Meet NEHHA BHATNAGAR, an inspiration!
Hello there! I have recently finished my Masters in Meditation from Biyome but I have been teaching mindfulness, dance and hatha yoga to urban slum girls in my not-for-profit organization Sarvam Shakti in India for over 7 years now.
I do this now virtually as well as spending a few months in India every year. After the Biyome program, I teach them a LOT more variety of techniques really depending on the personality of the child. For example, some do better with mantra meditations as in Kundalini Yoga. Some do better with just watching their breath (the basic SoHum technique). For some I insist on only guided Yoga Nidras and for some others basic Om Chanting.
I teach 200 marginalised girls in India. I really do believe my empathetic nature and my desire to serve help me be a better teacher. From my teachers at Biyome I learnt to teach by presence rather than only relying on action. I also learnt to believe in the practice versus letting the logical mind come up to analyse everything!
What’s the story behind your first meditation experience?
My first meditation experience was in a course I took at the Art of Living Ashram in India in 2011. I had already done the first basic breathing course but had not yet been for a full meditation program. I was more intrigued by the Founder of the organisation and his simplicity in communicating ideas and that led me to enroll in the program at the beautiful campus in Southern India. It was a very special experience filled with lots of Karma yoga or volunteering work too. Since then I have spiritually shopped a lot at various courses ashrams and teachers and now have come to find solace in simply sitting or simple practices like Metta.
Who or what inspires you?
SOOOO many people on a daily basis. My journey in Vedanta started a few years ago with the teachings of Ramana Maharshi and have now expanded to modern day teachers like Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. I read the Tricycle magazine daily and watch amazing talks by Swami Sarvapriyananda. I have done basic courses in many organisations like Isha Yoga, Art of Living, Self-Realization Fellowship, Sivananda Ashram amongst others. I am basically a spiritual seeker. One of my favourite quotes is by Nisargatta Maharaj- Wisdom says I am Nothing. Love says I am Everything. Between the two my life flows.
Cushion time:
55 minutes- Yoga Nidra
Tools: Meditation Apps, yes or no?
No
You’re the voice: Do you sing in the shower?
Sometimes!
The getting of wisdom: What’s the best, or most important thing, you’ve learned as a meditation teacher?
Trust the process!!!!!!!
Also trauma-informed or trauma-sensitive meditation is key. No one size fits all.
What makes your heart sing and what you have come to value most?
Gratitude! The power of gratitude resets the most toughest days. It brings such perspective to life! Writing a gratitude journal really makes me sleep deeper and better. I teach this to my girls all the time. They start their classes with a gratitude song.
The best thing today: What’s the most inspiring or loveliest thing you’ve seen or experienced today?
You can read more about Nehha and her work here:
www.sarvamshakti.org