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Hi, my name is George Abraham and welcome to this episode of Eyeway Conversations. My guest today is Dr. Priti Sharma from Mumbai. She is an Ayurvedic doctor. She is also a yoga instructor, teacher and a therapist. Thank you, George. And thank you for this opportunity. Thank you for inviting me here. Yeah, so Priti, you know, you've chosen to become an Ayurvedic doctor, a young person growing up in a city like Mumbai, what made you make this choice?
That was in 1988, you know, and I had passed out my 12th standard. And it was always a focus in my mind, I wanted to become a doctor, since my childhood. And I Ayurveda being one part in our lifestyle when we were young, my parents, my father, especially very much trusted Ayurveda. And we had quite a few Ayurveda medicines also in the house, and we were treated that way many times. We were following the natural way of life. So all that actually, you know, motivated me to get into Ayurveda because I thought maybe something is more in that. And I need to explore this thing, which is actually our own science coming from the roots, from India itself. And I should learn this. And I also came to know at that time that when I studied Ayurveda, I learned almost two pathies. So I have a good practice, good knowledge of allopathic medicine, as well. And even when I read that, because I had also seen quite a few, Ayurveda qualified people practicing like a general practitioner, with allopathic medicines. So with the support of my father, of course, very strong support behind me, and I got into it Ayurveda medicine.
Now, I also believe that you started learning yoga. So what actually is the link? What prompted you to also learn yoga at that point of time?
Yoga also came into my life at a very early age. So I was in my second year. And there was this guide with a science, there was one subject containing one small topic of yoga. And for that reason, we had a visit to this institute called Kaivalya Dham, which was just beside my Ayurveda college. Yes. And that was an amazing thing. We had people coming from that Institute in our college to demonstrate and then we were made to visit that center. And there, I was actually amazed by seeing that in those days, I'm talking about 1991. That time, there were about 500 patients coming in at Kaivalya Dham every day. And they were getting healed, no medicines were given. And they used to undergo a lot of this different practices of yoga. And we saw our instructors who had told us that see this person is suffering from so and so problem and they've hypertension and diabetes and this and that, and they're getting healed and how this was going, that ambiance was there. I was just amazed, by it. I was really attracted by that. I said, Okay, let me just go deeper into the subject. And then I enrolled myself for the course at Kaivalya Dham as well.
You got married, you have two children, a son and a daughter and life was going on and then suddenly at the age of 30, you discovered that you had retinitis pigmentosa and you started losing her eyesight. What were the fears? What were the emotions and how did you deal with it?
So it was a shock. It was something a jolt you know, where a break where we got this and me and my husband both were what to do when you're then...obviously initially it was like consulting this ophthalmologist, that one and trying to find a solution to this. So all of a sudden things changed. It was hard. But then when I so used to see my children, they were small, and they needed my care, I am a mother for them. I mean, they don't know what I'm going through at this time. And they expect the same, like any child would expect from a mother. So I need to become strong. And I have to accept this and find out my own ways and means to deal with this. And in this process of course my brother, who was already diagnosed with this, retinitis pigmentosa, a few years before, he supported me a lot. He was a great support to me morally and very much always with me. So he used to guide me how he got adjusted, and how I have to deal with the situation. So that was the thing, gradually, he taught me how to use technology. And he motivated me to use this, of course, taking care of the family, and all the things that are going on simultaneously. And my children were growing, so handling them with their studies, and also visiting schools socializing with them. And they also needed to accept this. So all this process going on, being with the family, being from Rajasthani family, also convincing now people, extended family, the complete in laws, relationships, and on. So that was all, a little tough here, I would say that, yes, there was a determination that I'm not going to just sit and cry and just go down. Whatever I wanted to do in life, I want to pursue that, I want to go ahead, I do not want to stop. So all that together, of course helped me and uplifted me. And yeah, we went ahead. And my husband, of course, always was there, physical support for me, at the end, you know, every day, every time that one thing he had told me that see, you have to accept this. It is like any other disease, people live with any other disease. And both of us being doctors, both of us on the medical side, we came to know, that yes if it is incurable, we have to learn to live with it. This is something which has affected the retina. And you have to accept it, just learn to live it and I'm sure you will do that. So that was his confidence as well.
Okay, so let's now move on to your professional work. So you did it, did you have a longish professional break? And did it take an effort to restart your professional work or you managed to carry on?
There was not a big break as such, because I was still carrying on. I was when this was diagnosed, also I was with my clinic, I was doing the general practice as well. And of course, as I told you my passion for yoga, so in my general practice, also I was giving yoga, and I was working for underprivileged people. So in the clinic, you know, I used to see all that pain and all that. And that, you know, financial constraint also. So I used to always think that if I teach them some yoga, it will keep them in a better shape, better condition. And the healthcare costs also reduces. So that was also where I was applying and it was giving me a lot of motivation. So this was also a very good place where I worked, and I learned a lot, I got connected to actual humanity, you know, so this was a good and gradually then one day I decided, oh my god, I'm seeing so many patients in a day. I used to get such patients now, you know, they used to say that you give me some poison, even so many medicines, I'm fed up of medicines. And that time also I used to advise them some yoga practices. And they used to feel happy with that, repeatedly they used to come over and that was giving me a lot of motivation. So one day I thought okay, now enough of general practice, giving medicines. There are many doctors, many doctors who do this. There are people to do this. But I can work something beyond medicines, I can work full time into yoga, whether or not it was not only I mean, I was doing part time. I was taking care of this small center, I was teaching, I was having my own consultations for my own clients. I was giving them lessons, private lessons. But then I thought now let me just quit all this general practice and giving medicines, prescribing medicines. I should just come over to yoga, complete yoga therapy.
Then, somewhere along the line, you set up your own Therapy Center, which you've called The Pran Yoga Therapy Center. Why don't you tell us a little bit about this?
Me and my husband both of us were into this, because he's also very passionate with yoga. And for him also, it was becoming very tedious. As you know,with the pharma industry and with his corporate job, with his own practice, and so he was getting very, it was becoming tedious for him also. And he also wanted to devote full time to yoga. So, ultimately, he also decided to, you know, completely devote his time to yoga. And we set up this Pran yoga Therapy Center, and we thought that we should name it make one banner out of it. And under that banner, we can work together. So that was, that's how we named it as Pran Yoga Therapy Center, we got it registered, then it was like three years back, when we decided three, four years back, then we named it and we registered it.
So what's the kind of activities that you take up under this banner?
We have these therapy programs for different types of ailments for patients. And it is also a Teachers' Training Center, wherein we make new yoga teachers under the syllabus prescribed by the YCB, that is the Yoga Certification Board. That is the body designed by Ayush ministry. Right. So they do the standardization, they give this certificate for syllabus for the certificate courses of yoga , teachers' training.
The other interesting question is that you are blind, you can hardly see or you can't see at all. So when you teach yoga, how do you make sure that the knowledge and the skill is being transferred?
On site when I am teaching, of course, the client is there in front of me. Yeah, and it is always possible to not talk to the client and touch the client, you know, and if I want to examine, I can see the temperature, I can, you know, read the pulse. So all that is possible. When I'm teaching, of course, the instructions are very precise verbal instructions, very, very precise. And I am performing, they can see me, they also perform, the copy me, plus I am teaching them giving them proper verbal instructions. Plus, I also ask them what effect they're feeling then and there. So any particular position which is being done, yeah, I stay there in that position, they are also staying there in that position. So Yoga means always it is I know, it's holding a position. Right. So whenever you do any particular position or posture, we call it asana. Yeah, You hold that asana, you stay in that posture for sometime. And that is the time you know, I give them instructions, okay, you're feeling a stretch here in the back, you're feeling a compression here in the calf, you're feeling this. So those particular changes, what are happening then and there in the body, in the breath, all that I guide them. Or I ask them, it's always like interactive. So I ask them, what are you experiencing? And their experience actually tells me is it right or wrong. And if it is, you know, wherever need correction, I do that. And if needed, I touch the client and correct position.
When it's online, what happens?
Yeah, so, online again, it is the same thing. I am demonstrating, they can see me, I adjust my camera, my video that way. So, they see me, they listen to my instructions. So, those things are very clear from the start that they have to be very attentive to the instructions. So their eyes and ears both should be open. Yeah, many times it does happen, you know, even like for me also, it might have happened when I was sighted that if I'm seeing anybody seeing, they do not pay attention to the words to that extent, right. And it is usually happening, which I always notice with my other friends and people around me also. Yeah, so when this class starts, I usually tell them that you need to see and also listen to my instructions, the instructions are going to be really precise. So please be very attentive to the instructions, to your ears as well. Right, then they are watching me, I'm performing, then they also perform. Then again that same interaction is going on, only the minus point is here I cannot go near them and touch them. Yes, this still works because I am always interacting with them, what they are experiencing. The experience, the after effect, of course, reveals what has been done. Has it been done rightly or is it wrong.
I've also read and heard that you are now also teaching blind people to learn yoga and to become yoga teachers, how do you do that? Because they are not seeing you. So this must be challenging.
It is challenging. But yes, it is very exciting. And I'm very happy that I could do that. This also, you know, started, it actually triggered the thought process in my mind is, I think four or five years back, you know. When, in my, in our center, we had invited a, we started inviting different teachers from different other specialties. And they were doing these classes and all. Very well known teachers, very nice, even they are known in their subject matter. Yoga also has different different ways and different patterns of teaching. So some teacher access in some pattern, and we wanted to give our students all that experience. So we used to invite teachers, and they used to conduct very beautiful classes. But I used to be always there in the class, and I was the only blind person that has, and many times I could not follow what they are explaining what they are teaching, what they are making others do. So there, I used to feel that teachers are lacking in that skill, where they can teach a blind person. Of course, I don't deny that person is a good teacher, very good at their job, and they really do the class and everyone in the class, they are liking their session, but I was not enjoying. And that was I felt it's not my drawback. I am blind, but then the teacher also is lacking in that skill. So when I am teaching someone, I am making yoga teachers, I want them to be skilled in this aspect as well. Yeah. So that was one thought, which was always lingering in my mind. And when we started with the teachers training courses, and gradually we progressed into that, and then I got the confidence. And I also started, because of this COVID thing, we shifted completely all our activities to online. Yeah, so online activities actually, you know, this gave me this thought process that I should do something now here that I can do for the blind people. Yeah. And I cannot see. So even everyone needs it. I used to meet quite a few friends who really needed yoga. Yeah. So it so happened that in January 2021, my brother, he wanted a yoga teacher for his own some health issues. So I asked in my team, that who is interested. So I was teaching him. But yes, I was I thought maybe because of my lack of time and all, I asked one of my teachers, one of the team members to assist me. And then I asked him whether he will be able to do it. He said yes. And he started teaching Pranay. And I guided him how to teach and what to, how to be precise in verbal instructions and all that. And he was teaching him well, he was finding Pranay, my brother was finding relief with his problems. And it was nice, nicely going on. Then he shared his thing that another friend of his and he also was looking for someone, a yoga instructor, this friend is also blind. So I provided another teacher to this friend as well. And I instructed her how to do that. And she's also doing a good job yet it is going on, their lessons are going wrong. Yeah. And this activity was shared by these two teachers in the team that we were having this 25 to 30 teachers in a team. Yeah, they were having this sharing in the meeting, which they had, yes, all of them, listen to them. It was very, very exciting for them. The whole team got excited and enthusiastic that even we would like to do this. So I said, Okay, and then we had very quite a few practice sessions with them. So I was guiding them. I was doing a whole session with all the team of the teachers with them blindfolded. Yeah. So they were all blindfolded. And I taught them how you experience the yoga class when you yourself are not seeing. Yeah, and it was wonderful session, they all understood the lack of it. And they were all ready Yes, we would like to do this. And that's how this came up. We put out this in notice that they would like to teach people who cannot see. So we got very good response and still this famous teaching we are having about, say 50 clients. Now who are doing this, I'm just talking about the personal thing. It's a personalized, semi personalized, these plans are there. And now we have come up with a group plan also. So we are taking five to six people in one class online. Yeah. And the teacher is teaching them. So the teacher is watching them, of course, and they're also teaching them verbally, giving instructions nicely. Ya now our clients are doing surya namaskar as well, the sun salutation part, very famous, as you know.
While you are running PYTC, that's the Pran Yoga Therapy Center and doing all these wonderful work. You've also been traveling, you traveled to do training programs in Europe, as well as in other Asian countries. Tell us something about that.
I specialize in pregnancy yoga. So I give prenatal classes. So that was my favorite subject when I started. So that was also another story, as I told you, many things were going side by side in my life. And this prenatal yoga courses I gave as a skill enhancement program to yoga trainers. Yeah, so already certified yoga trainers, they come to us, and we give them this skill enhancement in the pre and postnatal yoga. So this thing I was doing this on site workshop we had done in Germany, for the German yoga teachers. Yeah. So those I had done that in those days when I was partially sighted. Yeah. So, that went well, it was a good experience. And those days that time I came to know that irrespective of the nationality, irrespective of caste, religion, race, whatever, people are interested in yoga so much, because Yoga is something for humanity. So that was my experience with Germany. And then in Vietnam, I had gone there. There also I had conducted a women's wellness program. So there also it was, that workshop was very beautiful, wherein women actually found out something, you know, something, you know, something unfolding of themselves. That was a realization. Usually it does happen in many societies that women are supressed. And many emotions, bottled up emotions are there, many things hidden in their hearts. So this workshop was very beautiful. We got really connected to so many women. And yeah, it was in Vietnam.
Well, Priti, I think what you talked to us today is spectacular. And I think the fact that you are bringing yoga to blind people and empowering blind people also to become a, practitioners of yoga and b, possibly teachers of yoga. I think that's very, very encouraging, another area where young blind people could aspire professionally. I think that's wonderful. And I think your life story is very inspiring. Thank you very much for speaking to us and spending this time with us. Thank you.
Thank you.
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