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.
You may recall Rebekah Sood, Founder & CEO of Atmosphere Studio, from the recent season of Shark Tank India. Apart from running her own kombucha brand, she is also a Yoga practitioner at Discover Collection Club in Delhi. She has been certified in various disciplines, including Yoga Flow, Ashtanga Vinyasa, Doula, and is currently studying Herbal Medicine. Her Yoga classes focus on a deep understanding of the connection between the mind and body, exploring ways to promote wellness and balance in her students’ lives. We had a chat with her to find out more about her Yoga journey and practice.
When did you start your journey with Yoga and how did it change your outlook towards life?
Rebekah Sood: My yoga journey started very early on, when I was still in school. I started learning Yoga from a book. Over the years, it has always been something that I come back to. I was practising Yoga for over 10 years before I decided to become a teacher. For me, Yoga has always been a great way to stay connected with my body, to maintain a certain level of calm, awareness, and flexibility.
What made you want to teach Yoga? Can you take us through the ups and downs of your teaching journey?
Rebekah Sood: I enjoyed the many benefits of practising Yoga and I wanted to be able to share those with others, which is why I started exploring becoming a Yoga teacher. Because I’m also an entrepreneur, teaching Yoga is more of a passion project for me. I became a teacher right around the time the pandemic was starting. So interestingly, my first couple of years as a yoga teacher was all online, which was challenging because you’re not able to be there physically with the person or see their practice from a 360 degree vision. So, being able to teach in person at the Discover Collection over the last year has been amazing.
What are some unique physical and mental health benefits of practising Yoga and breathwork?
Rebekah Sood: Yoga is an incredibly scientific practice that has been developed over hundreds if not thousands of years alongside Ayurveda, so there are countless benefits. Some of the basic ones are increasing your heart rate, detoxification through breathing, sweating, and movement, strength and flexibility building, improvement in mobility, and gaining a general sense of wellbeing and calm. Practising Yoga helps you be in touch with your body and so it helps to give you a break from the constant chatter that is going on in your brain. As I have gotten older, I have also started understanding the alignment of the body that comes from Yoga that then prevents you from so many other issues.
What are some myths associated with Yoga and breathwork?
Rebekah Sood: Some people believe that you have to be super spiritual to practice Yoga and breathwork and I think it’s the opposite. The people who will get the most benefit out of practising Yoga are the ones who lead the most chaotic lives.
How do you encourage your students to adopt a holistic approach to health and wellness that goes beyond physical exercise?
Rebekah Sood: Health and wellness starts in the mind. If you’re experiencing a lot of stress in your daily life, then your health is going to be affected. So, one of the most important things anyone can do for their health and wellness is to cultivate a sense of calm on a daily basis. Even if you have a really stressful lifestyle, give yourself half an hour or one hour a day when you’re not feeling stressed out. It will do wonders for your hormones, your thyroid, and your entire body.
What is your wellness mantra?
Rebekah Sood: A lot of people associate wellness with what you can’t eat or do. For me, it’s really important to focus on what you should do rather than what you shouldn’t do. Wellness to me is all about eating the right food, doing the right movement, and taking the time to think the right thoughts to be in a state of calm.
