I love this stotra about the importance of teachers.
Admittedly when I started yoga I had a healthy mistrust of the entire ‘guru’ culture. I associated it with blind faith, pointless rituals and baseless beliefs. This perception influenced me for a very long time.
It took me years to find my teacher. Even when I found him I actively made it a point to reiterate, “He’s my teacher, not my guru.” Today I don’t even know what that mea
ns!
The running group.
Just got back from Hyderabad this morning. I stayed with my sister and did my second Go 
Heritage Run. Spending time with the super fit sis is always amazing. She’s an enthusiastic member of the Hyderabad Runners (they actually helped in organizing the run). Since it’s difficult to find time to run daily, I try and get a run in 2-3 times a week and try to do
between 5-7 km. I’ve already waxed eloquent about the GHR initiative in this video. If you’re a runner, and want to run longer and better, consider adding yoga to your routine a couple of times a week.
A few of you might remember the vlog I did on Bikram yoga a couple of years ago. My 
sister actually goes for Bikram yoga a few times a month and while there I decided to give the style another go. I honestly didn’t think I would make it through the class. The first time I attended a Bikram yoga class, I lay down after the third asana and told the teacher that I would like to leave . This time I got through the class without collapsing, throwing up or passing out! We were famished post class and went to The Waffle House to stuff ourselves with many glorious waffles.
I’ve been to Hyderabad several times ever since my sister moved there, and this time I wanted to explore it a bit more. We had dinner at the Taj Falaknuma. It was just the kind of experience I enjoy – a tour of the historical palace and sumptuous dinner afterwards. Taking a cue from a few students, I also dragged my sister for the ‘Dialogues in the Dark’ experience. I asked a couple of my friends in Bangalore if they’d like to join me for the experience and their initial reaction was similar to mine – a loud and emphatic NO. But I recommend the experience, if only to show support for the cause it represents. Video coming up later this week about that experience.
Post run @ the Taramati Baradari
All in all, my four days in Hyderabad were amazing. I didn’t have to miss my workouts, hung out with my sister, met a few members of the Hyderabad Runners, watched a couple of movies (The Mummy & Bounce) and focused on tweaking this site a bit more. Back to daily practice and teaching and weekend runs.
On another note, tomorrow is the summer solstice, which also happens to be World Yoga Day. Every day is yoga day for me, but it’s nice that the longest day of the year is also the one to commemorate yoga.
“And suddenly you know…It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings.”
Life is continuously changing, evolving and growing. And if you’re a yoga practitioner who is also an entrepreneur then change truly is the only constant. To be honest, I’m not very comfortable with the term ‘entrepreneur’ because I see myself only as a practitioner and a teacher. I don’t consider myself a part of the energetic and pulsating Bangalore start-up/entrepreneur scene. Teaching yoga came organically to me, as it has to many who decided to make it their life’s work…but who also have to pay the rent. The philosophy and practice of yoga is ancient, mystical and vast. I would need lifetimes of study before I can bring in innovation which can be turned into a business opportunity. However, I do realize that I have been able to make a significant contribution to the lives of many individuals who have trusted me and have had faith in me to guide them through their own journeys towards holistic health.
In our closely connected world, it was inevitable that word about my work would get out and many people separated geographically from me would evince an interest in working with me to give direction to their practice. With that came the conceptualization and later the implementation of The Yoga Practice. The process unfolded at its own pace. Today this online module is a combination of what my students need and the best way for me to provide it to them.
Seeing my work and perhaps identifying with it, an old friend decided to come on board and help me structure and organize my work. Once I recognized the need and accepted the help, the floodgates opened. Mentors appeared with helpful guidance, supporters came in droves, constructive advice started pouring in…and the result is greater clarity and sharper focus.
For many years I have been designing and leading workshops and retreats, conducting group and private classes, helping people far away through online sessions, making videos etc…and now we are organizing all of these under one roof so that the message has more impact. Most importantly, our work is accessible to everyone everywhere who wants to improve their quality of life.
This website is all of my work under one roof. Here you can read my blogs, access my YouTube videos, take a look at my upcoming classes & events, see what others are saying about my work and even send me a few lines! As we get busy planning our activities for the rest of the year, we hope you will subscribe to our blog and share it with your friends too.
I sincerely hope our work adds meaning to your life.