Shraddha Gupta - Yoga Gives People an Opportunity to Completely Be There in Themselves (Yoga Instructor)

I myself discovered Yoga when I was working in a corporate job. Sitting for long hours had started causing pain in my hips and spine. Yoga not only helped me in alleviating the pain, but it also decreased the heaviness that I felt in my eyes and head from staring at the screen all day. 

1. How do you think one can use yoga as a way to regulate one's emotions?

We are surrounded by noise. Noise from the phone, noise from traffic, noise from our own conflicting thoughts. Our mind, being as powerful as it is, filters out as much noise as it can. What it can't filter tends to seep inside and cause disturbances. 

At this point, there is more tendency to feel overwhelmed and stressed than usual as the mind is not completely at peace. If this goes uncorrected, the restlessness will keep growing and the energy will keep declining. 

Practicing Yoga - asana, pranayama, meditation activates the parasympathetic nervous system that helps the person to be relaxed and peaceful. This calm enables him/her to deal with a variety of situations and not get overwhelmed by them.


2. How do you think yoga can help people in corporates?

I myself discovered Yoga when I was working in a corporate job. Sitting for long hours had started causing pain in my hips and spine. Yoga not only helped me in alleviating the pain, but it also decreased the heaviness that I felt in my eyes and head from staring at the screen all day. 

Add to that, my energy levels were much better than what they used to be. From my own experience and from the feedback of many corporate employees who did sessions with me, I can claim that Yoga is vital for them. To maintain posture, to maintain health- both physical and mental, to deal with work-related pressure and challenges without getting anxious.


3. How can yoga help children?

At their age, children are generally very flexible. If they start practicing Yoga and continue it, they will be able to retain this flexibility and agility long into their adulthood. 

When young people come to the mat, it in stills a sense of stability and commitment in them. This is directly related to their ability to learn and focus. As difficult as it is to get children to do Yoga, it is much more rewarding.


4. How can one maintain a healthy lifestyle with Yoga?

Yoga gives people an opportunity to completely be there in themselves, a peaceful moment when they don't have to worry about anything. Much like in deep sleep, except we are conscious and experiencing this deep bliss with full awareness. 

When someone embraces Yoga keeping this in mind, they are very committed to the practice and don't do it as a cure but as a lifestyle. With regular practice, they get conscious of their posture, refrain from activities that are detrimental to health and are able to achieve mental peace.


5. How do you include yoga in your daily life ?

I practice an hour and a half everyday. I let my energy decide what time I want to practice or what kind of Yoga I want to practice. Sometimes it's an intense morning Ashtanga session, sometimes it's healing breathwork in the evening. 

Since I spend quite some time working on my laptop, I make sure to stretch my spine and do eye exercises. Aside from that, I practice Gyan Mudra, Pran Mudra and Vayu Mudra everyday.


6. What is one piece of advice you would like to give someone who wishes to practice yoga?

When you are a beginner, make sure you practice with a teacher. And then, listen fifty percent to the teacher, fifty percent to your body.


7. Which is your favourite book and why?

I love reading classics like Pride & Prejudice and Little Women over and over again. I love how these beautiful writers take you way back in time and every word is still so relevant.

- Interviewed by - Christina Monachan