Sheena Patel, is the founder of Savsani, a wellness company bringing innovative solutions to companies, luxury properties and professional atheletes.From humble beginnings by teaching yoga studios, today Sheena has become synonymous with leading institutions such as Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts Institute of Technology for her inspired guidance and undisputed expertise.
Give us some background about yourself?
I was born and raised in Boston, but have always been greatly influenced by lands far away. My first two loves were Ayurvedic Nutrition and Yogic Sciences, but the real introduction of these two topics began with keen guidance from my Grandmother who was the last person in my family to be born in India. Having a deep passion for both of these fields, I managed to put both principles to practice while competing in Track & Field, and secured Division One Scholarships to several Universities. Though the recommendation of my family, I opted out and attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute to study MIS and Computer Science. After graduating from WPI in 2005, and working in IT Consulting for some time, in parallel, my passion grew stronger for Alternative Medicine. In Corporate America, I felt a deep need to introduce preventive work-life balance in office settings. It was during those years, I secured a position at Massachusetts Institute of Technology to teach their first ever Stress Management and Nutrition Program which was mandatory for all Undergraduate level students to complete. It was in those early years, my Company Savsani was born, but was always in my imagination as I transitioned my wheels into wellness.
When you did you start Savsani? What does it mean?
Savsani began nearly a decade ago, which is hard to believe! Savsani is my Grandmother’s maiden name and literally translates to, ‘bridge to wellness’ which was founded with the footing of her universal values. My grandmother’s presence is an amplified and united example of Savsani’s three main pillars: 1) mind, 2) body, and 3) food. She acts as a daily reminder of what true finesse and presence of the Universal laws are. Her teachings of Bhakti Yoga (love, faith and surrender), Karma Yoga (process of achieving perfection through action), Raja Yoga (physical and mental strength), and Ayurveda (ancient Eastern medicine) flow through her effortlessly as they are an extension of who she is. I look to her as my constant guide and inspiration to help others achieve a Simply Whole life.
What motivated you to become a yoga teacher?
In my formative years as a teenager, I was motivated to become a yoga teacher because I saw the benefits of yoga from a very young age. My Uncle suffered from a back injury due to his routine of sitting in a standard seated-position for an extended period of time at work. He ultimately opted not to have surgery and practiced yoga instead. Practicing yoga twisted his misaligned spine back to perfection transforming his original alignment.
It was those moments that illustrated the undeniable solution of yoga which led him to live a healthy life. I simply wanted to share this practice with as many people as I could, because of its unquestionable paybacks.
Why is Yoga so essential as a daily practice?
Yoga should be practiced daily because it brings individuals back to what is real and what is important. Beyond its physical and mental benefits which is portrayed in many commercials, magazines and social media, it's really about giving yourself that time to reconnect. Even if it's for 5-10 minutes every day one will begin to feel the benefits. Growing up, I learnt yoga as an experiential science. Sit, stretch, connect and feel the difference. The more you connect, the more one will notice the true essence within and throughout.
What are the programs you offer from your institute?
For our corporate clients we offer a range of programming tailored to meet the demands of industry specific jobs. All of our corporate classes are geared to make the individual more productive and more passionate about what they do every day and where they spend the majority of their time.
Our professional athletes go through a rigorous analysis where we monitor their current workout regimen, to their sleeping patters and food intake. We use the data to cross compare their fitness goals before and after implementing a change in lifestyle and add yoga specific techniques to meet their needs. We create a plan to make the athlete more focused and maintain a high sense of energy when participating in their sport.
For our individual clients we have both one on one and group classes with our Savsani teachers. This is recommended for people looking to tune up and shape up through specific yoga asanas selected for their body type and needs.
Savsani is an accredited Yoga Teacher Training School, through Yoga Alliance, where all of our teachers have gone through our program and now teach with Savsani. If you are interested in becoming a certified Yoga Teacher and are passionate about the world of wellness I would recommend reaching out to us!
Since Savsani's inception we have seen a 35% drop in stress, a 23% reduction in pain, and a 39% improvement in sleep leading to happier and healthier individuals.
We donate our time to teach to local inner city schools around the Boston area, it's a delight to see how much yoga immediately changes the moods and perspective of younger children! We also give drop-in classes at temples to promote the science of Pranayama and Hatha Yoga techniques to the local community.
How can people get in touch with you?
You can get in touch with us to find out about local Savsani Yoga programming in your area, to inquire about Savsani at your workplace, or to even take a couple personalized lessons with your loved ones.
|
