Yoga put my life on track: Shilpa Shetty Kundra

Shilpa Shetty Kundra is many things: actress, TV show judge and wellness entrepreneur. And then she’s our own brand ambassador of beauty and fitness. And in one of her avatars, Shilpa has carved a niche in promoting holistic health through yoga.

Shilpa had sought yoga in life to help her ease out of spondylitis. Even as it helped her reduce the painful symptoms of the inflammation, she realised yoga was helping her lose weight and increase her energy levels. “I also had some breathing issues and didn’t know whether it was allergies or dust. But I continued to do yoga as it made me feel energetic and I practice it daily,” Shilpa added.

For Shilpa, who now practises Ashtanga yoga, yoga is about discipline. “Practising yoga put my life back on track. It’s like a domino effect. When I do an asana I am doing it for myself and to improve my health, increase my hormone productions and cleanse my mind. And when my mind is cleansed, my thoughts automatically become positive. In fact, pranayama helps regenerate cells,” says Shilpa, adding, “It’s not only yoga but also the yogic principles that have become a part of my life.”

According to Shilpa, she is experiencing Version 2.0 of who she is. “Everyone has stress in life. But celebs like me have to live up to the expectations of not only my fans but also my family. In addition to my regular work, I do TV once a week where I judge a dance show. At times I have to perform because as a judge, people expect to see me dance too. So have to work hard on that. I prioritise and compartmentalise my schedules for the many roles I have to play. Sometimes it’s difficult to balance it all. And in moments like that, I take a few calming breaths, and I am ready to fighting it out,” she says.

Riding the wave of digital revolutions and the ever increasing holistic outlook towards fitness across the world, Shilpa launched her own app in May 2019. “And I want to promote it because even people abroad have learnt it from India. Madonna and Jennifer Lopez are some of the western celebs who practise yoga. And given that people want everything instantly on the phone or when they are on the move, the business women in me realised digital was one way of reaching many people,” explains Shilpa.

The objective of the Shilpa Shetty App, which is all about workout, nutrition, yoga routines, diet plans, etc., is to offer people simple ways by which they can achieve their health goals. Another feature that Shilpa has added on the app is chakra healing, which she claims to have learnt on her own through books. “Chakra healing is not something too many people know of, but it cleanses your energies. It’s like fuel that kick starts an engine. Chakra healing not only energizes you but also cleanses your chakras. In the app, I have focused on the seven chakras that will run your system. You can even do it lying down on the mat or bed. I am releasing this App on International Yoga day.”

Is there an asana Shilpa cannot do, we ask. After a tiny pause, Shilpa says, “Mayurasana (peacock pose). And that’s despite being able to do vrshchikaasana (scorpion headstand) and shirshaasana (the head stand), but I hadn’t attempted mayurasana because of my neck injury. But now that I’ve overcome that I am going to try and work on that asana too,” she says.