I Interviewed A Certified Yoga Instructor | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

I Interviewed A Certified Yoga Instructor, And It's Truly A Practice For Everyone

Chatting with my friend and newly-certified yoga instructor, Jaaie Varshney.

680
I Interviewed A Certified Yoga Instructor, And It's Truly A Practice For Everyone
Jaaie Varshney

The practice of yoga first originated in ancient India thousands of years ago and has a significant and deep history of spirituality and tradition. Through colonization and other events, the ideas of yoga made their way through the Western world in the 19th century and are still widely practiced (in some form or another) all over the world. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview one of my friends, Jaaie Varshney, who became a certified yoga instructor earlier this month, about the practice of yoga.

How long have you been practicing yoga? What inspired you to become a certified instructor? 

I've been doing it off and on since high school. I really loved the way it made me feel and the fact that it was really into my culture, but I had just never found the time to become an instructor before quarantine because it's a 200-hour commitment. For example, we had to spend at least 20 hours learning anatomy so that if someone comes into your class and has an injury you know how to accommodate them. We also focused a lot on meditation and spirituality, which I really appreciated, and we learned about all the asanas (yoga poses).

What are the internal and external benefits of practicing yoga? 

A lot of people see yoga as a form of working out but it's actually so much more than that. Internally, especially with meditation, it helps verify your goals, it improves your relationships with other people and it helps with measuring and assessing your emotions. And then there are external benefits, obviously, such as improving flexibility and becoming stronger, which is really important as well.

What is the overall purpose of yoga? What does it mean to you, personally? 

It depends. The stated goal of yoga, according to the fundamental texts from thousands of years ago was to know one's true self and to strip apart all the stories and expectations about yourself, which comes with meditation and asana practice. I think today a lot of people only see it as a form of exercise, which I don't agree with, but it's up to the individual to know how they want to use it. For me, the goal of yoga is to improve both my internal and external workings.

Do you have a favorite, or go-to, yoga flow? 

I like Vinyasa yoga a lot. It's a balance between being physically demanding but also being really calming mentally. If the flow is really intense, like power or Bikram yoga, it can take away from the mental part of it, so I enjoy doing anything that has the combination

Are there any common misconceptions about yoga? 

Yes! I could go on forever, but I think the most common one is something I alluded to earlier. Yoga is not just a workout and is not something only done by wealthy women in the west. It has deep roots in South Asian and today it's heavily culturally appropriated as many people do not acknowledge its roots. I don't want to gatekeep yoga, and I think everyone can do it of course. However, I just don't want there to be profit without understanding.

What advice would you give to someone who's just starting to practice yoga or someone who wants to try but is nervous? 

For someone who's just starting, I would tell them to not be afraid to challenge yourself. If you have the time to commit to yoga on a larger scale, then it's totally rewarding and you should do it! For someone who's nervous, there's a part of yoga called non-attachment where you let go of any expectations of what yoga is supposed to look like. For example, if you have any idea of what a handstand looks like, you should let that go. So, when you're trying to do one for the first time, it doesn't affect your process of learning. Anyone who's nervous, I think, should really try to embody that idea of non-attachment.

Report this Content
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

196525
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18623
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460692
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28214
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments