On a crisp winter morning

by the sea front, Sunaina Rekhi, 36, effortlessly lifts her body off the wet grass balancing it only on her palms. “It helps you understand the mechanics of how our arms and body works besides toning up,” she says. For her, yoga is “meditation in movement” and the “perfect culmination of body and mind”. A double major in Economics and Econometrics with training in psychology and counseling, Rekhi took to yoga while in London and followed it up with a month-long stint in Rishikesh more than six years ago. At her Bandra studio and private classes, she teaches Ashthanga, Vinayasa, Hatha and yin yoga. “Yoga is often confused; it’s not just the physical asanas, it’s more about working with the mind,” says the yoga expert who conducts classes in New York, London and Dubai.

Body and Mind In yin yoga, Rekhi teaches students to hold a posture for up to six minutes, a task that works on strengthening the mind. “There’s a spiritual aspect to yoga which other fitness forms don’t have,” she says. Using her personal experience with the benefits of yoga, the mother of an eight-yearold offers cognitive therapy and counselling for people dealing with emotional turmoil. “It teaches you patience, helps you handle your emotions and is effective for ailments like thyroid, diabetes, obesity and depression,” says Rekhi who spends her day shuttling between her Chimbai village studio, private sessions and brand endorsements.

From the expert Go to her for yoga therapy, hip opening, back bending and other restorative poses.