the yoga of self-awareness | spiritual yoga, stress management, and meaningful personal growth
about balrāj
Balrāj is a teacher of traditional spiritual yoga. In his private work, he specializes in helping people achieve meaningful growth.
Balrāj, MA, MSc (Oxon), BA (Hons)
Balrāj received a BA (Hons) and MSc (Oxon) studying South Asia and India respectively. He then obtained an MA in philosophy, defending his thesis on phenomenological method. He received his Diploma in Yoga from Annamalai University and the title of Yoga Vidyā from his teacher.
Balraj is a yogin (or “yogi”) who teaches traditional yoga spiritual philosophy.
Balrāj’s approach to stress/anxiety and personal (meaningful) growth is guided by the simple and profound wisdom of the spiritual traditions born on the Indian subcontinent. Generally speaking, these spiritual traditions were meant to solve the problem of anxiety, and required developing the capacity to sit with our anxiety rather than avoid it (so that our anxiety wasn’t directly or indirectly determining the course of our life). In these traditions, learning to sit with one’s anxiety was the very beginning of experiencing freedom from the compulsions and anxieties of our habitual self (and developing self-awareness). Simple, yes. But certainly not easy. And always made more difficult by craving the state of being that we think is on the other side of anxiety (which is just another way of trying to avoid our anxiety). The resulting inner stability allows us to pay heed to our own inspirations, motivations, values, and needs. This allows us to access a fulfilling life of meaningful growth.
In his public work, Balrāj teaches the philosophy of traditional yoga from the perspective of existential phenomenology (i.e., spiritual yoga), and in 2022 was featured in an article published by one of India’s largest news networks (ABP News) that discusses the relationship between contemporary yoga practices and the spiritual goals of traditional yoga.
Balrāj uses the wisdom of traditional yoga in his work as a meaningful growth expert/specialist.
In his private work, Balrāj helps those whose anxieties and psychology/mindset are restricting their personal and professional growth. Balrāj helps clients find clarity and confront their stress and anxieties (including whatever thoughts and feelings, people and situations produce these anxieties) so that their anxieties no longer restrict their growth (because if you’re not sure where you’re going, stress reduction usually only creates a vacuum for more stress). This is the beginning of self-awareness, freedom from self-sabotaging habits, and meaningful growth. Ultimately, dealing with stress (or reducing stress) is just a matter of being able to remain with it (rather than letting it determine your life by avoiding it). From this place, one are able to liberate resources that were hitherto trapped in repressive habitual behaviours. Balrāj also offers private meditation coaching and half-day personal growth workshops to address issues around a lack of clarity and self sabotage.
Though Balrāj is not a licensed mental health professional, he became an approved member of the Inclusive Therapists Community and can now be found on their Directory of Inclusive Therapists.
To learn more about how Balrāj might be able to help you, take a look at who we work with and then schedule your free Clarity Call with Balrāj.
Balrāj lives in Toronto, Canada.