What is real Strength - SHAKTI ?

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definition of Strength from various dictionaries - the quality or state of being strong, capacity for exertion or endurance,  toughness,  power of resisting attack, the capacity to withstand great force or pressure.

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As mentioned in the few examples above, we can see that Strength is not just about physical power. Strength has to be understood on 3 levels – physical, mental and emotional. Physical strength can be gained through Yoga and various other forms of exercise. But for mental and emotional strength, Yoga exclusively has the best techniques. When I was younger, I was always the happy-go-lucky type and I never thought my life would turn out to be so extremely difficult. from riches to rags, struggling to make ends meet, having to deal with a terminally ill parent for 25 years and the loss of a decade long relationship… I was continuously being hit from all sides. I’ve spent countless days and nights watching my father suffer slowly and painfully. It takes a different kind of strength to be able to go through an experience in which you know you can’t do anything to help. you just have to watch, pray and wait for it to be over - without letting it break you emotionally and mentally. And from my personal experience, I can say that Yoga can make your mind so strong and focussed, that nothing can break you. Yoga has various breathing and meditation techniques to help us cope with any kind of challenge or trauma. And this ability to cope through any situation in life is real Strength. Our mind is nothing but a collection of our thoughts (past, present, future) which affect us throughout the day. It’s been proven scientifically that our brain plays a crucial role in how we manage our emotions and control our mind (thought processes). A healthy body creates a healthy brain which leads to better management of our mind (thought processes) and emotions. And Yoga is the only form of exercise that can make you healthy and strong on all three levels - Physical, Mental and Emotional !

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To be able to physically endure, stay mentally focused and be emotionally calm –through any challenge or trauma - is real Strength - Shakti.

When your body, mind and emotions work together in harmony to help you deal with any situation in life, then you know you have achieved real Strength - Shakti.