Ultimately Test Of Anything Is In The Actions Demonstrated: Sarika Panchhi

"About 2 years ago, my brother put an emotional gun to my head and asked me to relocate from Mumbai to Dehra Doon. Quitting the corporate world, when I was on my way to a very successful senior management stint. I debated and questioned that in my mind, and somehow just took the leap of faith. Two years hence, am I glad I did that. In my 40 years lifespan, I can clearly call these two years 'the most satisfying'. Satisfying as I had the most fulfilling experiences, which gave me a sense of being grounded, being connected and well, just being."

Sarika shared that her move from Mumbai, the fastest city in India, to the hills of Doon wasn't without strife but was by far the most rewarding one.
 
"A cousin of mine during my early days in Doon, suggested that I get into outdoors if I want to keep my sanity. I'm grateful I took that suggestion seriously. Since I had already started running in Mumbai, the first thing I did was create an organised running group along with some like minded people. While running as a lifestyle had taken off in the rest of the country, Doon was still warming up to it. People were running solo, all it needed was for someone to get them together. We started with a few members and have already crossed 400+ people now."

Unfortunately extensive running took it's toll and she had a knee injury and had to take a sabbatical from running. But couldn't keep the heart indoors.

"I quickly figured I needed to switch the sport. Since we are film makers, I was at an event for a big travel company in Delhi, launching their adventure vertical. While my team was shooting the event, on my friends request who's event we were launching, I decided to cycle. What amazed me was, amongst the 200 odd cyclists that came, there were only 2 women. That's when I decided that when I go back to Doon, I'd like to get women out on the roads on their bikes. And that's how the women cycling group in Doon started. We call it WOW- Women on wheels, and am glad it has many more women than I saw in the city of Delhi."

During this entire physical journey, the need to build her core (both physical and mental) arose. And the connect to yoga happened, thanks to her maternal aunt who's been practicing it for 20 years. She taught her how to ease things and bring the focus back to now.

"Today I switch between cycling and running and hiking and offroading and yoga, basically anything that gets me out and about."

Her spiritual journey has been from being a believer to now being an aethist.

"Thanks to the life experiences I had. I believe there has to be auntheticity in ones thoughts and actions. Most times people are fooling others (and themselves), believing in things they say. Unfortunately their actions have a huge gap. The whole organised form of religion, the rituals attached, thinking we're great human beings because we're god fearing doesn't work for me. Ultimately the test of anything, and I mean anything, is in the actions demonstrated."

Sarika shared that having gone through various forms of meditations- Art of Living, Transcendental meditation and more, she realised that her meditative time was just when she is with herself watching a movie, running, having a chat with her son, or just enjoying a glass of wine.

"Nothing calmed my mind more, hence I decided to redefine meditation. I believe it's a personal journey and one needs to find it for oneself."

Soul for her is a combination of body and mind. It's not exclusive, it can't exist alone and it's not uni-dimensional.

"I today live between two cities. Doon and NCR. All the work comes from NCR and the peace of mind from Doon. I find this to be the perfect combination. Go to Delhi, feel the corporate energy, work 15 hours, have back to back meetings, do it for 3 days a week, and come back to your haven. I feel I've found my equilibrium."