Hello, I’m Sushma Paul from Pune—a corporate leader and CEO of CompuCom India who discovered that true balance comes from blending work with passion. My journey into yoga started as a personal quest for inner harmony amidst the hustle of board meetings and corporate deadlines. Little did I know that enrolling at Swasti Yoga Center would redefine my understanding of yoga and ultimately open the door to a fulfilling career as a certified yoga trainer online. The Turning Point: A Need for Balance For years, I dedicated myself to the corporate world, striving to excel and lead with vision. Despite the success, I often felt a disconnect—a yearning for something deeper. The pressures of the boardroom made it difficult to pause and reconnect with my inner self. It was during one particularly challenging period that I decided to explore yoga, hoping it might provide a balance that my busy schedule was missing. Discovering Swasti Yoga Center When I first came across Swasti Yoga Center, I was drawn to its reputation for offering authentic, transformative yoga experiences. The center’s holistic approach promised more than just physical fitness; it was an invitation to nurture the mind, body, and soul. I enrolled in their teacher training program with the vision of integrating yoga into my life and sharing its benefits with others.   An Immersive Learning Experience The yoga protocol instructor curriculum at Swasti is aligned with the Ministry of AYUSH, ensuring an authentic and comprehensive training experience. Over the course of the program, I was thrilled by the well-arranged schedule and the diverse group of participants, which made every session engaging and full of lively interactions. Every day brought a new insight—from mastering practical asanas and breathing techniques to diving deep into the philosophy of yoga and its application in everyday life. I thoroughly enjoyed the program. The classes were a delightful blend of theory and practice, where I not only learned the technical aspects of yoga but also uncovered its deeper meaning. Under the nurturing guidance of my teachers: Dr. Vikas Chothe taught with immense knowledge, yet his humility and simplicity made every lesson accessible. Dr. Shwetambri Chothe was incredibly supportive during exam preparations and helped us grasp even the trickiest concepts with ease. Ms. Dipali Shintre went above and beyond in coordinating the sessions, always available for support and making sure we had all the information we needed—even beyond working hours. Their dedication and passion inspired me to integrate yoga into my busy life and confidently transition into teaching online. From Corporate Boardroom to Virtual Yoga Studio One of the most unexpected and gratifying outcomes of my journey was the realization that my corporate skills—leadership, organization, and effective communication—were perfectly suited for teaching yoga. With the solid foundation and confidence built during the training at Swasti, I began offering virtual yoga classes. The online platform allowed me to reach a global audience while still managing my responsibilities as a CEO. The virtual classes at Swasti are designed to be highly engaging, ensuring that every participant, regardless of their background, feels connected and supported. Whether you’re joining from your living room or on the go, the inclusive and interactive approach makes you feel like you’re part of a close-knit community. A Corporate Leader Turned Yoga Trainer One of the most unexpected yet rewarding outcomes of my journey was realizing that my corporate skills—leadership, discipline, and effective communication—could beautifully complement my passion for yoga. As I immersed myself in the training, I began sharing what I learned through online classes. The digital platform allowed me to connect with a global audience, making yoga accessible to people from all walks of life. Balancing the demands of my CEO role with the flexibility of online yoga teaching, I discovered a fulfilling synergy between my career and my passion. The structured yet soulful environment at Swasti Yoga Center equipped me with the confidence and expertise to transition into a certified yoga trainer—all while maintaining my corporate responsibilities. Embracing a New Chapter Today, I lead dual lives: steering a successful corporation and inspiring thousands online through my yoga sessions. The journey at Swasti not only helped me manage work-related stress but also opened up a world of opportunities where I can share the transformative power of yoga. It has taught me that when you align your work with your passion, you create a life that is both balanced and profoundly rewarding. How Swasti Yoga Center Transformed My Yoga Journey When I first set out to deepen my yoga practice, I wasn’t just looking for another training program—I wanted a place that truly embodied the spirit of yoga. Swasti Yoga Center turned out to be exactly that and so much more. From the moment I joined, I could tell this wasn’t just about learning postures. The structured curriculum, accredited by the Ministry of AYUSH, gave me a strong foundation in yoga’s philosophy, history, and practical applications. Every session felt meaningful, helping me understand yoga beyond the physical practice. Learning from Dr. Vikas and Dr. Shwetambari was an incredible experience. Their ability to simplify complex concepts while keeping the classes engaging made each lesson truly enjoyable. And the support from the entire team, especially Ms. Dipali Shintre, made sure I always felt encouraged and connected. But what truly made Swasti special was the sense of community. Whether in person or online, I found myself surrounded by like-minded individuals from all over the world, each on their own journey but united by a shared passion for yoga. Now, as I reflect on my experience, I realize Swasti Yoga Center didn’t just train me—it gave me a lifelong connection to yoga, a global community, and the confidence to share this knowledge with others. Final Thoughts My journey from a busy corporate life to becoming a certified yoga trainer online has been a profound experience—one that has enriched every aspect of my life. Swasti Yoga Center not only provided me with the technical skills of yoga but also instilled in

Abhinivesh, one of the many causes of suffering, is a concept we can relate to through our daily experiences. It refers to the fear of death or the strong desire to cling to life, even when it may not be fulfilling. Why do we fear death when we are alive in the present moment? Consider how a baby instinctively stops at the edge of a table while crawling. Could this fear of falling stem from past experiences with death? Perhaps it’s a memory imprinted in our subconscious. We often playfully talk about our loved ones being reborn. My grandmother adored my brother immensely, even in her final days referring to him as her own son. Her attachment was profound. When our niece was born (my brother’s daughter), we all felt as though Grandma had returned with her😌 मेरी दादी, भाची के रूप में वापस आ गई भाई के पास. Could it be that we’ve lived multiple lives before, forming strong attachments to our identities and bodies? We can better understand this through our past riding experiences. Even if you haven’t ridden a scooter in a long time, you can still ride today with minimal practice. Is it because of practice or past experience? Muscle memory ? Absolutely. That’s precisely what I’m trying to convey. Yoga teaches us to silence the mind and attain liberation. Yet, attachment to material possessions, relationships, or even our own egos can hinder our progress. Living a fearless life undoubtedly requires fearlessness, particularly regarding death. However, achieving this state is challenging. Maharshi Patanjali’s Yoga sutra “Swaraswahi Vidushopi Tatha Rudho Abhinivesh” says that even knowledgeable/wise individuals can be strongly attached to their existence or identity. This means, Understanding yoga principles alone may not be enough for liberation, as people can still be tied to their identity even if they grasp them intellectually. In simpler terms, even highly intelligent individuals, like CEOs who can distinguish between flattery and honesty among their colleagues, may still prioritise bolstering their ego. I am taking the liberty to define Abhinivesh simply as “fear”. In today’s world, despite medical advancements and trust in modern medicine so much so that a diabetic person freely eats sugary food items. Life expectancy has doubled since independence. Then what do we really fear? What are we afraid of? – Are we afraid of how we’re perceived? Feeling the need to conform to certain appearances because of our roles, like dressing a certain way as a school principal or speaking a certain way as a yoga instructor? – Do we fear change? Sticking to our current job because it’s familiar, even if we yearn for something different, simply because it’s comfortable? Is not this fear of change, keeping us stuck in familiar but unfulfilling routines? Trust me I have seen as well experienced this. – Do we fear societal expectations? Whether it’s owning high-end cars or wearing branded clothes? – Are we afraid of physical harm, restricting our children from play out of fear they may get hurt? – Fear of Missing Out, commonly known as FOMO, refers to the anxiety people feel when they believe they might be missing out on something exciting or interesting happening elsewhere. I read somewhere “FOMO is like being stuck in a game of musical chairs, except the music never stops and the chairs keep multiplying.” – Are we afraid of being judged? लोग क्या कहेंगे? छोटे कपडे, बहुत ज्यादा attitude, कुछ ज्यादा ही social etc. The constant worry of what others will say or think can hold us back from giving our 100% in everything we do. Managing fear isn’t enough; we must strive to overcome it. Maharshi Patanjali offers solutions tailored to the intensity of our suffering. In my next blog, I’ll delve deeper into Patanjali’s teachings on overcoming these causes of suffering. Stay tuned! Meanshile listen to Piyush Mishra’s famous song “आरम्भ है प्रचण्ड”, sharing 2 lines here मौत अन्त हैं नहीं तो मौत से भी क्यों डरे ये जाके आसमान में दहाड़ दो ! Yoga Practitioner, Preevi Jain  

It’s been a while since I am learning and practicing Yoga and I often wondered why we really need to focus not just on flexibility of the body but also on the flexibility of the mind. Flexibility means the ability to change to suit new conditions or situations. We can infer that as the ability to think about things in new or different way. When it comes to physical flexibility we can easily observe that in any sportsperson. As they have to bend their bodies in different directions as per the demand. Or in day to day life, if you can easility bend down to tie your shoe laces or pick up things from floor etc shows you are physically flexible. But where do we see flexibility of the mind and why it is important for the growth? मन एव मनष्ुयाणां कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः । बन्धाय विषयासक्तं मक्ु त्यैनिर्विषयं र्वि स्मतमृ ्॥ mana eva manuṣyāṇāṃ kāraṇaṃ bandhamokṣayoḥ । bandhāya viṣayāsaktaṃ muktyai nirviṣayaṃ smṛtam ॥ As the mind so the person. Bondage or liberation are in your own mind. If you feel bound, you are bound. If you feel liberated, you are liberated. Things outside neither bind nor liberate you; only your attitude toward them does that. Now, to understand whether we are bonded or liberated, we should be open minded. Which essentially means you must have flexibility of mind here it described as attitude. Lets talk about where we can observe flexibility of mind. For example You are a chef, and your friend told you that there is a faster and better way to cook potato. Now the immediate though could be that, I am the chef I know better. But if you have flexible mind, you would listen to your friend’s idea, you will try it and if you find it useful you will continue to use it. Say due to nature of work, you keep shifting to new places. Yes, its a tedious task. You can either be frustrated or accept this shift. By accepting, you are open to learning and experiencing new places, things and ideas. IT professional always keeps finding new ways to automate processes and also how they can save time on manual work. This way they can be more productive, can work on other projects or do some other activity like gyming/playing sport etc. When do you see that your mind is not flexible? 1. When you have set ideas – you think that your idea is the best idea. Your way of working is best. And there is no better way. 2. When you want everyone to follow you. Because you think that is best. For example, chef thinks he has the best ideas for cooking dish and hence never tried new things. 3. When you want your child to study in a certain way e.g. you think by reading 10 times he will remember stuff but not realizing that he won’t understand the applicability of it. Like doing addition in particular way, Kid might got better way to do it. 4. When you think you are following the best diet practice or 5. When you think your Yoga practice is best or 6. When you think the life goals should be what you think it should be or 7. When you think, how people must dress or 8. When you think, that your way is best way to warship or 9. When you when, your way is best way to fast or 10.When you think, people should follow a particula routine only 11.When you down upon someone without knowing their personality or achievements The list can go on. Now the problem with not having flexible mind is multifold but biggest one is that it won’t allow you to progress. If you have set mindset about everything, there is no room for change and hence no progress. Having flexible mind is not easy, sometimes you have to keep aside your ego, for example to learn from a Kid. Lets say, you are a working woman. You and your mother in law cooks a vegetable differently. Everytime she cooks, even though you like the taste you dint like the way she cooks. Now to solve this, there are only two choices 1. Either you cook all the time which seems not feasible as you are working 2. You learn to appreciate her efforts and accept that everyone wants to do work with their understanding and their own style. Imagine if someone forces you to change your style of working, will you like it and do it? Also, if there are 5 people in the house you can’t make everyone do things you want them to do. Or can satisfy 5 other people with their expectations? Now the set mindset is not limited to cooking, it can be in any field. For example, you think that, people must save for XYZ amount for future if they dont want their retirement will be difficult. But there is someone who does not want to save and want to see the world before he or she retires as that gives them happiness. None of the approach is wrong as they find pleasure in different things. A lot of times I heard people saying you must chant only this or that Mantra. Thats the best. But not everyone feels connected with what you believe in. Not everyone is seeking the same thing as you do. Some are in search of wealth, others might be in search of knowledge. No one is right or wrong. We all have freedom to do whatever we want to achieve in life. We all have something to learn from each other. Understanding that is flexibility. Preevi Yoga Practitioner, Student at Swasti Yoga Center