Yoga is a global phenomenon today. Not only India but the entire world is acknowledging the benefits of Yoga and Ayurveda. As an Indian I feel blessed and proud that I am a small part of this rich Indian culture and heritage .I was a homemaker who started her Yoga Journey a long time back due to health reasons and soon Yoga became her life .Today I am going to share my journey from a homemaker to Health and Wellness Coach and why “Yoga is my lifeline”.
“Yoga connects us to our inherent sources of power and awakening brings with it empowerment”.
WHY DID YOU COME INTO THE YOGA WORLD?
From an angst teenager, to an adult with a unique solace this voyage was not easy but Yoga made the journey eventful. Not only did it pull me out from the ocean of suicidal suggestions my mind use to give me but it rather also made me a scavenger who hunts for the real essence and brighter aspects of life. The path from why I am to discovering who I am is one of the biggest boons it has given me.
I remember as a child going to my mother whenever I fell off the bicycle as I knew she could take away my pain. Today I went to yoga because I know it can do the same for me. As a mother nurtures a child’s personality yoga nurtures my soul. Yoga embraced me and provided me solace.
INCIDENTS OF MY LIFE
Incidents whether it is happy or sad can lead to various events of involuntary changes in our life. Intimidating situations of an early life led to the creation of a timid girl with insecurities, trust issues , trauma, grief and everything possibly imaginable for a shabby mental health .When I was in the lowest phase of my life ,Yoga – my savior held my hand to walk me out of this ragged physical and mental health of mine. The illumination it gave me made me understand the immense power of healing it has.
Many practice Yoga as a form of exercise. I also started with the same mindset. But with every passing day of my practice I kept discovering different aspects of Yoga. I realized that one has to live in Yoga in order to elevate one’s life. I understood the concept of NITYABHIYUKTANAM: FAITH WITH PROFOUND REVERENCE.
Life believes in surprises and you have to take the surprises in your own stride and make the most of it. Everything was going good but one fine day life…took its own course and decided to hit me again more of as a taunt by ‘gifting’ me a 13 MM Slip-Disk on 8th of July 2021. The doctor told me “It would be hard for you to practice Yoga and lead a normal life“. The accident broke my heart. I was in immense pain physically, but my years of Yoga practice helped me maintain my calm. Deep down in my heart I knew I would be able to heal myself with the help of Yoga.. The slip disc period was a blessing in disguise for me. While lying on my bed recuperating I studied and meditated a lot. This very particular period of time opened the door of one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed ‘Spirituality’. Spirituality made me realize that this was actually a way of life to make me walk on the right path.
I wanted to share my experience and wonders yoga has brought to me through social media platforms and started sharing my videos while raising my kids and taking care of my Yoga Studio. I faced an overwhelming amount of judgment from relatives and society in this journey of mine on my vision and choice of cloth. However the positivity of Yoga helps me sail my journey smoothly.
THE SETUP
One of the most highlighted objectives of Yoga is the art of simple living. These days’ social media is flooded with people practicing Yoga in expensive clothes and fancy setups. But to truly get into the essence of Yoga we need to eliminate the influence of the outer world and dwell into the deep corners of yoga and thus the simplest of the setup turns out to be the best.
MY FITNESS ROUTINE
My fitness routine is a combination of healthy eating, regular Yoga and daily meditation practice. I am an early bird. I wake up at 5 am in the morning. I pray and set my intentions for the day followed by practice of gratitude and journal writing. SukhshmaVyayama, Pranayama, Surya Namaskar and Meditation are an integral part of my Yoga routine. I practice different forms of Yoga on different days starting from Raj yoga to HathaYoga.
THE DIET
I follow a Satvic diet routine that is based on the principles of Ayurveda .I start my day with lemon or a pinch of turmeric added to warm water. After that I have overnight soaked nuts.
Breakfast consists of seasonal fruits, a bowl of vegetables combined with Chapati made of Millets like Jowar, Bajra , Ragi, or Paratha with curd or buttermilk. Lunch includes a bowl of salad with cucumber, sprouts, carrots and tomatoes, followed by any seasonal cooked vegetable along with brown rice or quinoa & one bowl of dal. Evening snacks vary from steamed vegetables like broccoli to fruit salad. I try to have my dinner by 8 PM. My dinner is usually vegetable curry with salad and chapati or Vegetable soup. I end my day with a pinch of turmeric or cinnamon added to warm milk. Avoid Sugar, refined flour and processed items as much as I can. Portion control is my advice to all the seekers of good health.
FUTURE VISION
One thing I always believed in was giving back to society. My expedition of Yoga which is everlasting has made me a version of myself who could look at herself eye to eye in the mirror with confidence. From being at the back gear of my life to being one of the most celebrated things in my life my companion Yoga has made me unwind myself for betterment. I really wish others to see the impact it had made in my life and try it too so that they can also have the essence and feel of a soul nurturing mother Yoga. I intend to achieve it through my upcoming book Yoga: Your Companion for Life.
You need to make an effort from within to experience something divine or supernatural through yoga. Adopt yoga from inside first, the outside will automatically reflect!!
PANKHURI SRIVASTAVA
Health and Wellness Coach
