Yoga helps you
stay healthy and fit. Being a gift of India’s ancient tradition, the celebration of
International Day of Yoga originates from our country after Prime Minister
Narendra Modi suggested it at the United Nations General Assembly.
Since its inception in 2015, yoga teachers value this day. Many
offices, schools and yoga practitioners have their groups practising yoga for
others to learn and include in their lifestyle. This year’s theme focuses on
‘Yoga for heart’.
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As the world observes this day, in Goa, Deep Breathe Yoga Studio
is celebrating International Day of Yoga grandly and has organised free
beginner sessions from 9 am to 6 pm. While these sessions will help people
learn about yoga and different forms of it, from 6 pm to 7 pm there will be a
108 Suryanamaskaras session by the students of the studio. The motto behind
this initiative is to have a day where people will come together for a good
cause and celebrate yoga with the world. After all, it’s a special treasured
day for all Indians that has become a part of the whole wide world.
“We’ll be doing 108 sun salutations to be true to the day,”
claims Shimagne Rajan, the Yoga teacher at Deep Breath Yoga Studio. She
acknowledges the importance of Yoga and hence has prepared the free session.
Shimagne has been practising yoga since 2011. Soon then she got so deeply
involved in yoga that it motivated her to get yoga teacher training
certification. Today, as a Yoga instructor, Shimagne believes that this
knowledge needs to be passed down through every practitioner. “I would love to
give back to society through my yoga practice and teaching,” she says.
Going down memory lane, she remembers her father practising yoga
when she was a child. “I have seen him do the Sirshasana i.e. headstand and
Padmasana i.e. Lotus pose. Watching him inspired me to believe that one day I
would also be able to practise the same way,” she shares.
According to her,
Yoga makes one feel great; it increases a sense of awareness, clarity and
stability as well as balance. In today’s world, when everything is stressful,
15 minutes of yoga can change everything. “It is the benefactor for your
health, mind, body and soul; and that is everything to live for,” she
expresses.
Many of Shimangne’s
students have improved their health after joining Yoga classes. “I had back
pain issues and the only solution to that was yoga. It helped me immensely to
get rid of my back pain, helped me lose weight although I wasn’t trying to and
also kept me calm,” reveals Prutha Pai, a yoga student at Deep Breathe Yoga
Studio.
Prutha has seen her
body become more flexible and stronger every day, while also improving her
mental faculties. “Being a working mother, I need my sanity, which I get from
practising yoga. I don’t think I’ll ever stop practising yoga” she says.
The traditions of
yoga have been passed on through generations in order to maintain strength of
mind, body and spirit. It is necessary for yoga to be a part of people’s lives.
If not the rest at least this is one cure to all sickness, be it physical or
mental. Many people practising yoga have uncovered how it has helped them
improve in various ways. Some people have recovered from heavy breakdowns,
breakups, low self esteem, stress and fatigue.
Likewise, Vanessa Almeida was introduced to yoga as a child in
school as a part of physical activity. “I fell in love with it,” she admits.
“The kind of calm and relaxation I enjoy with yoga can’t be found at any gym
for me. It’s changed how I look and feel in just such a short span of time,”
she says.
