DR. HANISHA
PATEL
What drew you to yoga?
I started practicing yoga about 10 years ago when I was in Naturopathic Medical School and everyone kept talking about the benefits of yoga. The main thing that convinced me to go was that it would help with my back pain that I had been dealing with since I was 9 years old. I hated it the first few times but I noticed my back did feel better so I kept going. Little did I know that groupon I bought for 10 classes would change my life forever. I started to practice breathwork and meditation and felt a sense of calm in my life when yoga was in it along with no longer experiencing back pain!
Why do you practice?
I practice yoga today because it helps me shift the madness of my mind to the feelings in my body and it helps me connect to my spirit. I truly feel the mind, body, and spirit connection when I practice yoga and beyond.
What is your style?
My style of yoga varies in terms of the physical aspect from hatha/vinyasa flows to restorative/yin flows. Beyond the physical asanas, I love to focus on the mind and spirit: sprinkling in meditation, breathwork, body awareness, and Ayurvedic and Naturopathic knowledge of benefits of poses for bodily systems and organs.
Where are you when you’re not teaching?
When I’m not teaching, I’m probably helping people learn how to heal their bodies through my practice, playing with my son, in nature, exploring the world, or dancing!
What illuminates you?
What illuminates me is being able to guide others into their own bodies, helping them realize how whole and uniquely beautiful they are.