Yoga has a special place and importance for me especially in my journey towards entrepreneurship and Life Coaching. I started to witness the benefits and impact of yoga after less than three months of regular practice.
A brief definition of Yoga
Yoga is essentially a spiritual discipline based on an extremely subtle science, which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. Yoga is a way of life and is derived from the word “Yuj” in Sanskrit, meaning ‘to unite’ the mind, body and spirit. It is important to understand that Yoga does not only consist of Yoga postures but also consists of breathing practices, meditation and yogic philosophies which make up the eight limbs of Yoga.
I adopt Hatha Yoga in my practice, and as an entrepreneur, yoga has and is continuously helping me in various aspects in both my life and my business, including:
1. Enhance Mental Clarity and Focus
Regular yoga practice improves mental clarity and focus, which are crucial for making sound decisions. Simple breathing exercises such as slow and controlled breathing are known to calm the mind. Breathing exercises (pranayama) help us to control our state of mind through our breath. It is said that when our breath is out of balance, our mind, emotions and physical body go out of balance too. By practicing breathing exercises, we can regain that balance. In doing so, we have more clarity and better focus, especially when we need to make important decisions in our business.
2. Improved Creativity
By practising breathing exercises and meditation, we are able to enter a state of awareness where new business ideas can emerge. Hence, yoga helps to promote creativity and innovation and helps us to think outside the box and see new perspectives. By decluttering our mind, we make space for new ideas and creative thoughts to blossom. Meditation is also known to increase the gray matter in our brain. The gray matter or cerebral cortex is important for reasoning and critical thinking. Critical thinking sharpens those ideas, ensuring they are logical and actionable hence, creating a holistic approach to problem solving, helping us to tackle challenges with flexibility and precision.
3. Stress and Anxiety Reduction
Running our own business can be stressful and can have ups and downs. Yoga postures, meditation, and breathing exercises help us to manage our stress and decrease the risk of feeling overwhelmed which can lead to burnout. Yoga postures help us release the tension in our body. Meditation is known to activate our parasympathetic nervous system, which is our rest and digest mode. We can have hundreds of problems but when we practice breathwork and meditation, my personal observation is that we are able to detach our inner self from our problems which become external situations to be dealt with but not who we are. We are no longer defined by our problems. Moreover, when we practice meditation, we are able to witness our thoughts as an observer of our mind. This, in turn, brings self-awareness, which propels us in the NOW.
4. Enhanced Physical Health
Being an entrepreneur requires us to maintain good physical health, which is achieved by practising yoga. By practising yoga postures regularly, we reduce body stiffness, improve our posture, and enhance our strength, balance and flexibility. Furthermore, yoga helps to lower risks of diseases such as heart diseases by lowering blood pressure and improve blood circulation. When we practice breathwork, we enhance the capacity of our lungs and improve our respiratory function. Yoga lowers the risk of diseases related to our lifestyle often associated with long working hours or sedentary work. Additionally, yoga promotes better sleep, increased energy levels, and aids in weight management. Yoga can also help manage chronic pain conditions like back pain, arthritis, and headaches.
5. Develops Resilience and Patience
As an entrepreneur, it is important to maintain consistency in our business while also being patient. Yoga teaches us about discipline and the importance of our daily yoga practice. Thus, we are better equipped to manage challenges and deal with ups and downs in our business. Yoga also promotes emotional regulation, enhancing our capacity to deal with people with empathy. In doing so, we are able to enhance our emotional intelligence. Yoga teaches us the importance of being ethical which is a fundamental part of leading our business.
How to Incorporate Yoga?
- Start by practicing 10-15 minutes of daily yoga.
- Ensure that breathing exercises, yoga postures and meditation are included in your practice to achieve the complete benefit of the practice.
- Join a yoga studio like NIRVANA.
My Conclusion
Yoga is the best thing that ever happened to me and I am deeply grateful that Yoga found me as I continue in my entrepreneurial journey. My aim is to share what I have learned in Yoga with other people so that they also experience the blissfullness of Yoga. Millions of people across the globe have benefited by the practice of Yoga which has been passed on by eminent Yoga masters from ancient times to modern times. I believe that Yoga will continue to touch the lives of many people and contribute to a more conscious and healthy way of living on our planet.
Yashna Veera, Life Coach and Yoga & Meditation Practitioner
NIRVANA 
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