March 2017 Featured Yogi: Nishith DhandHa

"...the surprising lesson of yoga was that with the focus it requires comes a calmness that lasts..."

Read a little bit about Nishith, who's been part of our yoga community for over 5 years.

​1) Tell us about yourself.
I am a nature loving cyclist. I work downtown and commute the 8 miles each way on bike daily. As a LA City landscape architect, I value the day to day interplay between nature and the built environment. One of the joys in my life comes from living in the great City of Los Angeles and next to Griffith Park, its most precious jewel.  I believe that it's the little patches of green that make life manageable given the hectic workload and the bureaucratic system in which we all revolve.
 

2) When and how did your yoga practice begin?
As a child, I spent every other summer in India with my grandparents. Every morning, my grandfather would practice and I would watch. He would always end with a shoulder stand and that was probably my first position. Over the years, I tried yoga off and on. Cycling everyday and sitting at a desk at work puts a lot of stress on my lower back and neck/shoulders. Yoga became a way to relieve that tension. I am now a regular in Michelle's class at the gym where I work.

3) How has yoga benefited you?
My regular class is midday and it is a great way to break the monotony of sitting at my desk. At the beginning of every class, we breathe and find perspective and balance that mindfully refreshes us and leads us through the rest of the day that is in addition to the physical benefits of opening up our hearts, hips and chests, and stretching our backs, shoulders and necks. I think that the fact that I look forward to each class means that I have benefited from yoga in a number of ways that I can't even name!

4) Describe an important insight you've learned through your yoga practice.
One thing I realized, is that my first impression of yoga was that it would really help me physically. After practicing with Michelle for the last few years, I have come to understand that breathing and setting an intention at the beginning of class can really bring a positive perspective and equilibrium to the ups and downs of everyday life. So the surprising lesson of yoga was that with the focus it requires comes a calmness that lasts. 
​
5) What message would you like to share with our yoga community to help inspire them on their yoga journey?
I think that a regular yoga practice can be one those little green patches that makes life manageable.

An avid environmentalist and cyclist, Nishith will be riding 300 miles of rugged California coastline on a fixed gear bike in June to fundraise for and support Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC) whose work focuses on active transportation, pedestrian safety, sustainability and bicycle infrastructure and policy.  Please join us in supporting Nishith and Climate Ride California's efforts.  Read more about the cause here.