Sonia Jain welcomes us with her warm smile and her cute dimples, ready to answer our questions. For those who still don’t know her, she is an excellent Yoga teacher in Mumbai city, an enthusiast dancer and an expert in the use of trapeze for yoga poses and fitness. We want to share with you her answers and insights on the Yoga topics we addressed to her:

247: What is your favourite definition of Yoga?

Sonia: I know it is a typical one but it’s the one I like the most: Yoga is the union of mind, body and spirit.

247: What is your definition of success?

Sonia: For me success is a state of mind. It is being able to tap into my inner happiness at any given point.

247: How did you come into Yoga?

Sonia: I was exposed to Yoga since a very early age thanks to my mother. So it became a part of me and a way of life.

247: One principle to become a better Yoga teacher?

Sonia: Be a good student. No matter how far you have reached, keep always learning. Listen and observe.

247: How did Yoga help you in your dancing practice?

Sonia: Yoga helped me to be more disciplined and not judgemental in my dancing practice. It made me also more aware of my body, my breath, my mind…

247: You also teach what is called yoga trapeze. Any tip to overcome the fear of inversions? And fear in general?

Sonia: Fear has many forms but one has to learn to overcome it by being curious and taking micro-steps to face your fears. And since I have always been a curious person, I try to find ways to challenge my fears. So taking small steps and gradually progressing- is what I would advice.

247: What is your favourite Yoga technique or principle?

Sonia: Being more present in my practice and allowing my breath to guide it. Breathing helps me connect with my body hence I become more aware of how I use my energy, my prana.

At that moment we ask her if she could give us an example. She graciously gets on the mat, and balancing in her arms, with a smooth breath, she softly and precisely lifts her body into a crow pose (kakasana). “Before I used to put a lot of energy where it is not needed. Now I allow my breath to guide me and tap into my inner energy”

247: What does Yoga way of life mean to you?

Sonia: It is a journey of understanding yourself. Yoga is learning to come back to yourself. It is finding your limits, expanding your boundaries, and being able to truly relax into who you are.

It’s about taking time to remember who you are, but have forgotten while being caught up in the whirlwind of our fast paced life.

One purpose for us in life is to find why we are here, find meaning. And for me that is Yoga.

247: One tip to improve your body and your mind?

Sonia: Invest in a process of dicovering and taking care of your body and mind. Be aware of your thoughts, of how you breath, of what you eat, and how you move.

247: One healthy tip about nutrition?

Sonia: Eat simple, eat “clean”, eat seasonal.

247: Thank you so much Sonia. Some words for the TwentyFourSeven community before closing?

Sonia: Keep practicing, stay humble, and have gratitude for everything in life.