The Yoga Advantage Maximize your Performance through Mind & Body Fitness!

The UN International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights forthrightly instates that it is the right of everyone to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.”  UN SDG – 3 reinforces the idea of good health and well-being for all. The UN goal of “Good Health and Wellbeing” promotes healthy lifestyles, preventive measures, and modern, efficient healthcare for individuals.  With people around the world boldly speaking about their mental states and normalizing the taboo around mental health, prioritizing mental well-being has become a topic of grave discussion and research. Yoga, embedded in the Indian tradition and culture, is one such practice that allows for greater mental, spiritual and physical well-being by unifying the mind with the body and soul. Celebrating our traditional inheritance,
Yoga, MOSAIC engaged in a candid conversation with Ratika Khandelwal, at Rooted India, who is a Yoga Practitioner and Corporate Yoga Counsellor.

MOSAIC: Experts say the rise of AI (artificial intelligence) will make most people better off over the next decade but have also raised concerns about how advances
in AI will affect humans and increase their mental stress. Ways in which Yoga can help one enhance mind fitness to deal with the dynamic, technology-driven times?
We know stress is for real, a fact that cannot be ignored. Yoga not only works on your physical well-being but also works on your mental well-being. Practices like meditation,
mindfulness, journaling, and conducting offline yoga sessions are the best ways in which Yoga can help people maintain good mental health. In Yoga, we divide our bodies into five layers; physical intelligence, energy intelligence, emotional intelligence, mental intelligence, and ultimate reality. It is how and why Yoga mines into these layers that aids our mind and body to recover.

MOSAIC: A high population of youth globally is into gym and weight training. Youth is also subject to a lot of stress, anxiety even depression some triggered by the highly competitive environment with constant pressure to cope with studies, performance, growth, and a demanding lifestyle. How can the practice of Yoga be encouraged among the Youth? Any Yoga trends that appeal to youth? I feel the Gym, as a concept is more decorative and popularised. Thus, if we promote Yoga practices
or trends in Yoga emerging today like Hot Yoga, Bikram Yoga, Power Yoga, and Aerial Yoga, these trends may appeal to the youth greatly, spark their curiosity, and excite their interest towards traditional Yoga practices. While I am more inclined towards traditional yoga practices. Having studied Yoga as a philosophy, I know what Yoga stands for, and dio session and a Yoga session, Hot Yoga or Power Yoga. It is the same thing. But then we also can’t deny the role of these I feel
these new Western concepts, trends in spreading awareness among people on health and Yoga. These modern trends are playing a good role in harnessing and bringing the right kind of attention and attraction towards Yoga.

MOSAIC: The average corporate hustler is time-tied, stuck in traffic, or stretched office meetings, tough targets, and deliveries. How would you propose a quick yoga routine to our average hustler, and what Yoga routine would you suggest for them, one that can be convenient for them to adhere to? In my corporate workshops, I often motivate people to try Chair Surya Namaskar regularly, a Yoga practice that involves moving basic joints of the body. This simple Asana can help avoid cervical issues, lower back pain, neck pain, etc. Spot jogging, brisk walking, cycling, and running are some exercises that can be followed to maintain good heart health. Incorporate Asanas that cater to your spine like the cat-cow pose. Asanas or poses that involve lying down on the stomach (Pro & Position Asanas), like Bhujangasana and Dhanurasana can be followed. Also, Asanas which involve lying on their back can be done like Setu Bandhasana and Pawanmuktasana. In a seated position, they can do Asanas like the Vakrasana, Ushtra Asana, Forward pull, etc. Simple poses that cater to their spinal movements, lateral or forward bending essentially lateral bending and backward bending must be focussed on.
With respect to breathing, walking breathing is a very good exercise. A few rounds of walk breathing while travelling to work, can be practiced.

MOSAIC: You believe Fitness or Wellbeing Counselors will be the future job positions in the corporate world for a fatigued, burned-out employee to seek consultation for a quick health fix? Yes, I completely agree with this because currently, we see professionals across health, nutritionists and counsellors hired by many companies. Today, as we are seeing a rise in mental disorders, stress, anxiety levels, surge in cases of depression, it has become essential especially for people in the corporate sector to inculcate Yoga as a practice in their lives. With the rise in awareness of Yoga, I am positive that it may soon turn into a job opportunity where each corporate space has a dedicated yoga studio or a counsellor.