Stretch yourself with yoga

YOGA has been helping people for centuries in a variety of ways that includes improving

their mental, physical and spiritual health.

Something that started in India thousands of years ago has spread across the world and

crossed cultural divides, with countless people using the immense health benefits of the

ancient practice.

Today there are varied styles of yoga, which helps both the students and teachers.

Eastern Eye’s ancient healing expert Mita Mistry caught up with three talented yoga teachers to find out how the practice benefited them and their students.

Three teachers tell us about the ancient practice and their top tips.

Krupa Shikotra

What style of yoga do you teach?

I went to Thailand Koh Phangan to do my yoga teacher training, where I was trained in a mix of styles such as Hatha, Ashtanga and Vinyasa. Currently I teach at Hotpod Yoga in Leicester city centre, where it’s mainly a hot Vinyasa flow.

I like to incorporate all types of yoga into my practice and in my teaching style. It allows

me to be creative and tailor my classes and private one to ones to suit my students.

I don’t always have a set structure to my classes as it really depends on how mystudents and I are feeling. I prefer my classes to be spontaneous and creative.

How did you get into teaching yoga?

Yoga had always been a part of my life growing up and I never really appreciated it until

I was a bit older. For me, it was a good way to keep fit without having to go to the

gym! It also then started to help with other aspects of my life.

I am the type of person that is always on the go and has to be doing something.

Yoga has given me some peace and helped me slow down. Every class teaches me

something different or changes me slightly.

I believe I still have a long journey with yoga and never really know where it’s going

to take me, but I do know how much I need and value it in my life. I now couldn’t imagine

life without my yoga mat!

What do you love about teaching yoga?

The best thing about teaching yoga is that I really love the fact that no one person can

leave a yoga class feeling worse than when they came in. I love that each person has

their own practice and relationship with yoga.

Whether you are a beginner or an advanced student, everyone can gain something

positive, whatever your reasons are for practicing. I feel proud I can help and guide

students through their practice and be a part of it.

What is the most rewarding memory to date with your students?

I think it was when I first started teaching and was really nervous. It is a scary thing

standing up there in front of people and quite tough because throughout the class it’s

hard to gage how students are feeling or whether they are enjoying it.

I remember going through the whole class scared everyone hated it or that I was a really

bad teacher. But at the end, a lady came up to thank me and said it was exactly what she needed as she had been going through a tough time in her life and that my class really helped her!

It made me realise that each person will take something different away from a class. The more classes I teach, I get better at reading the students and their energy.

• Visit Instagram: @Krupashikotra or Krupa Shikotra Yoga Facebook for more.

Jaina Mistry-Patel

What style of yoga do you teach?

I teach Hatha yoga.

How did you get into teaching yoga?

When I was a 14, doctors told me I had scoliosis, which is curvature of the spine. The doctors were adamant to intervene with surgery, however with the help of my parents

we decided to reject that option and instead explore natural, holistic alternatives.

We visited physiotherapists to osteopaths, as well as other natural ways to manipulate the spine. In the end, I found an old yoga book in the back of my mum’s cupboard, which I started to follow. Practicing yoga by myself with the guidance of the book gave me a feeling of independence in taking care of my spine and my health overall.

What happened next?

I decided to explore a variety of classes, and this yearning to learn more led me to signing up to a teacher-training course. I had no desire to teach, but knew I wanted to learn

more about yoga. However during the course I learnt so much that I realised I couldn’t keep this all to myself. I must share it with others.

So I began to teach classes, workshops, retreats and other events. Through the journey, I went from working full-time as an interior designer to part-time until I eventually quit my job to set up my business Yoga With Jaina.

What do you love about teaching it?

Hatha yoga has helped me in so many areas of my life, physically, mentally and emotionally. I love teaching Hatha yoga because I am able to share the feeling of release

and freedom I experience from my own practice with others.

Sharing the experience with others and observing their inner-growth and development brings me great joy as well as a sense of connection. This sense of connection has taught

me that as we go through life our outer journeys may be vastly different, but our inner-emotions and feelings are very similar.

Therefore, my exploration of the inner-self has allowed me to connect and serve others in a deep and meaningful way.

What is the most rewarding memory to date with your students?

It is difficult to say what has been the most rewarding memory, as over the eight years of teaching yoga I have been blessed to have so many different and wonderful experiences

with so many students.

From teaching empowering women’s retreats in the heart of the English countryside to an idyllic Italian retreat. As well as performing yoga on stage with my students at Wembley Stadium in front of the British and Indian prime ministers.

Every memory comes together to help me learn and grow as a teacher, and as a citizen of society with a desire to share and inspire myself and others to both greater health and happiness.

• Visit www.yogawithjaina.com and Instagram, Facebook & Twitter: @yogawithjaina

Deepa Sapra

What style of yoga do you teach?

I enjoy teaching different styles of yoga such as hatha yoga, restorative yoga, vinyasa flow and chair yoga.

Teaching various styles keeps me on my toes. I enjoy creating new sequences and flows. It is my duty as a yoga therapist/instructor to give my clients/students the best of my

knowledge through my teachings.

How did you get into teaching yoga?

I took my very first yoga class in 2001 (for no rhyme or reason) at a very small Ashram in Queens, New York. The teachers were traditional looking yogis in orange attire with long hair and a beard.

They were very heavy on pranayama practice and keen on teaching the philosophy of yoga. I was absolutely fascinated by the whole practice, but the therapeutic quality of yoga swept me off my feet.

What happened next?

I knew from day one that if I pursue yoga I want to preach the therapeutic side of it and I would become a yoga therapist. I received my 200 RYT from Om Sweet Om in Port Washington, NY in 2011.

Marriage brought me over to London in 2011 and I received my yoga therapy diploma from Yoga Campus in 2015.

What do you love about teaching it?

I was and am always amazed by the transformational ability of yoga on the mind, body and soul. My classes combine my love for the benefits of yoga on the physical body with the ability to take powerful lessons off the mat and into the real world.

I love to combine breath and movement to help students flow and release tension and stress that builds up in our body due to the everyday life demands. Pairing breath and movement helps increase body awareness and encourages the busy mind to calm down.

The practice of yoga allows each different person to feel their body and breath; feel the strength and stability we forget our bodies are capable of. Self-love, a little light and/or a dash of happiness is what I hope my students experience after my class.

Remember, it’s not what brought you to the mat originally, it’s that you keep coming back.

What is the most rewarding memory to date with your students?

For my yoga therapy training, the school required three recommendations. One of the three came from Thomas M, who was my very first one-to-one yoga client in New York. He suffered a severe injury at work and ended with hardware in his spine, which needless to say compromised him in many ways.

His letter to Yoga Campus said the following.: “…dedicated and professional attitude toward her clients. She is steady and dependable and I offer her the highest degree of praise as a yoga instructor.

“If I had not met her when I did, I would not have made the gains I have in strength, mobility and quality of life. Her yoga instruction and spirituality gave me hope when I

was full of despair from constant pain and disability.

“Her dedication to holistic healing and yoga instruction when combined with her extraordinary work ethic and empathy for others in need of her care will serve you well and I am very confident you will agree with my assessment in the future.”

• Visit www.Deepa4Yoga.com and Instagram: deepayoga for more.