nmyYogaTeacher offers several live, online yoga classes for flexibility and strength. If you want to increase your flexibility with a live yoga class from the comfort of your own home and taught by expert yoga teachers from India, \\nregister with myYogaTeacher\\n!\\n\\nThe Connection Between Yoga And Flexibility\\nAs you probably already know, yoga is more than stretching. Asanas (poses) touch major muscle groups as well as those smaller muscles that most people don't know they even have. Yoga styles like yin and restorative are excellent for deeper, longer stretches and are also effective as yoga for stress relief. You can find a live, online yin, or restorative yoga class on \\nmyYogaTeacher\\n.\\n\\nNo matter your level of flexibility, even a short yoga practice of 10–15 minutes each day will help you increase your flexibility. There's no need to rush into advanced poses or ignore props, either. Yoga isn't about nailing a pose perfectly so you can share it with your Instagram followers. It's about learning about your body, what it needs, what it pushes against, and how you can honor it. The flexibility will come in time.\\n\\n\"How much time?\" you're probably wondering.\\n\\nIt depends.\\n\\nNot the answer anyone ever wants, but flexibility depends on a number of factors like how your joints are put together, your muscle composition, your body type, and more. But the time's going to pass anyway. Why not practice yoga for flexibility?\\n\\n8 Yoga Poses to Increase Flexibility\\nIf you're practicing yoga for flexibility, consistency is key. Doing a yoga class once a month isn't going to give you the results you want. That's why we recommend signing up for \\nmyYogaTeacher\\n where you get access to live yoga classes for a monthly fee (it’s less than the drop-in fee for most in-person classes). Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, and Restorative yoga are the classes you'll want to check out to increase your flexibility.\\n\\nWant to get started right now? Here are 8 yoga poses you can use to increase your flexibility. Before practicing, you'll want to do a short warm-up (sun salutations are a great warm-up). When you're just starting out with yoga for flexibility, we recommend holding each pose for 5–10 slow, deep breaths. You can increase the number of breaths over time.\\n\\nShoulders\\nShoulders hold a lot of stress and tightness. The combination of extended periods of sitting and poor posture can lead to a lot of tension that decreases flexibility and range of motion. The \\nyoga poses\\n here are perfect for opening your shoulders, chest, and neck.\\n\\n1. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)\\n\\nBridge pose is a great way to open through your chest and shoulders. You can modify this pose by not going up as high, not clasping your hands underneath you, or even adding a block under your sacrum for a supported bridge.\\n\\nTo do this pose:\\nLie down on your back and bend your knees with your feet on the floor.\\nOn the inhale, press into your heels and lift your hips upward, lengthening through your chest. Keep the knees pointing forward.\\nPress the hands into the floor or bring them underneath your back and interlace your fingers with your elbows pressed into the floor.\\n2. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)\\n\\nCobra pose is a small backbend that opens up the chest and improves flexibility in the shoulders.\\n\\nTo do this pose:\\nLie down on your stomach.\\nPlace your hands underneath your shoulders and press up through your hands while lifting your chest.\\nKeep your lower body grounded into the floor.\\nBack\\nLower back pain can be a result of tension, a weak core, or a number of other reasons. These poses will help you gently stretch your back and regain mobility.\\n\\n3. Marjariasana & Bitilasana (Cat-Cow Pose)\\n\\nThe cat-cow pose is technically the combination of two separate poses but they're often found together. This pose improves flexibility and mobility in the neck, shoulders, spine, and core.\\n\\nTo do this pose:\\nStart on all fours with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Your weight should be balanced evenly.\\nOn the inhale, let your stomach fall towards the floor as you raise your chest and chin.\\nOn the exhale, press your hands into the floor and round your spine towards the ceiling, tucking your chin into your chest.\\n4. Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine Spinal Twist)\\n\\nTwists are great for the spine! There are tons of different twisting yoga poses for flexibility but this one is perfect for relieving tightness and tension as well as improving mobility in the back.\\n\\nTo do this pose:\\nLie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the ground.\\nBring your knees to your chest, place your right hand on the outside of your left thigh.\\nDrop your legs over to the right side and use your right hand to deepen the twist as much as feels good. Be sure to keep your shoulders on the ground.\\nStretch your left arm out to the side and let your gaze fall to the left.\\nRepeat on the other side.\\nHips\\nThe hips are packed full of muscles. To get better flexibility and mobility in your hips, focus on poses that stretch the psoas, iliacus, hip flexors, quads, and glutes.\\n\\n5. \\nKapotasana\\n (Pigeon Pose)\\n\\nPigeon pose helps you deeply stretch your hip flexors as well as giving you a nice stretch across your glutes. If you have very tight hips, you can use blocks and bolsters to make yourself more comfortable.\\n\\nTo do this pose:\\nStart in Downward Facing Dog and lift your right leg into the air.\\nBring your right leg into your body center and place your foot next to your right wrist or wherever it feels right for you. Keep your right foot flexed.\\nUntuck your back toes and rest your left leg on the ground, rotated inward.\\n6. Anjaneyasana (Crescent Lunge Pose)\\n\\nCrescent lunge pose is a great pose because you can choose any number of ways to enjoy it. It's an excellent hip opener that gives you great control over how intense the stretch is.\\n\\nTo do this pose:\\nStart on your knees and bring your left leg forward, placing your left foot flat on the floor. Untuck the toes on your rear foot.\\nLift your arms overhead as you push your hips forward, sinking into your left knee.\\nSlightly arch your back and lift through your chest if that feels right for you.\\nRepeat on the other side.\\nHamstrings\\nTight hamstrings are a common complaint from those seeking out yoga for flexibility. Being tight in this area can lead to other problems like lower back pain.\\n\\n7. Paschimottanasana (Straight Legged Seated Forward Fold Pose)\\n\\nA seated forward fold is an excellent hamstring stretch. You don't have to be able to grab your feet to benefit from this stretch, either. Some people with really tight hamstrings can get a stretch from a slight lean towards the feet. You can use a yoga strap if that keeps you steady in your stretch.\\n\\nTo do this pose:\\nStart in Staff Pose with your bottom on the floor and your legs straight out in front of you.\\nLift your arms over your head and slowly fold your torso over your legs until you can reach your shins, ankles, toes, or anywhere that feels right for you and gives you a nice, not painful stretch.\\n8. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)\\n\\nDownward-facing dog is an excellent pose for just about everything. It's commonly used as a resting or transition pose in yoga class but it's a great stretching and strengthening pose for your entire body. And it's great for increasing the flexibility in your hamstrings.\\n\\nTo do this pose:\\nStart on all fours with your feet slightly narrower than hip distances. Your toes should be tucked and your hands lined up with your shoulders.\\nOn the inhale push your hips back and up, engaging your shoulders, legs, and core. Your weight should be evenly distributed.\\nPush through your heels to feel your hamstrings stretch. Walk your feet by bending one knee at a time.\\nWrapping Up\\nNow you know 8 yoga poses that will help you improve your flexibility. When you practice yoga for flexibility consistently, you'll notice that you not only get more flexible but you'll be stronger, healthier, and have greater peace of mind. Plus, the more you work on your flexibility, the less pain and muscle tension you'll have in your body.\\n\\nThese poses are a great starting point, but if you really want to enjoy the benefits of yoga faster, you'll definitely want to register for \\nmyYogaTeacher\\n. We offer yoga for flexibility, yoga for stress relief, and so much more. And, myYogaTeacher is more than just a bunch of pre-recorded yoga videos. With us, you get access to the finest yoga teachers from India—they really become your yoga trainer online. Join us today and get started on your journey towards flexibility."}}],"relatedPosts":[],"blogContent":{"id":"ckfqznt6g02d70179pxn796t7","slug":"flowing-into-my-ikigai-yoga","author":{"name":"Rashika","teacherMytSlug":"rashika-1","pictureUrl":"rashikacover.jpg"},"title":"Flowing into my Ikigai: YOGA","createdAt":"2020-06-05T00:00:00+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-08-01T06:49:55.044357+00:00","coverUrl":"rashikacover.jpg","seoDescription":"Practice yoga to achieve a plethora of goals. Be it to get fit, relieve yourself from stress, cure a body ache or even enhance your spirituality.","content":{"text":"Ikigai        生き甲斐   \\n\\n/Ick-ee-guy/ \\n\\nNoun\\n\\nA Japanese concept that means \"a reason for being\" or “a reason to jump out of bed every morning”. The word refers to having a direction or purpose in life, that which makes one's life worthwhile, and towards which an individual takes spontaneous and willing actions giving them satisfaction and a sense of meaning to life.\\n\\nSource: Google\\n\\nThey say, if you follow your Ikigai everyday passionately enough, you can live up to 100 yrs.!\\n\\nNow, I can’t really vouch for this fact but I am all set to find out, haha!\\n\\nIf the title of the blog wasn’t a hint enough, this story is about my journey with yoga and its countless wonders in a quest to find my own Ikigai. Yoga, for me, is an expression of self-love and a conscious pursuit of letting go of the materialistic sense of reality in order to become ‘one’ with the universe. Asanas and pranayama are simply a medium.\\n\\nI was introduced to yoga back in high school. It was a warm summer and school was closed when my uncle from Brazil visited us. Growing up I used to drown myself into books and stories of adventure, travel and magic. They eventually became a part of me and a dream took birth, a facile dream to travel and seek. Back to the summer, my uncle had returned to India after 5 years, having travelled the entire Latin America and most of Europe. His stories and experiences with culture, people and the almighty were my window to the vast world out there. He sensed my excitement and interest immediately and told me about the ancient treasure of India, Yoga. His anecdotes included sadhanas, siddhis (superpowers) and great yogis. I was really intrigued and went on to dig deeper into the subject. I couldn’t wait for school to get over so I can learn from experienced yoga masters.\\n\\nOne and a half year later, I enrolled myself for 200Hrs Certificate course in hatha yoga in one of the oldest Ashrams in India, Kaivalyadhama ashram in Lonavala. And that changed my life. A month before I was supposed to leave for the course, a got a serious lower back spasm due to a jerky forward bend. Weeks of physiotherapy later, doctors told me to forbid myself from bending forward for my entire life. My whole dream shattered in front of my eyes and I didn’t know what to do. I closed my eyes and promised to myself that I would go anyway. The first couple of days in the ashram felt very natural and beautiful but I was still worried about my spasm. However, just 3 days of slow hatha yoga practise were enough for my spasm to go and voila! I could bend forward again. That day I realised the importance of correct alignment and transitioning in asanas. My yoga guru taught us the principles and philosophies of various schools of yoga, which confused me to no extent. He said, “Yoga is the Equanimity of mind” meaning the worldly actions shouldn’t affect our mental state, it should always be neutral and balanced. I realised how yoga transforms our body on all levels, be it physical, mental or spiritual. The 17-year-old me wanted to learn more and more, there was no end to my questions. \\n\\nAll these experiences became even more vivid when my guru took our first ever \\nyoga session\\n. I found myself immersing in the deeper values of asanas and getting lost in the unknown cosmos during savasana. I let out a serene smile as I opened my eyes back to reality, for I had found my purpose. The course ended and I stepped into my graduation course. I studied business administration and specialized in Marketing from a well-known college in Pune. Amidst all the classes, deadlines, assignments and chaos, the morning yoga practise in the community garden was my tranquil abode. One such day, a couple of ladies interrupted my practise to ask me if I would teach them. Until that moment, I never intended to teach yoga but there I was, sheepishly nodding to them.\\n\\nThe group of two increased to 7 and then to 13 people, all of them eagerly waited for me, every alternate morning to teach them yoga. I also started volunteering at International yoga day workshops, assisting my colleagues in their studios and taking drop-in sessions at the community garden. I traveled for a couple of months across various states of India and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, soaking myself in awe- worthy experiences such as scuba diving, trekking and bungee jumping, meanwhile gathering more and more experiences with my \\nyoga practice\\n. This went on for a while until I decided to explore different styles of yoga and signed up for an advanced 300hrs TTC in Ashtanga yoga. I readily imbibed all the knowledge and styles taught in the yoga school in Mysore, Bangalore.\\n\\nI still didn’t think of taking up yoga as a career, I just wanted to learn more. I sat for placements in college and the next thing I know, I was working as a business development executive in a start-up company. My practise became irregular and teaching completely stopped. Six months after working, I was completely burned out. I wasn’t feeling like myself at all and somewhere in the hustle I had forgotten my dream. I read a beautiful quote out there, which said, “Everyone in life has a dream, to give them up is to give up on life itself”\\n\\nI realised that working in corporates is not what I want to do in my life, it didn’t make me happy. Thanks to my lucky stars, I knew exactly what would. It was Yoga, learning and practising while I began teaching as a private instructor in my hometown. I was dreadful to take my first session; I had no experience in professional teaching. That’s the thing about ‘Firsts’, it is so hard to start- until you start. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world. \\n\\nAlmost a year later, here I am, still seeking the wonders that await me, still learning about the intricacies of my yoga practise every day, still finding what more can a simple breath do, still teaching yoga with a warm heart, extending a hand to you:) \\n\\nIn my yoga session, I like to help you not only achieve your specific goal- it could be strengthening your body or be able to do a split, or relief yourself from the daily stress, or cure any ailment; but also dive deeper with your awareness and breath to the subtler levels of the body, experiencing bliss and deep relaxation. \\n\\nI invite you to take that first step, the first step to an adhering journey of self-love and discovery, just like the younger me did, because that one decision that you are too afraid to make could be the very thing that sets you free in the best possible way!As for me, I still believe in magic, my only question is, Do you? \\n","html":"<p>Ikigai        生き甲斐   </p><p></p><p>/Ick-ee-guy/ </p><p></p><p>Noun</p><p></p><p>A Japanese concept that means &quot;a reason for being&quot; or “a reason to jump out of bed every morning”. The word refers to having a direction or purpose in life, that which makes one&#39;s life worthwhile, and towards which an individual takes spontaneous and willing actions giving them satisfaction and a sense of meaning to life.</p><p></p><p>Source: Google</p><p></p><p>They say, if you follow your Ikigai everyday passionately enough, you can live up to 100 yrs.!</p><p></p><p>Now, I can’t really vouch for this fact but I am all set to find out, haha!</p><p></p><p>If the title of the blog wasn’t a hint enough, this story is about my journey with yoga and its countless wonders in a quest to find my own Ikigai. Yoga, for me, is an expression of self-love and a conscious pursuit of letting go of the materialistic sense of reality in order to become ‘one’ with the universe. Asanas and pranayama are simply a medium.</p><p></p><p>I was introduced to yoga back in high school. It was a warm summer and school was closed when my uncle from Brazil visited us. Growing up I used to drown myself into books and stories of adventure, travel and magic. They eventually became a part of me and a dream took birth, a facile dream to travel and seek. Back to the summer, my uncle had returned to India after 5 years, having travelled the entire Latin America and most of Europe. His stories and experiences with culture, people and the almighty were my window to the vast world out there. He sensed my excitement and interest immediately and told me about the ancient treasure of India, Yoga. His anecdotes included sadhanas, siddhis (superpowers) and great yogis. I was really intrigued and went on to dig deeper into the subject. I couldn’t wait for school to get over so I can learn from experienced yoga masters.</p><p></p><p>One and a half year later, I enrolled myself for 200Hrs Certificate course in hatha yoga in one of the oldest Ashrams in India, Kaivalyadhama ashram in Lonavala. And that changed my life. A month before I was supposed to leave for the course, a got a serious lower back spasm due to a jerky forward bend. Weeks of physiotherapy later, doctors told me to forbid myself from bending forward for my entire life. My whole dream shattered in front of my eyes and I didn’t know what to do. I closed my eyes and promised to myself that I would go anyway. The first couple of days in the ashram felt very natural and beautiful but I was still worried about my spasm. However, just 3 days of slow hatha yoga practise were enough for my spasm to go and voila! I could bend forward again. That day I realised the importance of correct alignment and transitioning in asanas. My yoga guru taught us the principles and philosophies of various schools of yoga, which confused me to no extent. He said, “Yoga is the Equanimity of mind” meaning the worldly actions shouldn’t affect our mental state, it should always be neutral and balanced. I realised how yoga transforms our body on all levels, be it physical, mental or spiritual. The 17-year-old me wanted to learn more and more, there was no end to my questions. </p><p></p><p>All these experiences became even more vivid when my guru took our first ever <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signUp\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signUp\">yoga session</a>. I found myself immersing in the deeper values of asanas and getting lost in the unknown cosmos during savasana. I let out a serene smile as I opened my eyes back to reality, for I had found my purpose. The course ended and I stepped into my graduation course. I studied business administration and specialized in Marketing from a well-known college in Pune. Amidst all the classes, deadlines, assignments and chaos, the morning yoga practise in the community garden was my tranquil abode. One such day, a couple of ladies interrupted my practise to ask me if I would teach them. Until that moment, I never intended to teach yoga but there I was, sheepishly nodding to them.</p><p></p><p>The group of two increased to 7 and then to 13 people, all of them eagerly waited for me, every alternate morning to teach them yoga. I also started volunteering at International yoga day workshops, assisting my colleagues in their studios and taking drop-in sessions at the community garden. I traveled for a couple of months across various states of India and Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands, soaking myself in awe- worthy experiences such as scuba diving, trekking and bungee jumping, meanwhile gathering more and more experiences with my <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\">yoga practice</a>. This went on for a while until I decided to explore different styles of yoga and signed up for an advanced 300hrs TTC in Ashtanga yoga. I readily imbibed all the knowledge and styles taught in the yoga school in Mysore, Bangalore.</p><p></p><p>I still didn’t think of taking up yoga as a career, I just wanted to learn more. I sat for placements in college and the next thing I know, I was working as a business development executive in a start-up company. My practise became irregular and teaching completely stopped. Six months after working, I was completely burned out. I wasn’t feeling like myself at all and somewhere in the hustle I had forgotten my dream. I read a beautiful quote out there, which said, “Everyone in life has a dream, to give them up is to give up on life itself”</p><p></p><p>I realised that working in corporates is not what I want to do in my life, it didn’t make me happy. Thanks to my lucky stars, I knew exactly what would. It was Yoga, learning and practising while I began teaching as a private instructor in my hometown. I was dreadful to take my first session; I had no experience in professional teaching. That’s the thing about ‘Firsts’, it is so hard to start- until you start. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world. </p><p></p><p>Almost a year later, here I am, still seeking the wonders that await me, still learning about the intricacies of my yoga practise every day, still finding what more can a simple breath do, still teaching yoga with a warm heart, extending a hand to you:) </p><p></p><p>In my yoga session, I like to help you not only achieve your specific goal- it could be strengthening your body or be able to do a split, or relief yourself from the daily stress, or cure any ailment; but also dive deeper with your awareness and breath to the subtler levels of the body, experiencing bliss and deep relaxation. </p><p></p><p>I invite you to take that first step, the first step to an adhering journey of self-love and discovery, just like the younger me did, because that one decision that you are too afraid to make could be the very thing that sets you free in the best possible way!As for me, I still believe in magic, my only question is, Do you? </p><p></p>"},"category":["myYogaTeacher"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"loading":false,"blog_content":[{"type":"HTML","value":"<p>Ikigai        生き甲斐   </p><p></p><p>/Ick-ee-guy/ </p><p></p><p>Noun</p><p></p><p>A Japanese concept that means &quot;a reason for being&quot; or “a reason to jump out of bed every morning”. The word refers to having a direction or purpose in life, that which makes one&#39;s life worthwhile, and towards which an individual takes spontaneous and willing actions giving them satisfaction and a sense of meaning to life.</p><p></p><p>Source: Google</p><p></p><p>They say, if you follow your Ikigai everyday passionately enough, you can live up to 100 yrs.!</p><p></p><p>Now, I can’t really vouch for this fact but I am all set to find out, haha!</p><p></p><p>If the title of the blog wasn’t a hint enough, this story is about my journey with yoga and its countless wonders in a quest to find my own Ikigai. Yoga, for me, is an expression of self-love and a conscious pursuit of letting go of the materialistic sense of reality in order to become ‘one’ with the universe. Asanas and pranayama are simply a medium.</p><p></p><p>I was introduced to yoga back in high school. It was a warm summer and school was closed when my uncle from Brazil visited us. Growing up I used to drown myself into books and stories of adventure, travel and magic. They eventually became a part of me and a dream took birth, a facile dream to travel and seek. Back to the summer, my uncle had returned to India after 5 years, having travelled the entire Latin America and most of Europe. His stories and experiences with culture, people and the almighty were my window to the vast world out there. He sensed my excitement and interest immediately and told me about the ancient treasure of India, Yoga. His anecdotes included sadhanas, siddhis (superpowers) and great yogis. I was really intrigued and went on to dig deeper into the subject. I couldn’t wait for school to get over so I can learn from experienced yoga masters.</p><p></p><p>One and a half year later, I enrolled myself for 200Hrs Certificate course in hatha yoga in one of the oldest Ashrams in India, Kaivalyadhama ashram in Lonavala. And that changed my life. A month before I was supposed to leave for the course, a got a serious lower back spasm due to a jerky forward bend. Weeks of physiotherapy later, doctors told me to forbid myself from bending forward for my entire life. My whole dream shattered in front of my eyes and I didn’t know what to do. I closed my eyes and promised to myself that I would go anyway. The first couple of days in the ashram felt very natural and beautiful but I was still worried about my spasm. However, just 3 days of slow hatha yoga practise were enough for my spasm to go and voila! I could bend forward again. That day I realised the importance of correct alignment and transitioning in asanas. My yoga guru taught us the principles and philosophies of various schools of yoga, which confused me to no extent. He said, “Yoga is the Equanimity of mind” meaning the worldly actions shouldn’t affect our mental state, it should always be neutral and balanced. I realised how yoga transforms our body on all levels, be it physical, mental or spiritual. The 17-year-old me wanted to learn more and more, there was no end to my questions. </p><p></p><p>All these experiences became even more vivid when my guru took our first ever <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signUp\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signUp\">yoga session</a>. I found myself immersing in the deeper values of asanas and getting lost in the unknown cosmos during savasana. I let out a serene smile as I opened my eyes back to reality, for I had found my purpose. The course ended and I stepped into my graduation course. I studied business administration and specialized in Marketing from a well-known college in Pune. Amidst all the classes, deadlines, assignments and chaos, the morning yoga practise in the community garden was my tranquil abode. One such day, a couple of ladies interrupted my practise to ask me if I would teach them. Until that moment, I never intended to teach yoga but there I was, sheepishly nodding to them.</p><p></p><p>The group of two increased to 7 and then to 13 people, all of them eagerly waited for me, every alternate morning to teach them yoga. I also started volunteering at International yoga day workshops, assisting my colleagues in their studios and taking drop-in sessions at the community garden. I traveled for a couple of months across various states of India and Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands, soaking myself in awe- worthy experiences such as scuba diving, trekking and bungee jumping, meanwhile gathering more and more experiences with my <a\n            class=\"inline-cta\"\n            id=7b5fb269-0820-4771-95e3-d2e3f020183a\n            href=\"/free-trial-o?utm_source=MYT__article&utm_medium=ckfqznt6g02d70179pxn796t7&utm_campaign=inline_cta&utm_content=CTA-INLINE&entity_name=Flowing into my Ikigai: YOGA&entity_slug=flowing-into-my-ikigai-yoga&page_or_popup=/articles/flowing-into-my-ikigai-yoga&entity_location=hyperlink_midst_of_article&article_cta=CTA-INLINE&from_article_page=true\"\n            onclick=trigger_mixpanel_sign_up_cta(\"7b5fb269-0820-4771-95e3-d2e3f020183a\")\n            title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" \n            data-title=\"Flowing into my Ikigai: YOGA\"\n            data-slug=\"flowing-into-my-ikigai-yoga\"\n            <u>yoga practice</a></u>        \n            </a>. This went on for a while until I decided to explore different styles of yoga and signed up for an advanced 300hrs TTC in Ashtanga yoga. I readily imbibed all the knowledge and styles taught in the yoga school in Mysore, Bangalore.</p><p></p><p>I still didn’t think of taking up yoga as a career, I just wanted to learn more. I sat for placements in college and the next thing I know, I was working as a business development executive in a start-up company. My practise became irregular and teaching completely stopped. Six months after working, I was completely burned out. I wasn’t feeling like myself at all and somewhere in the hustle I had forgotten my dream. I read a beautiful quote out there, which said, “Everyone in life has a dream, to give them up is to give up on life itself”</p><p></p><p>I realised that working in corporates is not what I want to do in my life, it didn’t make me happy. Thanks to my lucky stars, I knew exactly what would. It was Yoga, learning and practising while I began teaching as a private instructor in my hometown. I was dreadful to take my first session; I had no experience in professional teaching. That’s the thing about ‘Firsts’, it is so hard to start- until you start. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world. </p><p></p><p>Almost a year later, here I am, still seeking the wonders that await me, still learning about the intricacies of my yoga practise every day, still finding what more can a simple breath do, still teaching yoga with a warm heart, extending a hand to you:) </p><p></p><p>In my yoga session, I like to help you not only achieve your specific goal- it could be strengthening your body or be able to do a split, or relief yourself from the daily stress, or cure any ailment; but also dive deeper with your awareness and breath to the subtler levels of the body, experiencing bliss and deep relaxation. </p><p></p><p>I invite you to take that first step, the first step to an adhering journey of self-love and discovery, just like the younger me did, because that one decision that you are too afraid to make could be the very thing that sets you free in the best possible way!As for me, I still believe in magic, my only question is, Do you? </p><p></p>"},{"type":"CTA","value":"[CTA-DEFAULT]"}],"isSlugACategory":false,"searchCategory":"flowing-into-my-ikigai-yoga","showPopUp":false,"popUpType":null,"showedPopup":false,"windowWidth":null,"ctaPath":"free-trial-o","redirectURL":"#","ctaContent":[{"id":"ckxrz2i14tov40c25g1dpicsg","name":"[CTA-DEFAULT]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. 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No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong> Learn Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Pranayama!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckykb6i2o1o7f0b368s1m7qow","name":"[CTA-LYMPHATIC]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions</strong> for lymphatic drainage &amp; immunity enhancement. <strong>PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group yoga classes</strong> (including daily yin-yoga) when you sign up today! No credit card required to sign up.</p><p></p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions –  </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>for Lymphatic Drainage &amp; Boosting Your Immune System!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl2vqlpyfe3yh0biohgxyx2hg","name":"[CTA-LEAD]","description":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl4gnwnrlga640ck37gutx7sn","name":"[CTA-GC]","description":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"}],"post":{"id":"ckfqznt6g02d70179pxn796t7","slug":"flowing-into-my-ikigai-yoga","author":{"name":"Rashika","teacherMytSlug":"rashika-1","pictureUrl":"rashikacover.jpg"},"title":"Flowing into my Ikigai: YOGA","createdAt":"2020-06-05T00:00:00+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-08-01T06:49:55.044357+00:00","coverUrl":"rashikacover.jpg","seoDescription":"Practice yoga to achieve a plethora of goals. Be it to get fit, relieve yourself from stress, cure a body ache or even enhance your spirituality.","content":{"text":"Ikigai        生き甲斐   \\n\\n/Ick-ee-guy/ \\n\\nNoun\\n\\nA Japanese concept that means \"a reason for being\" or “a reason to jump out of bed every morning”. The word refers to having a direction or purpose in life, that which makes one's life worthwhile, and towards which an individual takes spontaneous and willing actions giving them satisfaction and a sense of meaning to life.\\n\\nSource: Google\\n\\nThey say, if you follow your Ikigai everyday passionately enough, you can live up to 100 yrs.!\\n\\nNow, I can’t really vouch for this fact but I am all set to find out, haha!\\n\\nIf the title of the blog wasn’t a hint enough, this story is about my journey with yoga and its countless wonders in a quest to find my own Ikigai. Yoga, for me, is an expression of self-love and a conscious pursuit of letting go of the materialistic sense of reality in order to become ‘one’ with the universe. Asanas and pranayama are simply a medium.\\n\\nI was introduced to yoga back in high school. It was a warm summer and school was closed when my uncle from Brazil visited us. Growing up I used to drown myself into books and stories of adventure, travel and magic. They eventually became a part of me and a dream took birth, a facile dream to travel and seek. Back to the summer, my uncle had returned to India after 5 years, having travelled the entire Latin America and most of Europe. His stories and experiences with culture, people and the almighty were my window to the vast world out there. He sensed my excitement and interest immediately and told me about the ancient treasure of India, Yoga. His anecdotes included sadhanas, siddhis (superpowers) and great yogis. I was really intrigued and went on to dig deeper into the subject. I couldn’t wait for school to get over so I can learn from experienced yoga masters.\\n\\nOne and a half year later, I enrolled myself for 200Hrs Certificate course in hatha yoga in one of the oldest Ashrams in India, Kaivalyadhama ashram in Lonavala. And that changed my life. A month before I was supposed to leave for the course, a got a serious lower back spasm due to a jerky forward bend. Weeks of physiotherapy later, doctors told me to forbid myself from bending forward for my entire life. My whole dream shattered in front of my eyes and I didn’t know what to do. I closed my eyes and promised to myself that I would go anyway. The first couple of days in the ashram felt very natural and beautiful but I was still worried about my spasm. However, just 3 days of slow hatha yoga practise were enough for my spasm to go and voila! I could bend forward again. That day I realised the importance of correct alignment and transitioning in asanas. My yoga guru taught us the principles and philosophies of various schools of yoga, which confused me to no extent. He said, “Yoga is the Equanimity of mind” meaning the worldly actions shouldn’t affect our mental state, it should always be neutral and balanced. I realised how yoga transforms our body on all levels, be it physical, mental or spiritual. The 17-year-old me wanted to learn more and more, there was no end to my questions. \\n\\nAll these experiences became even more vivid when my guru took our first ever \\nyoga session\\n. I found myself immersing in the deeper values of asanas and getting lost in the unknown cosmos during savasana. I let out a serene smile as I opened my eyes back to reality, for I had found my purpose. The course ended and I stepped into my graduation course. I studied business administration and specialized in Marketing from a well-known college in Pune. Amidst all the classes, deadlines, assignments and chaos, the morning yoga practise in the community garden was my tranquil abode. One such day, a couple of ladies interrupted my practise to ask me if I would teach them. Until that moment, I never intended to teach yoga but there I was, sheepishly nodding to them.\\n\\nThe group of two increased to 7 and then to 13 people, all of them eagerly waited for me, every alternate morning to teach them yoga. I also started volunteering at International yoga day workshops, assisting my colleagues in their studios and taking drop-in sessions at the community garden. I traveled for a couple of months across various states of India and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, soaking myself in awe- worthy experiences such as scuba diving, trekking and bungee jumping, meanwhile gathering more and more experiences with my \\nyoga practice\\n. This went on for a while until I decided to explore different styles of yoga and signed up for an advanced 300hrs TTC in Ashtanga yoga. I readily imbibed all the knowledge and styles taught in the yoga school in Mysore, Bangalore.\\n\\nI still didn’t think of taking up yoga as a career, I just wanted to learn more. I sat for placements in college and the next thing I know, I was working as a business development executive in a start-up company. My practise became irregular and teaching completely stopped. Six months after working, I was completely burned out. I wasn’t feeling like myself at all and somewhere in the hustle I had forgotten my dream. I read a beautiful quote out there, which said, “Everyone in life has a dream, to give them up is to give up on life itself”\\n\\nI realised that working in corporates is not what I want to do in my life, it didn’t make me happy. Thanks to my lucky stars, I knew exactly what would. It was Yoga, learning and practising while I began teaching as a private instructor in my hometown. I was dreadful to take my first session; I had no experience in professional teaching. That’s the thing about ‘Firsts’, it is so hard to start- until you start. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world. \\n\\nAlmost a year later, here I am, still seeking the wonders that await me, still learning about the intricacies of my yoga practise every day, still finding what more can a simple breath do, still teaching yoga with a warm heart, extending a hand to you:) \\n\\nIn my yoga session, I like to help you not only achieve your specific goal- it could be strengthening your body or be able to do a split, or relief yourself from the daily stress, or cure any ailment; but also dive deeper with your awareness and breath to the subtler levels of the body, experiencing bliss and deep relaxation. \\n\\nI invite you to take that first step, the first step to an adhering journey of self-love and discovery, just like the younger me did, because that one decision that you are too afraid to make could be the very thing that sets you free in the best possible way!As for me, I still believe in magic, my only question is, Do you? \\n","html":"<p>Ikigai        生き甲斐   </p><p></p><p>/Ick-ee-guy/ </p><p></p><p>Noun</p><p></p><p>A Japanese concept that means &quot;a reason for being&quot; or “a reason to jump out of bed every morning”. The word refers to having a direction or purpose in life, that which makes one&#39;s life worthwhile, and towards which an individual takes spontaneous and willing actions giving them satisfaction and a sense of meaning to life.</p><p></p><p>Source: Google</p><p></p><p>They say, if you follow your Ikigai everyday passionately enough, you can live up to 100 yrs.!</p><p></p><p>Now, I can’t really vouch for this fact but I am all set to find out, haha!</p><p></p><p>If the title of the blog wasn’t a hint enough, this story is about my journey with yoga and its countless wonders in a quest to find my own Ikigai. Yoga, for me, is an expression of self-love and a conscious pursuit of letting go of the materialistic sense of reality in order to become ‘one’ with the universe. Asanas and pranayama are simply a medium.</p><p></p><p>I was introduced to yoga back in high school. It was a warm summer and school was closed when my uncle from Brazil visited us. Growing up I used to drown myself into books and stories of adventure, travel and magic. They eventually became a part of me and a dream took birth, a facile dream to travel and seek. Back to the summer, my uncle had returned to India after 5 years, having travelled the entire Latin America and most of Europe. His stories and experiences with culture, people and the almighty were my window to the vast world out there. He sensed my excitement and interest immediately and told me about the ancient treasure of India, Yoga. His anecdotes included sadhanas, siddhis (superpowers) and great yogis. I was really intrigued and went on to dig deeper into the subject. I couldn’t wait for school to get over so I can learn from experienced yoga masters.</p><p></p><p>One and a half year later, I enrolled myself for 200Hrs Certificate course in hatha yoga in one of the oldest Ashrams in India, Kaivalyadhama ashram in Lonavala. And that changed my life. A month before I was supposed to leave for the course, a got a serious lower back spasm due to a jerky forward bend. Weeks of physiotherapy later, doctors told me to forbid myself from bending forward for my entire life. My whole dream shattered in front of my eyes and I didn’t know what to do. I closed my eyes and promised to myself that I would go anyway. The first couple of days in the ashram felt very natural and beautiful but I was still worried about my spasm. However, just 3 days of slow hatha yoga practise were enough for my spasm to go and voila! I could bend forward again. That day I realised the importance of correct alignment and transitioning in asanas. My yoga guru taught us the principles and philosophies of various schools of yoga, which confused me to no extent. He said, “Yoga is the Equanimity of mind” meaning the worldly actions shouldn’t affect our mental state, it should always be neutral and balanced. I realised how yoga transforms our body on all levels, be it physical, mental or spiritual. The 17-year-old me wanted to learn more and more, there was no end to my questions. </p><p></p><p>All these experiences became even more vivid when my guru took our first ever <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signUp\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signUp\">yoga session</a>. I found myself immersing in the deeper values of asanas and getting lost in the unknown cosmos during savasana. I let out a serene smile as I opened my eyes back to reality, for I had found my purpose. The course ended and I stepped into my graduation course. I studied business administration and specialized in Marketing from a well-known college in Pune. Amidst all the classes, deadlines, assignments and chaos, the morning yoga practise in the community garden was my tranquil abode. One such day, a couple of ladies interrupted my practise to ask me if I would teach them. Until that moment, I never intended to teach yoga but there I was, sheepishly nodding to them.</p><p></p><p>The group of two increased to 7 and then to 13 people, all of them eagerly waited for me, every alternate morning to teach them yoga. I also started volunteering at International yoga day workshops, assisting my colleagues in their studios and taking drop-in sessions at the community garden. I traveled for a couple of months across various states of India and Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands, soaking myself in awe- worthy experiences such as scuba diving, trekking and bungee jumping, meanwhile gathering more and more experiences with my <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/\">yoga practice</a>. This went on for a while until I decided to explore different styles of yoga and signed up for an advanced 300hrs TTC in Ashtanga yoga. I readily imbibed all the knowledge and styles taught in the yoga school in Mysore, Bangalore.</p><p></p><p>I still didn’t think of taking up yoga as a career, I just wanted to learn more. I sat for placements in college and the next thing I know, I was working as a business development executive in a start-up company. My practise became irregular and teaching completely stopped. Six months after working, I was completely burned out. I wasn’t feeling like myself at all and somewhere in the hustle I had forgotten my dream. I read a beautiful quote out there, which said, “Everyone in life has a dream, to give them up is to give up on life itself”</p><p></p><p>I realised that working in corporates is not what I want to do in my life, it didn’t make me happy. Thanks to my lucky stars, I knew exactly what would. It was Yoga, learning and practising while I began teaching as a private instructor in my hometown. I was dreadful to take my first session; I had no experience in professional teaching. That’s the thing about ‘Firsts’, it is so hard to start- until you start. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world. </p><p></p><p>Almost a year later, here I am, still seeking the wonders that await me, still learning about the intricacies of my yoga practise every day, still finding what more can a simple breath do, still teaching yoga with a warm heart, extending a hand to you:) </p><p></p><p>In my yoga session, I like to help you not only achieve your specific goal- it could be strengthening your body or be able to do a split, or relief yourself from the daily stress, or cure any ailment; but also dive deeper with your awareness and breath to the subtler levels of the body, experiencing bliss and deep relaxation. </p><p></p><p>I invite you to take that first step, the first step to an adhering journey of self-love and discovery, just like the younger me did, because that one decision that you are too afraid to make could be the very thing that sets you free in the best possible way!As for me, I still believe in magic, my only question is, Do you? </p><p></p>"},"category":["myYogaTeacher"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"recommendations_group_class":null}