As someone who helps people make financial decisions, yoga reminded me that money isn’t just math; it’s a mindset.
I’ve been a financial planner for years. Numbers, returns, asset allocation, this has been my world. Yoga, on the other hand, was something I turned to for stillness, breath, and balance. I owe that introduction to my first Commanding Officer, Brig Raghunathan Balasubramaniam (Retd), who encouraged me to give yoga a try. 
What I didn’t expect was how deeply these two seemingly unrelated practices, financial planning and yoga, would start speaking to each other.
Learning from the Mat
On the yoga mat, I learned to stay present.
To hold uncomfortable positions.
To breathe through the urge to react.
And it didn’t surprise me, just reaffirmed what I’ve always believed, that’s exactly what long-term investing demands.
Discipline (Tapas)
Markets test our resolve, just like tough poses do.
In yoga, growth comes from showing up every day.
In investing, it’s about consistency: regular savings, disciplined SIPs, and a commitment to the long-term journey.
Awareness (Dhyana)
Yoga builds awareness of breath, body, and inner dialogue.
In finance, awareness means understanding our risk appetite, emotional triggers, and spending behaviour.
It’s not just knowing the markets; it’s knowing ourselves in them.
Balance (Samatvam)
Every yoga pose teaches the art of equilibrium.
Investing also demands a balance between growth and safety, between greed and caution.
When we are off-balance in either, the consequences can be felt deeply.
Patience (Shraddha)
You don’t master yoga overnight.
Progress is slow and often invisible until one day, something shifts.
Similarly, wealth creation isn’t immediate.
You trust the process, let compounding work silently, and stay the course.
Detachment (Vairagya)
Yoga teaches us to let go of ego, outcomes, and tension.
Investing teaches the same.
Markets will fluctuate, opinions will swirl, but the plan must remain steady.
Detachment from short-term noise is not just useful, it’s necessary.
A Deeper Connection
With every session, yoga reminded me of something I already believed at heart: Wealth, like wellness, is a slow and steady pursuit.
It’s not about beating the market.
It’s about not letting the market beat us.
Just like in yoga, the real work in personal finance is internal,
* Clarity of goals
* Awareness of risk
* Calmness in the face of uncertainty
I’m still learning, both on the mat and in the market.
But I’ve come to believe one thing deeply
How we breathe through life reflects how we invest in it.
Money, like the body, must be treated with respect, patience, and clarity. Not just managed, but understood.
Happy International Yoga Day to you and all your family members
May your financial journey be as mindful as your breath