International yoga instructor Adriene Mishler hosts the YouTube channel Yoga With Adriene, an online community of over 11 million subscribers, which provides high quality practices on yoga and mindfulness at no cost, to support and inspire people of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds across the globe.
“I don’t think of yoga as fitness but of course as a path or practice that influences all of my activity, including fitness. I think it is about asking yourself, “What do I need today?” And then being willing to listen and respond,” she says.
In an interview with
ETPanacheMishler who recently tied up with adidas’ campaign Yoga Make Space, talks all about what fitness means to her and how she keeps her body and mind in good health.
just move:
I love to move. If I don’t move on a daily basis, I don’t feel like myself. I love to walk, to jog, and to run. I try to get on my mat every day whether it is for a contemplative flow, or a more heat building routine with friends. I enjoy paddle boarding, pilates, dance, and above all – hiking in nature.
Pandemic pause:
† Back to recommendation stories
In the pandemic, my workload and opportunities to show up through my offerings online (and on the ground in my hometown even) turned up to one hundred. While many of my friends and family had more time to themselves to experiment, I felt a lot of my personal time dwindle and I worked many hours showing up to talk, to teach, lead yoga, or assist in holding space for others. I also, as many did, stayed plugged in to the moment as a social responsibility. I am emerging from such a time feeling the need to dive back into my own practice, and to make space for my own mental, emotional, and physical health.
Power of three:
My top three activities would be yoga practice, running, and hiking. I am enjoying pilates these days as well as the reformer and I am learning tennis. I want to try pickleball.
food for thought:
My friends tease me that I always have snacks, and it’s true. I can’t go anywhere without a banana and or some nuts. I enjoy eating colorfully to keep sharp and present. I also love sharing meals over long conversations with others.
mind matters:
When it comes to keeping my mind sharp: I pray. I walk. I connect with friends. I challenge myself to learn new things, for example I am learning Spanish and am in a NeuroScience course. I give thanks. I love to read, a lot. I am getting back to journaling after a strange hiatus, and I love to play music, all kinds, including healing chants and mantras in the morning.
deep dive:
We are shifting towards an era of focusing on what looks good, to what feels good, and we all know why. It is indeed time to refocus and take a deeper dive into the ways in which we can better care for our mental health. I think a lot of it will involve making our understanding of our nervous system and the brain more accessible. I am here for it.
Self-Control, Discipline & Other Lessons Of Raj Yoga For Corporate Life
The Royal Union
While hatha yoga focuses more on asanas, raj yoga makes yoga (union of mind and body) a lifestyle goal. Through its eightfold path it claims the advancement of lives. While not all the paths can be followed by those living a family life with 9-to-5 jobs, there are some tenets of this yoga which can make your work experience a fulfilling one. Here they are:
Self Control
Under Yama – one of the eight paths that an individual has to follow while doing raj yoga – is self-control. While in the case of yogis it means knowing to control their desires and impulses, for those who have corporate jobs and are walking on the path of raj yoga it means to shift focus from an autopilot mode and making more conscious decisions, not giving into instant gratification, keeping longer goals in perspective while making work decisions, and knowing when to not give into their worst impulses.
The Path Of Non-Violence
Yama, in layman’s terms means yogic duties. One of the yogic duties that raj yoga prescribes is that of non-violence. For those corporates practicing this form of yoga, this duty has a significant meaning. In our work environment while physical violence would mean a lawsuit and termination, we often inflict mental and emotional abuse on those with whom we work. There are bosses who are bullies and yellers, and co-workers who are toxic. If you are a follower of raj yoga and always walk the path of non-violence, you can never be one of those people.
The Unwavering Discipline
Any corporate boss will tell you that you have no future if you have no self-discipline. But, if you are a practitioner of raj yoga you will already have iron-clad discipline and a love of simple but rigid structures that help you be more productive. Discipline elevates you from the ranks of ordinary. It is one of the most fundamental tenant (niyama) of raj yoga.
Self-Study or Svadhyaya
Self-study is another rule of raj yoga, that if followed in corporate life, can reap astonishing benefits. No matter how high up you go on the corporate ladder it is important to keep educating yourself, and gathering knowledge, even if it doesn’t always pertain to your work. All knowledge accumulated together give strength to our intuitions and perception of the world, and can truly be our guide in this ever evolving world of technology and new media.
