Pushtiie Shakti, popularly known as Mahi, won many hearts with her sweet, innocent smile and righteous character! She is an idol to many girls and the heartthrob of many boys! But where is she? Are you guys missing her? You may be surprised to know what she is up to these days.
She has designated herself as Yogini with healing powers... posing as an actress on her Twitter page. Now, you may have imagined her as a sanyasi in bhagwa [reddish orange] clothes! Hold on… before you let your imagination run wild, we bring to you the sweet conversation that happened over an email.
Edited excerpts-
As I grew up –
I was born and brought up in Mumbai. We shifted to Juhu in my childhood, and that saw me shift my school--it was a major adjustment I had to make, from an all girls school to co-ed. At the tender age, I found it a bit confusing and difficult, but one adapts to change.
As a child, I had many wishes and the strongest one--to live close to nature and spread happiness. I remember when I was in grade 4, I wrote an essay: I WIsh. It was about living in the forest in a tree house where the animals were my best friends. Even today when I think about it, I feel nostalgic.
I firmly believe in helping people and spreading happiness, and I feel that’s the purpose of my life.
Career as an actor--dream come true?
I grew up in a family where my mother was an actor and so was my brother (Vrajesh Hirjee). So I started acting as an effort to fit into the family, where I was quite a misfit! Later, I realised I was good at it, and that made my family happy. The only conscious decision I made in my acting life was Mahi Way; it was supposed to help people, and it did. The rest of them just happened one after the other. I was walking blindfolded and landing up at the so-called right places. However, I never thought “how I felt” until much later. I am a healer, and that is what I will always be.
A Yogini… a transformation?
I have always been in touch with my inner self, in one of the inner worlds and the alternative realities. My experiences have been a phenomenon as I guess I have been blessed to be able to observe things from a different perspective. That attracted people, events, and opportunities, and pulled me to explore the path and dive in deeper. I am still exploring the possibilities with the aim to melt into the Divine Beloved and stay there forever!
For an external observer, it may appear as a shift from the unconscious to the conscious, then a transformation; this is all inner yoga. I am blessed that I am being noticed by many, and hence I do not want to miss a single chance to help each human being find their inner Yogi.
Partners in this spiritual journey…
After a while in the acting industry, I was a bit fed of being approached for similar kind of roles. People couldn’t portray me in anything different. And when you are completely different from them, it’s hard to resonate with them. I moved on and went to Osho Ashram, Goa; it's like a second home to me as I am his sanyasi.
As I was evolving, exploring and studying LIFE, I was very comfortable. Besides my learning, I was also involved in organising events, guided meditations and managing the welcome centre.
As I was learning to live life, I understood about strength and flexibility, about giving and receiving, balance and imbalance about surrender and holding back. I was getting to learn about ME! From learning with a group, I was given the opportunity to learn by myself and test all that I thought I had learnt. That in itself was a great learning. It still continues… now learning has become a way of life.
Favourite technique/therapy
All the techniques or therapies are about energy. Energy can never be created or destroyed, it can only be converted from one form to another. The same goes for any techniques or therapies. I love how energy finds me and works with me.
It has changed over time from being called Reiki to Meditation to Tarot and Angel Cards to Shamanic Techniques to Rebirthing and Breathwork. All these have been my favourites from time to time. I have no one favorite… but I can say I lean towards Rebirthing and Breathwork at present.
Being a healer
It is not in my heart to give you details as my loyalty lies to the souls I have shared energy with. But I will give you a very general idea of the best and the worst.
The best experiences have been the ones where the person I have shared energy with is open to receiving: Like an elderly gentleman who I was treating for a chronic illness. He had been ailing with it for a bit and had lost most hope of getting better. But he was active and would not give up.
I met him and discussed it with him. That night, I did a grid meditation with the Goddess Kali, Shiva, and Mother Isis. They guided me about the healing, that I need to be their channel for. I did as I was guided. It lasted about 30 minutes. The next morning, he called to say that he had not felt like this in MANY MANY years. “I feel like a 21-year-old again!” The happiness and excitement in his voice are unmatched!
The worst experience I have had is where a woman had come and taken a few sessions with me, and just hadn’t allowed any change to stay. She would go and do things that she had to be advised to change. The treatment was over, but she was on a mission to prove that her illness was so great, it would never be cured. The minute she saw positive changes, she would make sure of self-sabotage. The sad part was that it was a conscious effort to self-sabotage on her part. Till today, she holds the illness very close.
An explanation to the logical world about healing?
Everyone has had an experience of the feeling of “I know this! I don’t know how… but I know this!” Where’s the logic in that? When you look further, you understand it happens mostly with people you know and are close to. But there can also be the one off where it can be a total stranger. How do you explain it?
I just tell people that there is a something within you that tells you this… it is called your intuition. It is your connect to the Divine, the Universe, God… whatever word makes you comfortable. It shows you signs of its presence all around and all the time. You choose not to see it at first, and later have the feeling of “I thought of that, but…” These moments are simply the Divine guiding you. It is your inner world.
On getting back to acting
I will sure be back if I am offered a sensible character. Until then, I will focus on healing.
Who can be a healer?
We all have the ability to heal. We are all naturally gifted on this. But, like any other ability, we have to practise. We have to pay attention to it and allow it to grow within us.
The ones who just GET IT have done a lot of this in their past lives or parallel lives [whichever you please]. But they also have to have a certain discipline in their lives to grow it and channelize it. Someone becomes a computer whiz while someone else a dancer.
The truth is that they paid attention to their respective work for a long time before they became masters. Healing is nothing different. You have it within you, but you have to learn to channel it. Once you have done the basics, you will be guided and nothing can stop you.
Advice to people who are juggling to strike a work-life balance and competing in a rat race:
I just want to ask them a few things…
Are you really happy doing what you are doing with all your time and energy?
Is this what you wanted to do as a child?
Given a choice, who would you be and what would you be doing?
Do you have dreams that you have not followed, never taken the chance to see if they would manifest?
Would you like to give it a shot?
I believe if you are doing what you are truly meant to, life will be a pleasure, not a struggle. So, if you are struggling, you are not doing what you are supposed to. Take a while to find out how you can be pursuing your true calling, and have a great time doing it where everything is looked after, and there is nothing lacking. It is possible! You have just been brainwashed into believing it’s not!
Will you give yourself a chance in a place beyond doubts and external voices? I did, and I can help you do it. Just reach out to me, I’m right here!