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Hello everybody – I’m Derek Arden, and welcome to another fascinating edition of Monday Night Live!
Hello everybody! I’m Derek Arden, and welcome to another inspiring episode of Monday Night Live – your weekly masterclass in life, learning, and leadership.
This week’s show is something truly special. My guest is Jasma Patel, a remarkable woman whose journey from corporate marketing to yoga teacher and cancer survivor is nothing short of extraordinary. 🌱🧘♀️
🧘♀️ From Boardrooms to Breathwork – Jasma’s Story
Jasma began her career in the corporate world, working for major brands like Gallagher and Tesco. But after long hours, relentless pressure, and a life-changing comment from a security guard – “There’s got to be more to life than this” – she knew it was time for a change.
Her next steps were bold: she walked away from the corporate treadmill, followed her passion for interior design, and later applied her marketing skills to support her husband’s property business. Yet life had even more profound lessons ahead.
💥 A Life-Altering Diagnosis – and an Unbreakable Spirit
Ten years ago, Jasma faced a devastating diagnosis: stage 4 womb cancer that had spread to her lungs, brain, and liver. Doctors told her she had just two weeks to live. But Jasma had other plans.
Through unimaginable pain, she focused not on fear, but on what she would do afterwards. She turned instinctively to visualisation, music, and breathwork – powerful yogic tools she didn’t even know she was using.
Despite failed chemotherapy, she took a chance on a trial immunotherapy drug – a 50/50 bet on life. And it worked. 🙏 Today, she’s not only surviving but thriving – walking, teaching, and inspiring hundreds through yoga and mindfulness.
🌬️ Your Breath Is Your Superpower
Jasma’s message on Monday Night Live is simple but profound: your breath is your superpower – it’s free, it’s portable, and it’s with you everywhere you go.
She taught us how long, conscious exhales can switch the body from “fight or flight” (the sympathetic nervous system) into “rest and restore” (the parasympathetic state). With just a few mindful breaths, you can dial down stress, change your mindset, and reconnect with calm – even in the middle of chaos.
💡 “If you take nothing else from tonight,” Jasma says, “remember this: your breath can transform your life.”
🧠 Ancient Wisdom for Modern Lives
Jasma also shared insights from Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga – a 5,000-year-old guide to living well. Most of us think yoga is just about stretching, but it’s really a way of being:
- Yama & Niyama – how we treat ourselves and others.
- Asana – movement to prepare the body.
- Pranayama – the art of breathing and energy.
- Pratyahara – drawing inward.
- Dharana – focus.
- Dhyana – meditation.
- Samadhi – deep stillness and self-realisation.
Mastering the early steps – especially breath – lays the foundation for everything else. And as Jasma shows, it can even save your life.
🌿 A Simple Practice You Can Try Now
Jasma guided us through a short breathing exercise you can do anywhere:
- Sit tall on your sitting bones.
- Gently lower your eyelids and relax your jaw.
- Inhale slowly and softly.
- Exhale for twice as long as your inhale.
- Notice the pauses between breaths.
Even a few minutes of this can calm your nervous system, sharpen your focus, and bring a sense of inner peace.
🪄 The Power of Stillness and Words
Jasma also reminded us of the power of stillness and the language we use. Inspired by her 85-year-old mother’s lifelong meditation practice, she’s learned that how we react to life’s challenges can transform how we experience them.
And meditation? It’s not about silence or an empty mind. It’s about finding stillness within the noise – even if that noise is just your own thoughts.
🌟 Final Thought: Breathe – It’s Free and It’s Yours
As we closed this unforgettable session, Jasma left us with a simple challenge:
“Next time you’re frustrated, rushed, or overwhelmed, use your breath. It’s free, it’s within you, and it’s the most powerful tool you have.”
Thank you, Jasma, for sharing your story, your wisdom, and your breath with the Monday Night Live community. 🌟 And thank you to all our viewers and listeners for joining us.
📩 Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share – and join us every week for more inspiring conversations with fascinating guests.