Yoga, undoubtedly, is an amazing practice for a person’s overall well being. And for the unaware, every year, 21st of June is celebrated as International Yoga day. So, on this occasion, we caught up with 59-year-old Yoga Guru Poonam Chadha. She’s the founder of Missing Peace- her own classes at New Rajendra Place.
Poonam teaches how to simply love yourself and how to try to find peace within. In an exclusive interview, she talked to us about yoga, meditation and why it is important for us to practice it.
Talking about Yoga specifically, can you tell us how does Yoga help in a person’s overall well being?
Yoga is not just about the body. Just the practice of asana affects the physical, mental and emotional levels positively. Yogacharya BKS Iyengar taught us how the postures with chest expansion help fight depression and low emotions. Certain postures involving forward bends calm down an agitated/anxious mind to help think right and empower intuition. So yoga definitely works on the overall well being of an individual.
Yoga and meditation have always been linked together. Can you share some knowledge on what is meditation and how does it help the mental well being of a person?
At a beginner’s level, meditation can be understood as a thoughtless state of mind. A state of mind is free of thoughts of the past and future. We are always either thinking about the past of worrying about the future. A meditative state of mind is a mind which is completely in the present moment. Recall the time when you do something you like and are totally involved in it. For example, in cooking, or gardening or watching a movie/favorite show; spending time with a loved one, those moments you don’t think of anything else, those moments you are light, happy energetic. Mediation is at least a thousand times multiplied. Since meditation keeps the mind off past anger and future worry, reached to live fully in the present moment effortlessly-it positively impacts the mental well being of an individual as emotions like anger, anxiety, etc are the causes of mental tension.
That’s true. A lot of people say how they are unable to meditate and how their mind keeps running different thoughts. Can you share some beginners tips for meditation?
Well yes, as soon as one will sit for meditation with eyes closed, the mind remembers laundry or boiling the milk or sending that office email, etc. The first step is to commit that for next 10 or 15 minutes I am not going to get up, I will sit no matter what. Hereafter, let the thoughts be, don’t resist the thoughts. Let them pass by, like Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, both good and bad thoughts, let them pass by and continue to hold your attention towards your breath.
However, if you really want to experience meditation it cannot happen without food, sleep, and lifestyle changes. Like it’s is said in Bhagavad Gita, moderation is the key- appropriate food, sleep and physical activity-neither over not under-it should be optimal, that mind experiences meditation. It will be difficult to experience meditation of one is overindulged in food or eats too little. Likewise for sleep and physical activity also.
We’ve heard how there are different types of meditations. Can you tell us about that?
Yes, there are many schools of yoga. Since we as individuals are different, the Rishis gave us several different techniques so we click with at least one and endure the path. Follow one to the fullest. Once you begin your journey you will know which path is yours. Yoga is a perfect connection to life’s challenges which are taught through this practice.
Oh okay! Can people use different types of meditation & yoga for different problems in their lives? For example relationship issues or work stress?
It is better to follow one school of yoga. Don’t worry about the genuineness of the school. Most of the schools are honorable. In case you fear that a particular technique or school is not for you, you will be off that sooner or later and yet will continue your journey on the path. There is nothing right or wrong with a path or you, it’s just about what is meant for you. Have faith in the universal consciousness for this. A sincere learner will always get a teacher who is best for him/her. But don’t go for spiritual shopping. Dig the well in the only place to find the water. Don’t waste time and effort digging several places. Any path will cater to all your problems. Stick to the path.
Can Yoga & meditation help with physical diseases and pains as well?
Yes absolutely, the practice of yoga energizes the flow of prana in the body and open up the blockages to relieve pain and suffering. Imagine a pipeline with clogged garbage, then the water can’t flow, right? Yoga makes the prana flow in the nerves and limbs of the body that that garbage is pushed out opening the blockages and relieving pain. The garbage as toxins is released out of the system through exhalations and excretion.
In such a hectic & fast-paced life, what meditation tips, yoga postures would you recommend on a daily basis?
Yoga is all about listening to a small voice inside which each of us has its own connection. The noise, the race outside has dulled that voice and each one needs to sit and rediscover that voice and it can be done only through yoga. You can see the anxiety in today’s kids. I would suggest the basic asanas for the beginners which you should start implementing in your daily life.
Lastly, breathing is also a huge part of meditation. What breathing exercises would you recommend on a daily basis?
Last of all life is all about inhalation and exhalation. Breathe in right and exhale out toxins. Yoga is a perfect connection to life’s challenges which are taught through this practice.
