#KetchupTalks: Renowned Yoga Instructor Paloma Gangopadhyay talks about the benefits of Yoga

Check out all that Paloma Gangopadhyay had to share about the importance of Yoga and building a career by helping people improve their lifestyle.

Yoga is part of India’s age-old tradition and culture. It is one of the most ancient forms of exercise that has been followed and adopted as a way of life around the world. Yoga is in itself is a representation of Indian Vedas that have helped humans across the globe improve their lifestyle. Yoga instructor and meditation expert Paloma Gangopadhyay is one true believer and promoter of this ancient form of living. A successful lifestyle coach, Paloma has been she has been a trainer for Mercedes, HDFC sales, and Mackenzie top partners as well. In the past, she has also trained Indian celebrities such as Anil Kapoor, Nikitin Dheer, and several others. We had the opportunity to chat with the internationally acclaimed Yoga instructor herself and get her insights on Yoga and how it can help people cope with the difficult times.

Here's what Paloma Gangopadhyay had to share about her life as a Yoga guru and a lot more:

During these tough times where people might experience stress. In what ways can Yoga help them deal with it?

"Yoga is a holistic healing process. Asanas and meditation calm your mind and through the chanting of the letter ‘aum ‘ you can achieve stillness of mind and feel extremely relaxed, rejuvenated, and stress-free. So, those who want to destress and feel stress-free please chant ‘aum‘ 25 times in the morning during sunrise and before sleep (tamas) 25 times."

You have been a Yoga guru and meditation expert for a long time. What made you take up this path?

"Well, I would say yoga happened to me at a very tender age. It was my calling. When I was six years old, my mother would take me to local Yoga studios every Sunday morning, to my guru. He would teach me very difficult asanas and I could do them pretty easily given I had a ‘rubber‘ spine as everyone called me. In the yoga Gurukul, I was taught extensive yoga mediation, Kriya yoga, asanas and healing. Though I was a very good academic, yoga became a very important part of my life. Whenever I would see anyone in physical pain, I would try to guide them with my Yoga knowledge. And surprisingly, a lot of them started to feel better. Then I started studying human anatomy and sciences where I could integrate yoga and meditation as a healing science. So slowly, Yoga chose me as its disciple... and I answered."

Can you shed some light on your yoga immunity series?

"During the times of COVID 19, Palomayoga, my company is working from home and we are teaching innumerable online classes in India and overseas. We are imparting a special series called the 'Immunity series' which works on boosting up your immunity level. So any person practicing it can be virus-free. The yoga series pumps up the resistance level of the body to the greatest extent so that no virus can affect the body. I have devised a magical series, so well harmonised that it works on each and every bone joints, ligaments and tendons at the same time. It works on your cardiovascular system, digestive system, circulatory system. Respiratory system, nervous system, thus making the body very strong and a powerhouse of positive energy."

How would you describe Yoga as a lifestyle?

"Yoga is an ancient science, a philosophy, and a way of living and we are yoga scientists who are imparting the knowledge of good life to humanity around. So, if you want a good healthy and long disease-free life, practice Yoga and meditation every day. Take out 20 minutes for yourself every day and set yourself up on the yoga mat and practice."

Taught a huge yoga class#guru Nanak public school #bikram hot yoga #ludhiana #excited#young kids pic.twitter.com/QhkRwNWzq7

— Paloma gangopadhyay (@PglPaloma) April 28, 2015

How encouraging do you find it when you see Yoga being adopted by people around the world?

"It is a very uplifting feeling when the yoga community grows and I see so many people started practicing Yoga. It is for the greater good of humankind. And this ancient science of healing called Yoga and meditation should be cultivated and practiced by young and old alike."

What kind of lifestyle changes can a person experience upon adopting Yoga?

"Lifestyle is a very broad framework, it is not an overnight process. It takes time from months to years. But what yoga does is to bring about a feeling of well-being. The fitness level, strength, stamina, and concentration increase manifold. The person feels happier and any kind of addiction like excessive drinking, smoking, drugs automatically takes a back seat. If an individual is mentally strong, no addiction can touch you. That’s a good lifestyle."

Also Read: The multifaceted Dr. Jagdish Chaturvedi talks about thriving during the pandemic

You have trained people from various walks of life, what would you consider a measure for success for yourself?

"Success for me is a very subjective term. I have trained many celebs, diplomats, CEOs, but there is a different sense of happiness when I see someone out of addictions when they start practicing yoga. As if they see life, a new sunrise. Recognition and glory is true success. And the respect of the Guru."

What are your thoughts on all the other variations such as power yoga, hot yoga etc?

"Yoga is a vast term. The discipline is ancient and the various types of yoga are like the various tributaries and distributaries of the Mother Ganges. So, I respect all other forms of Yoga."

What are the therapeutic benefits of Yoga on mental health?

"For mental health, Yoga is a very important way of controlling clinical depression. But more importantly, if the generation of today, starts practicing yoga as a daily activity, such situations of mental illness will not occur. S,o let’s seek prevention. Let’s look at a disease-free world. Meditation and breathing exercises are very effective ways of curbing mental stress and solve many cases of clinical depression and trauma."

You can follow Paloma Gangopadhyay and join her Yoga sessions on her official Facebook page.