International Yoga Day: Tahira Kashyap Shares How Yoga Transformed Her Mind And Body

New Delhi: As the world celebrates Yoga Day today, author and filmmaker Tahira Kashyap opened up about her newfound love for yoga, sharing a deeply personal and inspiring journey of transformation on social media. Posting glimpses of her Ashtanga Yoga routine, she reflected on how the practice—once resisted—has now become a grounding force in her life.

Tahira captioned her post with, “Ashthanga Yoga, new found love. I resisted yoga my entire life only to embrace it now. It’s transformational, spiritual, physical and emotional.” The video shows her flowing through dynamic poses, exuding calm and control, mirroring the inner balance she says yoga has helped her discover.

In her candid note, Tahira admitted that she was never a fan of yoga and preferred more intense fitness forms like HIIT, running, and weight training. However, that changed recently when she gave yoga another chance. “So, very honestly, I was never a yoga fan, always resisted. All throughout my life, I never took to it, and whenever I did also, it was not with a sense of calm and learning. I have always had other forms of fitness, whether it was weight training, HIIT, cross training, running, jogging, and sprinting. But then, life is all about learning, and now, since about a month or two, I have taken to Ashtanga Yoga. And this time round, I know this is for good, as there is so much to it which I never understood before, like the breath work. And it’s exhausting, I really thought that yoga is for beginners and it doesn't burn enough calories.” she shared, but added that her perception has shifted entirely. The practice has now redefined how she views fitness—not just as a physical endeavor, but as a holistic experience that bridges the mind and body.

Calling the change transformational, Tahira emphasized the importance of breathwork, mental clarity, and inner balance. She shared that the practice has altered her view of exercise itself: “There’s a sort of synchronicity which you feel. And yes, I think I’m here to learn yoga for the rest of my life.”

Another major insight Tahira shared was the significance of finding the right guidance. ““You should always look for a mentor in yoga. I think it's very important to have someone teach you, someone who knows better,” she noted, urging others not to rely solely on self-practice but to seek structured learning.

Alongside yoga, Tahira also credited Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism for providing spiritual clarity and personal growth. I think life is to learn, and the more you learn, the more you still want to learn. So, the idea is to keep learning and keep evolving as a human being for the rest of your life," she said, tying in her broader philosophy of lifelong self-evolution.

In the hustle of modern life, Tahira Kashyap’s honest account is a powerful reminder to pause, breathe, and recalibrate. For those on the fence about starting yoga, her journey serves as both motivation and reassurance, it’s never too late to begin, and the rewards are deeply enriching.