Mental Health Awareness Day was yesterday, October 10th and the fact that 1 out of 4 people will experience one form of mental disorder at some point in their lives means that it is imperative to address the often stimagtized and unspoken area of mental health. So, to highlight the strength you can find in your own mind and body, I decided to speak to McGill’s new resident yogi, Sreya Belbasé, about the amazing impact yoga can have on our bodies, mind and spirit. Sreya Belbasé is a U3 student who majors in psychology and minors in Behavioral Science and International Development Studies.
Kate Brinksman for Her Campus McGill (HC McGill): What first got you involved with yoga?
Sreya Belbasé (SB): Well, my mom is a yoga instructor for children with special needs, so that definitely had an impact on me and heavily influenced my understanding of yoga, and my consequent interest in it. Other than it being a physical practice, I think it is extremely important to experience the mind-body connection, making it a therapeutic practice that allows the individual to draw their awareness completely within. Essentially, yoga means union, and Hatha Yoga (the type of Yoga I practice) utilizes the breath to unite the mind and body for an overall serene experience.
HC McGill: What are you doing in regards to your yoga at McGill?
SB: I’m a teacher for the McGill Students Yoga Club and also an instructor at the McGill Gym. I teach a Level 1 class at 4pm on Thursdays and have taken quite a restorative approach by guiding and encouraging students to really feel what is comfortable for their individual bodies. The class is quite simple and slow, but is based on Swami Satchidananda’s principle of using yoga to achieve “an easeful body, and a peaceful mind.” Another point I like to emphasize is that yoga is a non-competitive and non-judgmental practice accessible to anyone, so there’s never any pressure to be “doing your best,” it’s all about what you feel comfortable with.
HC McGill: Is there anything else you’re involved in at McGill?
SB: I’m currently participating in the Desautels Microfinance Competition, which allows students to get a taste of what it’s like to run their own start-up, with only a $100 loan. My teammates and I thought selling smoothies would be a good idea as we have collaborated with SecondLife in Montreal in order to raise awareness about the food waste industry. All the profits are reinvested in KIVA, a micro-finance company. We’ll be selling smoothies this week around different locations on campus so keep an eye out!
HC McGill: What’s a typical day for you – McGill is busy enough, so with all these extra activities, do you have time for anything else?
SB: Blackadder, blackadder, and a lil more blackadder, where I either study or spend my time researching about causes relevant to me, and finding little ways to make a modest impact towards them!
HC McGill: Lastly, do you have a motto to live by that you can pass on to our readers?
SB: I don’t really have a “motto” per se, but what really resonates with me is the significance of empathy and compassion. If you can bring a smile to someone’s day or make even the slightest effort to make someone’s day even a tad bit better (including your own, because we have a tendency to neglect ourselves), then that’s a step in the right direction.
Photos provided by interviewee.