My Yoga Journey: Building Real Strength and Awareness
I wasn't born flexible or strong. My practice was built, not gifted. This is my story of moving from total stiffness to holding inversions, and it is a roadmap for your own growth.
This video shows my practice from 4.5 years ago compared to today. I started stiff, unsure, and afraid to fall, but I kept showing up. If you think you're not flexible enough or it's too late to start, let my journey be your sign that progress is inevitable with consistency.
This is my first drop back from 2020 versus a recent one. Back then, it felt like an achievement. Now, it's about awareness. This is the essence of a mature yoga practice: it’s not just about doing the asana, but living the awareness inside it with the right guidance.
Yoga doesn't require flexibility, it builds it. This video compares my Samakonasana, or middle split, from 2021 to today. It's a clear example of how the body opens up over time with dedicated and correct practice, proving that yoga truly meets you where you are.
This is my Pincha Press journey. In July 2024, I couldn't float up. A year later, the movement is smoother and more controlled. This progress didn't happen overnight; it's the result of consistent practice and a growing awareness of my body's mechanics.
Here is my journey from Pincha to Baby Crow. I first tried it in May, attempted it again in June, and finally found the balance in July. This is a real-time example of how progress can be slow, but every attempt counts and builds towards the final pose.
In 2021, I used to watch videos of advanced yogis and dream, "One day, maybe." Today, that 'maybe' has become my reality through practice, patience, and many falls. If you are dreaming of your "one day," know that it is achievable.
After a full year of dedicated effort, I finally unlocked my first Pincha Press. This wasn't a single moment of success but the culmination of consistent bodyweight strength work and daily awareness drills. It’s a reminder that if you are in the middle of the "almosts," keep going.
About this collection
Progress doesn't look like a magazine cover. It looks like falling out of a Pincha press for months, learning the specific anatomy of your shoulders, and waking up to practice anyway. In my classes, we don't just 'do' yoga. We break down the mechanics—the agonist and antagonist muscles, the joint space, the breath—so you stop guessing and start actually progressing.
Beyond the Flexibility Myth
Most students walk into my studio in Bangalore thinking they need to be flexible to start. That is the biggest lie in modern fitness. If you look at my 2020 videos, you will see a version of me that was stiff and scared to fall. My journey wasn't about being 'gifted' at asanas; it was about understanding how my body actually moves.
The Anatomy of Progress
I teach the Yog Yatra Mastery method because 'trying harder' is rarely the answer. When you get stuck in a pose—whether it is a backbend or an arm balance—it is usually a mechanics issue, not a 'laziness' issue.
- Why we drill: We use specific wall drills and prop setups (blocks and straps) to find the correct alignment.
- How we evolve: We focus on the why. Once you understand which muscles to fire and which to release, the fear of falling disappears.
Join the Journey
My students often joke, 'Shashi ki training achhi hai, daant bhi achhi padti hai' (Shashi's training is good, her scolding is also good). I hold you accountable because I know you have more potential than you give yourself credit for.
Whether you are looking for my Yog Yatra Mastery annual course for deep anatomical study, or my 3-month Live Advanced Intensive to fix your alignment in real-time, the prerequisite is the same: you must be ready to show up consistently. If you are ready to move past the 'almosts' and actually unlock your peak poses, let's get to work.
Shashi Prabha Dwivedi
I’m Shashi. My yoga practice is a mix of tough 30-day inversion challenges, anatomy study, and keeping two dogs from running across my mat. I don't care if you can't touch your toes today; I care if you show up tomorrow to try again.
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