It was at the end of the semester that I realized the true potential of this method of yoga to relieve stress and sharpen the mind. So, after completing my Masters, I decided to take a year off to explore and dive deep into this a bit more. During this time, I also traveled to the mountains to do some treks like the Pindari glacier and Roopkund trek, along with spending some time at an ashram.
Tell us more about yourself and your profession.
I’ve been practicing yoga since 2015. What started as a brief break from studies, during my Masters, turned out to be a lifelong journey of self-exploration for me. In the year 2015, when I got a fortnight of holidays before my last semester in college, yoga seemed like an ideal pastime that could possibly help me with the stress.
Mysore, being the Ashtanga yoga capital of the world, seemed like the ideal location and I packed my bags to the South. Though it was a short trip, the yoga I practiced in Mysore left a deep impression and inspired me to come back seeking it again the next year. It was at the end of the semester that I realized the true potential of this method of yoga to relieve stress and sharpen the mind.
So, after completing my Masters, I decided to take a year off to explore and dive deep into this a bit more. During this time, I also traveled to the mountains to do some treks like the Pindari glacier and Roopkund trek, along with spending some time at an ashram.
After spending a significant amount of time with my practice I slowly started to realize how powerful it was. Thanks to Ashtanga yoga I could see a significant change in my mental and physical well-being. The gap year never really ended and here we are. I’ve been traveling to Mysore every year since then. And I hope to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. I like to call it the yearly pilgrimage that allows me to be a student and spend some time to go within in all aspects.
What is your fitness mantra?
The only mantra I believe in is that Growth is the only constant. And I would like to add that Growth is not always linear. It could be two steps forward, one step back, a little bit of plateau sometimes, but the most important thing I've learned is that Consistency and Moderation go a long long way. It is not a quick fix and honestly, there are no shortcuts so if we just decide to show up on the mat every single day, without excuses, with consistency I promise we'll have something to take away from that in the long run.
What are some of the major misconceptions about diets and exercises?
Crash diets and crash exercise routines (if that’s a thing). Nothing happens in a day. Sure a quick cleanse is amazing. But it doesn’t work if you’re gonna fill yourself up with tons of junk after it you know. As I always say Moderation is key here. Also to keep in mind a health-oriented approach instead of going after the numbers (the inches and the kilos).
How can one maintain a healthy lifestyle with Yoga?
Yoga is all about that—not just on the outside, but also on the inside. It doesn't only work on the physical body but also on the mind. You know health is not only about what we feed our bodies but also so much about what we feed our minds. I think a disciplined yoga practice keeps all these aspects in check.
Once we start becoming aware of our bodies we also become aware of what our body needs, what our digestive system can handle, when is a good time to go to bed, when is a good time to switch off from work to limit the stress- all of these things may seem quite minute but at the end of the day these are what we have large names as health.
How can one build a successful career in your field?
I think here more than the success it's about consistency and being true to your craft. And most importantly being true to yourself and the purpose of why you do what you do.
What is one piece of advice you would like to give someone who wishes to practice yoga?
Just start. If you've been thinking about starting a yoga practice start now, there's no perfect time to do it, it's better not to procrastinate. Find a teacher and begin. Once you see what it brings to you and how it shapes, changes, and adds to your life I don't think there will be any space left for the whys and hows. it's something that needs to be experienced, you know like see it to believe it!
How do Yoga and daily exercise contribute to overall well-being and happiness?
I think by now there are enough studies and experiences to prove that movement can be medicine in many many cases. And if there weren’t enough we can add mine to the list now!
Health is what happens to our mind and body on a daily basis; it is built with every morsel of food that we eat, every movement of the body that we make.
Just moving is a mood booster and staying healthy is a real result we get from it. Something as simple as going for a walk changes our mood and contributes to our physical health. I don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t want to include in our lives for better physical and mental well-being!
Interviewed By- Yashika Khanna
Bio - Sonakshi Dhamija is an authorized level 1 Ashtanga teacher. She has been practicing yoga since 2015.
What started as a brief break from studies and assignments turned out to be a lifelong journey of self-exploration.
She trained at the Ashtanga yoga capital of the world, Mysore, and continues to visit the center every year. She focuses on yoga therapy, meditation, and Ayurveda, through classes and workshops.
She can be found training people in group or one and one classes online as well as small groups consisting of family members or spouses. She also conducts Mysore-style Ashtanga classes. A group Ashtanga Yoga class is often referred to as a Mysore class where the teacher resorts to one-on-one instructions in a group setting. Here, students practice at their own pace and to their capability while the teacher attends to each one individually and helps build a personal practice that suits the student.
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