Yoga Beyond the Mat: Carrying Practice into Everyday Life
THE HIDDEN COST OF SUCCESS
I write this with humility and deep reflection. I have been incredibly fortunate to work alongside extraordinary chefs in some of the world’s most prestigious restaurants and hotels. But that privilege came at a price.
The hospitality industry is not for the faint-hearted. It thrives on long hours, unrelenting perfectionism, and an almost militaristic level of discipline. At its peak, it is exhilarating. But over time, it toughens you, coats you in layers of aggression, and moulds you into something you don’t recognise. You begin to measure success not by fulfillment, but by endurance—how much pressure you can withstand, how ruthlessly efficient you can become.
I once took pride in my resilience. But one day, just before COVID, I found myself staring into space, furious over something utterly trivial. In that moment of stillness, I saw the truth: beneath the hardened exterior, I was not this person. And more importantly, I did not want to be this person anymore.
The Breaking Point: A Call to Change
Seeking guidance, I turned to someone I hadn’t seen in years—a spiritual mentor of sorts. During our session, she repeatedly interrupted herself to say, “You need to meditate.” Over and over, like an alarm bell ringing through the noise of my thoughts.
The next morning, I sat in silence for ten minutes. And I have not missed a single day since. Gradually, ten minutes became fifteen, then thirty, then an hour. Meditation changed me in ways I could not have anticipated. It was not a sudden revelation but a slow peeling away of everything that had accumulated over the last three decades.
With each session, I shed a layer. Meditation was not about silencing my mind but about uncovering who I was before the world told me who to be. It gave me space. Space to reflect, space to see clearly, space to begin again.
Yoga: The Next Evolution
Three years ago, I sought to deepen this transformation. Yoga, at first, was simply an extension of my meditation practice. I started with Yin, drawn to its stillness. Then I moved into Vinyasa, captivated by its flow. What began as an hour of physical escape became something much deeper—a rediscovery of self.
Yoga, like meditation, revealed uncomfortable truths. It was a mirror reflecting not just my body’s limitations, but my mind’s resistance. It was in the discomfort, the holding of a pose just a little longer, that I learned resilience without aggression, strength without force.
The Yamas & The Power of Non-Excess
Through my journey, I came to understand that yoga is not just a physical practice; it is a way of living. The Yamas and Niyamas, the moral and ethical guidelines of yoga, became my foundation. The principle of Brahmacharya—non-excess—was particularly transformative.
For years, I had lived in extremes: extreme stress, extreme pressure, extreme highs and lows. The hospitality industry demanded it. But yoga taught me balance. That success was not about how much I could endure, but about how well I could align my actions with my values.
I realised that every word, every action, every intention leaves an imprint. That I had spent years reacting, not reflecting. That I owed it to myself—and to those I had wronged—to take responsibility, to own my past, and to consciously create my future.
The Small Shifts That Changed Everything
The change did not happen overnight. It was not a grand epiphany but a series of small, almost imperceptible shifts.
- Instead of reacting in anger, I took a breath.
- Instead of viewing challenges as battles, I saw them as lessons.
- Instead of pushing harder, I leaned into stillness.
And over time, those shifts became profound.
Becoming a Yoga Teacher
For me, teaching yoga is not just about the physical postures. It is about carrying the wisdom of the practice into daily life. It is about resilience but also surrender. It is about discipline but also compassion.
The Bhagavad Gita teaches that yoga is a journey of selfless service, of dedicating oneself to a purpose greater than personal gain. This resonates deeply with me. I do not seek to teach for the sake of teaching but to share what has changed my life—to help others find their way back to themselves.
I do not know exactly where this path will lead me. But I do know that yoga, in whatever form it takes, will be at its centre.
The Next Steps
The first step is simple: to begin. I will register my practice and create a space where people can explore this journey for themselves. I will write letters to those I have let down—not as a plea for forgiveness, but as an acknowledgement of my own responsibility.
And I will continue to learn to peel back the layers, one meditation at a time.
A Final Thought
Life is both beautiful and brutal. It is not meant to be easy, but it is meant to shape us. Yoga does not make life less hard—it makes us more equipped to meet it with grace, strength, and equanimity.
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