#InternationalYogaDay2021: TV celebs open up about how yoga has helped them amid pandemic

From aiding them in their COVID recovery to helping them fight stress, on International Day of Yoga, celebs share how yoga healed them in different ways

Although I have not been very regular with my practice lately, yoga has certainly helped in making my body flexible. Along with yoga, meditation has helped me stay calm and focused. Meditation has also helped me to change my perspective towards many uncontrollable circumstances. It has helped me evolve spiritually and that has drastically changed the way I deal with situations.

Thanks to yoga, I have become healthier, calmer and more focused. I have also been practising meditation which has helped me in becoming more mindful. I think these two tools have played a pivotal role during my recovery from COVID-19. Due to all the breathing exercises and pranayama, my lungs were able to heal faster. I feel that had I not been practising them, it would have been a difficult road to recovery.

I have been practising yoga since my school days and always enjoyed it. For the past two years, I have become more regular with doing yoga and it has helped me to be a calmer person and always in control of myself. Breathing exercises are a pivotal part of yoga and I’ve been practising it for years now, which has helped me to stay calm and focused in every situation, including while battling COVID-19.

Yoga has helped me to build a strong body and mind connection. From weight management, healing injuries to overcoming stress, yoga has helped me achieve it all and also helped me to stay positive even amid the pandemic. During the initial phase of the lockdown, yoga and meditation helped me in controlling anxiety and emotional stress. Every day, it reminds me to slow down and take one step at a time.

Yoga has been my saviour as two years ago, I had suffered a major injury and never thought that I would be able to use the full functionality of my hands. But through constant work, determination and yoga, I’ve regained 100 per cent functionality in my right hand and more than 85 percent functionality in my left hand. I have regained my strength, my posture has become better and it has made me a calmer person. It has also ensured peace of mind, clarity of thoughts and made me more confident.

Yoga has been an integral part of my life for a very long time. Practising yoga even just for a few minutes daily relaxes and rejuvenates me. It has helped me stay fit even during erratic shooting schedules and it keeps me mentally relaxed, stress-free and focused. During the first phase of the lockdown, I was in Dehradun with my family. I made sure that everybody would do yoga with me. They have continued it and it has really made a big difference.

I was introduced to yoga during the lockdown and while I was recovering from COVID-19, my viewpoint regarding yoga changed. I feel that practising yoga really boosted my immunity and made my lungs stronger, which helped me in recovering faster. It also helped me mentally and after realizing the benefits, I have introduced my parents to yoga. It has worked out well for them too.

I had been doing yoga even before the pandemic and so, dealing with this grim situation has been comparatively easy. Not only has yoga helped me in having a leaner and a fitter body, it has also helped me to become a calmer individual. Yoga has certainly brought me closer to nature and myself. When I started out in 2009, I couldn’t do even a single asana but now, I can do it for hours and still feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

Yoga has brought many positive changes in my life. It is now a very integral part of my life and I always start my mornings with a good yoga session. It has helped me align my mind and body, making me calmer. I want to thank Brent Goble for building a stronger connection between yoga and me.

Although I have been practising yoga, it was during the pandemic that I understood how deeply it has helped me in becoming a better person. It has made me more aware and apart from helping you stay fit, it also helps you to balance your mind, body and soul while aligning your chakras. Just doing simple breathing exercises makes you mindful and grateful for everything around you. Despite all the negativity around, yoga and meditation have kept me positive.

I started practising yoga during the lockdown last year. It has helped me control my mind and body better, focus better, stay positive, and made me a calmer person. I have been learning new asanas at regular intervals. Suryanamaskar, Sukhasana and Bhujangasana are part of my daily workout routine.

For years, I have been starting my day by doing Hatha Yoga as it enhances strength, flexibility and balance. Doing yoga and meditation during the lockdown was therapeutic. I would even get on video calls with my family members to discuss and practise various breathing exercises and asanas. Yoga has certainly changed the way I introspect about things and there’s a positive change in my behaviour and how I react to various situations. I feel more in control of myself and my surroundings. While shooting for Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrat Kathayein, a few minutes of yoga and meditation keeps me focused and relaxed.

For me, doing yoga has been an integral part of my support system as it makes me feel energetic and positive. During the lockdown, it worked like therapy. With gyms and parks closed, I could practise yoga at home during any time of the day. It made me fitter, ensured a better sleep cycle and made me calmer and happier even though I was living alone.

I started practising various yoga asanas during my boarding school days and soon, it became a daily routine. Yoga has helped me to achieve peace of mind and improved my flexibility. Along with my routine workout and dance sessions, I make sure to do hot yoga regularly. The pandemic has been emotionally stressful but practising yoga daily helped me to stay sane and fit. Whenever I get some time on the sets of my show Ranju Ki Betiyaan, I do basic breathing exercises for a few minutes as it keeps me stress-free.

I have been practising yoga since my school days and still do it every day. Before going on the sets of my show Hamariwali Good News, I practise a few asanas and breathing exercises. It helps me to gauge how to perform better and not go overboard in terms of emotions and dialogue delivery. Even during the lockdown last year, yoga helped me stay calm when everything was uncertain. It helped me to focus on the positives.