JOIN USHow a Delhi lawyer became 'Ashramed'
What happens when hotshot Delhi-based intellectual property rights lawyer, Dahlia Sen Oberoi, leaves her humdrum life to live in a South Indian ashram for a month? She gets "Ashramed!" From realising that her designer brands and city lifestyle count for nothing in her new environs to adjusting to the rigours of a yoga-teacher-in training's arduous regime, Oberoi's debut book, Ashramed: From Chaos to Calm (Hachette India) is a rollicking account of her transformation. On World Yoga Day, we spoke to Oberoi to find out more about her journey of yogic self-discovery.
Did your quest for self-discovery find fruition by learning to be a yoga teacher?
I have practised yoga on and off and loved the positive changes it brought to my body and mind. I wanted to go deeper into it by learning the philosophy behind it. I told myself I wanted to do it to teach others, but I know now that it was meant to be. I was ready to receive, and so I set out to learn.
Were you "Ashramed" into a new lifestyle as you had hoped?
Oh, yes. I was schooled, renewed and transformed. I went in with zero expectations but an open mind and the conviction to learn. I came out with a new identity, and the good thing is that this new identity is not transient; it is here to stay. Being 'Ashramed' is about letting go of the old, adopting the new and finding myself again.
Was it intimidating to take on this journey of self-discovery in your 50s?
At each age, something or the other intimidates us. Our ability to take chances reduces with age as we find comfort in the familiar. That is why I try to keep the child inside alive by always looking to do something new. The day one gets complacent is the day one gets old. So, I am all for pushing limits, breaking moulds and not being caged in by age, gender and situation. It is intimidating, but it is challenging too.
How does a city person survive a month of minimalist living?
We are tougher than we give ourselves credit for. There are so many things I thought I could never do, but I adapted. I have always loved to challenge myself and try things that are outside my zone of comfort. It all boils down to giving ourselves a chance.
Do you think the isolation prepared you to handle the pandemic better than most of us?
Yes, it did. Self-isolation helped me face the giant lockdown of the pandemic. The calm and the balance kept me sane. I also started teaching yoga almost immediately. It made me relearn my lessons physically, emotionally and spiritually and helped me help others.