Healthy habits of the singer Sati Casanova. Yoga Tips from Guest Editor Sati Casanova On Yoga and Vegetarianism

The popular Russian performer frankly told Woman's Day about how yoga has changed her creative and personal life.

Sati, in recent years you have dramatically changed your life by turning to yoga, mantras, Ayurveda and training. What made you do it?

I've had a lot of things in my life: depressions, losses, failed romances, job losses. In the end, I realized that the loss of something in life comes from the fact that I lose myself. It took me a long time to figure out what was wrong with me. Then I realized that I didn't know myself at all. I always wear some kind of masks, I always pretend to be someone, I try to be good, comfortable. Immersed in all these thoughts, I sat in my apartment and did not want to see anyone for days on end. It was hard for me to live, I was disappointed in fame, money, fans, novels, party life, I was lost. Finally, one fine day, I realized that I want to change everything in my life or not live at all. I began to pray: “Lord, help me, I don’t want to live like this, either take me away or help me.” The Lord heard me and gave me the opportunity to change my life.

Do not you now feel like a stranger in the Moscow party?

I don't know, and even if it is, I don't really care. If I suddenly became a stranger, so be it. The main thing is that I am happy and do not harm anyone. And the fact that I have become incomprehensible is the problem of those who do not understand me.

How did you deal with criticism from others regarding your activities?

I come from a Muslim family - my pilgrimage, retreats, yoga, seminars are perceived by my Muslim friends, acquaintances or even strangers, extremely critically. Judge not lest ye be judged. There is a belief that a person who criticizes and slanders takes some of the sins or karma onto himself. The saints say that if someone speaks evil, you need to pray for these people, because they take your sins upon themselves.

Did your passion for yoga and spiritual quest affect your creativity?

Yes, of course, but I can’t call it a hobby. It's much more than a hobby. The change in my way of life, my thinking was reflected in my work. In a word, an element of ethnicity has appeared. It attracts me with its originality - it is a return to the origins, to the true wisdom that we have lost as victims of globalization, civilization and so on.

How did your family perceive your new way of life, because surely other traditions were laid in you from childhood?

Since childhood, it was precisely such traditions that were laid in me that you need to live without harming anyone, be your own authority and live according to God's laws. I can say with confidence that there is absolutely no conflict between the traditions that were laid in me and what I became interested in. I am just expanding my horizons, and this does not apply to religion or to changing religion at all. All this is an erroneous opinion.

Have you always been a vegetarian or did you come to this at a certain point in your life?

No matter how cleverly a person performs various postures, if he goes to chew hamburgers after training, he will not become a yogi. We must not harm living beings, neither by deeds nor even by words. And even more so there is their meat. I didn’t have to force myself to become a vegetarian, everything turned out by itself. The body itself refused meat, then it gradually became clear that I was allergic to chicken and fish. This just proves the fact that a person is not inclined to eat animal products. I can say that I feel much better than when I ate meat.

Sati, many have noticed that you have recently lost weight. Is this related to your new lifestyle? Refusal of many products adversely affects health. Doesn't this apply to you?

Isn't the whole world now in pursuit of losing weight? Like any girl, I love harmony, grace and the like.

What do you usually eat? What does your daily food intake look like?

I usually do not accept a heavy early breakfast. If, nevertheless, I woke up very early, I can eat a handful of dried fruits with nuts. Revealed that it is ideal for me to eat green buckwheat porridge. Recently, I love this dish very much, I steam it, then simmer it for a long time over low heat or just pour boiling water in a thermos. I also add vegetables, spices, vegetable oil there. I prefer to eat all this yummy in the region of 10-12 hours. Also in the morning it is important to drink plenty of water, it helps the body to remove toxins. Still, they wash the body, so from the inside it also needs to be washed, so in the morning you need to drink at least half a liter. I love vegetable stews, soups, buckwheat, quinoa, rice. I have a lot of food in my diet, unlike those who eat fish and meat. My diet is much richer and more interesting.

As for love affairs, does your lifestyle prevent you from building relationships? After all, not many will share your interests.

It is quite logical that not every person will understand and share my hobbies, but that's why people are looking for ideal, suitable partners for them. I haven't met mine yet, but I'm waiting.

What self-development books do you read? What would you recommend to read?

In fact, there are a lot of books on self-development, as well as a lot of unnecessary garbage. It is easy to get lost in all this information. Regarding yoga, I would recommend a book in which everything is described very concisely and intelligibly. It was recommended to me 10 years ago, and it was my introduction to yoga, the author of this book is Dishikachar. "Heart of Yoga" If you are interested in reading about a more spiritual component with mystical knowledge and skills, while an artistically beautifully written book, then it is better to read Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. If you are interested in esoteric knowledge, then read Daniil Andreev, "The Rose of the World", these books turned my mind around.

Did your clothing preferences change when you started spiritual practice? Where do you shop most often? What brands do you prefer?

By the way, spiritual practice freed me from dependence on brands, trends, and so on. I don't care about the magazines' perpetual surveillance of trends. The task was made easier by the fact that a stylist Daria appeared in our staff, who, if necessary, takes those things that suit me. She knows my preferences and knows that I am not obsessed with fashion at all. It is important for me that the clothes are feminine, elegant, comfortable and beautiful. I don’t care what brands, most often I buy things from the shooting that I liked. I'm sorry to waste time shopping.

Sati, what perfume and cosmetics do you use? Definitely organic. What brands do you prefer?

Yes, definitely. I love taking care of my skin with organic products. Now you can find organic decorative cosmetics. This, of course, costs a little more, but we have one face, and it will last for a long time, it is desirable that at the same time it remains beautiful. As for perfume, here I prefer essential oils: Indian, Iranian, oriental. Just a drop of oil and I smell like a rose or like a jasmine, and it's wonderful. In my opinion, it is much better than alcohol, smelly perfumes.

How does your day start, what time do you wake up, what is the first thing you do, do you meditate every day?

As a rule, my day begins with practice, it is either physical yoga or meditative yoga. It's always different, depending on how much free time I have. If there are a couple of hours left, then I can practice extensively, if less, then more concisely.

The famous singer Sati Casanova discovered a new role for herself - she performs mantras and even performed on the same stage with Deva Premal and Miten. Yoga Journal, she talked about yoga, music and plans for the future.

Each stage of my musical career is important in its own way. But the most important thing came when I turned towards sacred and ethnic music. As soon as I discovered a craving for her, everything fell into place. And this is not even a feeling, but as if the knowledge that everything that was done before was preparing me exactly for this moment.

Before I began to chant mantras, I was lost. This was the period when I left the Fabrika group, but this did not make me happier. Then I felt misunderstood, unrecognized, and thought: “Why am I even on this earth?” I sat in depression, drank tea, looked into the void, meditated (then still unconsciously). And I meditated to find myself, to understand why I was born, what my purpose is.

Everything happened spontaneously - the best things happen that way. And the mantras also went spontaneously. I listened to them a lot, then I sang them at one event in a yoga club, then at another, third, fourth ... As such, I did not take mantra lessons. I was helped by all the vocal teachers that I once had, I am truly grateful to each of them. But the greatest teachers for me are life and God. I prayed to the Creator: "Please make me your instrument, your flute, breathe through me, I'm just your guide..." - that was my mantra for the last few years. I didn't take Sanskrit lessons - as you know, Russian-speakers, Sanskrit is given quite easily, since Sanskrit and Slavic languages ​​are consonant. My native Kabardian is so complicated that after it, probably, only Chinese will seem difficult.

I dream of finding the "golden ratio" of mantras and pop music, the energetic interweaving into the genre of popular music of the state that is present when mantras are sung. It is more difficult to do this in the performance of pop songs. But I think it was Edith Piaf who said that even a telephone directory can be sung in such a way that people will cry.

Yoga entered my life about 10 years ago, when my lover, who was a very authoritative person for me at that time, said: “You know, I think yoga will suit you - you have scoliosis and shattered nerves.” It was not my will, but rather a desire to please him. I am very grateful to him for this. First there were asanas, then gradually I began to delve into the ethical and energy components, and only then such things as destiny, dharma, karma began to open up. I believe that every day I am getting closer to that yogi who practices for real, observing all the principles of yoga. All the fullness of life, horizontally and vertically - that's what yoga is.

Whose opinion matters to me? The opinion of the teacher who initiated me into the technique of Atma-kriya-yoga. The words of the parents are important, although our opinions may differ. And that's great. Most of all, I am glad that communication with relatives is becoming of an ever higher quality. My father is engaged in the interpretation of the Koran. All of the above does not negate my belonging to the Muslim tradition. Dad used to worry, but now he said that my passion for other traditions seemed to strengthen me in Islam.

Of all the places on earth, my favorites are India and Bali.

I dream of freeing myself. Who understands what I mean - he knows. What else can you dream of? Everything else is decoration. True liberation, realization - there are so many techniques and noise around this, conversations, books, masters - both false and real. Those who dig in this direction know that one can get lost in it, but the answers are only in the heart.

For the first time in my life, I don't care what happens next. For the first time I do not plan and do not think. No matter what happens, I will not get tired of repeating the words of Mother Teresa: “The Lord did not give me anything that I asked for, but he gave me what my soul really needs.”

Interview: Maria Rusakova

Photo: Andrey Vasiliev for Yoga Journal

Interview: Margarita Virova

Illustrations: Dasha Chertanova

IN THE HEADING "LIFESPECT" we ask different people about healthy lifestyle with a human face: we talk about the importance of taking care of yourself and pleasant ways to make life more comfortable. The heroine of the new issue is the singer Sati Kazanova, who told us about meditation, the education of the regime and vegetarian nutrition.

Sati Casanova

singer, 34 years old

The healthiest approach
complex

I have been practicing atma kriya yoga for the fifth year now. This is an opportunity to work with the mind, the ability to calm it down and control it. And the mind, which is calm and under control, can do anything. For me, yoga is not just a whim and entertainment - it is a part of me. That yoga, which we know as physical culture, is only a thousandth part of this huge philosophy.

Many habits that I find useful became a part of my life. In the morning I take a cold shower - it hardens and wakes me up right away. Most often, I do meditation right after - depending on how much time I have, it can be thirty minutes, an hour or a half.

Politics and religion don't interest me at all- yoga outside of them. Since March of last year, I have been an Atma Kriya Yoga teacher myself. The day I found out that a man who was just giving lectures had been arrested, I couldn’t be silent. It turns out that my activity can be recognized as missionary. The law seems unfinished to me, because it argues with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which proclaims freedom of choice and religion. It is impossible to deprive a person of the opportunity to acquire knowledge the way he wants and where he wants.

I don't like the gym. For twenty to forty minutes I do a set of exercises that changes: it can be yoga with Pilates, for example. Most often, my classes are based on planks - this structures the body, takes a minimum of time and gives maximum results. I start with a “sun salutation” (surya namaskara), which warms up the body well and helps me feel energetic.

I'm a vegetarian, but I'm experimenting with my diet. And I try to listen to my body. I had a period when I ate a lot of different cereals on the water: from quinoa, green buckwheat, chia seeds. Since the summer, I have been trying to make smoothies from greens, vegetables, fruits and berries. I feel much better - the need for invigorating drinks, such as pu-erh or coffee, has simply disappeared.

Protein deficiency is a common problem among vegetarians. To prevent this from happening, I eat shelled hemp seeds, which are high in protein and important amino acids and are easy to digest.

I am a rebel and, like many, I suffer from the fact that the regime requires discipline. The only thing I force myself to be happy with is my spiritual practice, meditation.

Man is so arranged that he loves to break the taboos. Therefore, I agree with myself: for example, if I categorically do not want to engage in the body, then I suggest myself to do some minimum of exercises. I start with five minutes of classes, go into a rage and say to myself: “You see, it was only worth starting!” Another ten minutes, and then another - and the program is at least completed.

The reward system is important. For example, I ask myself to do something, and in return I promise myself to go for a massage. The main thing is not to cheat: there was a period when I did this, and it had a very bad effect on the whole body.

The healthiest approach is holistic. I try to pay attention to my body, but between an hour of meditation and an hour of physical activity, I will choose meditation.

Earrings, Axenoff Jewelery

Model: Sati Casanova
Producer: Elena Polyakova
A photo: Olga Zhadan
Style: Irene Duzhiy
make-up: Irina Dzhagaeva
Hair: Alena Kostyuk @peng_msk

Thank you Ararat Park Hyatt Hotel and dress one
for help in organizing the shooting.

Sati Casanova managed to maintain popularity and close attention of the audience without betraying herself. Yes, she got older, but that just made her more interesting. You rarely meet a pop star with whom you plan to conduct an hour-long interview, and after three hours you still can’t stop talking: music, business, yoga, family, Instagram and, of course, your favorite beauty images created with Givenchy. ..

Image: Not a day without romance

Sundress, Roseville; shoes, Evelina Khromtchenko & Ekonika

Elena Polyakova: Nowadays, every successful girl and woman faces the same question: how to be a mother, a good wife, a business woman and just an interesting conversationalist at the same time?

Sati Casanova: Like it or not, you have to comply - in all areas. (Smiling.) However, it is not for me to judge how good I am as a business woman, since I am still a beginner in this business. Key word: "yet". But the role of a creative person is best for me: to soar in fantasies and gush with ideas - a real pleasure. But it was this skill that, in the end, brought me to where I am now.

As for a good wife, I like being one: so far everything is simple! We have been married for less than a year, and if you add up all the days when we can be together, then they will turn out to be very few. We spend more time apart. True, this hardly upsets us: we like that we are both so passionate about our work and believe in our star. Everyone is busy not just with their favorite work: it is about the destination. We are lucky that we respect this feeling in each other. Perhaps, when children appear, life will begin to absorb us: everyone says so. But I promised myself that I would try to keep our relationship from routine. In addition, it’s easier with Stefano in this sense: when, for example, I have absolutely no time to cook, he can quite easily make pasta for himself (Sati’s husband is Italian. - Approx. ed.), And it’s great, I’m far from him in this respect. Yes, and he tries to respond to my convincing requests to put things in their place.

Your husband is a famous photographer. What are the advantages of living with a creative person, and what, perhaps, are some of the difficulties?

- So far, I see only pluses, although the minuses are visible somewhere on the horizon. I like that in terms of creativity, he understands me. At the same time, Stefano is a very grounded person, a kind of pragmatic European. In a good way. He is from the north of Italy, from Turin - clear, punctual, accurate, which I learn from him.

- But creative men often close only on their desires. Does this happen to your husband?

- All creative men are characterized by self-centeredness, it's true. But it is in me and in my husband. It happens that we both sit in our thoughts, but it's rather cute. I hope that we will stay at this stage, without a hard pull of the blanket. He is always ready to help me with photography, and I help him with publications. Perhaps we will even do some kind of joint project - for example, in the field of travel. We are united by love for the culture of other peoples, for their traditions. Now I'm going on a yoga tour in Bali, and my husband will join me later - partly to be with me, partly to take pictures. The second is probably even more interesting to him, but I'm not offended, but on the contrary, I understand him very much.

Image: Successful woman

— What are you working on now?

— I am creating an ethnic project that is really interesting to me, although not many people know about it yet. It is called Sati Ethnica: it combines ancient mantras, old Circassian songs of my people, tunes that are “packed” into modern electronic music. I came to this idea spontaneously, and the love for such music was revealed quite naturally. At first I listened, then I began to sing mantras for friends or in closed yoga clubs, I began to give small concerts. Then - more concerts, and later there was a whole album, which is already in iTunes. Now I'm already working on the second album within this concept. I am looking for record labels, sound producers and partners abroad, everyone who will also light up this idea. Without knowing it myself, I got into the trend with both electronic music and authenticity in a modern reading. Although I am not interested in trendiness, of course, but in the opportunity to open up as fully as possible.

In addition, a new single in the pop music genre will be released on July 20. In autumn in Moscow, as in the previous three years, I will have a concert with Deva Premal. I generally believe that music has a tremendous effect on a person. Even if we listen to anything, it still affects us. Numerous experiments with the crystal lattice of water drops are direct proof of this. Music is said to be the language of God. And I really want my music to be worthy of this title. Now is a special time: patterns are being torn apart, and people are increasingly asking questions: “Who am I? What am I living for? My ethnic project gives me answers to them.

— What is your favorite thing in your profession, and what is the most difficult?

— Unpredictability is both beloved and difficult. On the one hand, I love travel, meetings, and new opportunities. On the other hand, if you are not in a resourceful state, then it is hard for you. Sometimes I don't want to go to a club or go on stage in front of a crowd of thousands, but I have to do it. Over the years, I have learned to forgive myself for being lethargic or sad. Turns out I have the right to be sad too.

- What helped you not to break, despite the need to adapt?

- I had to adapt and still have to - this is part of the profession. But I began to manage to look at the situation from the other side, to change the angle of view. If something annoyed me before, now I turn the process into a game, I ask myself: “What if I love this? What if this is what I've been waiting for all my life? I make a bet with myself, I fantasize. This technique does not always work, of course. But I am capricious, I make scandals now much less often than before.

Suit, Nebo; clips, Crystalline

What is the most important thing for you at your current age? There is a popular hashtag on the Internet: #ageisjustanumber. Do you agree with this?

Yes, I love my age! I am 35, and when I look at my photos of fifteen or twenty years ago, I find myself now much more interesting and attractive than then, including outwardly. I am sure that in ten or even twenty years I will be even cooler. The inner transformation that happened to me is reflected in my face and in my whole appearance. I would not change a single event - even the most nightmarish, would not cross out a single one of my mistakes. They are all very dear to me, because they made me exactly the way I am now. I had to work hard to accept myself with all the cracks. Exactly when I began to succeed, I met my husband.

The only thing I would keep to myself is desperate courage. I was just crazy, and I really liked it. Of course, I made a lot of mistakes, didn’t think about the consequences, jumped with a saber naked. I challenged public opinion, but now I understand that I did it because of my own vulnerability, fear of what they would think of me.

Now I'm still the same quick-tempered, but already cautious, learning to cope with blows and criticism. There is such a cruel phenomenon - "cyberbullying". I would even like to devote a separate project to this topic. Many feel their impunity on the Web, do what they want: offend, curse, threaten, and so on. Words sometimes hurt more than deeds. I really look forward to the time when the law on punishability of such actions comes into force. After all, many people suffer from them, including adolescents, who are especially susceptible to such attacks. There have been many cases where people were driven even to suicide.

I recently listened to a speech by Monica Lewinsky, who spent ten years in severe depression just because of such bullying. On the TED channel, the current Monica said that every person has the right to make a mistake, but no one has the right to stone him. In my current state of open vulnerability, I can honestly admit that this is very painful. But I no longer run away from negative comments, but try to delve into them, respond immediately.

What was the hardest thing for you to fix in yourself?

- Anger and intolerance to mistakes - first of all, to one's own, but also to strangers too. I had to work on myself in this area a lot, and my journey is not over yet. Recently, my friend and I were discussing that love is born out of tolerance for oneself, and I suddenly realized that it is not! On the contrary, patience is born out of love. Love is unity, with yourself and the world. My spiritual master, by the way, always said that, but his words began to reach me only now, after six years!

Image: Star

- Today, show business stars compete in popularity not with each other, but with digital celebrities. How do you feel about this and do you have any rules of conduct in social networks?

- To be honest, at first I could not even understand: what kind of phenomenon is this? And now I have to reckon with this, I even follow some digital heroes myself. For example, Regina Todorenko is very lively and real. However, she, of course, is also a TV star. Or Aunt Motya: sometimes it's interesting to watch her. I also really like Marina Vovchenko - she is a superblogger, but also on Instagram, and in life she manages to be the same person. Or Nadia Andreeva, who always tells something useful and interesting.

But in general, Instagram is a very dishonest thing. Even more dishonest than television. After all, we don’t know who is sitting there and writing all these smart thoughts for the heroines of social networks, taking these beautiful photos. A personal growth coach may not have the money to pay the rent, and the beautiful woman who teaches how to build relationships is “behind the scenes” in the process of divorce. I am strained by the need to seem someone rather than to actually be. On the other hand, social networks also have a lot of useful and good things, Instagram stars sometimes have a great influence on us, and the platform itself provides a unique opportunity to keep in touch with fans. I used to not take this seriously, but now I carefully read the comments.

Are you doing a digital detox for yourself?

- I've never had a chance to turn off my phone. Quite the contrary: I recently purchased a small laptop to write down thoughts for a future book. But I intend to give myself such a detox, of course. Especially now that I'm married. Or when children appear and there will be nowhere to go: I don’t want to set an example for them of a person who walks with a phone all the time.

- How do you relax and when do you allow yourself to turn off your head, reboot?

- If you answer in a nutshell, then this is yoga and meditation. And, of course, a walk - ideally barefoot! Three or four hours just to walk: through the forests, through the mountains, along the beach, closer to nature. Cities fascinate me less - with the exception, perhaps, of small Italian ones or Lisbon with its million streets. But in Bali, something happens to me: I reboot very easily. But it also happens that even on vacation I can not turn off my head. Sometimes I like it. The main thing is to be honest with yourself. In principle, I have all the tools to switch within five minutes, you just have to direct your attention to the right area. I have been practicing for seven years and teaching for three years Atma-Kriya Yoga, the most powerful technique of working with the conscious and subconscious, with the soul and oversoul.

How can I get to your classes?

- Once a month and a half, we give an announcement in my social networks, accept applications, conduct telephone interviews with a person and find out if he really wants to study or comes out of idle curiosity. Surprisingly, there has never been such a thing that someone came just to stare at a star. The training lasts two full days, and for me these are the happiest two days.

What do you think is the best way to start doing yoga? How to do it right?

I started yoga in 2004. I strongly recommend not to rush and jump right into intense group activities: just trust my fourteen years of experience. With my characteristic maximalism, I first rushed into ashtanga yoga. All types of yoga are wonderful, but I did not take into account that I had a rather serious scoliosis, which, of course, only got worse from classes. If yoga were therapeutic, when the instructor straightens centimeter by centimeter, it would be a different matter. Therefore, I advise you to start with Iyengar yoga.

What makeup tricks do you have in your arsenal?

- The main trick that I discovered for myself is this: the less makeup, the more beautiful and younger the face. But each has its own characteristics. I have dry and thin skin, so I do not use powder, but choose oily tonal creams. I apply a special multi-stage care with Japanese cosmetics under them, and the skin remains radiant. A great option is to take a pencil and blend to a very light haze on the eyes, make up the eyelashes and lightly tint the lips with gloss, as if they were kissed. Now only one gloss can change the whole image, this is how we played with the new Givenchy glosses: from delicate, with a barely visible translucent color to bright and rich scarlet lips in the spirit of femme fatale. Another trick is to use the neutral Gloss Interdit on the cheeks: rub a drop with your fingers and apply very gently, instead of blush, so the face looks more natural.

In general, I started using cosmetics early: at the age of 15, when I was already going to school, I secretly took a lip pencil from my mother and painted my lips in the entrance. Throughout my childhood, I carried my mother's lipsticks, played dramatic scenes in front of the mirror. The drama at the age of five was serious, with shouts: “You don’t love me! Why did you deceive me!” She ran to the mirror and kissed it. In a word, I have always been friends with cosmetics and I know how to apply makeup quite well - including in the car, during pitching, in the dark. However, with the same success I can not paint at all.

One of my favorite books is Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. Reading someone's fiction is not very interesting to me now. I do not want to litter my mind with other people's fantasies, even brilliant ones. I have not been to the cinema for a hundred years, but recently I really liked the film “The Shape of Water”. I also watched a documentary about the singer Dalida “When Love Leaves” - also excellent. I'm really looking forward to Avatar-2, Shantaram by Johnny Depp and a new adaptation of the epic Mahabharata.

- Now everyone is obsessed with healthy lifestyles. Are you an exception too?

— I have been vegan for the last few years, but I came to this very gradually. I gave up meat almost immediately, as soon as I started doing yoga, then - from chicken. It was a little more difficult to refuse fish and seafood, but six years ago I went through an initiation into Atma-Kriya yoga, and this stage was also passed. Recently, she began to intensively engage in physical education according to the author's system "Transformer". I used to deny strength training, but now I actively introduce them into my life. Such classes give me a feeling of being grounded, and I just began to miss something earthly, dense. And it turns out that I don’t eat meat, I often practice meditation, I live on the 35th floor.

Dress, Kochetkova; jacket, I Am Studio; bag, Nasch; shoes, Evelina Khromtchenko & Ekonika

I also had to lose weight, I was worried about some problem areas that I wanted to work out. I confess honestly: I had various psychological difficulties with nutrition, I lost a lot of weight, after which it took a long time to restore my health. Empirically, I discovered something important: when I used dairy products, I swelled, a strange puffiness appeared. So I ruled them out and began to go to osteopaths or massage therapists who drive lymph. Healthy lymph is absolutely a guarantee of well-being, beauty and flexibility. In addition, I eliminated gluten from my diet. But in general, first of all, self-love determines whether your life will be happy or not. I began to understand this only now, and that is why I will not exchange my age for any other.

Sati Casanova: “I want to benefit as many people as possible”

- Sati, please tell us how you came to vegetarianism?

I gradually came to vegetarianism, starting immersion in a new culture for me with yoga classes. This was seven years ago. I had a little back pain and was advised yoga. I started with Ashtanga yoga and practiced very actively - I'm a stubborn girl, if I need something, then ... Simultaneously with the practice, I read spiritual literature, and gradually an understanding of yoga came: yes, this is a whole path, philosophy! The first book for me was T. Desikachar's The Heart of Yoga. I learned about the main principle - ahimsa (non-violence). I learned what is yama, niyama, karma. I remember I had a wonderful yogini teacher, to whom I want to express my gratitude. Her name is Alena Naasan. She still teaches at many yoga centers. It's an angel! It was she who instilled in me a love for yoga. She explained everything with such trepidation, helped to navigate.

Then I still ate meat. You know, I was born and raised in the Caucasus. And there is a very beautiful culture of feasts with ancient traditions, which are still carefully observed. One of the traditions is to serve meat to the table. Meat is an obligatory dish of the Caucasian feast. And although in Moscow I could not eat meat for six months, returning to my homeland, I was somehow tempted, listening to my father's logical arguments: “How is it? You are going against nature. You were born in this region and cannot help eating the foods you were raised on. It is not right!" Then I could still be broken. I ate a piece of meat, but then suffered for three days, because the body had already lost the habit of meat.

Since then I have not eaten meat. My parents did not immediately understand me. They respect my choice, and I am very grateful to them for that. My mom cooks vegetarian meals for me. And if usually one type of cheese is served at the table, then by my arrival there are three or four of them, because cheese is my everything.

For a long time I could not stop eating fish. I thought: “I won’t have anything left that I could eat! What then is there? Maybe pasta, macaroni? But this is impossible, because I can’t get better in any way” (laughs). The answer came like this. I met the singer Marina Devyatova. She is a second generation vegetarian and does not know what animal food is. She and I got to the same feast, where she struck me with her meekness. When earlier I understood that I had nothing to eat, I was so angry! Thanks to her, I learned that at any feast you can not stay hungry. Potatoes, cheese, steamed vegetables - this is what you can find in any kitchen. You can always eat raw vegetables, although there are few of them in winter ... cold.

There was another test. At some point, I started having problems with my vocal cords, and for a singer, this is a disaster. At that moment, various people tried to convince me that the cause of the problem was my refusal to eat meat. They explained that due to the lack of meat in the diet, my hemoglobin level and general tone decreased. I talked to Tatyana Shamanina from the Guru Groove Foundation (Tatyana is a vegetarian) and she said that after giving up animal food, she began to sing much better and cleaner, the sound became flying, sparkling. And I realized that all health problems are pure psychosomatics. Subsequently, I revealed the nature of the disease of my vocal cords, vegetarianism has nothing to do with it. But that's another story.

- How do you feel after giving up animal food?

I had a period when I literally re-engaged in spiritual practices, I did not receive any grounding. It was like I was taken away. I reasoned like this: “People are rude creatures, they smoke, drink and swear. I'd rather stay upstairs…” I think a lot of people have gone through this. And suddenly I wanted coffee. Although it doesn’t suit me, it makes me feel bad physically, but energetically it’s another matter. At that time, a grounding element was needed. I am still a little attached to coffee, chocolate, Pu-erh tea. Of course, it is difficult to resist the old habits of the body, the influence of society. But I pray that I will handle this with dignity, treat people who still eat meat with the same respect, and not exalt myself as a good person. Everyone has their own choice. Never force or condemn anyone.

Now I am a vegetarian with all my heart, with all my being. I fully accept the principle of ahimsa. My vegetarianism today is more organic and harmonious than even a year ago.

- Vegetarianism has ceased to be militant?

Yes, it is not at all militant! Now I understand that everywhere: in any society, in any outback, I can find food for myself. And I'm calm. I understand that the cult of food that I had before is not entirely healthy. I understand that food is only a small part of life. An important part, but not worth much attention. Food should go from cult to culture.

- Sati, tell me, do you cook yourself?

Yes, I love to cook. True, I rarely do it. Now my culinary art is limited to steamed vegetables using a mixture of Indian spices and ghee. In the cafe, vegetarian dishes sometimes turn out to be somehow insipid. When I cook, I cook delicious!

- That is, the way you cook at home, they cannot cook vegetables in a cafe?

Can not. But the most important point is the energy of the cooked food. I feel more and more what energy the food is saturated with. It is known that when food is cooked on fire, it most strongly absorbs the thoughts of the one who cooks. Even the one who just submits affects the quality. Do you believe? In this regard, I have less and less desire to eat in public places. I usually go where I know the chef. I know that understanding people work in Jagannath. There is also a Moscow cafe "Ganga", there is prayed food. I would like to recommend the wonderful Gayane's Armenian restaurant in Moscow to vegetarians. Do you know how many vegetarian dishes there are in Armenian cuisine?

Lots of! For example, I love Karabakh unleavened dough cakes with cheese and herbs, cooked in a tandoor. How does spinach pie taste? For the owner of this restaurant, her work is her home, and I know how much warmth and love she brings there. The cook is also a very warm soulful woman, like all mothers in the Caucasus. Even if there is passion in such food, there will be a lot of love in it.

Sati, it seems interesting to me that your vegetarianism is not even a belief, but something deeper, something identical to your nature ...

Yes it is. Now it is. Especially after India. This country literally blew my mind. I was in Chennai, interacted with the locals and went diving. Several times met the dawn on the ocean. It was a real communication with nature, people and culture. I want to cry with joy that I have come to know India.

- Yes, truly holy places have this property.

Right. Somehow I accidentally got to serve in a small temple, which made a great impression. I usually go to all the temples - it doesn't matter to me what denomination it belongs to. The priest in that temple struck me with his simplicity, benevolence and the amazing atmosphere that he created. In Chennai, I managed to visit a few more temples. The most modest of them, the Sai Baba Temple, made the biggest impression on me.

And what amazing restaurants in India! You pick up the menu and see two pages of non-vegetarian options and twenty-two of vegetarian options. True, everything there is very spicy, but at the same time it is insanely tasty.

One of my acquaintances became a vegetarian just after he tasted delicious vegetarian food in India.

Understand! For me, it's not just about taste. If you listen to yourself, you will notice that after eating coarse animal food, even fish, completely different thoughts are born. Of course, this does not mean that vegetarianism can make a person holy or simply enlightened. Undoubtedly, spiritual work must go on as usual. But it is greatly facilitated if you exclude the factors that bend you to the ground. Vegetarianism is, first of all, helping yourself. If you want to go fast, why eat something that weighs you down? Sometimes on business you have to communicate with energetically difficult people. Then you need to use known means of grounding. Recently, I discovered that it is not at all necessary for this to use things that poison the body. For example, sports ground very well. Food helps, and the same vegetarian, for example, fried cheese. There is yoga, which also helps in this - Ashtanga yoga, yoga-23.

- Today yoga is your daily practice?

Yes, there is a set of exercises from the grounding group that I do regularly.

Sati, with such an intense schedule of life, how do you manage to find time for self-development and such a difficult balance between earth and sky?

It's really not easy. The way of thinking is very important - in every moment. The books you read are also important.

By the way, what are you reading right now?

Now I am reading the legendary book by R. Sharma “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari”. This is a great book! Although basically I don’t read it, but listen to it when I do my daily business.

- Is there anything you can advise women to maintain balance?

I really like yoga. I think it suits everyone. For example, ashtanga is also useful for fragile women - it helps to strengthen the body, make it stronger. I have been practicing it for three years. Our body is the same temple, our house. If he is excessively fragile, the person is very vulnerable in life. The body is like a child. For care and love, it always thanks. I just recently started to treat my body like this, and it makes me very happy. When you ignore the needs of the body for a long time, constantly forcing it to do what is unusual for it - you sleep little, eat little, drink coffee - then sooner or later it will rebel and demand all your attention.

If someone is not enough load from yoga, I highly recommend swimming. Again, it is very suitable for women. This is, firstly, a beneficial contact with water, and secondly, when swimming, all muscle groups are involved. I also run in the morning, although I agree that running is not for everyone. While running, I listen to music. When else will I be able to listen to music for 30-40 minutes in a row?!

- Do you manage to follow the daily routine?

You have to - life forces you. But I feel good.

- It's nice to hear it! There are so few people with good health.

The way of thinking is very important. Recently, I realized that negative thoughts and words, complaints, dissatisfaction with health do not add in any way, but only the other way around. You also burden other people with your problems, and all because you yourself cannot cope with your thoughts. The “help yourself” principle is absolute. Usually, instead of helping yourself, you also strain your friends.

You know, I try to surround myself with people who think positively, just like me. And I really value and appreciate everyone. My dream is to create a team of people dedicated to their work, where everyone will be in their place and adore what they will do. There are a lot of unfortunate people around who are constantly forced to compromise with themselves, to betray themselves in some way, to step over themselves.

I believe that we should treat ourselves with care, as a mother treats her child. There are things that offend a person, offend this internally pure child. For example, promiscuity. Unfortunately, this aspect is not developed in our culture - there is no worthy culture of relations between a man and a woman that would be inculcated from childhood. Sexual life outside of marriage, civil marriage so popular now - all this is very bad and harmful for a woman.

It seems that it is the moment of awareness that is important in this matter. It is one thing when such chaste behavior comes from prohibitions, and quite another when it comes from a wise and careful attitude towards oneself.

Yes, prohibitions are very strong in the Caucasus. And just there the sexual behavior of boys and girls, who outwardly look very decent, sometimes takes quite ugly forms. Moreover, this hypocrisy comes from a complete misunderstanding of oneself, one's nature.

Many, for example, believe that sex is necessary for health. Actually it is not. The body, both male and female, does not need it. Of course, this is a rather shaky position in the modern world, which offers so many temptations and temptations. But I perceive life as a school where you need to learn to pass each test with dignity.

- That is, for you, life is a test of something, learning something?

Yes, testing, learning, discovery, joy, surprise, pleasure, creation - all this can be placed in one universal concept - love. I'm in my place. There is such a thing as “the level of possession of space”. Here I have such a large possession of space that I do not know how much I will have enough. I generate such large-scale projects that sometimes it becomes scary. However, I understand that I would not want to do anything less. For example, now she is busy establishing a charitable foundation. It will be called the Fund for Social and Creative Initiatives. From the social sphere, I am especially attracted by the topic of ecology. Three years ago, I created the “No Garbage!” project. I created it easily, effortlessly, as, probably, such projects should be created. Several times we gathered, we ourselves cleaned up garbage in the parks. Artists have joined us. For example, last year there were Yana Rudkovskaya, Evgeni Plushenko, Dima Bilan. This year we plan to hold the action more widely and loudly so that many people have the opportunity to join.

How do you find time for everything?

Finding time for such projects is a matter of priorities. We can always be busy with something. You can spend your free time as usual, for example, with a girlfriend over a cup of chocolate. And you can do something really useful. It is important to think about the benefits of what you are doing: are you benefiting one person or a large number of people? Or maybe you benefit the entire planet, all of humanity? I prefer the latter. Now I'm worried about whether I will have to be torn between social activities and creativity.

- And why do you need it?

Yesterday I was at the performance of the legendary circus "Du Soleil". Presented a new show dedicated to Michael Jackson. He himself was not really there, but his presence was very tangible. In one evening, circus performers made seven thousand people happy. And they had seven such performances in Moscow. Total forty-nine thousand happy people per week! I think it's great! When I looked at them, I prayed that I would make something as beautiful that would reach the maximum number of people and fill them with a new understanding of themselves and the world.

- Sati, please tell us more about the fund.

The fund has several activities. One of them is the identification of talents among the younger generation and all possible support for gifted children. The Foundation has the resources to develop unique programs aimed at raising the awareness of children and youth in all areas of life. It's about the future. Talented children in the future can take the places of leaders, and what kind of old age awaits us will depend on them. That is why we plan to work primarily with children and youth.

Another direction is the popularization of national culture in the form in which it has been preserved. It is good if children are brought up in the spirit of the culture of their people, on the ethical code stored in the culture of each people. And if not? Culture, including ethnic culture, is what gives humanity today a chance for survival. One of the global tasks of the foundation is to educate the younger generation with a sense of national pride, love for their own culture and respect for other cultures.

Our first specific task is to organize a festival of children's and youth creativity with an emphasis on ethnicity. We want the festival to become a demonstration of the beauty of ethnic culture, a unifying beginning, an impetus for the revival of folk culture and good relations between peoples. We are interested in any variants of the performance of original ethnic material in various types of art: music, vocals, choreography, fine and decorative arts, even in culinary arts. During the festival, we plan to organize charity auctions, fairs, where indigenous people will be able to present their handicrafts. After all, everything is so mechanized now. There is absolutely no life in modern products! The same handicrafts are so popular now because they have life, there is love. We plan that the festival will roam across Russia from region to region. Let's start with the most problematic area - the Caucasus. Right now is an amazing time. People become more sensitive - to energies, to thoughts. Spiritual practices have literally become fashionable. We just want to contribute to these common processes. And we can also help people in the regions make at least a little money. Although, first of all, such fairs are communication.

That is, on the one hand, this is the disclosure of the uniqueness of each culture, and on the other hand, it is unification into a single cultural family?

Yes exactly. For example, a festival in the Caucasus will contribute to the unification of the Caucasian peoples. Already in one of my native Kabardino-Balkaria there are about twenty nationalities! And so it is in every region. You come to such a recreated cultural world, to such a town and you think: “Wow! This is my country!”

- What else will the fund do?

The third direction of the fund's work is ecological. Environmental issues are more relevant now than ever. Humanity is causing irreparable harm to the planet. And something needs to be done about it. Each of us can change something simply by clearing the space around us. When it's clean around you, you yourself become more stable. Do you agree? What we can do in this physical universe, we will do.

Now we are gathering a solid team for the fund. They must be people who are ready to work. And work not for the sake of a fee. So we are waiting for like-minded people. Join now!

- Do you want to return to people what they have forgotten?

Now the study of Vedic culture - the Vedas, the Upanishads - is very popular. Recently, interest in the Slavic Vedas has awakened. This is because it is primordial knowledge that gives power. All cultural practices of antiquity - dancing, singing - had a deep meaning, healing power, helped people to feel the connection with the earth, with nature, with each other. Then we lost it, now it is very lacking. Now, discovering this ancient knowledge for ourselves, we are surprised to find that, for example, you can engage in self-healing. I am convinced that globalization and urbanization do not have anything good, as they destroy the connection of man with nature, with their origins. We can resist this only by restoring the foundation, that is, the traditions of the peoples, folk culture. This does not mean that I am against the iPhone. I just want to use it while sitting in the lotus position on the edge of the forest. And it seems to me that now is such an amazing time when this is really possible.