Yoga in Hospitality: Why Intention Matters More Than Timing

At Lifeyoga, teacher Ravitabh Sahu is known for his practice of “strength with softness”—a philosophy that balances resilience with surrender, discipline with compassion. As Navami Detox 3.0 unfolds this September, he shares how yoga translates beyond the mat into everyday rituals, and how the five elements can be reimagined for the urban dweller.

The abhyasa of yoga is something which is not just on the mat but it’s also done off the mat. This practice is not just for our physical body but it also helps us to culture our physical, mental, social, emotional, intellectual and spiritual body.

The prime objective of yoga is to gain control over the mind. Therefore, one of the best example of Strength with softness involves 2 beautiful practices i.e. ‘Vinyasa’ which involves movement with breath and the movements into this practice are unpredictable, so one have to involve his/her mind throughout. Over here the main part involves strength building with the complete awareness of mind

Second is ‘Pranayama’ To understand about the involuntary flow and to be aware of it throughout is Pranayama, where there is no movement of the body but there are movement of thoughts in mind, being soft and sitting still at one particular point when a person involves their awareness over the movement of the breath then brain becomes thoughtless and mind gets still.

• Earth → Grounding rituals and natural textures

* Water → Emotional flow and daily hydration rituals

* Fire → Light, energy, passion

* Air → Conscious breath and openness

* Space → Minimalism and expansive views

Earth (Prithvi) → Stability in the Concrete Jungle

• In a high-rise, "earth" isn't soil under your feet.

• It could be indoor plants, natural materials (wood, stone), earthy textures, or even clay pottery that bring solidity into your home.

• Also, the rituals that anchor you-like a morning routine or a yoga mat you roll out — become your earth element.

Water (Jal) → Flow in the Vertical

World

• Water is about adaptability and emotional flow.

• A high-rise dweller might experience it through large glass windows reflecting

the sky, indoor fountains, aquariums, or just the ritual of sipping tea/coffee

mindfully.

• In the urban sense, it's also hydration, showers, long baths, rain viewed from

your balcony-your way of connecting to fluidity.

Fire (Agni) → Energy in the Skyline

• Fire translates to power, transformation, and drive.

• In a high-rise, this could be natural sunlight streaming through tall windows,

candles, warm-toned lighting, or even the city's neon glow at night.

• On a personal level, your passion projects, workouts, or cooking rituals are your

inner fire.

A practice that helps me to be grounded off the mat is i follow the abhyasa of ‘Kriyayoga’ i.e. Tapas Svadhaya Ishvarapranidhan

Tapas - Being humble and soft in terms of talking and understanding people and helping them to solve their problem itself it’s a big tapas and great learning for me. My biggest tapas is to solve the sufferings of life which people are facing in their life.

Svadhaya - A kind of self-study which i do everyday such as waking up early in the morning, doing stuff such as karma yoga, cleaning house, reading books, thinking 5 creative ideas related to my class or my future life

Ishvarapranidhana - Surrendering to god by chanting and praying everyday.Showing the attitude and gratitude towards god and each and every human.Whatever work is start i take the name of god which give me strength to move

Air (Vayu) → Breath in the Heights

• Air is the most literal for high-rises—you live among the winds.

• It's in the ventilation, the breeze on a balcony, an open window at dawn, or the

skyline stretching out endlessly.

• Conscious breathing, pranayama, or simply stepping into fresh air between work

calls helps keep this element alive.

The key is to keep its soul intact while making it accessible to diverse guests.

Here are a few ways.

Instead of "Yoga at 8 AM — check frame each session around a simple intention: grounding after travel, energizing before the day, or unwinding in the evening. This reminds guests that yoga is an experience, not just a slot on the itinerary.

Guests may come expecting only movement, but even a few words about breath, presence, or gratitude before/after class helps them see yoga as more than stretching.

• Engage with guests personally - ask how they're feeling, adapt to their energy, and remind them yoga meets them where they are. This makes it an intimate offering, not a program box to tick.

• Hospitality spaces often have stunning backdrops - rooftops, gardens, sea views. Let these natural elements become part of the practice (breathing with the ocean, grounding with the sunrise), reconnecting yoga to its elemental roots.

In short: authenticity in hospitality yoga comes from intention, presence, and respect for the practice. When the teacher's approach is genuine, the setting naturally becomes an extension of yoga rather than a dilution of it