Bipin Baloni

Qus. When did you first start practicing the physical aspect, Asanas, of yoga?

Ans. I started practicing during my childhood at school but only at a physical level because I liked sports and my physique was very good. Around 2000 my family left Delhi and moved to Rishikesh but I left home and decided for the next 6 years not to join them. This of course meant that I couldn’t attend school because I had to take care of myself.

Qus. You practiced as a child but stopped because you left home, what made you return to this path?

Ans. In 2006, when I was about 17, I realized that I had certain responsibilities and that to live and work in this modern society, in any field, I would need a higher education. So I moved to Rishikesh to be with my family and help with their pharmaceutical business for the next 3 years. But during this time, a lot happened within me, I felt imbalanced and that I wasn’t made to work in a building selling medicine! I wanted to do something for society and for myself but due to lack of education I couldn’t and that depressed me. My cousin suggested that it wasn’t too late and that I could still get back into education or even start practicing yoga again for myself. I went to an Ashram and practiced Asanas and learned more about other parts of yoga until I met Yogi Mahesh who I later asked to become his student for the next 2 and a half years. 

Qus. It’s a huge topic but what is spirituality for you as Bipin?

Ans. Spirituality for me is to know yourself. I consider it very important and I think it is lacking from a lot of yoga practice today but at the same time you can’t teach spirituality. It comes from self practice, devotion and will power. Knowing the self is important, the teacher cannot show you who you are, you have to know yourself. Because they cannot look within you. The teacher is only the mirror which will show you how you look and how you should be. In summary, spirituality is when you apply what you have learned and have a self practice. 

Qus. You seem like a very confident individual, some might even say ‘scary’, but what would you say?

Ans. I have not seen the world but I know a bit from yoga of how it should be. I am trying to save this tradition by creating myself in a way that will change others to save it for the next generation and the following. Now regarding the people being scared [smiles softly] I take my subject very seriously. I don’t want to just watch time pass, so when I see people just passing time in class I don’t argue with them any more or try to change their mind. I just focus on those who know what they want and are serious about yoga. If people spend time with me outside of class they will see another side of me as well. 

Qus. How can someone become focused and disciplined?

Ans. Patience. You cannot expect to learn everything at once. Focus on one thing and keep practicing until you feel all the pain and the joy from the Asana. Make it a daily task because only that way can you truly focus and become disciplined. You will learn a lot on this course but that is only the beginning because yoga is a continuous life process. Hari Om!