Shalini Majumdar

Up until then, I had taken a few asana classes here and there, but never took the time to understand the philosophy, the history, or the benefits of yoga. An athlete since childhood, I have always prioritized fitness. But I had never connected the dots between strength, flexibility, and overall mobility and health. I was extremely inflexible until the age of about 25. I couldn’t touch my toes, couldn’t sit on the floor comfortably, and I was starting to develop lower back and hip issues. My competitive sports background translated poorly to yoga at first—I was so focused on what I looked like in class that I lost out on a lot of the benefits of poses by not aligning properly. Over time, I slowly learned to let go of my ego and what I looked like, and focus on what I feel like. This way of thinking truly changed my life. Over the last 2 years, I have learned to love my body for everything it is, and everything it is not. I’ve learned to appreciate my sports background for giving me the strength to hold poses, and appreciate my body for being resilient enough to start to open up after years of sports abuse. My yoga classes are strength and breath based, with a focus on alignment. I firmly believe there is no singular “right” way to do yoga, as long as one is focusing on how they feel and giving their body what it truly needs. I teach vinyasa, ashtanga, and restorative yoga to help others develop the same love for their body that I have learned to develop for my own.