Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachna Patel.
Rachna, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m a 4th generation Kenyan girl of Indian ancestry. My great grandparents got on a ship from India to Kenya in 1933. I have a twin brother and a doting older sister. We’re exceptionally close. My mum didn’t know she was having twins though and that’s the conception of my story right there. An unexpected breach second twin. A fighter spirit if you like. I was fiercely competitive & boisterous growing up; my brother & I would play morning until night trying to outdo each other or better what we attempted yesterday. I played field hockey from a young age including most other school sports for which I was bullied a lot of the time because I was better than most boys, let alone girls!
I was bullied generally at school but sports became my armour and the bullying stopped. I wanted to read sports medicine when applying to university in the UK but this wasn’t met with family approval. I ended up jumping into a law degree. I fell into depression in my first year at university in Wales until I found yoga and hockey again. I played for university then onto county level as well. Along with it came the injuries. Sprained ankles, progressing bunions. Slipped disc, back pain & neck strain. I ended up spending 8 years as a lawyer but ran a parallel life immersed in movement, sport & running. I developed a regular yoga practice, ran the London Marathon in 3hrs52 mins & rode my bike to and from my corporate office. I wasn’t happy on the inside, BUT what lit me up was movement. I surrendered to this and left London to return to Kenya much to my family’s shock. Even more shockingly I announced that I wanted to become a yoga teacher and drop my legal pursuits altogether. It didn’t happen for another 3 years. Then I drew real courage; as I pursued my yoga training I was taken on board a German solar start up where I ran the Africa sector setting up micro-businesses across the country. My entrepreneurship journey started and I had no idea where it would end up!
Having had experience in entrepreneurship, I was invited to join our new family business venture in Agriculture. We later lost the family business and a lot with it. At the same time, I asked my now ex-husband for a divorce. So there I was one day standing in front of a mirror having moved back into my parents house; a sporty but severely injured/dented, spiritual, driven, intuitive & empowered lady who could either wallow in ‘rock bottom’ or choose to radiantly rise to fulfil her divine purpose, which she’d known for well over a decade, in order to heal herself and then offer the same to others. That’s how I became a postural alignment therapist & functional movement coach; healing, educating & supporting humans to listen & deconstruct their pain, re-wire their mindset & get strong. So that they can explore infinite possibilities in every aspect of their lives.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Far from a smooth road. I’ve never been one to live by patriarchal societal norms. Being Indian and consciously aware of myself & my purpose was the first obstacle!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a postural alignment therapist & functional movement coach. As a kid, I spent every waking minute playing, moving and watching other humans. Family, friends or even pedestrians. I still do it. I can’t help but watch. When I was younger I didn’t know why I was mesmerised by watching; now I know. I watch people MOVE. I have a gift. I understand what doesn’t quite work in the body. I watch their demeanour. Their habits. Their behaviour. THAT IS POSTURE. The biomechanics of movement. Without posture, we cannot function as humans. Or we could, just in ways that may not serve us. Developing bad habits. Injuries etc etc. Then we get stuck in a rut of needing doctors, surgeons, medicines. When ultimately, the answers are within. We just have to trace it to the ROOT cause of why and where the issue arises. I see clients from around the world. I assess their posture, I help them deconstruct then reconstruct their posture, their mindset a.k.a paradigm and leave them confident to explore infinite possibilities. I developed a 10-week program 1:1 intensive called. “NO B.S Posture & Paradigm Reconstruction Program”. I have a virtual / on-demand studio also, which is a subscription-based service. I am a global leader.
How do you think about luck?
Nothing in life is a coincidence. I’ve felt FULLY guided & protected by a power greater than myself. I’ve had the fortune of family & true friends. I’m grateful for my curiosity, courage & intuition. These are available to every human. The more you move, the more you invoke consciousness.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://yogality.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogality.byrachna/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChAScoXsOuLZ7qnfVafmZHw
Image Credits
Photos by Ms. Tumtitu
