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Liformers are a bunch of dedicated, joyful go-getters who inspire us daily
with their creativity, honesty, and love of yoga. Our ‘Meet the Liformer’
series gives you the chance to get to know them a little better, find out how
they practice, and catch their enthusiasm.
Nikita Desai is an Indian yoga instructor and educator based in London,
renowned for her dedication to promoting authentic yoga practices and
increasing representation within the wellness industry.
Desai’s book, A Beginner's Guide to the Roots of Yoga: How to Create a
More Authentic Practice, aims to help practitioners incorporate traditional
yoga elements into their modern practices, fostering a deeper
understanding of yoga beyond physical postures.
Through her teachings, workshops, and online presence, Nikita Desai
strives to preserve the true spirit of yoga, advocating for a practice that
honours its origins and is accessible to all.
Where are you from/where do you live?
I was born and raised in the UK, however my parents are from India. I
currently reside in London.
How did yoga come into your life?
I was born and brought up in a Hindu household, so yogic practices were
always a part of my daily life. However, these practices resembled more of
the devotional path of yoga rather than asana (the physical poses).
It wasn’t until my early twenties when I took part in a skydive in which I
ended up fracturing my spine that I met yoga as it is in the western world.
After numerous consultations with specialists, I was told that the only way
to fix my injury was through a major surgery.
Opting out of this at the time, I sought out alternative methods of healing
and was recommended yoga (modern-day yoga). It was my first time
engaging with the physical aspect of the tradition, and my mind and body
began to benefit immensely from it, so I continued practice whilst healing
myself mentally and physically.
When did you realise you were hooked on yoga?
From the very moment I realized just how much my mind benefitted from it.
At the same time as using the practice to help ease the symptoms of my
injury, I also found it had a great impact on my mental health.
Anxiety and chronic depression have been present in my life from a very
young age, and yoga has always helped to subside the symptoms of these
conditions for me. Since then, it has become a part of my daily practice, not
one day goes by where I don’t engage with the practice – whether that be
the physical aspects or the mental, spiritual, or emotional practices.
Why do you practice?
To honor my ancestors, my mind, my body, and to cultivate self-awareness.
For me, yoga is a huge part of my heritage and culture, but it’s also one of
the greatest tools for self-development and inner healing.
Why do you teach?
Since discovering the depth of yoga and experiencing how much it
benefitted my mind, soul, and body, I became passionate about sharing
what I learn with others to help them heal. My approach is aligned with
traditional and authentic yoga, and my aim is to share the practice in a way
that people can use it to heal themselves mentally, emotionally, and
spiritually, rather than just at a surface level, physically.
Tell us about your yoga community.
When I first began teaching yoga, I was fixated for some time on mastering
advanced postures, as I had got lost in the world of social media. It wasn’t
until a few years after my teacher training that I began speaking in depth
about how yoga goes beyond asana, and how far-removed western yoga is
from the practice that was born in India thousands of years ago. When I
began speaking about the roots, history, and origins of yoga, and teaching
the side of yoga that people seldom teach nowadays, I found a large online
community that resonated with my message.
People were looking for more inclusive, accessible, and diverse practices
and teachings, and I began to provide them to my community. My
community is very much aligned with my approach on teaching yoga
authentically and benefits from my teachings whether that be through my
YouTube practices, online or in-person workshops, mentoring sessions, or
one-on-one classes.
What’s your favourite yoga pose? Why?
Marjaryasana/Bitilasana or Cat/Cow as it works on so many parts of our
bodies at once, but also because you can almost instantly feel the mental
and emotional benefits of the asana.
What’s your motto?
Everything is temporary, the only thing that is constant is your true Self
(your atman).
What are you reading?
I am reading two books at once! Which is so typical of me:
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas
The 50th Law by Robert Greene and 50 Cent
What’s in your smoothie?
I tend to have an all veg smoothie every other day, which isn’t the best in
taste, but according to Ayurveda, you shouldn’t mix fruits and vegetables in
juices/smoothies. So, spinach, celery, coconut water, beetroot, and
cucumber.
You’ve decided to cash in your frequent flier miles. Where are you
heading?
Definitely to the Maldives!
At the airport, you realize you’ve forgotten the most crucial thing. What is it?
My perfume, haha!
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
An air hostess!
What’s your favourite Liforme Mat? Why?
The White Magic: I love the colours, gold is a favourite. And it just looks so
fresh and clean.
Aside from yoga, what do you love to do?
Cook and occasionally paint, which is actually a new hobby for me and
something that I aim to get better at!
