At the WEEK Ayush for the World conclave, Bollywood actor Esha Gupta spoke of yoga not as a passing wellness trend, but as an instinctive, deeply personal practice rooted in awareness and balance.
In a conversation with Riyad Mathew, Chief Associate Editor and Director, THE WEEK, she highlighted how growing up in an Air Force family instilled in her a deep sense of discipline, where grounding was simply a way of life.
Physical training was never unfamiliar, Esha says, whether it was the rigour associated with the forces or her later interest in boxing and running a 10K marathon.
But yoga, she says, brought a different kind of balance. “It keeps me calm,” she shared, adding that practices like 'surya namaskar' and 'pranayama' have become central to her routine.
Why 15 Minutes of Yoga can be enough
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Despite having completed a two-hour yoga session the same day, Gupta is clear that yoga does not demand hours. “You can start with just 15 minutes. All you need is a mat,” she said.
For her, consistency matters more than duration. Yoga, she explained, is about connecting one movement to another, what she calls a natural flow of asanas that links the body and mind. Over the years, her practice has evolved to include elements of callisthenics and strength training, but the core remains the same: awareness.
Beyond fitness: Yoga as a mind-body connection
Gupta recalled a defining phase around 2013–14, when a visit to a yoga centre in Meerut deepened her understanding of the practice. The sessions, often stretching to two hours, began with meditation and breathing before moving into physical postures. That structure stayed with her.
“Yoga means to join,” she said, joining breath with movement, and mind with body. It is this philosophy, she believes, that separates yoga from a purely physical workout.
Clean eating, community and conscious living
A vegetarian who spends considerable time in Europe, especially in Madrid, where she runs a restaurant, Gupta sees yoga as extending beyond the mat. “In its true sense, yoga is a community. You become more aware of the earth and the living beings around you,” she said.
That awareness naturally shapes lifestyle choices, including food. While her restaurant serves a range of cuisines, she personally leans towards clean eating, reflecting a growing global shift towards mindful consumption.
COVID reset: Finding control through breath
The pandemic, she admitted, was a turning point. Like many, Gupta found herself dealing with uncertainty and loss of control.
Returning to yoga helped her rebuild that sense of stability. “It takes emotional courage to stay in charge of your mind and breath,” she said.
The practice became both a mental and physical anchor, allowing her to navigate a difficult period with greater resilience. “If it wasn’t for yoga, it would have been a very different story.”
Strength, mobility and women in their 40s
Having recently turned 40, Gupta is also mindful of how the body evolves. While she continues weight training, she emphasises mobility and flexibility as essential, especially for women in their late 30s and early 40s. “Your biggest wealth is your health,” she said. For her, investing time in the body is not about appearance but longevity, about staying strong, agile and grounded.
In Gupta’s telling, yoga is neither rigid nor exclusive. It is intuitive, adaptable and deeply personal, a practice that begins with a single breath and grows into a way of life.
