The call to yoga came to me very early and as the voice of a lifetime’s transformation. The yogic way of life was invoked in me by my Guruji. At 17, an initial short period of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness was my introduction to this realm of tremendous change.
In a trance of deep surprise, I expressed a wish to stay on the yogic path, learning more about yoga, meditation and exploring the incredible discipline that having a guru had brought into my otherwise normal life.
At a young age, a spiritual transformation was no joke. New and deeper experiences had taken over my day, turning up in my consciousness, confusing at first and empowering at last.
As I was taking a step towards this new journey of yoga, my guruji encouraged me to follow some sadhanas till the age of 25. These included no intoxicants, non-violence, a vegetarian diet, honesty, and celibacy.
Stepping into the world with a broader and fuller worldview makes you more compassionate, understanding, empathetic and grateful. Interacting with the world while peeling off layers with every experience is a lesson in motion. Every day is a day to unlearn, dissolve the ego, build new relationships, heal and grow with divine timing and guidance.
Spending every day in a whirlwind of emotions and realisations, helped me understand the integral and pivotal power that yoga held in my life. Insights about situations, people and what could have been confusing, with meditation and mindfulness was the picture of clarity.
When my family and the world saw that I was maturing and growing into bigger shoes, I was offered the opportunity to join my father in the family business. What many would have assumed was the sure shot success formula, but I refused to do so, something told me not to.
Being on a disciplined yogic path had taught me to trust my own intuition and speak my truth. The need to share with others the transformation that I had experienced was what drove me to announce that I was starting my own venture!
The mission to change the world with yoga started with the magnitude of my own small but unique experience. The realisation that I live in India, the home of yoga, and the many misconceptions that are held by our countrymen about this ancient art form are what pushed me. The 500 million people in India under the age of 30 were initially the group I wanted to reach out to.
Today, at Sarva, our youngest member is two and the oldest is 92. Looking back to when I started the first studio, the journey seems unreal, starting my endeavours with nothing but just the blessings of my family and support of my friends. Transforming what was a godown space to Sarva, our first yoga studio!
The looming vision of uniting seven billion breaths through yoga was an image that struck me young and a visual that grows stronger and stronger in my mind. The unique forms of yoga developed by us appeal out to young and old alike, redefining and debunking myths and creating awareness, I today understand that the yogic path is a call to all, disguised in the form of betterment and the passion to transform and unify body, mind, and soul.
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