Gift of Yoga

Gift of Yoga :  interview with Rajneesh Gupta

Rajneesh Gupta is the Vice President of Strategy, M&A, and Analytics at Intuit corporation based in Dallas/Fort Worth. He has been involved with Art of Living ( AOL) for 11 years and is a certified Art of Living Happiness Program teacher. Rajneesh says the Art of Living Happiness program literally transformed his life- “The simple techniques have helped my physical health, emotional well-being, spiritual upliftment, and professional growth.” In this interview, Rajneesh shares his perspective, his association with AOL and the whole of Yoga.

Q: Could you tell us when and how you first got interested in Yoga ?

I have been interested in yoga since a very young age. However, I understood the true meaning of yoga only in 2004 after participating in the Art of Living Happiness Program.

Q: What do you love most about practicing Yoga?

Yoga is not something you do for a few minutes every day, and forget about rest of the day. Yoga integrates with your life and becomes a way of life. Yoga helps not just the body, but all the levels of one’s existence including the body, breath, mind, memory, ego, and intellect.

Q: How do you describe Yoga as a total mind, body and soul experience.

The word ‘Yoga’ literally means union. It represents the union of body and mind. One cannot be healthy without the other. Yoga is a holistic practice that integrates all the levels of human existence. That is what makes the practice of yoga ‘magical’.

Q: When and how did you decide to dedicate yourself to AOL ? Could please let us what people could expect from a AOL yoga course?

My very first Art of Living Happiness Program created a big shift in me. The techniques and knowledge was profound, yet very simple. Most importantly, I could easily integrate what I learnt in my life. That is what drove me to inspire others to experience the same joy I experienced through the Art of Living Happiness Program.

The Art of Living Happiness program brings one closer to the happiness and freedom that is already inside us. The experiential program is a lot of fun and included several techniques, interactions, processes, knowledge, and discussions to help us lead a life of inner silence and outer dynamism. Participants learnt a beautiful breathing technique called the ‘Sudarshan Kriya’ that uses the rhythms of the breath to purify our system at a deep physical and emotional level.

Q:What is meditation ? Why meditation

Meditation is the art of doing nothing, completely letting go. Effort is the language of the body, and effortlessness is the language of the mind. Meditation is deep relaxation, which erases all the negative impressions and renews the body and mind.

Q: Like everyone else,  I am so busy. How do you suggest I find the time to meditate?

You should meditate because you are so busy! Meditation gives you the energy to deal with the demands of your daily life.

Q: What is life purpose and why do you feel everyone has a life purpose?

I don’t know what the purpose of life is. I see this life as a beautiful journey of discovering our purpose. H H Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says that one who knows the purpose of life will not tell you, and one who tells you does not know!

Q: What is the biggest secret about yoga that you wish both non-practicing and practicing participants knew?

Everything we are seeking in life is within us. We just need to look into ourselves.

Q: The Art of Living is celebrating World Yoga Day on June 21^st , thus creating a mass awareness about the meaning of Yoga and its manifold benefits for humanity. You must be excited!

Yes, we will be holding programs across 100 cities in USA with thousands of participants. Join us!

Q: Tell us about the Gift of Yoga- The Art of Living Yoga-daan

We are gearing up to celebrate the International Yoga Day on June 21 in a big way. Leading up to June 21, all certified Art of Living Yoga Teachers will conduct free two hour Yoga Sessions from 1st May to 1st June 2015 to inspire people to join the main event on June 21.