Your heart beats higher with? Chanting, singing, dancing and of course asanas, random acts of kindness, spiritual conversations, being around the people I love.
You love to Take walks in nature, dance, sing, go to the temple and of course yoga!
Which 3 people fascinate you? Guruji Iyengar of course!
Pandit Birju Maharaj, who is a Kathak dance legend. He comes from generations of Kathak dancers and still dances at the age of 80. Dr. Vasant Lad
What character traits do you love about them? I love their devotion to their subjects of study. For Guruji, it was yoga, Pandit Birju Maharaj, it's kathak dance, and for Dr. Lad it's Ayurveda. I also love their discipline and dedication to what they taught/teach, but also their dedication to their family. Guruji's fierce nature in the yoga hall, but his gentle nature outside of it. Pandit Birju Maharaj's grace and delicacy in dancing complex pieces. Dr. Lad's love, universal love for everything and everyone.
What are your basic, most important values? Faith, truth, compassion
Where are you from? I was born and raised in the US, but I am of Indian origin. My family is from the state of Maharashtra, India.
Do you speak Sanskrit? Ah nooo, I wish I could though! Currently, I am learning how to chant in Sanskrit.
When did Yoga come into your life? Yoga came into my life at the end of Master's program. My mom introduced me to it because I was very stressed about passing my thesis defense.
How has yoga changed your life? Yoga has given me my home. When I first started going to classes, it felt like a homecoming. I felt that I had found my place and purpose in life. Yoga has made me think, reflect on my actions and on the way I look at and treat other people. Yoga has made me more self-confident and sturdy. Yoga has made me realize there is a higher purpose to this life. Yoga has given me everything in my life- my health, wealth, happiness. I think there is a interdependent relationship with the force that is YOG and I have found that what you give into YOG you will get back. YOG has always supported me.
What do you like the most about yoga? I like the internalization that yoga gives. I like the depths that one can touch within through asanas and through pranayama. I like the quietude and contentment I feel after practicing. I like the way that everything looks more radiant after practicing, that colors appear in more vibrantly than before. I like how yoga connects me to a deeper realm when I pray. In Marathi, we have a saying, "atma shanta zhala", which means the soul has becomes quiet. This is what I like the most.
Where do you teach yoga? I teach at my yoga studio, Sadhanaa Yoga in New York.
Did yoga change the life of your students? Yes! It's so amazing to watch students transform over time. Not only in their asanas but also in the way they behave. And also, for their health.
I have a student who had very low blood pressure when she started coming to me. After several months of her dedication to come to class and try to practice at home she told me her doctor told her, her blood pressure was now normal! I have another student who had very bad back pain, where it was difficult for her to do much, but she trusted the yoga and we did back pain sequences for her and now her back pain is gone. I have another younger woman who had come to me with crippling back pain. She was in her early 20s and had given up hope of riding roller coasters and horseback riding. After several months of coming regularly to private classes, her back pain eased up and she has become devoted to yoga and even did a yoga teacher training. I have another student who started with me when I took over my studio, and she was very needy and unsure of herself. After 5 years of coming to my studio, I have watched her develop her self-confidence and also more stability in her asanas.
What do you like about Omuah? I love Omuah because of it's commitment to ethically sourced textiles and the love and care that goes into each item. When I received my shorts, they felt happy and they are so soft!
Do you visit us someday in Barcelona? God willing, I hope to visit one day!
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