FOR Sangeeta Kumar, yoga plays an important part in her everyday life.
The married mother of three has been practising yoga for about 10 years.
Sangeeta, who enjoys teaching yoga at the Indian High Commission, said if it was practised every morning, yoga could help keep a person calm and peaceful throughout the day.
“Yoga has made me who I am today,” said Sangeeta, as she is normally called.
Today, Sangeeta is an internationally qualified yoga teacher after graduating from Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana University in June last year.
According to the National Health Service UK website, “yoga is an ancient form of exercise that focuses on strength, flexibility and breathing to boost physical and mental wellbeing”.
She said each yoga pose had special benefits for various internal body parts and also the mind and spirit.
“Practising yoga will lead you to a sense of peace and wellbeing. It will give you a new perspective on life,” she added.
Sangeeta said when planning to practise yoga early morning, one should have an empty stomach to ensure the best results.
But if you’re practising yoga before sunset, then one should eat three hours before going to a yoga class.
Sangeeta said yoga had no age limit nor was it only for one particular gender.
In her class at the Indian High Commission, she has both women and men from ages 18-70 years attending the sessions.
Rita Anthony, a yoga student, said yoga had given her the ability to “keep calm and look into things about myself that I did not like and had initially wanted to change”.
To practise yoga, nothing but an open mind is needed. It helps an individual unite with his or her body and mind.
* Chandra Fisi’iahi is an attachee with The Sunday Times.
