Author and director Tahira Kashyap dives deep into the importance of yoga and shares how it brought a transformative change in her. As the world observes International Yoga Day today, Tahira took to her social media handle to share a few sneak peeks of her practising the fitness form. She accompanied the glimpses by writing, “Ashthanga Yoga, new found love. I resisted yoga my entire life only to embrace it now. It’s transformational, spiritual, physical and emotional.”
At times when lives are fast-paced, we find ourselves under the impression of missing out on something. But, Tahira’s messages are crucial reminders to stay calm and go with the flow. Becoming a yoga fan now, Tahira shares, “So, very honestly, I was never a yoga fan, always resisted. All throughout my life, I never took to it, and whenever I did also, it was not with a sense of calm and learning. I have always had other forms of fitness, whether it was weight training, HIIT, cross training, running, jogging, and sprinting. But then, life is all about learning, and now, since about a month or two, I have taken to Ashtanga Yoga. And this time round, I know this is for good, as there is so much to it which I never understood before, like the breath work. And it’s exhausting, I really thought that yoga is for beginners and it doesn't burn enough calories.”
She further shares how yoga has changed the way she looks at exercise.“I'm slowly becoming a yoga fan. And it's something which has changed my way of looking at fitness. It has changed the way I look at exercise, which is not just like a physical workout, but there is sort of a balance that you want to achieve between your mental state and your physical state. And somehow, with yoga, you try to balance it all out, and there's a sort of synchronicity which you feel. And yes, I think I'm here to learn yoga for the rest of my life,” she adds.
While speaking about being attracted to yoga, Tahira also shares her most important takeaway. “You should always look for a mentor in yoga. I think it's very important to have someone teach you, someone who knows better. I am also learning under some guidance, and I really wish for everyone to have mentors in their lives. And I think that's the most important takeaway for me. This is something I want to share with other people also, rely on someone who has done it better, who has years of experience, instead of doing the poses yourself. My intention is to practice daily, but with travel or work, at times it becomes four to five times a week,” she says.
Over the time, Tahira Kashyap has found a sense of calm in yoga. Sharing the transformation brought to her life by Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, Tahira says, “Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism has always been a part of my life, and I think it will always continue to be so. It's really transformed the way I looked at life. Like I said in my earlier answer, it's very important to have mentors in life or someone to learn from. At least, that's my philosophy. I think life is to learn, and the more you learn, the more you still want to learn. So, the idea is to keep learning and keep evolving as a human being for the rest of your life.”
In the never-ending chaos of work and life, Tahira Kashyap shows how to step back, relax, rejuvenate, and get back at it again! Her perspective towards yoga serves as an inspiration for beginners who are looking forward to transform their lives through fitness and introspection.