Mumbai: Health guru Mickey Mehta on Monday conducted a yoga workshop for senior Mumbai Police officers in order to educate them on the path to well being in a job fraught with stress and resultant health issues.
While stress is generally associated with policemen on the ground, officers in higher positions, have their own reasons for stress, which the workshop aimed to address. It also aimed at getting the top brass to lead by example, so that they may include yoga in their routines and encourage their juniors to do the same.
Work pressure
“Officers like Deputy Commissioners of Police, who manage entire zones and branches, are at the receiving end if something goes wrong, and hence have to be on their toes to ensure that law and order is maintained. Additionally, they have the responsibility to manage their subordinates and answer to their superiors, which leads to stress,” said Mumbai Police Commissioner D.D. Padsalgikar.
The workshop, which was held at Prerna Hall near Azad Maidan, was attended by senior officers, including Mr. Padsalgikar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Administration) Archana Tyagi, Jt. CP (Law and Order) Deven Bharti, Jt CP (Traffic) Amitesh Kumar, and several DCPs, as well as family members of some of the officers.
Referring to himself as a fan of Mr. Mehta’s, Mr. Padsalgikar congratulated the health guru for training his men for the state police games, which the Mumbai Police won, and highlighted the importance of the event for the senior police officials.
“Wellness does not belong to the domain of gyms or machines. They are part of the ladder of evolution. The ladder of evolution begins with fitness, it then goes on to the level of health, followed by wellness and then finally well being,” said Mr. Mehta.
In the one-hour session, Mr. Mehta touched upon several aspects, including exercise, meditation, stress and anger. “Never exercise as a punishment because exercise ought to be a celebration. It ought to be fun. Let it be about romancing yourself. It is about self discovery,” said Mr. Mehta.
Sleep deprivation
Mr. Padsalgikar raised a query about the issue of sleep deprivation that is faced by most of the officers. Mr. Mehta replied: “First, have a glass of water when you return from work. Water is the greatest cleanser and influences maximum transformation in brain which actualises all thoughts. It should be followed by a long warm shower. It is important to breath out the day as you shower. This shower intends to make you stress-free and rejuvenate yourself. It should be long, and slow rhythmic breaths must be observed as one showers. Wear fresh loose clothes after the shower.”
Other tips include avoiding anger, having dinner by 6:30 to 7:00 pm, and introducing salads, fruits and dry fruits to the diet. “If you look after yourself, you will be able to take care of your family and the country,” he said.
Mumbai Police spokesperson DCP Rashmi Karandikar said, “Mr. Mehta gave valuable tips for maintaining a stress-free and healthy lifestyle.”
Deputy DCP Dnyaneshwar Chavan, Zone II, said stress is a daily part of every policeman’s job. “We have been learning ways to deal with stress and have also been educating our subordinates. The workshop was very helpful and the tips we received are something we can pass down the ranks.”
