Women's Health Wednesday - How Geeta Vallecha Empowers Women to Be Their Best Selves Through Yoga

“Yoga literally strengthens the mind and body, and a key benefit is profound self-acceptance, which some women especially need.” Today’s woman dreamer, Geeta Vallecha, shares her journey in switching from the corporate world to the practice of yoga. She shares her advice to beginners on how to embrace the practice in their daily lives and some of her favorite positions (like twisting and back bending). Geeta truly reminds us of the real purpose and meaning behind yoga, stating, “My dream is that yoga reaches everyone without losing its real purpose: self-inquiry, balance in life and the pursuit of equality, happiness and oneness, besides health and fitness.” Enjoy her story and tips below!

1)  Tell us your story. What inspired your personal journey with yoga? Secondly, what inspired you to want to teach yoga to others?  

Growing up in India, I had exposure to yoga and ayurveda as a holistic way of life. Folks around me practiced Sanatana Dharma and I was introduced to pranayama (breathwork) and dhyana (meditation) during my teenage years. Later, I started my journey with shallow goals such as finding fitness through asana (yoga poses). Little did I know that I was embarking on a journey that would give me a renewed sense of identity, connected deeply within myself. Asanas are very helpful, but there is deeper meaning to yoga: union of mind, body and soul. I found that meaning by combining internal and external practices.  

There are many ways to fill our cups, one way is by sharing what you love, be it food or experiences. Sharing is an act of love that forms deeper meaningful connections with others and with oneself. To me, it is equivalent to offering flowers to God when worshiping. I chose to offer my practice to people as a form of reverence.  

2)    What are some good positions for beginners to learn? What is the best time of day to do yoga? 

The best time for yoga is early in the morning, so one can establish and operate from a tranquil state of mind throughout the day. If morning is not possible, then anytime is better than not practicing at all. 

For beginners, it is more important to start gently and learn the fundamentals of overall practice including awareness of breath and actions within poses. This will help develop mind-body awareness, proper alignment and a distinction between (healthy) discomfort and (troublesome) pain. 

3)    Do you have a favorite position, or type of yoga?  

I am not attached to any single pose (any more), but I do enjoy the twisting and backward-bending family of poses. I do lean towards stronger practices. I also enjoy stillness and movement equally, so sitting comfortably in a meditative pose is equally enjoyable. 

 I have practiced a variety of asana practices from Ashtanga, Iyengar, shivananda, power yoga etc. and I like them all. All yoga practices have few things in common: they strengthen and purify the nervous system and quiet the mind, so it doesn’t matter what style is chosen for practice. One should choose a style that suits them and they are able to commit to and sustain. 

The formula that works for me is asana practice, followed by pranayama and dhyana. All of this is incomplete without studying ancient texts on yoga and self-contemplation.

4)    How do you define women empowerment, and how do you seek to empower other women through yoga?  

A woman is empowered when she accepts all parts of herself and does things that line up with her values, and becomes an equal partner in decision-making for the society. 

Through practice, yoga literally strengthens the mind and body, and a key benefit is profound self-acceptance, which some women especially need. As I have deepened my practice, not only have I experienced the benefits, but I have inspired others to achieve better physical and mental states. I hope to inspire women and everyone around me by introducing this deeply empowering practice. 

5) As the platform for women dreamers, what is your next big dream?   

My dream is that yoga reaches everyone without losing its real purpose: self-inquiry, balance in life and the pursuit of equality, happiness and oneness, besides health and fitness. 

Various upheavals in the world—violence, segregation, and discrimination—could be resolved (at least in part) if everyone practiced the key principles of Yoga. For example, sage Patanjali's yoga sutras offers concrete steps on how to behave outwardly (in the world) by providing ethics rules, personal discipline along with motivation to follow these rules. Sutras also provide clear guidelines on introspection for inner growth. Centuries old Indian philosophical texts teach valuable concepts such as self-acceptance, healthy boundaries, right action and creation of harmonious society while celebrating differences. 

This dream can come true if yoga is offered as a holistic approach and not just actions performed on the mat.  My hope and dream is that everyone who practices yoga is also interested in the philosophy and roots of yoga, and not just asana practice, which is primarily physical. I am working towards this dream by continuously learning, so I can offer authentic information and curate courses that educate yoga-students about inner practices that are equally strengthening as external practices, therefore creating a superior (overall) yoga experience.

I hope by advocating true yoga principles, we also address: cultural appropriation and superficial training in yoga.  

Bio: Geeta Vallecha MS, 500 RYT is immersed in the discipline and practice of yoga. After successfully working in the corporate world for a decade she chose to teach yoga for personal satisfaction. She grew up in India, with exposure to yoga and ayurvedaas a holistic way of life and began teaching yoga since 2011. Geeta uses detailed and precise instructions to guide towards proper alignment for a safe yoga practice. She also offers focused workshops on philosophy, pranayama, meditation and kriya yoga. To elevate the quality of overall yoga experience, she weaves in wisdom from several classical texts like Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, Bhagwad Geeta, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, etc. As an ardent yoga student, she is committed to education of (ancient) texts and (modern) science, such as anatomy and physiology. She currently teaches online classes athttps://www.YogaWithGeeta.com.