1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:19,620 Karthik Thoguluva is a great example of how you can find a career by chance and not choice. 2 00:00:19,620 --> 00:00:24,300 His choice or what he defined as his passion was VFX. 3 00:00:24,300 --> 00:00:30,340 Enamored by Hollywood blockbusters, he thought that his calling in life would be in managing 4 00:00:30,340 --> 00:00:32,620 special effects in movies in India. 5 00:00:32,620 --> 00:00:38,860 But a persistent health problem forced him to turn to yoga and that's where he found 6 00:00:38,860 --> 00:00:40,660 his lifelong passion. 7 00:00:40,660 --> 00:00:47,540 As a yoga teacher in Dubai, he's pursuing a completely different set of objectives from 8 00:00:47,540 --> 00:00:49,260 where he first began. 9 00:00:49,260 --> 00:00:56,420 And that's where this conversation and this career journey takes its course from movies 10 00:00:56,420 --> 00:01:01,260 to the realm of philosophy and spiritualism. 11 00:01:01,260 --> 00:01:04,540 Let's talk to Karthik and figure out how it all happened. 12 00:01:04,540 --> 00:01:05,540 Hi Karthik. 13 00:01:05,540 --> 00:01:06,540 Hello Venu. 14 00:01:06,540 --> 00:01:10,020 Thank you for that wonderful introduction. 15 00:01:10,020 --> 00:01:11,420 Good to have you on the show. 16 00:01:11,420 --> 00:01:12,420 Good to be here. 17 00:01:12,420 --> 00:01:20,020 I think ever since Deepa, my colleague who has had the opportunity to learn from you, 18 00:01:20,020 --> 00:01:22,620 she told me you're a very hard taskmaster. 19 00:01:22,620 --> 00:01:25,620 You don't take shortcuts. 20 00:01:25,620 --> 00:01:28,940 She says you have shortcuts in your classes. 21 00:01:28,940 --> 00:01:31,560 Yeah when it comes to teaching, I think I become that. 22 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:33,580 So I think it also comes from my teachers. 23 00:01:33,580 --> 00:01:35,700 So I teach the way my teacher teach. 24 00:01:35,700 --> 00:01:39,140 So I think it's partly me and partly my teacher. 25 00:01:39,140 --> 00:01:43,060 So you've been a yoga teacher for more than a decade now, right? 26 00:01:43,060 --> 00:01:46,300 Yeah, this is my 12th year as a yoga teacher. 27 00:01:46,300 --> 00:01:49,420 So first four years, three years I was teaching in Chennai. 28 00:01:49,420 --> 00:01:51,180 So that's where I know Deepa from. 29 00:01:51,180 --> 00:01:54,580 So after that I moved to UAE and it's been nine years here. 30 00:01:54,580 --> 00:01:56,020 That's quite a long stint. 31 00:01:56,020 --> 00:02:00,780 But let's start with how life has defined you. 32 00:02:00,780 --> 00:02:03,300 What is the early part of your life like? 33 00:02:03,300 --> 00:02:06,100 What are things like in school? 34 00:02:06,100 --> 00:02:09,820 The school part is mostly a nightmare. 35 00:02:09,820 --> 00:02:16,700 Not that my friends or my other students were bullying me. 36 00:02:16,700 --> 00:02:20,540 It was mostly the teachers who were kind of mean to me, I would say. 37 00:02:20,540 --> 00:02:23,940 I don't know why they have to do that, but they did anyway. 38 00:02:23,940 --> 00:02:28,660 Probably because I was puny, like very small in size. 39 00:02:28,660 --> 00:02:30,460 I grew up later on in life. 40 00:02:30,460 --> 00:02:31,460 I grew up. 41 00:02:31,460 --> 00:02:36,420 At that I was very puny and I was very shy. 42 00:02:36,420 --> 00:02:38,980 And I think that's what makes them to pick me on. 43 00:02:38,980 --> 00:02:39,980 I think so. 44 00:02:39,980 --> 00:02:44,920 I'm not going to define that that's the reason, but I think they found someone who is puny 45 00:02:44,920 --> 00:02:46,420 and easy to mock. 46 00:02:46,420 --> 00:02:49,780 But that actually led to a lot of fear to go in school. 47 00:02:49,780 --> 00:02:53,860 Mom is my comfort zone at the time, of course, when school is not working out, when there's 48 00:02:53,860 --> 00:02:56,900 no one to support you psychologically in school, right? 49 00:02:56,900 --> 00:02:58,740 So yeah, I was close to my mom. 50 00:02:58,740 --> 00:03:00,540 That lasted for a long time, to be honest. 51 00:03:00,540 --> 00:03:02,660 And during my teen years, I needed my mom. 52 00:03:02,660 --> 00:03:05,500 I was not very studious person academically. 53 00:03:05,500 --> 00:03:07,260 Of course, I'm not great at it. 54 00:03:07,260 --> 00:03:09,780 I did not make that many friends in school. 55 00:03:09,780 --> 00:03:11,500 Also, maybe one or two, right? 56 00:03:11,500 --> 00:03:15,820 But I think that was also a good thing, how it molded my life for later on. 57 00:03:15,820 --> 00:03:18,420 It made me into an introvert, I would say. 58 00:03:18,420 --> 00:03:21,860 I found comfort either being alone or being with my mom. 59 00:03:21,860 --> 00:03:22,860 Simple. 60 00:03:22,860 --> 00:03:26,860 It gives you a lot of awareness in the environment when you're alone most of the time. 61 00:03:26,860 --> 00:03:30,580 When you isolate yourself, then, of course, there's a lot of things to observe at the 62 00:03:30,580 --> 00:03:31,580 time. 63 00:03:31,580 --> 00:03:35,900 I think that helped really well in my visual effects career and also yoga career, because 64 00:03:35,900 --> 00:03:38,900 both needed a sense of observation, first of all. 65 00:03:38,900 --> 00:03:42,220 In visual effects industry, as an artist, you need to observe outside, right? 66 00:03:42,220 --> 00:03:44,820 You need to see things the way they are and beyond. 67 00:03:44,820 --> 00:03:48,620 When it comes to yoga, more about observation of insight. 68 00:03:48,620 --> 00:03:50,020 What's going on inside your head? 69 00:03:50,020 --> 00:03:51,020 What's going on in your mind? 70 00:03:51,020 --> 00:03:55,140 So I think the skill of observation was common to both. 71 00:03:55,140 --> 00:03:59,060 Let's say, for example, in a visual effects industry, if you take a leaf, you don't just 72 00:03:59,060 --> 00:04:00,060 see the leaf. 73 00:04:00,060 --> 00:04:04,100 Of course, you see the leaf with its color, its veins, and its texture and everything, 74 00:04:04,100 --> 00:04:08,220 but you can also see beyond that how the leaf came into existence in the first place. 75 00:04:08,220 --> 00:04:09,620 It just didn't randomly come up. 76 00:04:09,620 --> 00:04:11,460 It had to go through a lot of process. 77 00:04:11,460 --> 00:04:16,740 Like, you need a soil, you need sunlight, you need rain and water, and then everything 78 00:04:16,740 --> 00:04:19,740 has to come together to form that one single leaf. 79 00:04:19,740 --> 00:04:20,740 It's a miracle. 80 00:04:20,740 --> 00:04:25,220 As Dean of Hans says, that everything that you see is interconnected to everything that's 81 00:04:25,220 --> 00:04:26,220 around. 82 00:04:26,220 --> 00:04:27,580 So nothing comes out of nothing, right? 83 00:04:27,580 --> 00:04:28,980 So it's a great observation. 84 00:04:28,980 --> 00:04:32,820 I think I had that in the very beginning, I think. 85 00:04:32,820 --> 00:04:37,380 Not liking school, not being bright in my academic years has got nothing to do with 86 00:04:37,380 --> 00:04:38,580 what I'm doing right now. 87 00:04:38,580 --> 00:04:43,980 I mean, to put it in a traceback, my first experience of the observation, I really remember 88 00:04:43,980 --> 00:04:45,020 I was six years old. 89 00:04:45,020 --> 00:04:47,340 I was playing hide and seek with my friends. 90 00:04:47,340 --> 00:04:48,700 I was the one seeking. 91 00:04:48,700 --> 00:04:52,980 One corner I stood, not going to exaggerate this, but at that moment I stood still and 92 00:04:52,980 --> 00:04:55,540 I was suddenly I was thinking that I'm thinking. 93 00:04:55,540 --> 00:04:57,700 And you were six at the time? 94 00:04:57,700 --> 00:05:00,260 I can clearly tell the year it was 1989. 95 00:05:00,260 --> 00:05:01,260 I was six years old. 96 00:05:01,260 --> 00:05:05,580 I remember the year because when we touch someone, when we seek someone, we say the 97 00:05:05,580 --> 00:05:07,820 year for some reason, 1989. 98 00:05:07,820 --> 00:05:09,020 So that means that he's out. 99 00:05:09,020 --> 00:05:12,740 That moment is a very profound experience for me that I can still remember. 100 00:05:12,740 --> 00:05:14,300 That lasted for like maybe a few seconds. 101 00:05:14,300 --> 00:05:20,420 And the fact is it came in the middle of a physical activity, which is not when you expect 102 00:05:20,420 --> 00:05:23,660 yourself to become aware of this process of thinking. 103 00:05:23,660 --> 00:05:24,660 And you're six. 104 00:05:24,660 --> 00:05:28,900 A lot of people have had this experience of asking people, what was your earliest memory? 105 00:05:28,900 --> 00:05:30,740 And that normally comes a little later in life. 106 00:05:30,740 --> 00:05:34,660 Invariably it's about things that have had a dramatic or profound impact. 107 00:05:34,660 --> 00:05:38,140 Yours came in the middle of a session of hide and seek. 108 00:05:38,140 --> 00:05:40,300 And I like the way that you say I was seeking. 109 00:05:40,300 --> 00:05:44,620 Now that you say about it, yeah, I was actually. 110 00:05:44,620 --> 00:05:48,060 It didn't last forever, but it's a very profound memory. 111 00:05:48,060 --> 00:05:50,660 I think that also played later on. 112 00:05:50,660 --> 00:05:53,580 That was more conscious effort, checking what I'm thinking. 113 00:05:53,580 --> 00:05:54,580 Okay. 114 00:05:54,580 --> 00:05:59,420 Now I can observe outside and observe inside both in equanimity. 115 00:05:59,420 --> 00:06:02,060 So what's outside and what's inside both needs an observation. 116 00:06:02,060 --> 00:06:03,060 Okay. 117 00:06:03,060 --> 00:06:05,620 I think that really helped me in me being an artist as well. 118 00:06:05,620 --> 00:06:10,700 So the transition wasn't that difficult for me because it's just that you have to turn 119 00:06:10,700 --> 00:06:11,700 inwards. 120 00:06:11,700 --> 00:06:12,700 That's it. 121 00:06:12,700 --> 00:06:14,340 How did your interest in VFX come about? 122 00:06:14,340 --> 00:06:15,340 Okay. 123 00:06:15,340 --> 00:06:16,980 That's another one. 124 00:06:16,980 --> 00:06:18,580 I was an eighth standard at the time. 125 00:06:18,580 --> 00:06:19,580 Okay. 126 00:06:19,580 --> 00:06:22,220 They introduced the production three at that time. 127 00:06:22,220 --> 00:06:26,900 The first time they did it three, which was the only time telecasted for a few hours in 128 00:06:26,900 --> 00:06:28,300 the afternoon, few hours at night. 129 00:06:28,300 --> 00:06:33,540 But the first time they telecasted a Hollywood movies, they probably show one movie a day. 130 00:06:33,540 --> 00:06:34,540 I think so. 131 00:06:34,540 --> 00:06:36,060 I was getting into it. 132 00:06:36,060 --> 00:06:41,900 But between these programs, they used to play a small 10 minute or 20 minute series called 133 00:06:41,900 --> 00:06:42,900 Behind the Scenes. 134 00:06:42,900 --> 00:06:43,900 Okay. 135 00:06:43,900 --> 00:06:46,540 They show how certain Hollywood movies were made at the time. 136 00:06:46,540 --> 00:06:51,740 To be specific, they were one time they were showing a Terminator 2 judgment day, a revolutionary 137 00:06:51,740 --> 00:06:54,180 breakthrough in graphics and storyline, right? 138 00:06:54,180 --> 00:06:55,180 James Cameron's movie. 139 00:06:55,180 --> 00:06:56,660 I was watching that for 20 minutes. 140 00:06:56,660 --> 00:07:02,340 I was an eighth standard and I was mind blown by how things are changing in industry. 141 00:07:02,340 --> 00:07:06,860 Clearly remember telling my brother, I want to be doing that because I was super bored 142 00:07:06,860 --> 00:07:09,580 with this academic thing because it's so much stress. 143 00:07:09,580 --> 00:07:11,060 I felt that was amazing. 144 00:07:11,060 --> 00:07:14,300 Until 10th standard, I was not a studious fellow at all. 145 00:07:14,300 --> 00:07:18,520 I failed in most of the subject time, but 11th standard, 12th standard changed because 146 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:19,520 I changed the group. 147 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:20,520 I did commerce. 148 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:21,520 Commerce was new. 149 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:22,520 Economics was new. 150 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:23,520 Accounts was new. 151 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:24,760 Everything is a new subject. 152 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,180 So I have to, I'm starting ground up. 153 00:07:27,180 --> 00:07:31,140 It was very interesting at the time because I'm suddenly starting to understand what I'm 154 00:07:31,140 --> 00:07:32,140 studying. 155 00:07:32,140 --> 00:07:33,860 I'm different and I'm different. 156 00:07:33,860 --> 00:07:37,740 So I started studying well and I was competing with rank holders out of sudden. 157 00:07:37,740 --> 00:07:38,740 And that's like weird for me. 158 00:07:38,740 --> 00:07:39,740 That's not me at all. 159 00:07:39,740 --> 00:07:40,740 12th standard, of course, the board exam. 160 00:07:40,740 --> 00:07:41,740 I scored really good. 161 00:07:41,740 --> 00:07:48,740 It's a blessing and a curse at the same time, like they always say. 162 00:07:48,740 --> 00:07:51,260 Gave me an opportunity to enter any college I want. 163 00:07:51,260 --> 00:07:52,260 Okay. 164 00:07:52,260 --> 00:07:53,260 I thought I'll do Loyola. 165 00:07:53,260 --> 00:07:54,260 I'll do Union College. 166 00:07:54,260 --> 00:07:56,940 In the morning, I can just relax and chill probably just sleep in. 167 00:07:56,940 --> 00:08:02,980 And at the same time, I think it's my relatives and everybody told me, why don't you do chartered 168 00:08:02,980 --> 00:08:03,980 accountancy? 169 00:08:03,980 --> 00:08:04,980 I don't know how I did that. 170 00:08:04,980 --> 00:08:07,260 School first, 199 out of 200. 171 00:08:07,260 --> 00:08:10,100 My uncle and my dad is like, why don't you do chartered accountancy? 172 00:08:10,100 --> 00:08:11,100 Okay, I'll do that. 173 00:08:11,100 --> 00:08:12,100 I'll give it a try. 174 00:08:12,100 --> 00:08:13,100 First two class, great. 175 00:08:13,100 --> 00:08:16,820 Because it is more like a revision of 11th and 12th standard what you study. 176 00:08:16,820 --> 00:08:19,940 Third class, I'm like, I didn't understand certain part. 177 00:08:19,940 --> 00:08:20,940 Maybe you're not focused so much. 178 00:08:20,940 --> 00:08:22,940 Fourth and fifth today, I was sitting there. 179 00:08:22,940 --> 00:08:24,300 I did not understand it. 180 00:08:24,300 --> 00:08:25,300 Oh my goodness. 181 00:08:25,300 --> 00:08:26,300 What happened? 182 00:08:26,300 --> 00:08:30,020 I was in those two days at the school and suddenly again, I felt like I'm heading back 183 00:08:30,020 --> 00:08:31,020 to those childhood education. 184 00:08:31,020 --> 00:08:32,020 Yeah. 185 00:08:32,020 --> 00:08:34,300 Not the place you wanted to be. 186 00:08:34,300 --> 00:08:37,420 I was like, okay, I can't do this and I cannot do account. 187 00:08:37,420 --> 00:08:38,820 Account is not my thing. 188 00:08:38,820 --> 00:08:42,340 Now the problem is I have to convince my dad what I want to do. 189 00:08:42,340 --> 00:08:44,860 I have to change his mindset that I'm not good at it. 190 00:08:44,860 --> 00:08:49,260 When I was in eighth standard, this visual effects industry, I was good with art and 191 00:08:49,260 --> 00:08:50,260 I'm good at observation. 192 00:08:50,260 --> 00:08:53,700 I'm like, okay, maybe it's time that I explored that area. 193 00:08:53,700 --> 00:08:55,100 That stuck with me. 194 00:08:55,100 --> 00:08:57,700 Then I took the next six months without my dad knowing about it. 195 00:08:57,700 --> 00:09:02,900 I just went to certain companies to know what I should do to get into this industry and 196 00:09:02,900 --> 00:09:04,740 I did my homework. 197 00:09:04,740 --> 00:09:08,020 I even found an institute where they can teach what I want to become. 198 00:09:08,020 --> 00:09:11,460 After six months, I told my dad, listen, this is not working out for me. 199 00:09:11,460 --> 00:09:13,380 Accountancy is not my cup of tea. 200 00:09:13,380 --> 00:09:17,180 It's best that I take a decision now that I leave this and try something else, which 201 00:09:17,180 --> 00:09:19,980 I think I would love doing for the rest of my life. 202 00:09:19,980 --> 00:09:24,660 My dad wasn't convinced because it's new, but then I had to promise him saying that, 203 00:09:24,660 --> 00:09:27,380 listen, this is the last thing that you're going to spend for me. 204 00:09:27,380 --> 00:09:30,180 After this, you don't have to spend on my education at all. 205 00:09:30,180 --> 00:09:32,780 He was like, okay, fine, because I've already done my homework. 206 00:09:32,780 --> 00:09:33,780 I know what I wanted to become. 207 00:09:33,780 --> 00:09:35,100 I was so paid. 208 00:09:35,100 --> 00:09:39,180 I'm so grateful that he actually accepted to do that because that's going to change 209 00:09:39,180 --> 00:09:40,180 my life. 210 00:09:40,180 --> 00:09:41,180 I mean, at least a decade. 211 00:09:41,180 --> 00:09:43,820 I started learning multimedia because that was my cup of tea. 212 00:09:43,820 --> 00:09:44,820 Where was this, Kurtek? 213 00:09:44,820 --> 00:09:48,020 This was in, this is all happened in Chennai, 2001. 214 00:09:48,020 --> 00:09:52,860 I started this when I was studying in college second year in Loyola. 215 00:09:52,860 --> 00:09:55,300 In the morning I can do that, evening I go to college. 216 00:09:55,300 --> 00:10:01,100 Third year comes, I felt that I have to focus more on my multimedia stuff, more into animation. 217 00:10:01,100 --> 00:10:05,140 My mind is constantly on that, going to college, sitting in the college and I'm thinking about 218 00:10:05,140 --> 00:10:07,860 what I can do in animation there. 219 00:10:07,860 --> 00:10:11,500 So I have to tell my dad that, dad, it looks like I'm wasting a lot of time in college. 220 00:10:11,500 --> 00:10:15,860 Let me switch to correspondence in third year so I can spend more time on this one, which 221 00:10:15,860 --> 00:10:18,140 I have decided that it's going to be my rest of my life. 222 00:10:18,140 --> 00:10:20,060 Well, again, he agreed. 223 00:10:20,060 --> 00:10:23,460 I don't know how he risked that, but he did. 224 00:10:23,460 --> 00:10:28,580 So I spent the whole day sitting on a computer doing projects after projects and just learning 225 00:10:28,580 --> 00:10:29,860 and experiencing. 226 00:10:29,860 --> 00:10:34,020 And gladly I was even placed in a visual effects industry at very early in third year, which 227 00:10:34,020 --> 00:10:36,660 means that great learning experience from there. 228 00:10:36,660 --> 00:10:37,660 Amazing. 229 00:10:37,660 --> 00:10:42,020 For the next 10 years, other friends also started joining into the industry and we all 230 00:10:42,020 --> 00:10:48,060 became a one good young group with a lot of energy, with a lot of aspiration. 231 00:10:48,060 --> 00:10:52,100 For at least about six years, we had an amazing team, but unfortunately the industry wasn't 232 00:10:52,100 --> 00:10:53,100 doing great. 233 00:10:53,100 --> 00:10:56,060 There was a peak and then it hit a plateau. 234 00:10:56,060 --> 00:10:57,060 This was going on. 235 00:10:57,060 --> 00:10:59,220 The work is always very stressful. 236 00:10:59,220 --> 00:11:04,580 It always comes with impractical deadlines and something happened during the time, the 237 00:11:04,580 --> 00:11:07,580 beginning of the transition from VFX to yoga. 238 00:11:07,580 --> 00:11:12,540 I once got a urine infection, which is mostly a bladder infection with a slight kidney inflammation 239 00:11:12,540 --> 00:11:13,540 and stuff. 240 00:11:13,540 --> 00:11:14,540 We checked for infection. 241 00:11:14,540 --> 00:11:16,060 Yes, we found out. 242 00:11:16,060 --> 00:11:21,260 I took the medicine, felt good for after five days like antibiotics and it felt good, but 243 00:11:21,260 --> 00:11:22,460 the pain did not go away. 244 00:11:22,460 --> 00:11:25,180 I met some of the best urologists in Chennai. 245 00:11:25,180 --> 00:11:27,340 For three months, he's changed in medicine. 246 00:11:27,340 --> 00:11:30,100 We were constantly changing something, but nothing was working. 247 00:11:30,100 --> 00:11:31,100 He couldn't figure it out. 248 00:11:31,100 --> 00:11:35,020 We did a lot of X-ray, MRI and everything, kidney stone possibilities, nothing. 249 00:11:35,020 --> 00:11:36,020 It showed nothing. 250 00:11:36,020 --> 00:11:37,020 Everything is perfect. 251 00:11:37,020 --> 00:11:40,860 At one point, I found the doctor said, listen, there's nothing that I could find wrong with 252 00:11:40,860 --> 00:11:41,860 you physically. 253 00:11:41,860 --> 00:11:43,100 Maybe you should try yoga. 254 00:11:43,100 --> 00:11:44,740 Maybe you just need to calm down. 255 00:11:44,740 --> 00:11:46,300 Maybe you're overly stressed. 256 00:11:46,300 --> 00:11:48,780 I always portrayed myself as a very cool person. 257 00:11:48,780 --> 00:11:52,620 I told the doctor, no, no, no, I don't think there's any stress at all. 258 00:11:52,620 --> 00:11:54,180 People who are stressed usually say that. 259 00:11:54,180 --> 00:11:59,940 I'm like, maybe, maybe I'm just camouflaging that stress acting cool. 260 00:11:59,940 --> 00:12:02,700 Maybe you should do something like yoga and you need to calm down a little bit. 261 00:12:02,700 --> 00:12:04,340 You need to release the stress. 262 00:12:04,340 --> 00:12:07,700 You're not sure about what source of stress was. 263 00:12:07,700 --> 00:12:08,860 See, there is a job. 264 00:12:08,860 --> 00:12:12,900 You enjoy the job, but when it comes to the impractical deadline, you get frustrated at 265 00:12:12,900 --> 00:12:16,140 the same time, who wants to give a hundred percent when the deadline is just tomorrow, 266 00:12:16,140 --> 00:12:17,620 which is totally impractical. 267 00:12:17,620 --> 00:12:19,220 It's not possible at all. 268 00:12:19,220 --> 00:12:21,020 Then the quality goes down. 269 00:12:21,020 --> 00:12:23,140 So it's a very small industry, by the way. 270 00:12:23,140 --> 00:12:24,140 Everybody knows everyone. 271 00:12:24,140 --> 00:12:27,940 So we just need to know who did this job, who did this particular effect. 272 00:12:27,940 --> 00:12:31,620 For me, I think it was getting very stressful because I was not able to deliver a hundred 273 00:12:31,620 --> 00:12:32,620 percent. 274 00:12:32,620 --> 00:12:37,580 And even if I could, the seniors weren't helping me to deliver because it has to filter through 275 00:12:37,580 --> 00:12:38,580 the seniors. 276 00:12:38,580 --> 00:12:40,380 And it was very frustrating time. 277 00:12:40,380 --> 00:12:43,060 I think subconsciously I was holding some amount of stress. 278 00:12:43,060 --> 00:12:44,220 It was just weighing me down. 279 00:12:44,220 --> 00:12:45,980 The doctor mentioned yoga. 280 00:12:45,980 --> 00:12:48,500 If that's going to be my last resort, I'm going to go for it. 281 00:12:48,500 --> 00:12:54,260 Same evening, I went to Google it somewhere near my workplace where I can just go do yoga 282 00:12:54,260 --> 00:12:55,380 and come to work again. 283 00:12:55,380 --> 00:12:56,860 So I looked for it. 284 00:12:56,860 --> 00:12:59,060 And there's this teacher called Sundar Karambi. 285 00:12:59,060 --> 00:13:00,580 He's in Mylapore. 286 00:13:00,580 --> 00:13:01,940 He came up first in the Google site. 287 00:13:01,940 --> 00:13:03,500 I was like, okay, fine, let's go. 288 00:13:03,500 --> 00:13:04,500 Let's talk to him. 289 00:13:04,500 --> 00:13:06,860 I immediately, next day, went there, spoke to him. 290 00:13:06,860 --> 00:13:07,860 He was very convincing. 291 00:13:07,860 --> 00:13:10,180 He had a great knowledge, great experience in it. 292 00:13:10,180 --> 00:13:11,460 I already knew that. 293 00:13:11,460 --> 00:13:16,460 Basically, my visual effects industry and yoga practice kind of overlapped at some point 294 00:13:16,460 --> 00:13:17,460 of time. 295 00:13:17,460 --> 00:13:18,940 I was doing both at one point of time. 296 00:13:18,940 --> 00:13:21,420 It's not like a sudden jump from this to that. 297 00:13:21,420 --> 00:13:26,100 I was curious about yoga before, but never really wanted to get into. 298 00:13:26,100 --> 00:13:31,340 I tried checking some books, but the books always start with the theory of yoga is about 299 00:13:31,340 --> 00:13:32,340 union. 300 00:13:32,340 --> 00:13:35,940 It's about uniting Paramatma with Atma. 301 00:13:35,940 --> 00:13:39,340 No, theories don't work at the time. 302 00:13:39,340 --> 00:13:41,740 So I closed the books many times. 303 00:13:41,740 --> 00:13:43,560 So that's how I was pushed into yoga. 304 00:13:43,560 --> 00:13:47,380 So do you remember what you started out with? 305 00:13:47,380 --> 00:13:51,740 Discipline of having to go through something on a daily basis doesn't come easily at that 306 00:13:51,740 --> 00:13:52,740 age at all. 307 00:13:52,740 --> 00:13:55,340 My circumstances at that time, like I have to do it. 308 00:13:55,340 --> 00:13:56,340 This is my last result. 309 00:13:56,340 --> 00:13:57,340 Okay. 310 00:13:57,340 --> 00:14:00,300 First, he usually starts a session with a couple of deep breaths. 311 00:14:00,300 --> 00:14:03,540 Sit straight, you align yourself and then start taking slow deep breaths. 312 00:14:03,540 --> 00:14:07,220 My first slow deep breath was revolutionary at the time. 313 00:14:07,220 --> 00:14:09,020 I was like, wow. 314 00:14:09,020 --> 00:14:11,260 I haven't been breathing all these years. 315 00:14:11,260 --> 00:14:12,780 First breath felt so good. 316 00:14:12,780 --> 00:14:13,780 It's amazing. 317 00:14:13,780 --> 00:14:15,420 I'm going to see how things go. 318 00:14:15,420 --> 00:14:16,420 Okay. 319 00:14:16,420 --> 00:14:17,420 Let's end of the session. 320 00:14:17,420 --> 00:14:18,420 Let's see how it feels. 321 00:14:18,420 --> 00:14:20,380 But we did very simple exercises. 322 00:14:20,380 --> 00:14:26,220 We did very simple arm raises, very simple twist, neck exercises, eye exercises, some 323 00:14:26,220 --> 00:14:27,220 standing poses. 324 00:14:27,220 --> 00:14:31,180 And within three days, I felt great. 325 00:14:31,180 --> 00:14:33,060 My bladder pain was gone. 326 00:14:33,060 --> 00:14:38,240 Three days, three months I was going to hospital, visiting hospital and clinic and taking medicines 327 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:41,340 and this and that, doing very simple movements. 328 00:14:41,340 --> 00:14:42,340 It's gone. 329 00:14:42,340 --> 00:14:43,740 I was amazed at this. 330 00:14:43,740 --> 00:14:47,460 I'm like, this yoga has a lot of potency here. 331 00:14:47,460 --> 00:14:48,460 Let's continue. 332 00:14:48,460 --> 00:14:51,180 I didn't go there as a one-time solution. 333 00:14:51,180 --> 00:14:52,980 I was curious also. 334 00:14:52,980 --> 00:14:56,980 I had this inquisitive mind since the very beginning of the childhood because it comes 335 00:14:56,980 --> 00:14:57,980 with the observation. 336 00:14:57,980 --> 00:15:01,860 You cannot be observing without being inquisitive about what you're observing. 337 00:15:01,860 --> 00:15:02,860 Right. 338 00:15:02,860 --> 00:15:03,860 So, okay. 339 00:15:03,860 --> 00:15:04,860 Let's do this. 340 00:15:04,860 --> 00:15:05,860 Let's continue. 341 00:15:05,860 --> 00:15:06,860 This is great. 342 00:15:06,860 --> 00:15:08,340 I'm back to normal. 343 00:15:08,340 --> 00:15:09,900 My energy level was great. 344 00:15:09,900 --> 00:15:13,420 One month, my spine was aligned very good. 345 00:15:13,420 --> 00:15:14,420 I felt taller. 346 00:15:14,420 --> 00:15:17,140 I told my teacher also, I feel taller. 347 00:15:17,140 --> 00:15:22,620 I don't know if it's physical measurement or just saying I feel taller. 348 00:15:22,620 --> 00:15:26,060 He said you didn't grow taller, just that your spine has aligned properly. 349 00:15:26,060 --> 00:15:28,800 And then my energy level was amazing. 350 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:30,700 My sleep was deep. 351 00:15:30,700 --> 00:15:32,580 My digestion was great. 352 00:15:32,580 --> 00:15:36,520 I've never felt this amount of lightness in my body ever. 353 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:39,300 In one month, doing very simple movement. 354 00:15:39,300 --> 00:15:43,580 And then one month became two, two became six months, six big six months became four 355 00:15:43,580 --> 00:15:45,580 years with the same teacher. 356 00:15:45,580 --> 00:15:47,300 Most of the time it was one-on-one. 357 00:15:47,300 --> 00:15:49,900 So I had a very good rapport with this teacher also. 358 00:15:49,900 --> 00:15:54,740 So we used to talk after class about a lot of subjects, but he used to avoid the philosophical 359 00:15:54,740 --> 00:15:56,420 aspect of yoga. 360 00:15:56,420 --> 00:16:00,900 I was getting into that, getting interested in those aspects of yoga. 361 00:16:00,900 --> 00:16:06,380 For someone who used to call himself an atheist, now suddenly is curious about those texts 362 00:16:06,380 --> 00:16:10,660 I have taken Bhagavad Gita before and see how, what it is, because of course we call 363 00:16:10,660 --> 00:16:13,460 it a holy book, but I just need to know why it is called a holy book. 364 00:16:13,460 --> 00:16:14,940 So I've taken it before. 365 00:16:14,940 --> 00:16:15,940 Same as before. 366 00:16:15,940 --> 00:16:18,100 I didn't understand anything close to it and kept it. 367 00:16:18,100 --> 00:16:20,780 I asked my teacher, I want to understand these things. 368 00:16:20,780 --> 00:16:21,780 Physically, I'm okay. 369 00:16:21,780 --> 00:16:22,780 I'm doing great. 370 00:16:22,780 --> 00:16:23,780 My postures are getting better. 371 00:16:23,780 --> 00:16:26,820 My health is at the peak at the time, but I was not satisfied with that. 372 00:16:26,820 --> 00:16:27,820 I need to know more. 373 00:16:27,820 --> 00:16:33,540 So he openly said, listen, my teaching is only a transactional level to lead a very 374 00:16:33,540 --> 00:16:37,220 healthy life or to grow old gracefully. 375 00:16:37,220 --> 00:16:38,380 That's his intention. 376 00:16:38,380 --> 00:16:39,540 He was very clear about it. 377 00:16:39,540 --> 00:16:43,380 But if you want philosophical learning, then you'll have to find another teacher. 378 00:16:43,380 --> 00:16:47,220 So for some time I tried to read it myself, but you need definitely need some teacher 379 00:16:47,220 --> 00:16:49,060 to assist in those areas. 380 00:16:49,060 --> 00:16:53,220 They are very subtle and they're very subjective experiences, which I was not ready at the 381 00:16:53,220 --> 00:16:54,220 time. 382 00:16:54,220 --> 00:16:56,660 And it also takes some amount of maturity in your mind to understand those things. 383 00:16:56,660 --> 00:16:57,660 It's not an easy read. 384 00:16:57,660 --> 00:16:59,340 It's not like you read once and then forget it. 385 00:16:59,340 --> 00:17:02,660 No, you need to go back to again and again to. 386 00:17:02,660 --> 00:17:08,580 And it's remarkable Karthik, how clear your first teacher was about what he would do and 387 00:17:08,580 --> 00:17:11,180 what he would not get into. 388 00:17:11,180 --> 00:17:12,220 Amazing teacher. 389 00:17:12,220 --> 00:17:17,100 It's amazing self-reflection of knowing what is it that you can convey and what is it that 390 00:17:17,100 --> 00:17:22,460 you can grow a certain person to and then say, okay, now I hand you over to whoever 391 00:17:22,460 --> 00:17:25,100 will bring about the next change in your life. 392 00:17:25,100 --> 00:17:26,580 They are called Upagurus. 393 00:17:26,580 --> 00:17:28,900 So basically one teacher hands you to the next one. 394 00:17:28,900 --> 00:17:33,660 I never thought I'll become a teacher, a very low self-esteem and always fearful in the 395 00:17:33,660 --> 00:17:36,020 crowd, always spend most of his time alone. 396 00:17:36,020 --> 00:17:39,100 To teach is like something I never thought it's in me. 397 00:17:39,100 --> 00:17:41,340 But again, time changes. 398 00:17:41,340 --> 00:17:46,060 And at one point of time, I really started liking this teacher, the way he was teaching 399 00:17:46,060 --> 00:17:48,100 and how he stands for my life. 400 00:17:48,100 --> 00:17:49,100 I think I can do that. 401 00:17:49,100 --> 00:17:52,740 I can teach because I know my subject very well at that point, after four years or four 402 00:17:52,740 --> 00:17:54,740 to five years of studying. 403 00:17:54,740 --> 00:17:56,660 I'm not just practicing, I'm also studying. 404 00:17:56,660 --> 00:17:59,740 I'm also trying to understand what is everything. 405 00:17:59,740 --> 00:18:00,740 I was trying to understand physiology. 406 00:18:00,740 --> 00:18:02,340 I was trying to understand the body. 407 00:18:02,340 --> 00:18:04,980 I was trying to understand the mind, which I was very confident. 408 00:18:04,980 --> 00:18:07,620 I know what yoga can do at the time. 409 00:18:07,620 --> 00:18:13,140 After the fourth year or fifth year, I told my teacher that I think I want to teach. 410 00:18:13,140 --> 00:18:15,820 Then he said, okay, you can definitely teach. 411 00:18:15,820 --> 00:18:17,140 You know stuff. 412 00:18:17,140 --> 00:18:20,380 You definitely have to do a teacher training program for that because you need a paper 413 00:18:20,380 --> 00:18:21,380 to teach anywhere. 414 00:18:21,380 --> 00:18:22,380 Right. 415 00:18:22,380 --> 00:18:23,380 Okay, fine. 416 00:18:23,380 --> 00:18:26,860 So he took me to Sivananda Ashram in Madurai, which he recommended. 417 00:18:26,860 --> 00:18:28,460 Why don't you go there? 418 00:18:28,460 --> 00:18:30,340 They will also teach you philosophy. 419 00:18:30,340 --> 00:18:34,020 They'll also do, you'll have a good experience there in the ashram. 420 00:18:34,020 --> 00:18:35,020 So that's what I did. 421 00:18:35,020 --> 00:18:39,660 I went to Sivananda Ashram for one month, did my teacher training program. 422 00:18:39,660 --> 00:18:40,660 Amazing experience again. 423 00:18:40,660 --> 00:18:43,100 There was a lot of like-minded people. 424 00:18:43,100 --> 00:18:45,100 Then I knew that this is going to be great. 425 00:18:45,100 --> 00:18:47,940 So what is it that happened during that one month? 426 00:18:47,940 --> 00:18:51,600 When you say like-minded people, you were able to talk to them. 427 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:54,820 You were able to understand things about yourself. 428 00:18:54,820 --> 00:19:00,540 Well, that teacher training program, yes, it's a new, for me, it was like multicultural 429 00:19:00,540 --> 00:19:02,700 because it's not just the Indians go there. 430 00:19:02,700 --> 00:19:04,580 There are other foreigner people also come here. 431 00:19:04,580 --> 00:19:08,860 So you get to see a different point of view from their education point of view, from their 432 00:19:08,860 --> 00:19:12,980 culture point of view, how they see yoga and how you see it and how different it is. 433 00:19:12,980 --> 00:19:16,620 Every time you talk to someone, it's always a learning process because these subjects 434 00:19:16,620 --> 00:19:17,620 are very subjective. 435 00:19:17,620 --> 00:19:18,620 It's not objective. 436 00:19:18,620 --> 00:19:19,620 It's a subjective. 437 00:19:19,620 --> 00:19:21,420 Maybe asana part is very objective. 438 00:19:21,420 --> 00:19:26,020 You can really say what it is, but when it comes to a subjective part like Bhagavad Gita 439 00:19:26,020 --> 00:19:31,220 or anything, you need to have a certain maturity in your mind to understand or read between 440 00:19:31,220 --> 00:19:32,620 the lines to understand those things. 441 00:19:32,620 --> 00:19:36,340 You cannot just take everything literally or open-ishad for example, anything. 442 00:19:36,340 --> 00:19:39,420 It makes you think, but not give you a direct answer. 443 00:19:39,420 --> 00:19:41,740 I learned Bhagavad Gita for the first time. 444 00:19:41,740 --> 00:19:46,580 I was able to go through the entire stuff and actually understand what it is. 445 00:19:46,580 --> 00:19:51,340 But that is going to change every few years depending upon what you as a person gain experience 446 00:19:51,340 --> 00:19:58,420 in life outside and how you can apply Bhagavad Gita philosophy into your existence. 447 00:19:58,420 --> 00:19:59,420 That's going to always intertwine. 448 00:19:59,420 --> 00:20:04,860 So we need to find a balance where philosophy and undain experience of life, you find a 449 00:20:04,860 --> 00:20:05,860 proper balance. 450 00:20:05,860 --> 00:20:06,860 You cannot completely go into philosophy. 451 00:20:06,860 --> 00:20:08,660 You cannot completely go into this one. 452 00:20:08,660 --> 00:20:10,740 So right now I'm doing a middle path. 453 00:20:10,740 --> 00:20:11,740 It is great. 454 00:20:11,740 --> 00:20:12,740 I came back. 455 00:20:12,740 --> 00:20:14,380 By this time I left my other job. 456 00:20:14,380 --> 00:20:17,820 Also the company closed because it was heading down. 457 00:20:17,820 --> 00:20:20,100 It hit a plateau and then it just sank. 458 00:20:20,100 --> 00:20:23,060 I returned from the ashram with a TTC certificate in my hand. 459 00:20:23,060 --> 00:20:24,060 Okay, now what? 460 00:20:24,060 --> 00:20:26,420 Yeah, for the first few months I didn't do anything. 461 00:20:26,420 --> 00:20:27,980 I was just practicing on my own. 462 00:20:27,980 --> 00:20:29,700 It was more like a sabbatical. 463 00:20:29,700 --> 00:20:32,540 I thought I'll take one year sabbatical and see what happens. 464 00:20:32,540 --> 00:20:33,980 I just needed a break from everything. 465 00:20:33,980 --> 00:20:36,860 I just need to dig deep and see what happens. 466 00:20:36,860 --> 00:20:38,500 I started a studio underground. 467 00:20:38,500 --> 00:20:39,500 It's in the basement. 468 00:20:39,500 --> 00:20:45,100 Well, it didn't go really well, but that also gave me a lot of experience in teaching because 469 00:20:45,100 --> 00:20:46,620 what you learn is different. 470 00:20:46,620 --> 00:20:50,380 But now you have to communicate that your learning experience outside is completely 471 00:20:50,380 --> 00:20:51,380 a different task. 472 00:20:51,380 --> 00:20:54,860 The practice that applies to you does not apply to the other person also because they 473 00:20:54,860 --> 00:20:56,420 come from a very different background. 474 00:20:56,420 --> 00:20:58,180 They come from a very different lifestyle. 475 00:20:58,180 --> 00:21:04,180 Now I have to learn how to apply my knowledge onto them, which works for them, not for me. 476 00:21:04,180 --> 00:21:08,340 One of the teachers says you have to teach yoga as how it applies to them, not how it 477 00:21:08,340 --> 00:21:09,620 applies to you. 478 00:21:09,620 --> 00:21:11,260 Now I have to translate that. 479 00:21:11,260 --> 00:21:16,260 Now I have to use my experience to know that person, what that person needs physically 480 00:21:16,260 --> 00:21:17,260 or mentally. 481 00:21:17,260 --> 00:21:19,740 Then accordingly, I have to teach them. 482 00:21:19,740 --> 00:21:23,420 So everybody is different in a class of five people. 483 00:21:23,420 --> 00:21:26,980 All five people are different in age, in their health, in their mindset. 484 00:21:26,980 --> 00:21:27,980 It's all different. 485 00:21:27,980 --> 00:21:31,380 So you still have to find a middle path that suits everybody. 486 00:21:31,380 --> 00:21:35,820 It was a great learning experience for me, although I did not make any money with that. 487 00:21:35,820 --> 00:21:40,500 For that one year of that existence of that studio, I did not make any money, but I gained 488 00:21:40,500 --> 00:21:41,500 experience. 489 00:21:41,500 --> 00:21:42,500 So that's priceless. 490 00:21:42,500 --> 00:21:44,180 So who were your first students? 491 00:21:44,180 --> 00:21:45,780 They were young people. 492 00:21:45,780 --> 00:21:47,380 They were middle aged people. 493 00:21:47,380 --> 00:21:49,620 My first student was 55 years old. 494 00:21:49,620 --> 00:21:50,620 It was a challenge. 495 00:21:50,620 --> 00:21:55,380 It was a challenge for you because I was only 30, 29 at the time, but suddenly I see someone 496 00:21:55,380 --> 00:21:58,220 who is twice my age and she's so kind. 497 00:21:58,220 --> 00:21:59,220 She surrendered. 498 00:21:59,220 --> 00:22:04,340 That's the best thing about our culture is that I don't want to be, I don't want to be 499 00:22:04,340 --> 00:22:08,220 separating Western and Indian, but our culture is that when you see someone as a teacher, 500 00:22:08,220 --> 00:22:10,940 you surrender no matter what the age difference is. 501 00:22:10,940 --> 00:22:14,340 What we train in ashram is you teach among within yourself. 502 00:22:14,340 --> 00:22:15,940 We are all young people. 503 00:22:15,940 --> 00:22:16,940 You teach among yourself. 504 00:22:16,940 --> 00:22:21,660 Now suddenly I see a 54 year old with a totally different body type, totally different conditioning 505 00:22:21,660 --> 00:22:26,060 and with some ailments of course, but that's when I actually started learning about other 506 00:22:26,060 --> 00:22:28,900 people's needs than my great experience. 507 00:22:28,900 --> 00:22:34,140 Every day there is a different student come in or some of them continued for a year. 508 00:22:34,140 --> 00:22:35,900 And then there was sometimes there was a group class. 509 00:22:35,900 --> 00:22:38,700 Sometimes there was a one-on-one private because of therapy. 510 00:22:38,700 --> 00:22:42,180 I learned a lot during that one year. 511 00:22:42,180 --> 00:22:44,180 The owner had to stop that place. 512 00:22:44,180 --> 00:22:45,460 He has to close that place. 513 00:22:45,460 --> 00:22:48,580 I was not interested in continuing with that because first of all, it wasn't making any 514 00:22:48,580 --> 00:22:49,580 money. 515 00:22:49,580 --> 00:22:51,260 I cannot run like that for the rest of my life. 516 00:22:51,260 --> 00:22:53,940 But this is something that my teacher also warned with my yoga teacher. 517 00:22:53,940 --> 00:22:57,940 When I said I wanted to teach, he said, listen, you're very young. 518 00:22:57,940 --> 00:22:59,140 My teacher was retired at the time. 519 00:22:59,140 --> 00:23:00,140 He said, I'm retired. 520 00:23:00,140 --> 00:23:01,660 I can do whatever I want. 521 00:23:01,660 --> 00:23:02,660 I'm settled. 522 00:23:02,660 --> 00:23:04,560 I have a house, but you are young. 523 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:07,540 You cannot get into this aiming to make money. 524 00:23:07,540 --> 00:23:09,620 It's not about the money, but I want to dig deep. 525 00:23:09,620 --> 00:23:13,220 If I want to, I don't want to just put one foot here, one foot there, and then try to 526 00:23:13,220 --> 00:23:14,220 juggle between the two. 527 00:23:14,220 --> 00:23:15,580 I was not interested in that. 528 00:23:15,580 --> 00:23:17,980 I want to dive deep and see how things... 529 00:23:17,980 --> 00:23:20,940 The worst thing that can happen is I'll have to go back to the visual effects industry. 530 00:23:20,940 --> 00:23:21,940 That's not worse. 531 00:23:21,940 --> 00:23:22,940 Now I know how to handle the stress. 532 00:23:22,940 --> 00:23:24,900 Now I know how to handle the industry also. 533 00:23:24,900 --> 00:23:26,380 So it's not the worst thing. 534 00:23:26,380 --> 00:23:29,580 And then HR from a studio called me. 535 00:23:29,580 --> 00:23:31,020 We learned that you're a yoga teacher. 536 00:23:31,020 --> 00:23:32,020 Would you like to join? 537 00:23:32,020 --> 00:23:34,180 And if you're interested, we would like to have a conversation. 538 00:23:34,180 --> 00:23:35,180 Wow, this is great. 539 00:23:35,180 --> 00:23:36,180 Okay. 540 00:23:36,180 --> 00:23:37,180 I didn't ask for it, but it came. 541 00:23:37,180 --> 00:23:41,820 The very next day I met them, and then that's when my actual group teaching class started. 542 00:23:41,820 --> 00:23:47,900 I would say that one year was a foundation, and then now I'm actually in the studio teaching. 543 00:23:47,900 --> 00:23:50,660 It's called 136.1 Yoga Studio in Alva Pet. 544 00:23:50,660 --> 00:23:51,660 It is still there. 545 00:23:51,660 --> 00:23:52,660 Very good time teaching. 546 00:23:52,660 --> 00:23:55,740 I was enjoying, I made a lot of friends there. 547 00:23:55,740 --> 00:23:56,740 Life is good for four years. 548 00:23:56,740 --> 00:23:57,740 It was amazing. 549 00:23:57,740 --> 00:24:02,260 One of the things I really liked about what you said is that when you're seeking knowledge 550 00:24:02,260 --> 00:24:06,700 as a student versus being the teacher, it's a complete inversion. 551 00:24:06,700 --> 00:24:08,740 You change completely. 552 00:24:08,740 --> 00:24:15,740 And then you have to deal with a class of seven, eight, 10, depending on the numbers. 553 00:24:15,740 --> 00:24:20,700 And each person should feel that they are picking up something from you because that's 554 00:24:20,700 --> 00:24:22,300 really the essence of a teacher. 555 00:24:22,300 --> 00:24:25,940 They should come out satisfied knowing that, okay, I've done something for today. 556 00:24:25,940 --> 00:24:27,700 In the long run, they'll get the benefit. 557 00:24:27,700 --> 00:24:30,060 Whether they like it or not, they will get the benefit. 558 00:24:30,060 --> 00:24:33,380 That's the best thing about yoga is that you cannot say, I only want this. 559 00:24:33,380 --> 00:24:35,860 You will get the other benefits also, whether you like it or not. 560 00:24:35,860 --> 00:24:39,140 Let's say someone comes to the digestion issue, we do the practice. 561 00:24:39,140 --> 00:24:42,740 Of course, with the digestion issues being solved, you also get good sleep. 562 00:24:42,740 --> 00:24:45,220 You also get a good energy level. 563 00:24:45,220 --> 00:24:47,340 These are things that actually transform people. 564 00:24:47,340 --> 00:24:50,620 If they are observant enough, they will stick to it. 565 00:24:50,620 --> 00:24:55,340 If they choose to decide or judge the class on the first day, they will lose it because 566 00:24:55,340 --> 00:24:56,340 it's not a one-time pill. 567 00:24:56,340 --> 00:24:59,340 It's not a pill that you take and then you're all right. 568 00:24:59,340 --> 00:25:00,820 You have to give some time. 569 00:25:00,820 --> 00:25:04,100 People who stayed for more than a year, they will continue. 570 00:25:04,100 --> 00:25:06,140 You cannot not do yoga after that. 571 00:25:06,140 --> 00:25:07,140 Exactly. 572 00:25:07,140 --> 00:25:09,620 It's as if you've left something unfinished during the day. 573 00:25:09,620 --> 00:25:10,620 Absolutely. 574 00:25:10,620 --> 00:25:14,380 As a one part of your life, a very important part of your life is no longer. 575 00:25:14,380 --> 00:25:15,380 You can't take it away. 576 00:25:15,380 --> 00:25:19,460 And exactly what you said is true of meditation as well. 577 00:25:19,460 --> 00:25:24,660 A lot of people think that they will try for two weeks and then say that, oh, it's done. 578 00:25:24,660 --> 00:25:29,380 Whereas if you manage to break through that barrier, it takes a lot of effort. 579 00:25:29,380 --> 00:25:30,380 Absolutely. 580 00:25:30,380 --> 00:25:32,060 Then you can't ever get away from it. 581 00:25:32,060 --> 00:25:34,980 You don't even look at it as I don't need a weekend off. 582 00:25:34,980 --> 00:25:36,940 I need to ensure that I'm meditating. 583 00:25:36,940 --> 00:25:37,940 I can see it. 584 00:25:37,940 --> 00:25:38,940 We can see it. 585 00:25:38,940 --> 00:25:39,940 Close your eyes. 586 00:25:39,940 --> 00:25:40,940 It's weekend. 587 00:25:40,940 --> 00:25:49,860 Yeah, which is why we always recommend anyone to get into yoga as an asana practice first. 588 00:25:49,860 --> 00:25:50,860 First you do. 589 00:25:50,860 --> 00:25:51,860 First you move your body. 590 00:25:51,860 --> 00:25:55,020 One cannot sit in a meditation if your knee is hurting, if your hip is hurting, if your 591 00:25:55,020 --> 00:25:56,020 lower back is hurting. 592 00:25:56,020 --> 00:26:00,380 One cannot focus on something if something else is bothering behind you. 593 00:26:00,380 --> 00:26:05,820 So we always recommend first condition your physical body first, which is tangible, which 594 00:26:05,820 --> 00:26:07,700 you can see the result immediately. 595 00:26:07,700 --> 00:26:12,020 Once that is addressed, then you can go a little bit deeper into your breath. 596 00:26:12,020 --> 00:26:14,100 I would say the second stage would be a breath. 597 00:26:14,100 --> 00:26:15,100 Do pranayama a little bit. 598 00:26:15,100 --> 00:26:16,100 Try to increase the lung capacity. 599 00:26:16,100 --> 00:26:17,100 Try to increase your prana. 600 00:26:17,100 --> 00:26:18,100 Generate more prana for more focus. 601 00:26:18,100 --> 00:26:19,100 Then meditation comes very easily. 602 00:26:19,100 --> 00:26:20,100 You go into that zone. 603 00:26:20,100 --> 00:26:27,100 Meditation is a word that is kind of overused and also abused. 604 00:26:27,100 --> 00:26:33,900 Now you'll find like every moon day there is a moon meditation. 605 00:26:33,900 --> 00:26:36,620 It's kind of overselling, overdoing it. 606 00:26:36,620 --> 00:26:37,700 Meditation is very simple. 607 00:26:37,700 --> 00:26:40,020 The problem is it's too simple. 608 00:26:40,020 --> 00:26:43,300 For us in order to achieve something great, it has to be difficult. 609 00:26:43,300 --> 00:26:45,940 But that's the mindset that we need to change from. 610 00:26:45,940 --> 00:26:47,860 But meditation is not about working hard. 611 00:26:47,860 --> 00:26:50,200 It is about doing the least. 612 00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:52,460 But that's very difficult for us. 613 00:26:52,460 --> 00:26:55,580 Physically we can sit down, but the mind does not sit down. 614 00:26:55,580 --> 00:26:56,580 Yes. 615 00:26:56,580 --> 00:26:57,580 It's very easy. 616 00:26:57,580 --> 00:27:02,100 Ramana Maharishi says, summa iru is like just be. 617 00:27:02,100 --> 00:27:03,500 The actual meaning is just be. 618 00:27:03,500 --> 00:27:04,700 But that is so difficult. 619 00:27:04,700 --> 00:27:08,860 It takes years and lifetime after lifetime to do this. 620 00:27:08,860 --> 00:27:12,140 Something is so simple that becomes so difficult for us. 621 00:27:12,140 --> 00:27:14,860 If it's something difficult, let's say you want to do a handstand. 622 00:27:14,860 --> 00:27:16,180 You can practice and get it. 623 00:27:16,180 --> 00:27:18,820 But something as simple as just sit is so difficult. 624 00:27:18,820 --> 00:27:21,020 I was actually teaching the middle path. 625 00:27:21,020 --> 00:27:24,300 The asana path itself is the middle path. 626 00:27:24,300 --> 00:27:27,900 If I tell them, OK, first 10 minutes, you're going to sit our eyes and just simply observe 627 00:27:27,900 --> 00:27:28,900 our breath. 628 00:27:28,900 --> 00:27:30,220 No, everybody's going to walk away. 629 00:27:30,220 --> 00:27:31,220 It's not for everyone. 630 00:27:31,220 --> 00:27:32,660 But tell them to move their body. 631 00:27:32,660 --> 00:27:33,660 It's for everyone. 632 00:27:33,660 --> 00:27:34,660 Everybody will move. 633 00:27:34,660 --> 00:27:35,660 That's the middle path. 634 00:27:35,660 --> 00:27:37,620 If I give them very intense class, they can't do it. 635 00:27:37,620 --> 00:27:40,980 So I had to find a balance where there is some rest in between. 636 00:27:40,980 --> 00:27:41,980 OK. 637 00:27:41,980 --> 00:27:48,420 So then it's remarkable that one year of independent practice in your studio that you first did 638 00:27:48,420 --> 00:27:55,340 and then you went straight to 136.1 and then in the next three, four years built this huge 639 00:27:55,340 --> 00:28:01,020 following, because obviously your students remember you after all these years. 640 00:28:01,020 --> 00:28:06,220 I am blessed to have amazing teachers and amazing students also, because it is from 641 00:28:06,220 --> 00:28:08,060 students that a teacher learns. 642 00:28:08,060 --> 00:28:09,060 The learning never stops. 643 00:28:09,060 --> 00:28:13,820 I can teach, but the learning never stops between a student and a teacher. 644 00:28:13,820 --> 00:28:16,140 Learning happens for both of them equally. 645 00:28:16,140 --> 00:28:19,860 So people who are interested decide that I don't know enough. 646 00:28:19,860 --> 00:28:23,460 The moment you think I know everything, nothing is going to enter your mind. 647 00:28:23,460 --> 00:28:27,220 I think the moment you think that I know everything, that's the end of it. 648 00:28:27,220 --> 00:28:29,180 I don't know has a lot of potential. 649 00:28:29,180 --> 00:28:33,980 Now, what I'm fascinated by, Karthik, is how you know your transitions. 650 00:28:33,980 --> 00:28:35,460 You understood at every point. 651 00:28:35,460 --> 00:28:36,780 I'm getting bullied in class. 652 00:28:36,780 --> 00:28:38,460 I need a source of comfort. 653 00:28:38,460 --> 00:28:40,500 I had the support and the anchor. 654 00:28:40,500 --> 00:28:45,620 Then when you had to convince your father about admitting you to VFX, you already had 655 00:28:45,620 --> 00:28:49,140 reasoned it out saying, this is the last time you have to spend money on me. 656 00:28:49,140 --> 00:28:52,140 You knew that that was one argument which would win the day. 657 00:28:52,140 --> 00:28:53,140 Yeah, that's true. 658 00:28:53,140 --> 00:28:58,460 You actually decided that going through medicines, a doctor says, go for yoga. 659 00:28:58,460 --> 00:29:02,180 You can say that, no, I'll go for a doctor who really understands me. 660 00:29:02,180 --> 00:29:08,260 I don't want to try this stuff because there's a certain mindset which says, okay, because 661 00:29:08,260 --> 00:29:12,540 in a lot of cases you say that what is it that Western medicine doesn't know? 662 00:29:12,540 --> 00:29:16,140 And that how can yoga help something like this? 663 00:29:16,140 --> 00:29:18,340 Where is you willing to give it a shot? 664 00:29:18,340 --> 00:29:20,140 Those days I was not influenced. 665 00:29:20,140 --> 00:29:22,140 We were not influenced by Instagram. 666 00:29:22,140 --> 00:29:24,540 We were not influenced by YouTube. 667 00:29:24,540 --> 00:29:26,900 So basically I had no clue about yoga. 668 00:29:26,900 --> 00:29:29,580 I went there with an open heart, open mind. 669 00:29:29,580 --> 00:29:31,460 That was another advantage. 670 00:29:31,460 --> 00:29:32,940 For me, I have never seen it. 671 00:29:32,940 --> 00:29:36,380 I only had my curiosity to take to the class. 672 00:29:36,380 --> 00:29:39,820 And when transformation happens, then it's great. 673 00:29:39,820 --> 00:29:41,820 Again, I'm not referring to... 674 00:29:41,820 --> 00:29:43,500 I did not even refer to a book. 675 00:29:43,500 --> 00:29:48,420 Although I had a book downloaded on my PC, I couldn't go through that because it was 676 00:29:48,420 --> 00:29:49,700 not meant to be at the time. 677 00:29:49,700 --> 00:29:53,260 My maturity was not enough to understand what was going on. 678 00:29:53,260 --> 00:29:54,780 And I started with the theory. 679 00:29:54,780 --> 00:29:55,780 That's the problem. 680 00:29:55,780 --> 00:29:59,060 I should not have started with the theory, but the asana class actually made me, the 681 00:29:59,060 --> 00:30:03,260 physical movements actually made me realize the potency of yoga. 682 00:30:03,260 --> 00:30:04,740 Then the theory comes. 683 00:30:04,740 --> 00:30:06,940 So then the next stage was... 684 00:30:06,940 --> 00:30:07,940 So how did that come about? 685 00:30:07,940 --> 00:30:15,740 When I was teaching in 136.1, the owner wanted to expand his branch internationally. 686 00:30:15,740 --> 00:30:20,140 He asked me, because my classes were doing good, probably it was his marketing strategy 687 00:30:20,140 --> 00:30:25,260 that maybe if he takes me there into Dubai, probably that will do well. 688 00:30:25,260 --> 00:30:28,780 But Dubai market is very different because it's also a multicultural place. 689 00:30:28,780 --> 00:30:31,380 It's not like India, totally different. 690 00:30:31,380 --> 00:30:35,100 But somehow his strategy could have been right. 691 00:30:35,100 --> 00:30:37,780 But at that time, we didn't know the industry at all. 692 00:30:37,780 --> 00:30:39,700 It was nine years ago. 693 00:30:39,700 --> 00:30:44,780 We did not even have a specific name for a visa for a yoga teacher because it's so new. 694 00:30:44,780 --> 00:30:46,340 Even in UAE, it's very new. 695 00:30:46,340 --> 00:30:51,060 Although one or two studio existed, they were just running in a different visa. 696 00:30:51,060 --> 00:30:55,060 And I got a visa, something that's no way related to yoga. 697 00:30:55,060 --> 00:30:57,220 But it doesn't matter anyway, I'm there. 698 00:30:57,220 --> 00:31:01,260 But the thing was it is very different environment for me for the first six months. 699 00:31:01,260 --> 00:31:04,380 Me being in Dubai, first of all, the environment is different. 700 00:31:04,380 --> 00:31:07,660 I knew that I'm not going to last for more than six months here. 701 00:31:07,660 --> 00:31:12,660 And in the studio, I get to see one or two people coming in once in a while. 702 00:31:12,660 --> 00:31:14,980 So I was not really happy in the very beginning. 703 00:31:14,980 --> 00:31:17,980 It was very confusing also at the time. 704 00:31:17,980 --> 00:31:22,940 Although I was looking for an opportunity to teach abroad, Dubai happened. 705 00:31:22,940 --> 00:31:23,940 It came to me. 706 00:31:23,940 --> 00:31:25,860 The first few months was very confusing. 707 00:31:25,860 --> 00:31:27,620 It takes time to believe. 708 00:31:27,620 --> 00:31:30,260 But by the end of the year, it was going good. 709 00:31:30,260 --> 00:31:33,980 But then I think with me and with my boss, I think we run our course. 710 00:31:33,980 --> 00:31:34,980 I want to move out. 711 00:31:34,980 --> 00:31:35,980 I want to do some freelancing work. 712 00:31:35,980 --> 00:31:37,980 I want to do one on one privates and stuff. 713 00:31:37,980 --> 00:31:40,260 So that started happening after that. 714 00:31:40,260 --> 00:31:41,260 And I'm still here. 715 00:31:41,260 --> 00:31:45,620 Every year I used to think, OK, this winter I'll enjoy this winter and then move back. 716 00:31:45,620 --> 00:31:48,460 I even tried five times to move out of Dubai. 717 00:31:48,460 --> 00:31:50,780 But something brought me back here. 718 00:31:50,780 --> 00:31:53,220 I don't know what power that brought me here. 719 00:31:53,220 --> 00:31:56,220 How did you get through the COVID years? 720 00:31:56,220 --> 00:32:00,340 Trust me, believe it or not, COVID time was the best time for me. 721 00:32:00,340 --> 00:32:03,100 Everybody was saying, oh, we are going through tough times. 722 00:32:03,100 --> 00:32:06,300 I'm like, I'm having the best time of my life here. 723 00:32:06,300 --> 00:32:10,420 First of all, everybody became very curious about humanity. 724 00:32:10,420 --> 00:32:14,260 And that's when I started receiving a lot of calls for one on one private lessons. 725 00:32:14,260 --> 00:32:15,540 And I was full of class. 726 00:32:15,540 --> 00:32:18,740 I was minting money, to be honest. 727 00:32:18,740 --> 00:32:22,380 It stabilized me financially after a long time because now I'm learning in Dirhams. 728 00:32:22,380 --> 00:32:23,380 It's different, right? 729 00:32:23,380 --> 00:32:24,380 Was it all online? 730 00:32:24,380 --> 00:32:25,380 I don't do online classes. 731 00:32:25,380 --> 00:32:26,380 Yoga doesn't work online. 732 00:32:26,380 --> 00:32:27,380 Maybe it's in guided meditation works. 733 00:32:27,380 --> 00:32:31,260 But when it comes to physical, no, it doesn't work. 734 00:32:31,260 --> 00:32:33,700 Teaching through screen was not my thing. 735 00:32:33,700 --> 00:32:34,700 I couldn't do it. 736 00:32:34,700 --> 00:32:36,620 I tried, but it didn't work for me. 737 00:32:36,620 --> 00:32:37,820 I want to see a person. 738 00:32:37,820 --> 00:32:42,220 I want to see every aspect of a person because sometimes you just have to look at their face 739 00:32:42,220 --> 00:32:43,860 to know what they're going through, right? 740 00:32:43,860 --> 00:32:47,900 With experience, you also get to understand on a zoom, it's not possible. 741 00:32:47,900 --> 00:32:50,220 You have to be very mechanical about it. 742 00:32:50,220 --> 00:32:51,220 Teaching is different. 743 00:32:51,220 --> 00:32:53,340 You need to know a person at close range. 744 00:32:53,340 --> 00:32:55,300 For the person who is practicing, it's risky. 745 00:32:55,300 --> 00:32:56,300 Okay. 746 00:32:56,300 --> 00:32:57,300 Because they're not being corrected. 747 00:32:57,300 --> 00:33:00,420 When you're seeing them, you know exactly what they're doing wrong. 748 00:33:00,420 --> 00:33:01,420 Absolutely. 749 00:33:01,420 --> 00:33:06,100 If you were to see it over a online connection, it may not be exactly what you valid points. 750 00:33:06,100 --> 00:33:07,300 But how did you get cross? 751 00:33:07,300 --> 00:33:10,820 If it was all face masks and all of those things, was it? 752 00:33:10,820 --> 00:33:14,740 Yeah, we had a distance social distancing, of course. 753 00:33:14,740 --> 00:33:16,940 But when you go home, it's different. 754 00:33:16,940 --> 00:33:18,340 I refuse to touch people. 755 00:33:18,340 --> 00:33:19,340 I'm just too much. 756 00:33:19,340 --> 00:33:20,340 I think it's overrated. 757 00:33:20,340 --> 00:33:22,660 We don't want my teacher never touched me to adjust. 758 00:33:22,660 --> 00:33:28,100 He only instructs through verbally and then he'll come closer to demonstrate if necessary. 759 00:33:28,100 --> 00:33:31,340 If necessary, he'll assist anybody who is in Dubai. 760 00:33:31,340 --> 00:33:34,340 Note that as a teacher, I don't touch people as much as possible. 761 00:33:34,340 --> 00:33:35,340 I verbally instruct. 762 00:33:35,340 --> 00:33:37,380 If they're not processed, okay, fine. 763 00:33:37,380 --> 00:33:38,380 Go closer to them. 764 00:33:38,380 --> 00:33:40,500 Demonstrate if that is also not working. 765 00:33:40,500 --> 00:33:44,780 Maybe bring awareness to certain areas of their body just to just pay tap or just pay 766 00:33:44,780 --> 00:33:45,780 a gentle touch. 767 00:33:45,780 --> 00:33:46,780 That should be enough. 768 00:33:46,780 --> 00:33:51,060 In my opinion, that's how I learned 18 years of learning from my teachers. 769 00:33:51,060 --> 00:33:52,060 That's what I learned. 770 00:33:52,060 --> 00:33:58,060 So what is your journey through yoga been from the time you started to where it is today? 771 00:33:58,060 --> 00:34:03,380 Because you are now at a point where you're more a teacher than a student. 772 00:34:03,380 --> 00:34:04,380 You've transitioned. 773 00:34:04,380 --> 00:34:06,700 So in your mind, what do you think are the changes? 774 00:34:06,700 --> 00:34:07,700 Oh, yeah. 775 00:34:07,700 --> 00:34:08,700 Good question. 776 00:34:08,700 --> 00:34:09,700 That's an amazing question. 777 00:34:09,700 --> 00:34:14,220 Although I started physically, it eventually has to evolve to a subtler level of the practice. 778 00:34:14,220 --> 00:34:19,220 The observing entity or we call it, I would like to call it an entity because it's very 779 00:34:19,220 --> 00:34:20,220 subjective. 780 00:34:20,220 --> 00:34:23,620 So right now my practice is all about self-inquiry. 781 00:34:23,620 --> 00:34:26,460 Ramana Maharishi strongly recommends. 782 00:34:26,460 --> 00:34:29,860 Now I got into Ramana Maharishi's teaching. 783 00:34:29,860 --> 00:34:35,100 Now my practice is not as much as physical, but it's more about the mind itself. 784 00:34:35,100 --> 00:34:38,620 This is something that you can practice all the time 24 by 7. 785 00:34:38,620 --> 00:34:45,140 If you can manage to take this from waking state and then to a sleeping state, if you 786 00:34:45,140 --> 00:34:50,180 can observe the space between these two, that can be a very profound experience. 787 00:34:50,180 --> 00:34:54,140 That layer of observation, simply put, it's called self-inquiry. 788 00:34:54,140 --> 00:34:57,940 In self-inquiry, everything is an opportunity to withdraw. 789 00:34:57,940 --> 00:35:01,660 There are no words to explain the truth. 790 00:35:01,660 --> 00:35:06,020 I mean, if it's there, we wouldn't need 108 Upanishads, we wouldn't need Bhagavad Gita, 791 00:35:06,020 --> 00:35:07,020 all that. 792 00:35:07,020 --> 00:35:09,020 This is so subtle. 793 00:35:09,020 --> 00:35:11,620 We always think objectively. 794 00:35:11,620 --> 00:35:19,060 But the thing is, the constant question, who am I, is what Ramana Maharishi calls it Mahayoga. 795 00:35:19,060 --> 00:35:25,780 Even if you go through scriptural books like Astavakra Gita or Yoga Vasistha, they always 796 00:35:25,780 --> 00:35:29,660 mention about the self-inquiry that you'll have to go there. 797 00:35:29,660 --> 00:35:34,020 No matter what your level of maturity or what it is, ultimately you have to come to that 798 00:35:34,020 --> 00:35:37,180 one question, ultimately, who am I? 799 00:35:37,180 --> 00:35:42,220 Right now my practice has transitioned from physical or more of a self-inquiry, which 800 00:35:42,220 --> 00:35:47,980 happens, but at least I can take this level of awareness up until my dream state, that 801 00:35:47,980 --> 00:35:52,540 there is an observing entity that observes this consciousness, this level of consciousness. 802 00:35:52,540 --> 00:35:55,860 There's also a level of consciousness in your dream. 803 00:35:55,860 --> 00:36:00,940 Constantly asking who am I, if I'm angry, then I can ask the question, same question, 804 00:36:00,940 --> 00:36:02,020 who is angry? 805 00:36:02,020 --> 00:36:03,620 If I'm happy, then who is happy? 806 00:36:03,620 --> 00:36:06,620 If I'm having a doubt on something, who is doubting that doubt? 807 00:36:06,620 --> 00:36:11,700 Okay, if you keep on asking who, who, who, then the mind tends to go back, go back, go 808 00:36:11,700 --> 00:36:12,700 back. 809 00:36:12,700 --> 00:36:17,620 Then what you see as an object is irrelevant because it's constantly pushing you back into 810 00:36:17,620 --> 00:36:19,420 the origin of the doubt itself. 811 00:36:19,420 --> 00:36:23,180 So that's his practice when everything else is not working. 812 00:36:23,180 --> 00:36:25,140 It is a very straightforward method. 813 00:36:25,140 --> 00:36:27,140 You don't need to have a very fit body. 814 00:36:27,140 --> 00:36:31,580 You don't even have to be healthy also because sometimes we suffer our pain. 815 00:36:31,580 --> 00:36:36,060 Then even the suffering can be a very good opportunity to ask who's suffering. 816 00:36:36,060 --> 00:36:39,500 If you keep on doing that, you can go past the suffering also. 817 00:36:39,500 --> 00:36:43,660 Let me be honest, it works sometimes and most of the time it doesn't. 818 00:36:43,660 --> 00:36:46,100 Because sometimes physical pain is a real pain. 819 00:36:46,100 --> 00:36:49,380 All right, it is a suffering in a way, but pain is real. 820 00:36:49,380 --> 00:36:53,020 During tooth extraction, we cannot think about who is experiencing the pain. 821 00:36:53,020 --> 00:36:54,660 Those philosophies will go out the window sometimes. 822 00:36:54,660 --> 00:36:55,940 We can bring it back again. 823 00:36:55,940 --> 00:37:01,660 I believe if you operate on that level of seeing yourself as a third person, suffering 824 00:37:01,660 --> 00:37:06,540 can be minimized or at least we can live a life in equanimity. 825 00:37:06,540 --> 00:37:11,300 I think that is a very peaceful place rather than jumping from happiness to depression 826 00:37:11,300 --> 00:37:12,740 constantly on a daily basis. 827 00:37:12,740 --> 00:37:14,780 It's a very peaceful place to be. 828 00:37:14,780 --> 00:37:20,140 The life of equanimity that I think is a lovely pursuit. 829 00:37:20,140 --> 00:37:22,660 And it's fascinating to have heard you. 830 00:37:22,660 --> 00:37:28,580 I don't think at any point I had to make the effort because what you were saying had so 831 00:37:28,580 --> 00:37:30,220 much of resonance. 832 00:37:30,220 --> 00:37:32,580 It simply worked through everything. 833 00:37:32,580 --> 00:37:34,820 And you were brutally honest. 834 00:37:34,820 --> 00:37:39,780 You mentioned how your being puny was the reason you were picked upon. 835 00:37:39,780 --> 00:37:45,620 Your introvertedness becoming probably your first source of self-inquiry because you had 836 00:37:45,620 --> 00:37:46,620 enough time. 837 00:37:46,620 --> 00:37:48,900 You didn't have to go out and cultivate friends. 838 00:37:48,900 --> 00:37:54,140 So it became something that you and then you know, your journey through VFX and everything 839 00:37:54,140 --> 00:37:59,540 else that you learn and you're willing to accept yoga and how it was taught. 840 00:37:59,540 --> 00:38:04,660 And I think in some way you have also understood one of the things you learn about acting is 841 00:38:04,660 --> 00:38:08,540 that even without saying a word, you should still command the audience attention. 842 00:38:08,540 --> 00:38:10,820 Oh, yeah, that's a good one. 843 00:38:10,820 --> 00:38:13,540 Yeah, you don't need to, you don't need dialogue. 844 00:38:13,540 --> 00:38:15,540 It needs to be a presence. 845 00:38:15,540 --> 00:38:21,080 And I think in a lot of teachers, it's the presence of the teacher alone, which sometimes 846 00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:26,120 gives us the comfort that yes, this person is going to make a difference to my life. 847 00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:27,740 And this is someone I can learn from. 848 00:38:27,740 --> 00:38:33,100 So I think both of us, we are fortunate that we found at various points in our life, people 849 00:38:33,100 --> 00:38:38,420 who made a difference to our lives and were willing to invest in us and say that, okay, 850 00:38:38,420 --> 00:38:39,820 this is how you go ahead. 851 00:38:39,820 --> 00:38:40,820 Thank you. 852 00:38:40,820 --> 00:38:41,820 Thank you so much. 853 00:38:41,820 --> 00:38:45,620 Thank you for coming on the show and pleasure to continue to be in touch with you. 854 00:38:45,620 --> 00:38:46,620 Thank you. 855 00:38:46,620 --> 00:38:52,700 My first job, the podcast is a production from Ideascape Communications. 856 00:38:52,700 --> 00:38:59,540 Guest relations, promotions and creative is managed by Deepa Ravi with occasional support 857 00:38:59,540 --> 00:39:01,660 by Venugopal Nair. 858 00:39:01,660 --> 00:39:19,420 Archiving and technical help is provided by LPS Jayachandran.