AsiaSpa

M

y experience with
yoga is a story of
inner transformation.
I was born with low
immunity and my
body invited diseases often. After three
years of my constantly falling ill, my
mother introduced me to yoga. She
would send me – a three-year-old – to a
yoga school along with regular school.
Thanks to that, my health improved,
but I turned into a hyperactive child
who could never sit still.
I used to love spending time with
my grandfather, who would teach me
to close my eyes and sit in one place,
though I found it difficult to do so
initially. At that time, I couldn’t fathom
the depth of what he was trying to
teach me. Much later, when I was eight,
I came across an amazing teacher who
made yoga more interesting for me.
He shared ancient stories about how
the postures originated, and why it was
so important to learn to watch one’s
mind. I was mesmerised! The lessons
my grandfather had taught me soon
started to make sense. I could now sit
for long hours of meditation, and the
hyperactivity soon melted away.
As I grew older, no matter what
I did, yoga was with me at every
step of the way. I started conducting
workshops in college, and the strength
and knowledge that I gained from
the practice, helped me tackle real life
situations better. I felt fit, mentally and
physically, and it took me to a
new level of awakening. I realised
that the deeper one goes into their
yoga practice, the more effortless the
journey becomes.
Eventually, I became a full-time
trainer and started conducting classes

Yoga professional and wellness consultant Varuna Shunglu reveals

how yoga transformed her life, physically and spiritually

THE JOURNEY WITHIN

around the world; it has been such a

rewarding journey. Monotony only

sets in when one is stagnant, but to

read, laugh, experience and live in the

moment has taught me lessons that can

never be taught in a classroom.

I believe understanding yoga as a

practice and lifestyle is very important

as it brings about a rare balance of

inner and outer beauty, transforming

you into a person who is truly ‘united’

with the self.

S

SOUL SEARCHING

58 asiaSpa India March-April 2016