Yoga for a better life!

Sanjana Taneja Dixit started practising yoga casually has now become a top-notch yoga trainer in Hyderabad.

Yoga helped her to cope with depression and she wanted to share the benefits of yoga to the masses and she quit a lucrative job in an MNC to spread the health benefits of yoga.

The young trainer was present at the launch of Louis Unisex Salon and Spa; on the sidelines of the event she shared about her journey towards healthy living.

Excerpts from an interview

Why did you choose to become a yoga instructor?

I was preparing for my Chartered Accountant (CA) exams and was unable to clear my final stage; it was getting me very depressed. At that time, I was working with an audit firm and I was good at my work.

However, as I was not clearing the exams, I felt like I was not able to fit into the shell. I started doing yoga and meditation, which helped me a lot and gradually I happened to come out of my depression and anxiety.

When I started looking at the change yoga has brought in me; I wanted to share the benefits with others. I started training under the aegis of guru Saraswati Vasudevan for a year.

In the meantime, I did my SAP consultancy course in finance and also got an offer to work with an MNC.

However, I did not take that job started instructing yoga to people. Later, I joined ISB and I am teaching all the professors there for three years.

How was your experience of training people?

When you can give something to someone it gives you a lot of satisfaction. In a corporate job, I am just sitting on the computer, but when I teach it gives me immense joy.

All the prenatal mothers send me messages saying we have done yoga during our pregnancy and your yoga has helped us deliver better.

When you give someone something and they appreciate it that is what gives me the satisfaction of that I am doing.

How do you destress prenatal mothers?

I give them simple practices. I teach them labour breathing, birth positions so that it would be easy for them to deliver the baby. The state of mind that they come in is very exciting.

They are anxious and fearful. We also have sessions where we talk about their problems and through breathing and meditation, we try to calm her.

Your state of mind changes through these practices which helps you to face the situation.

Any tips that you could share?

I would say breathe, focus on your breath, observe your breath and you will find magic.

Just close your left nostril and take a few deep breaths once you're done close your right nostril and take a deep breath. So, your left side is connected to the moon and your right side is connected to the sun.

A person will only breathe one nostril at a time and not through both. When you're breathing through the right nostril your connected to the sun and you get angry, your active and your mental capabilities are not high.

When you are connected to the left side you're connected to the moon, you may be lazy, but you will be mentally sharp.

Now you will have different situations in life, where you want to work but you are feeling lazy at that time start breathing through the right nostril.

Inculcate those qualities and your life will see the change automatically.

What is the secret of your beauty?

I will give credits to yoga. Doing kapalbati every day makes me look and feel fresh.

Health tips for working women.

Take care of yourself, before it is too late to start practising yoga. I have noticed that only when people get health issues, they seek help.

Before you get to that stage take care of your health and take time to nourish yourself and when you can do that you will be able to handle everything else.

It is not a difficult task, just pick up your mats and start doing yoga.