In this week’s interview of our Rediscovering Ayurveda series, we interviewed Akshit Chawla.
Meet Akshit Chawla
A former national tennis player turned Yoga teacher; he is the founder of GeniX Yoga. Since taking up Yoga full-time in 2019, he has transformed the lives of over one thousand people through his Yogic practice and teachings.
Follow Akshit on Instagram here.
“My journey started early when I was 13. My grandmother initiated me to a practice known as Naam Japna, which I did not understand at that point, is one of the most challenging forms of meditation. Unknowingly, my yoga practice began,” recalls Akshit when asked about the origin of his Yoga practice.
Also read: 5 Ways to Connect with Your Internal Self
While the mental and spiritual effects subconsciously began to sprout, for Akshit, the physical aspect of Yoga surfaced when he started playing tennis at the national level. “We had monthly camps where Yoga was a part of rehabilitation,” says Akshit, who then began exploring the different asanas and poses.
Deepening the Yogic Knowledge
But what is it that led him to pursue a childhood vocation as a full-time profession? Let’s hear it from him.
“In 2019, I reached a stage of burnout while running my own startup. A friend of mine suggested that I start practising Yoga again. I still remember the feeling I had after my first practice after such a long time. The feeling stayed inside me, and even today, I cannot forget it. That one class inspired me to dive deeper into the practice because the mental and physical benefits I experienced were incomparable.”
After that instance, Akshit decided to deepen his Yogic knowledge and opted for a 200-hour Teachers’ Training Course at The Yoga Institute, Mumbai, in 2019. After the completion of the course, he started practising regularly and, through the Institute’s help, started taking Yoga classes.
Later, in 2020, Akshit visited an ashram in Bangalore to help them set up their e-commerce platform. But as fate would have it, he found himself stranded there while the world declared a lockdown to repress the dangers of COVID-19.
Check out this E-Book on Understanding Covid'19 from an Ayurvedic Perspective.
Fortunately, the lockdown worked out in Akshit’s favour and it allowed him to fully immerse himself in his Yoga practice while being surrounded by experienced and learned practitioners. By then, Akshit was convinced that teaching Yoga was his true calling and took it up as a full-time profession.
“Over the years, I’ve experienced dramatic changes in my body’s physical structure, my mental capacity and my spiritual evolution. My health is central to my routine and diet that are crafted as per my Dosha constitution.”
Prioritising Health
Following a health-oriented regimen can often feel overwhelming. But what keeps Akshit motivated is his belief in his practice, which, he claims, has completely changed his outlook towards life. He is now on a mission to help others lead a more meaningful life!
A typical day in Akshit’s life involved rising early, eating consciously and respecting the body’s resting needs. He religiously practices Yoga every day and enjoys reading literature on Yogic philosophy and retires to bed early.
Also read: The Ultimate Guide to Living an Ayurvedic Lifestyle
We asked Akshit his three favourite habits inspired by Yoga, and he shared:
1. Svadhyaya – Self-study/self-practice. I believe there can be no improvement in one if he/she does not spend time with themselves.
2. Sthitpragna – Staying balanced in all situations. For my mental health, I believe getting too emotional about anything was not a great thing I was doing to myself. Practiting emotional moderation helps.
3. Upavasa – Fasting, which brings lightness to the body. As a practitioner, it is of utmost importance to keep my body light and keep myself away from tamas. Fasting is one of the most beneficial things for this.
Keeping Up with the Doshas
Of all the things that Akshit is proud of accomplishing, he takes the most pride in his ability to give up societal perceptions and choose his own path away from the conventional professional circle.
“According to Yoga and Ayurveda, the concept of Mitahara plays a very important role which explains to us how to eat and what to eat. Eating clean and in limited quantities solves half of our problems,” explains Akshit.
If the dosha in our body is balanced, automatically, our skin becomes unblemished and boosts our immunity immensely. Physical practices, which include Asana, Pranayama and Meditation, take care of the rest.
Check out this E-Book on Ayurvedic Dosha Guide to Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Akshit believes that the disciplienes of Yoga and Ayurveda go hand in hand. If we understand the concepts of Ayurveda and Yoga, we cannot exclude one and practice the other.
He believes there is no better way than social media to grow awareness of these subjects. Formation of communities is yet another way. If one is talking about Yoga, one must put some light on Ayurveda, too and vice versa. Understanding the two things together brings a lot of clarity to a practitioner.
Akshit’s Message to the Readers
“One message that I always love to give is that this practice requires an immense amount of persistence. Find a teacher, learn the practice and then stick to it. Repeated practice alone will show results over a period of time. Patience is the key.”
From Amrutam’s list of holistic products, Akshit has tried Poshak Key Massage Oil and loved the experience of Abhyanga that this authentic recipe brings along.
We are grateful to have Akshit Chawla as part of #AmrutamFamily!
