Twenty-one day sādhanā challenge

The worldwide lockdown due to COVI-19 has resulted in an unexpected benefit – cleaner air, clearer skies, and marked decreases in pollution levels. The Ganga is visibly cleaner, so are the canals of Venice. Delhi’s notorious air quality has seen remarkable improvement. There have been sightings of wildlife on the streets of Chandigarh, reduced vehicular…

I got a lot of requests to write more on the 8-fold path of yoga – that some refer to as Ashtanga Yoga or Raja Yoga. I know that it gets a bit confusing at times – after all , there are so many terminologies and variations – ashtanga, raja, bhakti, karma, kriya, gyana –…

We are but a sum total of the choices we make. Life is all about choices. From the food we eat, to the clothes we wear, to bigger decisions such as the career we choose, to where we live, even our life partners. It is said that we humans are the only beings on the…

What is yoga? I had written about this earlier, but as my own journey progresses, I find some more answers on the way. Here are some of them. What is Yoga? This seemingly simple question is quite difficult to answer actually. Answers differ – it depends on who is asking the question, and who is…

“Watch your thoughts, they become words;watch your words, they become actions;watch your actions, they become habits;watch your habits, they become character;watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” This quote is a favourite of many Instagrammers and finds its way to many WhatsApp message inboxes in a ‘good morning’ wrapping. It has been attributed to…

Did you know that most of the time, you breathe through one nostril only? Yes, this is true. Try it for yourself. Hold your palm below your left nostril and breathe normally…now hold it below your right nostril. You will find that one nostril dominates the other. Repeat this exercise after around 2 hours. You…

Have you noticed that we tend to remember bad experiences more than good ones? Think of the past few days. Try and recall all the good experiences that you had – can be a good meal, or a great conversation, or a wonderful book that you read…attempt to recall as much as you can about…

Mindfulness. A new mantra in the West, but a concept ingrained in all Eastern traditions, mindfulness is the new yoga. There are books been written on mindfulness, seminars and convocations conducted, and larger corporates are warming up to the fact that mindfulness does make a difference to employee happiness and more importantly(in their eyes), productivity….

We are a society obsessed with productivity. From managers in offices, to parents at home, everyone speaks about not wasting time, being more efficient, filling up every minute with something to do. Every appraisal contains a detailed discussion on KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that try to measure how productive an employee was, and outlines steps…

Two snippets of thought caught my attention in the past couple of days. One, from Sridhar Vembu, tech billionaire and founder and CEO of Zoho, and the second from Kangana Ranaut, three time National Awards winning actor and arguably among the most talented artists in India. Two personalities from diverse backgrounds, but very similar in…

A lot of people seem lost right now. Being confined to their homes is not something that they had factored into their schedules, and so it is quite uncharted territory. From sending in instagram videos of them performing daily chores like sweeping and cleaning, to ‘workout-from-home’ videos, people seem to be struggling to prove that…

It has been a week of sādhanā. When I look back at it, I feel that there is a lot more that could have been done, and done better. But I also know that I am on the right track, so what if I am a few steps behind? We need to celebrate our small…

Why is it that we think of a retreat, of going away from it all, we always tend to go closer to nature? I am fortunate enough to live in a community that is very close to nature. We have low-rise buildings, larger terraces, trees all over and abundant green spaces. I wake up with…

Have you decided to be positive about the lockdown yet? Have you tried to set a small goal, and made up your mind about achieving it? I hope you did. Coz we all are going to need a lot of self-motivation, to get through what may be ahead of us.  Locking down a hyper-connected world…

And so it has been announced. a 21-day lockdown. Unprecedented in India, and anywhere else in the world. Reactions have varied, from support for the move, to criticism, to despair. After all, we are a generation that has largely seen growth and prosperity for most of our lives. Living conditions have arguably been more better…

Breathing is such an underrated process, isn’t it? I start my day by practicing to breathe. Ancient seers gave it an apt name – prānāyāma. What is prānāyāma? Some call it the science of breathing. Others give it more definition by classifying categories of breathing – Ujjayi, bhastrika, anulom-vilom, nadi shodhana prānāyāma. The Bhagavad Gita…

Sometimes, you find some answers in the unlikeliest of places. I did too, while having a conversation with a colleague today. So how is my Sādhanā shaping up? Frankly, I can do better. The morning was spent in getting essentials from the grocery, to stock up for a few, given that the UAE has started…

I witnessed something amazing today – a billion people came together to celebrate humanity. Janta Curfew – how does that work? A clarion call by the Prime Minister – rather, a request to all Indians to observe a self-imposed curfew today, and another request as well – to stand at balconies, terraces, doors and windows…

And so it rained in Dubai. Not just rained – this was a hailstorm. If you have lived in this part of the world, you would know that rain alone is a rarity (well, off late, not so much). And so temperatures dropped, the weather calmed down, all conducive for a good night’s sleep. Only…

It’s been a productive first day. While Saturday is usually a weekend here in the UAE, I do tend to work on strategic tasks, and set the tone for the upcoming week. Added to the mix today was the sense of purpose – to identify some long-standing habits, be aware of them, and attempt course…

Being at home for an extended period of time usually gets us into vacation mode. This time, it’s different. Circumstances are not pleasant, and the immediate future doesn’t look very bright. Being self-quarantined means less or no access to some of the basics that form our routine – the neighbourhood gym, your favourite coffee hangout,…