Stay connected! (an interview with Harsha Maheshwari aka Harsha Komet) by Suhani Dewra

How to write better? May be read Rushdie and Dickens. And also meet Harsha Maheshwari, a non-writer and a body awareness facilitator

When we speak of acquiring skills to write better, we often only speak of getting superior with the vocabulary or reading established authors or revising the written copy multiple times to eventually arrive at the final draft ready for the world to read.  But how about adding another not commonly discussed skill – of knowing the body better? Yes, being connected to the body and its behavior can help write better. Harsha Maheshwari, a 31-year old body awareness facilitator, says – “knowing what is happening inside the body, mentally, physically and emotionally can unlock the hidden potential for writers.”

In her body awareness sessions, Harsha focuses on activities that make the body undergo different experiences. “Say, at times I ask the attendee to only move in angles ie straight lines. At other times, I ask them to move freely without following a pattern. This pushes the mind’s boundaries. Some people have a mental make-up that is attached to only thinking in straight lines, while some think abstract. Such an activity helps the mind to move away from its conditioned behavior, which in turn helps the professional to see the world through newer lenses,” she explains. “There was this time when during a session, I asked people to understand their sense organs. I blindfolded them and asked them to touch and smell different objects. Then there are some activities that help to understand emotions clearly. During/after the activity, I ask the participant to recognize what emotions are evoking inside the body and in which part of the body? Often, we are unaware of what we are feeling and where we are feeling. Acknowledging one’s own emotions helps understand others’ emotions,” elaborates Harsha.

A typical body awareness session with Harsha begins by the attendee sharing the goal expected from the session. “I don’t design my classes in advance. I like to understand the person’s goals and expectations in person and right before the session. Most sessions include playing a song and conducting activities around it. The activities could vary based on the goal. At times, it is movement. Some other times, it is storytelling. Say if a writer or an aspiring writer comes to me to improve his/her craft, I ask the person what is holding him/her back. It is not always that there is anything missing in the craft. Sometimes, it could merely be the lack of sound sleep. Or some other psychological/physical restrain.”

What got Harsha to aspire to become a body awareness facilitator? “Ever since I was a little girl, I have been part of theatre and dance scene in town. Growing up, I became interested in understanding the body. So, I took up fitness, zumba, yoga, etc. I conducted and continue to carry out research on body behavior. I understand the fact that body behavior is important in every aspect of life – say in a meeting, in front of the camera, even when you are intimate with somebody. Understanding the way one’s body behaves helps to respond and express better,” Harsha recollects.

In the years to come, she travelled across, attended several retreats and found her calling in building a community to help people with better mental and physical health. After all, while growing up Harsha herself had been a victim to her body and mind’s discoordination. “I fought my body, instead of accepting it. During my menstrual cycle, I used to despise the body for not letting me dance. I was often told by people around me of how displeasing my appearance was. All of that affected me deeply. Besides these emotional situations, I also suffered from various health issues such as PCOS, asthma, panic attacks. It took me a lot of work on myself to accept my body as it was and thereby getting comfortable with situations surrounding it.”

Harsha gradually began to accept the fact that during her menstrual cycle, the body wanted her to relax and rest for a few days. About her looks, she became comfortable with the way she looked.  “Now I celebrate my body. It’s my magic tool,” she announces proudly.