Yoga comes in many shapes and forms. This International yoga Day, we spoke to yoga practitioners from diverse backgrounds to find out more about the various yoga disciplines around the world.

Anshuka Parwani is a celebrity Holistic Health & Yoga Expert and Founder of Anshuka Yoga. She has worked with actors like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, and Rakulpreet Singh, guiding them through the practice of yoga in real and reel life. We sat down with her to find out more about how she got into practising and subsequently teaching yoga, and how it has impacted her life in big and small ways.

When did you start your journey with yoga and how did it change your outlook towards life?

Anshuka Parwani: I started my journey with yoga when I was little because my mother used to be a yoga teacher. However, I took to the practice more passionately after a near fatal accident left me bedridden. Yoga came to me as magic—it was an extension of physiotherapy for me and everything about it was healing and magical.

What made you want to take up yoga professionally?

Anshuka Parwani: When I saw all the changes yoga brought to me—emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually—I knew I wanted to share the magic of the practice with others.

What are some unique physical and mental health benefits of practising yoga and breath work?

Anshuka Parwani: For one, yoga is definitely a more internal practice than any other practice out there. The connection of mind and body makes everything more efficient; makes you tune in; makes you get so much more than mindless movement; helps you to tap into the parasympathetic nervous system which triggers the calm reflex in your body, which in turn balances your hormone levels, thereby enabling your organs to function at the optimum level. So, it’s a domino effect—one good thing leads to another good thing.

What are some myths associated with yoga and breath work?

Anshuka Parwani: “Yoga is just for women.” Not true. Yoga is for everybody—literally everyone with a body. “Yoga is for the flexible.” Not true, it’s for everybody. More than being flexible in the body, yoga focuses on the flexibility of the mind. “Breath work is boring and doesn’t bring results.” Mindful breathing with the right intention can do wonders for your body. It accelerates and balances all your happy hormones.

Can you suggest 3 breathing exercises people can do to battle anxiety and stress?

Anshuka Parwani: I’m not sure if you can battle anxiety and stress but breath work can definitely manage its symptoms. One of the things I’d like to talk about is Sama Vritti or equal breath, where you inhale for three seconds and exhale for three seconds and keep increasing the duration. Next is Kumbhaka or breath retention, where you inhale for three seconds, hold your breath for three seconds, and then exhale for three seconds. And the last one I like is the physiological sigh, or double inhalation and single exhalation with a sigh.

What is your wellness mantra?

Anshuka Parwani: My wellness mantra is to keep it balanced, whether it’s your movement, food, thoughts, or actions. And always keep it bendy!