Parveen Nair ~ Embodiment: The Dance of Movement and Breath

Parveen Nair is a long-term yoga teacher and practitioner based in Rishikesh, India. He offers teacher trainings and programs in Rishikesh and is known for his creative and inspired yoga practice routines that incorporate pranayama and asana. Parveen's approach to yoga is influenced by his background in dance and his deep spiritual connection to the practice.

Connect with Parveen on Instagram @inbornmovements https://www.instagram.com/inbornmovements/?hl=en
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During this conversation Parveen speaks about:

• Yoga is not about perfecting asanas, but about developing the capacity to bring quietness to the mind and recognizing one's true nature.
• The practice of centering and connecting with the body as it is, without trying to change or perfect it, is essential in yoga.
• Deep sleep can serve as a reminder of one's true nature and the peace that exists beyond the mind and body.
• Templates can be helpful in guiding movement and creating an embodied yoga practice, but it is important not to copy or compare oneself to others.

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Chapters

• 0:33 Introduction to Native Yoga Toddcast and guest Parveen Nair
• 3:05 Parveen's background and move to Rishikesh
• 5:26 Parveen's introduction to yoga and asana practice
• 8:32 Parveen's experience with kirtan and mantra chanting
• 11:19 Parveen's journey into Iyengar yoga and teaching
• 15:30 Parveen's experience practicing with B.K.S. Iyengar
• 19:17 Challenges and growth in the Iyengar yoga tradition
• 23:59 Parveen's transition away from Iyengar yoga and move to Rishikesh
• 29:34 Parveen's current approach to yoga practice and teaching
• 39:57 Understanding the purpose of yoga and the true self
• 45:54 The importance of centering and coming back to oneself
• 51:19 Parveen's advice on when to visit Rishikesh and the Ganga
• 56:05 Parveen's perspective on gurus and continued learning

Transcript

Todd McLaughlin: 0:33

Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. So happy you are here. My goal with this channel is to bring inspirational speakers to the mic in the field of yoga, massage bodywork and beyond. Follow us @nativeyoga and check us out at nativeyogacenter.com All right, let's begin. Welcome to this week's edition of Native Yoga Toddcast. I have the pleasure of bringing Parveen Nair to the show today... Here For You. Parveen is a long term yoga teacher & practitioner who lives in Rishikesh, India. Please go check him out on his Instagram page, which is at@inbornmovements. And he does an amazing job of creating yoga practice routines that involve pranayama and Asana, which are completely and creatively inspired by his many years of practicing in the world of dance and in yoga. He offers teacher trainings and programs in Rishikesh, I really want to go visit him. I love this conversation. I'm so thankful for this opportunity to have a chance to speak with Parveen Nair. And remember if you want to support us in the show here, if you go down to the show notes, you'll see the option to become either a monthly member where anywhere between like $3 and $10 you can donate and then also we have our free Grow Your Yoga live webinar every Thursday at 12pm EST. So you can click on a link there and I'll remind you via email. Also we have a new student free live stream yoga special where you can try two weeks of live stream classes with us here and then all of those classes are recorded and I upload them onto our nativeyogaonline.com platform in which I have a code there for you can try a whole month for free on there with the all caps FIRSTMONTHFREE code. So all those links are down below. And remember please check out Parveen on Instagram on his handle at @inbornmovements. Sit back, relax and enjoy. Let's begin. I'm honored to have the opportunity to bring Parveen Nair here onto the podcast today. And Parveen, how are you feeling?

Parveen Nair: 3:05

I'm feeling very well thank you. So happy to be a part of this podcast. Thank you for the invitation.

Todd McLaughlin: 3:11

Thank you so much for accepting and are you currently in Rishikesh India?

Parveen Nair: 3:18

At present Yes, I'm in Rishikesh India.

Todd McLaughlin: 3:22

Have you How long have you been in Rishikesh? Are you born there? Or did you move there?

Parveen Nair: 3:30

I was born and raised in Malaysia. I moved to Rishikesh in 2013. And since then, I've been living for short periods here. Previously, before 2013 I was visiting Rishikesh for a month. So a little bit more than that. In 2013. I sort of wrapped up my business, my teachings in Malaysia and move to Rishikesh at a time it felt that it was the right thing to do. And since then, I've been living here and I also travel I go back home, I have my mother in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. I go back home for a month or a little bit more than a month in the leg back and I traveled to Europe so it's been like that a little nomadic life. Yeah, yes. I can call Rishikesh

Todd McLaughlin: 4:36

home nice. I have not been able to visit Russia cash but I really would love to It looks amazing.

Parveen Nair: 4:47

breaking my leg is the early mornings are very special in Rishikesh. But I will not tell you all these secrets. So I will keep it for you when you Come. Thank you, is this we can explore how it empowers our practice of yoga. Let's see.

Todd McLaughlin: 5:11

Oh man, that sounds wonderful. Thank you. Thank you. When did you start to practice yoga? Did you come across yoga when you were living in Malaysia growing up? Or did you first encounter it in India?

Parveen Nair: 5:26

So, when we use the word yoga here, in most traditional Indian families, that terminology yoga is already introduced, it's a household word. So I come from a family, which we do a lot of Keith and Nigel and Kate and both my mother but mother and father, they were spiritually inclined, they had their gurus. And we wouldn't have kittens every day, but especially on every Thursdays, we would have a group of people gathering at home. And when I say grouping, we can easily say about 200 to 150. People coming. Having kids. So the impact of that, as a small child I was with I have three siblings, my three sisters, I'm the youngest, the impact of that probably has touched that ad created impression in his mind. And I grew up in that environment until I left for college, I went to the city and all so it has been that that inclination of divinity. The highest self has always been there. answering your question in the new format of yoga, as in the asana practice and pranayama practice. It was introduced me introduced to me by a dancer, an Italian friend of mine. She introduced me in nine to nine if I'm not mistaken, all the 1000 in this period, she had introduced me I was in the German India, south of India journey. She took me to an ashram in Kerala on Shivananda ashram in Nagar dam. And they I began my yoga journey.

Todd McLaughlin: 7:30

Wonderful. Yes, yes. Was that under a particular you said it was a Shivananda ashram.

Parveen Nair: 7:38

Yes, it is the Shivananda ashram at that time it was led by Swami Maha Devi was not in his body anymore now. So, they have, it is very a holistic format of practicing yoga, where you have the chanting, meditation, the study of the Vedic scriptures. asana practice pranayama and sattvic. Meals aren't given to the students so you're living in an ashram environment. I feel it is very holistic case to begin your yogic practices

Todd McLaughlin: 8:11

are amazing. When when you would have the family kirtan sessions growing up, was there a particular mantra or Kirtan, or deity that you would honor your family would honor was it every session you guys would pick different songs to sing?

Parveen Nair: 8:32

It was it is continuous. What did it mean? Remember it is spontaneous. My mother and father would say and of course other devotees, all the devotees who came to the house, they all say but mostly glorifying the guru. The teacher, the guru. It was the whole it is non dual practice. And they were devout devotees of Satya Sai Baba equitability? And so most of the budgets were dedicated to the guru and various other deities and the budgets were taught to us by listening so they will no special class for the children. It's not only our in our family or the children's will also gather the families that will come by listening and listening. The parents will say like, Okay, now you lead a kid and so it would feel very special to lead it I still now you're saying Yeah. Many memories, my mind even to play the symbols. We would make some mistake and all but something was very divine. It's all I mean, that sounds amazing. I mean, to my interest very defined.

Todd McLaughlin: 9:51

Do you still maintain a cure Tom practice?

Parveen Nair: 9:57

Yes, I do. Yes, I do. I gather people in my house once in a week or in the teachers training that I do every day we have kirtan daily. Nice. So I think and contribution that is given to me by my parents and something that is that I'm giving back to society.

Todd McLaughlin: 10:20

That's amazing. Parveen. Do you lead with playing on a harmonium? Or what is your favorite musical accompaniment?

Parveen Nair: 10:30

I played the moringa. Cymbals nice all odds in the harmonium. If I'm singing a very simple budget, I can hold certain chords. But to to follow someone who's singing according the notations that would be a challenge for me. But I feel very relaxed in the Ganga. Yeah, that was taught to me by my parents. Yeah, it's

Todd McLaughlin: 10:58

nice. When when you encountered asana practice, practice at the Shivananda ashram, in South India, can you relate what your thoughts or feelings were at the time?

Parveen Nair: 11:19

I think one is important part why I went that was because I was asthmatic at that time. And I was learning Indian classical dance. And my endurance level was very low. I would have to stop dancing. short period, stop, then get my breath back again. So this Italian friend of mine, her who her name is she said, Look I'm going to do I've been practicing yoga and it feels very good. Let me introduce to you and she introduced the practices. To me that felt very nice. Although I've seen pictures of the asanas, but it was not a part of the vocabulary of spiritual practices that we had at home. I started doing it, it felt good. I went to the ashram, that feeling I started taking deeper breaths. I felt the breath going into various parts of my lungs. I felt fresh. I just, you know, that is just a right. A new feeling that you have. Yes. And then it started because I was using the inhaler that time. And I think in around less than a year, I gave up the inhaler. And that felt Wow. I don't use inhalers anymore. Yeah. Wow. That was a transition and said, Oh, this is something that I'm doing right. And it feels good. Yeah. Nice.

Todd McLaughlin: 12:48

What was the next stage in your journey from from that point?

Parveen Nair: 12:58

Because we would sing a lot of budgets at home, at the end of the budget. We will go into modem silence. This one word was given to everyone that baucham Everyone would go to silence and there was no instruction, nothing. The budget itself will begin to induce a natural quiescent in the mind. This I found in yoga. When we finish the practice towards the end, just like shavasana during shavasana after Chavez, there was this deep quietness. Yes, that I know this before. I felt this before. That made me a little curious. Yeah, and that made me look, there's something here in this quietness that feels like home like me. And I was looking for it in various directions. So a friend of mine presented me a book called light on yoga by BKs Iyengar and it was a black and white book and said that there are more asanas in this edition we generally do about 12 fasteners a little bit more. Right? Yes. And then I saw this book there were so many accidents and I got excited. Are there more things to then I was happy. We take these asanas and it came to my body easily because I was I was already a dancer at that time. But I was also curious because there are certain way that he would give those leads or instructions. And I came to Rishikesh at that time, about in 2004 and I met my first iyengar yoga teacher Her name is the legged cat didn't abandon. She's from Texas. I started practicing under her guidance. And then she connected me to her teacher was BKs Iyengar. And I went to play for a very short while I had practiced that. So that was the next

Todd McLaughlin: 15:17

day nice extra nice. What was it like practicing with Mr. Ion gar or Angara in Pune, Pune.

Parveen Nair: 15:30

Just to go back because I came from an environment where there was heat and bulging and meditation. It was very soft environment. I'm telling you, good prep,

Todd McLaughlin: 15:46

good preface. Yes. Yeah,

Parveen Nair: 15:49

it was a soft environment. And my parents were also fairly gentle people. I, when I went to that method of learning, it seemed a little bit rigid for me. A bit harsh. If I can say personally, just for me, it was harsh. The way that the body mind was approached. I felt fear, a lot of fear in me that I, maybe this is the way for me to learn. Until today, I tell myself, it was destined that I had to be there or be under certain iyengar yoga teachers as my mentor. And in fact, I became a certified iyengar yoga teacher that after all, there was a lot of fear. It was predestined that I should go through that process. So I went through a process where they it was, it was a love, hate relationship. MSA. They survived. Gave me a lot of grammar. Vocabulary, what not to do or what to do?

Todd McLaughlin: 17:04

Yes, yes. I've, I've only heard, I don't know from personal experience. But I've only heard that to become a certified ion guard teacher, especially during the time period that you're speaking of that it was a fairly or very rigorous level of training.

Parveen Nair: 17:24

Oh, it was extremely rigorous, extremely took. I think we would skip a level sometimes I think that year in 2006, and seven, there was one or two levels that we skipped. I can't really remember now the first two levels we would skip and we would go directly. So we had to finish so much of grammar. So many asanas need to be completed. And we would take it in in a color photo album and show it to Guruji sitting in the library. And he would look at it. Wow. Comments of certain asanas. So you're not sure whether you will get the certification. But prior to that you will require you will require to be have trained under a mentor for at least three years. With the teachers.

Todd McLaughlin: 18:12

Yes, yes. Yeah. So I have so many questions for you Parveen. I'm so curious. So in relation to in relation to the rigor because you You seem Yes, he was the very like right away, you could say yes, it was very demanding. Can you share a story of a time where you? Was it because like physically, you were attempting to perform or practice a position that was beyond your capability that you felt the need to? It sounds like with that level of attention to precision, performance, was it that you had to push so hard that physically hurt or was it a rigor in relation to like you'd mentioned that fear and I can relate to that one of like going to class and being fearful of like, what's, what's going to happen when I go in there today? I'm curious if you could just share some stories or a story I'm so curious to hear.

Parveen Nair: 19:17

It is physical, but does not mean that everything physical, instill or instills fear or brings fear results to fear but the way that the pedagogy, the way that the asanas are applied or the instructions are given, seems to suggest fear by certain personalities. Not all iyengar yoga teachers are like that they're also sweetened in teachers. Like my first teacher Karen O'Bannon. So now I I feel like most of my yoga is from her grace, a lot from her grace itself, but certain teachers have absorbed a lot of equitisation status orientated kind of practice, like, listen to me, I know rather than something given to the student, now you play with this and apply it in your body, which is going through a process and see how you interact with it. For me that becomes yoga. Whereas, unfortunately, if I can use this word, unfortunately, it is this, this instructions are given to teachers who are not really matured as yet in their lives in terms of life experience, then they implement these ideas directly on a student's body and forcing them to do something exactly in that particular way. So it is swim or drown something like that. Am I making sense? Yes, yes. So there were various scenarios in where a certain asanas were taught, and I was always thinking, am I not doing it? Or even if I'm doing it, or not doing it, maybe it is not time for my body to do to achieve this post. But I was insistent that I was to do it in this particular way. And if I did not do it in that way, I was embarrassed. So I feel that is not a right environment. But I'm not saying I should not say actually that all teachers are like that. Certain teachers that I had to approach due to my karma taught me in that manner. Yes. I think it is predestined for me to go through that process, which I don't wish anyone to go through that process of learning. I think learning can come from a place of love. I still remember the way my parents taught me. And certainly some of my gurus taught me that a lot of love. And they would wait for that seed to germinate. So you just have to wait.

Todd McLaughlin: 22:03

Yes. Oh, that was a great explanation. Parveen. I love hearing that that's so interesting. I love how you started it with with mentioning that the experience you had with your family and singing by John Sandor kirtan style was like, you know, very gentle, like I had this initial introduction to yoga this like the end of Vic your turn into silence. And feeling like that, that just amazing element of and also I love that you mentioned there was no instruction, there is something so fascinating about that, where you're just taking into silence and and then just processing in that moment. That's really cool. And then the juxtaposition of having a strict and sort of approach. What after you received your certification? I'm curious, did you then begin teaching a yangarra style yoga? Did you what was your next step in that process?

Parveen Nair: 23:02

I received my certification. I started a yoga studio in Kuala Lumpur. And that lasted for at least about 10 years. Wow. But something me I will say again, this silence, you know, that came from the young age, that mountain. This child seemed to identify a lot with that silence. It seemed like very vast and felt so

Todd McLaughlin: 23:32

good. Yes. Yes.

Parveen Nair: 23:35

There was a lot in that silence. So in truth that years of teaching iyengar yoga, there was something in the back of my head that told me that this is not you. But I needed to go through that process. And it had something to teach me life experience. So in 2013, I let go of my position as an iyengar yoga teacher. Wow. I left I came to Rishikesh Wow. In fact, 2008 I met teacher who had started giving me spiritual instructions. And he started teaching me the depth of yoga sutras. And as I was reading the as I was reading, understanding, contemplating of the sutras, I started recognizing this experience I had as a child. And that experience continues as I am doing my yoga practice or pranayama, meditation, this quietness that felt like home. Yes, tell me. Yes. And then I recognize that and in 2030, around 1230 I decided that this He said, I am ending my, this role, relationship that I have with this role. It's time for me to move on. I've come to the peak. Now I need to move. And it feels it felt that that was the right time. And I arrived in Rishikesh.

Todd McLaughlin: 25:18

That's amazing. Parveen. I'm curious. That's a big deal. Because to put that much time, effort, energy to receive, you know, quote, certificate and have the esteem that comes with that and to to say, I think I'm gonna let that go now and pursue my heart. My, my real, you know what we're really speaking to me at that, I'm wondering if at that time, was it something that you just, you just did? Or did you need to write a letter like a formal announcement? I'm letting this certificate go? Or was that a was that seen as a big deal to your contemporaries or your your colleagues at the time you're the other yoga practitioners within that lineage? Did they say, What are you doing? How could you do? You know, we've all worked so hard for this. Are What are you doing? You know, what, what was that? Was it? Was it challenging? Did you have a little bit of a challenge in that moment? Or was it very clear to was very easy? What can you tell me a little bit about that?

Parveen Nair: 26:37

It was I made the first announcement to myself actually.

Todd McLaughlin: 26:40

Nice. Way to say,

Parveen Nair: 26:44

we know how I'm going to do it. I did not know. Yeah, because when I feel Rishikesh, I was also living in a monastery in an ashram. And what would I teach? I would teach iyengar yoga only that's the only thing I knew. So I was teaching that. But as I was teaching, this dancer background with that I had within me that creativity started coming. So I didn't see the asanas as something static anymore. I saw a lot of dynamic softness, variations within the static movement that I started improvising, improvising, and it felt good. It felt like it felt like it was mine. Yes, me. Yes. And that helped me move on further. Then finally, I received my received a letter, an email from the iyengar yoga school, that I should not be teaching other forms of yoga, only iyengar yoga, which I respect. Just bad enough. Yes, then this is bad enough. I'm letting go of the situation. Yes. It was a mutual agreement. Yes, I was bad enough. And sometimes people also because the years of practice that I have had, people still know me as an iyengar yoga teacher, but that is fine for me. You can know me as anything.

Todd McLaughlin: 28:14

I love that. Yes, I really appreciate the way the way you're looking the way you see it. That's really That's amazing. Did and so everyone listening and we're watching here. I really hope you'll check Parveen on Instagram and your handle there is inborn movement. And I really enjoy watching the, the, I don't even know if I have the right terminology to say what it is you you are doing. Because I see that I see dance, and I see yoga. And it seems like this seamless place this this, like I can see how you are practicing exactly what you're talking about in relation to your love of dance. And also, I am as I'm so happy to hear the backstory about your initial interaction with yoga in relation to the joy and softness that comes from singing. So, can you can you put into words or attempt to put into words what it is or how your practice is manifesting these days

Parveen Nair: 29:47

when I learned yoga, this information was applied on a field me it was given to me. But when the information was given And to me the person who gave me that information did not check whether this field this space was was it ready where was it to absorb that information? So various information you have many asanas many yoga information many texts many Pranayamas minimum all pressing this person down

Todd McLaughlin: 30:28

that's a great way to yeah good good okay

Parveen Nair: 30:33

where am I in this? So, I started fighting where am I before and information is given to me whereas I this person so, therefore, I started first introducing in my classes the practice of arriving centering the vocabulary kept on changing for some years and finally I found a particular vocabulary I'm of course generalizing generally in yoga they would say relax this part relax that, but they started saying Why should I relax any part? Can I not accept myself as I am? Why am I not meeting my body as I am when I arrive on that mat? Can I not ask myself and my students where are you can you meet your body as the body is whether is at that time and acceptance of who and what you are bodily Brentley five. So, this is the practice of centering I call now without making any kind of change, but rather absorb. Observing where the body is, at that time, the brand, how is it breathing? The mind? How is it thinking? What am I bringing with me, this is the first step of the practice called embodied yoga. Yes. And thereafter, we go into us a gentle movement practice. It's very soft and gentle, where we start from the hips, going into the back line, the front line, the sideline, the spiraling line, but in a very soft manner, where physically you go 60% and let the remainder 40% the breath to take you that I think this is all probably coming from my you can see that this is coming from my previous training because there you're not allowed to go to the breath body, you go directly to the physique. But I found out that the breath plays a very important role because then everything becomes very hard and tight. Any asset or any movement you're doing do it only if you can do it 100% Very good. But do it only 50% Now let the breath take you another 50% So I created something called templates a movement template, which would get the entire body to respond to wake up or to freshen up by call it also an inquiry asking permission to enter the body. And thereafter I go into various other asanas in a play food mode.

Todd McLaughlin: 33:35

Yes, yeah. No nice great explanation. Yes.

Parveen Nair: 33:42

It is evolving.

Todd McLaughlin: 33:43

It's evolving. Yeah.

Parveen Nair: 33:46

And I must permit it to evolve.

Todd McLaughlin: 33:49

I really haha. Oh man, I really like I like this philosophy. It makes a lot of sense. Parveen. And I love that, you know, you've you've had so many years of practice. It's really neat to see that how you've let this evolve, like naturally, you know, so that's that's really interesting. That's fascinating. So so you get to work with a lot of yoga students and and you do like teacher trainings Am I correct? You offer and so with the I like the idea that the what you said about centering sounds amazing and just like as opposed to all of these different techniques and like you mentioned asanas and then different breathing techniques and then all these different texts and that it was like just being pressed down on top of you and being able to come to a place where you Like you said, meet yourself and be really, you know, just at peace to even start, almost like an A revert not a reverse approach. But instead of like, I'm going to be doing all these things so that eventually maybe I'll find some sort of peace. I like that you're kind of just coming straight in and saying, let's find the peace first. Let's find some sense of like awareness. And then let's start moving. Do you find that when you hear students complain or talk about injury, that if you take the approach that you're taking, there's less potential for overdoing it? Because it sounds like you're really encouraging like, go to 60%? Like, I don't, I don't, I'm not encouraging you to try to show me some really advanced position or something that's beyond your scope of practice. What what are you observing in relation to working with students in and then the feedback that you're receiving from taking this approach?

Parveen Nair: 36:03

Students, they want to go they want to do, because the way that the new format of yoga is presented, it is sitting together with exercise. Now, the Vedic tradition, yoga is given to us by the machines, the sages in the Vedic tradition, it is very clear that you aren't T's you are complete. Nothing added to your subtract to you removed away from you or added into you is going to bring any peace because you are already peace. Now, the question can rise if I am already peace, or complete? Why do I feel miserable? The question comes, now what Who are you identifying as if you're going to say I am happy if we are in distress, I'm in love, I'm in joy, I'm confused, The Who is this i This is an acquired state of the mind right? Whatever acquired, how can it be you? It is acquired by the mind right

Todd McLaughlin: 37:23

to do question.

Parveen Nair: 37:26

When it is acquired by the mind, even the piece that is acquired by the mind which is favorable for the yogic practice, that is also not you, because it is acquired, it is induced by the practice of movement and breathing and concentration, mindful watchfulness, but again, this is not you, but it is favorable. So who you are, you are that witness, which is always that the underlying canvas which is supporting all the names, forms, colors, shapes, you are that and that clarity, the rishis, the Vedic sages have already given why the students think that they have to do something to become someone, because they are identifying that yoga is a physical practice. You can become whomever you want to become. That becoming that personality, you become again is an acquired personality, that is not you. So our philosophy is you are complete. You first have to understand what is complete about you, and then start the practice. But what has happened is in the new format of yoga, we are doing the asanas first, and then we are reading the manual. We're doing it upside down. In the older days, I think I remember when we had to deepen danbatta DB, we had a manual so we had to read the manual first how to use the TV right now, it seems like in yoga, you're doing certain practices and you think that you have to become better but that Asana three, you have to stand on one leg, you have to stand on your hand whatever it is, but that is not the purpose of yoga. When you read the manual only you will understand the burqa purpose of yoga is to develop the capacity to bring some amount of quiescent to your mind. So that you can see what is your true potential your natural potential when we say natural means not acquired. You understand I do not acquire what is acquired is not you isn't it? So, the capacity to develop some amount of quiet sit in the mind so that you can see what is your true nature or to an identify yourself with what is not you this is the purpose of yoga. Now you tell me where is this? Understanding? Is that perfection in lengthening or gaining some lengthen the hamstring or opening the shoulders or, or the problem is the hip The problem is never your case, the problem is not your shoulder my friend, then cross the possible problem or challenge is in the intellect, the intelligence thinking that this is me. So perfection in Warrior One is not the purpose.

Todd McLaughlin: 40:25

Yes, yes.

Parveen Nair: 40:27

Not the purpose. Actually, I see now how to interact with warrior one become spiritual, not perfecting. How do you perfect something which is constantly going through modification? Isn't this body going through modification? Is it getting older? How can you perfect what? So this interaction with the body interaction with the breath interaction with the mind becomes a spiritual practice. To know that this is not me, this isn't a phenomena. I am that which is beyond?

Todd McLaughlin: 41:08

Yes. I like it. Because the challenge for me and hearing what you're saying is, I feel like my structure, this idea of I will wake up at this time, show up at this time, go through this sequence of movements. And this order at this time in this way. And then in and I guess I'm almost trying to imagine that if I were to try to wake up and then come into a state of peace first and then wait to listen to see like, Is this the time that I want to do some movement that resembles me moving through some movement? Like like a yoga practice? And maybe I go no, right now isn't the time? Or? Yes, I feel inspired to move right now. Okay, well, how long do I do it? Let me set my time. How much time do I have to? I have an hour have 90 minutes? Okay, let me get started. But then maybe the way you're explaining, you could just do five or six minutes or doesn't mean maybe the time isn't? So I guess that's my question. Where does time How does time interact with this approach that you're talking about? Or how do you how do you reconcile with time or do you? Does that make sense?

Parveen Nair: 42:41

Depending on the interests, right? If you're interested in coming back to yourself, Okay, I'll give you let's play a little bit. A very vague understanding. Now. Around 230 At night you're in deep sleep, not dream but deep sleep. And you wake up at 230 Let's say your first class is at six o'clock you wake up at 230 You check the time zones to still have a few more hours of sleep. What do you too

Todd McLaughlin: 43:21

Yeah, I don't know. I just lay there and go home man. I hope I can fall back asleep. And

Parveen Nair: 43:31

I hope I can fall back to sleep isn't it? Yeah, so tell me what is that in sleep in deep sleep?

Todd McLaughlin: 43:41

What is that? What is there in deep sleep? That's a great question. I mean, a sense of like you can I can just let go I mean, I don't know it's like I it's the awareness and lack of awareness at the same time that that is so comforting. As long as

Parveen Nair: 44:04

it's all relaxing. So asked and yet that is nothing that

Todd McLaughlin: 44:09

Yeah, yeah, good point.

Parveen Nair: 44:12

Is nothing that Do you know, the body the name thought, were you living your yoga teacher? You're required, your likes, dislikes nothing. But what is that? This vastness of nothingness and you are comfortable. And notice at 230 when you wake up, why do you want to go back to a place where there is nothing? That means there is some thing? Is there you your nature, and it is so peaceful, without any identifications with this world called body mind world Isn't that yes in the same way answering the question? How long should I practice? Practice to come back to yourself that variable there are 10 US citizens so that should not be done to perfect the asana but it should be done to come back so that you can create that state of mind where there is no mind state you were very peaceful in deep sleep. Now practice all these asanas and sit down and and identify yourself with this world and notice that immense peace that you are you a sister did that then you practice

Todd McLaughlin: 45:46

Wow, that's that's a game changer right there.

Parveen Nair: 45:51

Isn't it something in deep sleep my friend, you keep pondering about this deep sleep, you will find your magnanimity that you are reading

Todd McLaughlin: 46:07

Do you have moments of practicing Virabhadrasana that feels almost similar if not the same to deep sleep or even better or different.

Parveen Nair: 46:21

Not particularly not in any kind of asanas. But while I am moving, I find a sense of I am that. And then I'm very clear that there is a body doing this movement and there is a mind which is creating a sequence creatively because of my previous karmas or whatever it is my mind constantly is like an artistic mind it has. So it is always thinking where is various permutations how to create some, some variations. It's always thinking of this. But I know that this is not mean that it I have that comes when I am practicing. It is that or when I'm reading. I've enjoyed I've started cooking a lot now, the last two years because they live alone. So there is a lot of meditative less when I'm cooking. Yeah, and it prolongs sometimes sometimes it gets interrupted, I get consumed by a thought, I think that I am this character. And at times it gets broken from

Todd McLaughlin: 47:38

his firing. When I'm curious, do you feel you made mention of the first part of say, in the relationship to working with students a centering? And then that you've created? I think you use the word templates.

Parveen Nair: 47:58

Templates. Yeah.

Todd McLaughlin: 47:59

Are the Do you feel the necessity for templates? Because if you say just say to practice, you know that it shows up and they say I'm interested in learning yoga and and you say, Okay, come let's, let's start to do a practice together. Or let me show you a couple of moves, you feel that having templates is really critical, to at least inspire some understanding of how to move or because there's a lot to movement, like when I watch when I watch your movements, I can definitely tell that you have a dance background. Because because of the fluidity, and American I can see the Yoga I mean, that's why I really hope everybody listening really doesn't. So they can visually see to put put everything you're saying into into some sort of vision, but I understand what what you're what you're probably pointing at is well Don't copy me though. You know, don't. This is about you going on your journey and figuring it out yourself. Right? And maybe your movements don't look anything like maybe and so in that element have to copy to not copy to find it within do you find the necessity for a template to at least get the ball rolling

Parveen Nair: 49:32

toward the idea template has come because of my previous training. Can I say this? Yeah, in fingered yoga tradition. We generally at least with the mentors that I've been trained with, after the potentially invocation we would directly go to either Uttanasana or downward facing dog, depending on the mood of the teacher and being cheeky If I found that directly going into a downward dog or any kind of asana and then micromanaging the asana became such a traffic jam in the head. Because my body is not fully awakened to its its own intelligence, because I'm approaching the body from the mind. Whereas my approaches from the body to the mind, I have felt that the body is more more intelligent than my mind. And to connect both of them together, I call this an embodied movement. So therefore, a template is given a progressive understanding of the relationship of the hip and the spine, spine with the shoulders, hip with the legs, and very gentle flexion and extension side bends and spirals, then again, like you have mentioned, not to copy me, the medium is movement. But what how do we use this movement to arrive to who you are potentially at that day? And to use that as a pathway? To your peace?

Todd McLaughlin: 51:13

And makes sense? Very, very sensible. Yeah, that's, that's an exciting part of you. And I mean, I feel this is perfect timing, personally, to hear about your journey and evolution, because it's really inspiring. I feel like, there's this idea when I first started practicing yoga, you know, that there's these, like you said, traffic jams of, I'm doing this, I'm trying to accomplish this, I'm trying to achieve I'm trying to strive toward maybe one day Samadhi you know, enlightenment. And I feel like you're pointing straight directly at well, one already. Samadhi is here. And now. Let's just enjoy expressing it. You know, it's

Parveen Nair: 52:14

that's it. That's all now that's it Samadhi is you you are resolved. You are the ocean not the wave. It just appearing like a wave. But when you see the wave, what do you see? You're actually seeing the ocean you can call it the wave but the wave has no separate existence other than the ocean. So it is like a play thought don't play this. Play the pranayama

Todd McLaughlin: 52:43

Yeah, play

Parveen Nair: 52:45

those the pious and nothing is lost, actually, you are fine.

Todd McLaughlin: 52:53

Oh, man, what a treat Parvati. You know, Federer Federico spoke so highly of you. And so I see why. I understand. Why. Can you I know well, I, I can't wait to come visit you and Rishi cash. So I know that will happen. I'm excited. And then you said you didn't want to spoil anything. But can you give me a little bit of a spoiler alert, like in relation to when you wake up? Do you walk down to the river? Do you you know, what can you get? Just give me a little paint a little bit of a picture of what your surroundings are like just in relation to what you feel when you're in Rishikesh?

Parveen Nair: 53:46

Well, it is like a seasons in winter. The early mornings people wake up late at and the buzz of people waking up is not there in the morning. So I take a walk to the Ganga and sit by her grace. And there is this beautiful wind that blows in the Ganga in the early morning which is very fresh and quiet. That has the capacity to induce some amount of wildness. That is because probably somebody who is spiritually inclined and sees the river as a personality is going to connect to the Ganga because you will also have people who are just jogging and running by the gardener who do not spiritually connected to Ganga or the way that they're connecting to the Ganga is by running and jogging. I'm not saying that is only I'm not saying that there's only one way of getting connected. But that is this beauty in the Ganga and she's Emerald in color in in in December, January. This is beautiful green. She has this color And there are certain spots where there is intense quietness, even though your mind wants to be very busy, I will take you to those spots where I believe that there are many Yogi's and rishis who have done their pendants in the past. And also we believe that they are still that, that their vibration is still that the presence of their vibration, their tapas practices still that that our previous mind, or our inner instrument recognizes our mind may not recognize, but the inner self will recognize that quietness, and then stay.

Todd McLaughlin: 55:42

Nice. That's, that's a nice picture I like.

Parveen Nair: 55:47

And we can go further up into the Himalayas. Yeah. Wow.

Todd McLaughlin: 55:54

That's amazing. Very cool. Very cool. I just want to ask this question I have to ask. I mean, you gave me a great hint come in December, January. Would that be your hint or any time of the year? Is there is there? I remember one time I went to I took my wife and my son. And we went to go out in the summer. And it was monsoon season. And here in Florida, we have a lot of rain. And you know, I looked at the rainfall charts and I, I saw well, okay, well, they I don't remember the exact numbers but like, you know, they get like 60 inches of rain and go and I'm like, Oh, we get like 60 inches of rain well over an entire year here in Florida. They get that in like three months. And it just don't. And when we got there, it looked like the way it looks like here in Florida when there's a hurricane everybody puts boards up on the windows and they bail and they go up north right they just get out of here and so we when we arrived in Goa everyone's like why are you here? You should be in Russia cash right now. I mean, everybody here that lives in Goa they went to Russia cash for for the summer. And so maybe that is another reason why you're saying winter so great. Because not everybody is in Rishikesh. Like maybe they come in the summer. Can what? You know, would it matter what time of year I come or do you really love that period of time in terms of just the vibes are just so sweet.

Parveen Nair: 57:24

I would advise you to come anytime from in the winter like January February. March is a very nice time actually it's very pleasant not too cold, either warm, even the first few weeks of April the first week or second week then it becomes very humid hot, dry hot. This is the best time all September October November in December that is cold, fairly cold and you don't get you barely get sun shine. It's like four or five hours of sun you get through the day. But to have a nice practice a stroll by the Ganga Wow, good September October or January February March, early April this time is a monsoon is that it rains a lot any part most of the parts in India it rains a lot. Yeah. The less if you get to go to the south of India, you have this fade is beautiful temples to visit in the south of India. Because you teach yoga that you get to relate when you see the temples and the sculptures you get inspired.

Todd McLaughlin: 58:40

Yes. Yes. Yes, Parveen at this point. Do you have a guru? Do you see everyone is guru? Are you seeking any more to the to find some body or do you feel at this point, contentment and just gratitude and not need for another personality to show you something teach you something open some sort of door where where are you these days in relation to the whole idea of Guru.

Parveen Nair: 59:30

I should permit destiny to provide its narration so that I can play that role if that is any quest. In Me, may be a physical guru, or Guru is not in the form to lead me but previously and even now. I am dedicated Due to the teaching of Sri Ramana Maharshi, because I found a lot of similarity in the way I feel, or my temperament. And I say temperament, the way I feel when I read his books, or be in the presence of his Samadhi, or go to the river NAMA, like the ignatia Mountain, that has given me a lot of quietness, like as if in deep sleep, the satisfaction not satisfaction of acquiring some object or relationship. But dissatisfaction Which reminds me of my true nature. But I'm not going to stop if there is a quest within me, and then a teacher needs to appear to teach me in any form that teacher can come to teach me. I am ready to learn. There is something to be learned by this mind.

Todd McLaughlin: 1:01:08

Thank you for answering that. How is great. I see that wow, Parveen, this has been such a really great treat. Thank you so much. I really, I look forward to meeting you in person and but thank you for accepting this this invitation. And this has been a great opportunity for me and I look forward to continuing communication with you. And again, thank you so much.

Parveen Nair: 1:01:46

Thank you, Todd.

Todd McLaughlin: 1:01:48

Thank you. Thank you. Native yoga taught cast is produced by myself. The theme music is dreamed up by Bryce Allen. If you liked this show, let me know if there's room for improvement. I want to hear that too. We are curious to know what you think and what you want more of what I can improve. And if you have ideas for future guests or topics, please send us your thoughts to info at Native yoga center. You can find us at Native yoga center.com. And hey, if you did like this episode, share it with your friends, rate it and review and join us next time