Yoga Can Help Minimize Health Issues – Yoga Expert Preeti Acharya

If fitness is your passion, it can be an alternative career as well! In India, there is uncertainty among youths to choose physical education, sports, and fitness as a career option as they are not sure if they can attain that desired result & success. In our interview section, we have interacted with renowned Yoga Trainer Preeti Acharya, who demonstrates a perfect example that Yoga can be an alternative career opportunity as well.

Born in Bihar and brought up in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, she calls herself a proud Bihari. Preeti completed her Masters in Computer Applications from Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi and took up a job in IT Company. After serving this industry for 7 years, she quit this industry 3 years back to pursue her passion to teach Yoga. Following are some interesting conversation with Preeti Acharya.

Editor: What made you choose Yoga?

Ms. Preeti: I started practicing yoga at a very early age (I think I was 13 then). When I was in the IT sector, there was a drive to reduce headcount. Although my job was safe, it opened my mind to think of an alternative career. I then realized that I have considerable experience in Yoga practice and I should give it a shot at teaching. I decided to undergo teacher training. Once I started teaching, staying away from the same was impossible. After teaching for 1.5 years part-time, I quit my job to take it full-time.

Editor: What is the form of Yoga you teach and how it differs from other schools?

Ms. Preeti: I practice and teach Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. It is a style of yoga as exercise created by K. Pattabhi Jois during the 20th century often promoted as a modern-day form of classical Indian yoga. The style is hot and energetic, synchronizing breath with movements. The individual poses are linked by the following movements. This is how it makes a sequence of poses to be performed in a sequential manner. There are six series like this.

Editor: What are some of your favorite places where you’ve done yoga?

Ms. Preeti: Any close room with just sufficient ventilation is good. As I mentioned earlier, one needs a lot of internal heat and energy to perform the whole practice. Hence I prefer indoor than outdoor places. I would like to mention that there is no better feeling than the feeling I get after practicing with my teacher in Goa.

Editor: Can you tell us which health issues can be minimized or cured by Yoga?

Ms. Preeti: There is a very famous quote by Guru Iyengar which is my favorite as well - “ Yoga teaches to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.”

I truly believe that yoga can cure everything, if not, at least it can help minimize the issue.

Editor: What are some of your favorite yoga poses and what is their relevance?

Ms. Preeti: - Upvaishta Konasana: It is a deep forward fold which also involves a bit of hip-opening. It helps lengthen spine and hamstrings, work on the digestion system. This also helps the mind to calm.

- Shirsasana: It is my most favorite inversion. I am so addicted that it feels more normal than upside right.
It helps with good blood circulation in the brain. It is also called “King of the asana”.

- Urdhwa Dhanurasana: I have a kind of love-hate relation with backbends. This asana helps strengthen legs, arms, shoulders; helps in spine flexibility; massages abdominal muscles and helps reduce fats.

- Adhomukha Vrukshasana (handstand):
It is a dream posture which I am working towards.

The list goes on.... all the arm balances are my favorite too. They help by boosting arms and upper body strength.

Editor: What is your advice to Yoga enthusiasts who wants to practice and teach Yoga? How do they start?

Ms. Preeti: To start, find a good teacher who you connect with. Nothing (I mean it - no YouTube video or app or anything else) can even get close to what your teacher does to your practice.
Then, self-practice. Guru Pattabhi Jois said, “Yoga is 1% theory, 99% practice”. Until and unless you have explored the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual journey yourself in an asana, it’s impossible to guide others on the same journey.

Editor: What is your long term goal?

Ms. Preeti: My long term goal is to become aware and awake - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually and help people in their journey toward awareness and mindfulness.