The inner clarity and gratitude I keep rediscovering on the mat.
There is something interesting about my relationship with Yoga. I love it deeply and have been practising it for more than five years now. And yet, most days, the hardest part is simply getting on the mat. Not the asanas. Not the effort. Not the discipline.
Just placing the mat on the floor, standing on it, and beginning. Eight out of ten times, that is the real challenge for me. But once I start, I stay. I give my full attention, and almost every time, I end up thanking myself for showing up.
This morning was one such day. A stressful start, a break of a few days without practice, and a mind scattered in different directions. But the moment I began moving, something softened as I knew. The energy started flowing again, and the noise inside my head slowly settled.
It reminded me of something I have experienced many times over the years. Yoga shows me the inner mess I carry. And then, gently, patiently, it helps me organise it. Amazing, isn’t it?
The knots we carry inside us
In my earlier years, I never noticed how emotional stress, anxiety or overthinking quietly settle inside the body. When we are out of alignment in life, we do not just feel it mentally. The body holds it too.
Over time, these unresolved feelings become what I call knots. Not literal knots, of course, but the tension we store in our muscles, breath and posture.
The heaviness inside the chest when life feels overwhelming.
The tightness in the shoulders that comes from constant responsibility.
The restlessness in the breath occurs when the mind is overactive.
Every time I practice asanas, I can almost feel these knots opening. Not forcefully, not dramatically, but through a slow flow of movement and breath.
Of course, strength training, cardio and running are powerful in their own ways, and I enjoy them too. But Yoga is the only practice where I can clearly see the emotional layer behind the physical tension. It shows me what I am carrying. And with each session, it helps me release a little of it.
I did not understand this in the beginning. But with time, I started recognising the connection between my mental state and my physiology. The more misaligned I am in life, the more the body tries to tell me. Yoga has simply taught me to listen.
What Yoga makes me grateful for
One of the most beautiful parts of my practice is the sense of gratitude it brings. Often, I do not realise how fortunate I am in daily life.
The mind is busy.
The day moves fast.
The usual fight and flight response takes over.
But when I am on the mat, I remember, and I feel grateful for my health, and
For the relationships in my life. For my brother and my family.
For the progress I have made in the last few years.
For the fact that my sleep has been better this year.
For everything that usually hides behind the noise of daily living.
These are not random lines. These are exactly the things I mentioned in the raw thoughts I shared earlier, and the things I genuinely experience during practice. This gratitude does not come from thinking positively but from returning to myself.
What Yoga has given me over the years
More than anything, Yoga has given me a way to see myself honestly.
It shows me when I am scattered.
It shows me when I am stable.
It shows me when I am gentle.
It shows me when I am forcing life too hard.
And through all of this, it gives me a way to reset.
There have been days when I felt disconnected from everything.
Days when I felt anxious without reason.
Days when I felt drained even after rest.
Days when I did not understand what I was feeling.
Yoga has been one constant space where I could meet myself without judgment. Sometimes through movement, sometimes through stillness, but always through awareness.
For a more detailed introduction to Yoga, check out this article.
Why do I keep returning
Every time I step on the mat, I am reminded that I am not just cleaning my body.
I am clearing my mind.
I am reorganising my emotions.
I am coming back into alignment.
It is not a perfect journey. Some weeks are consistent, some are not. But the practice stays with me in a quiet, loyal way. For me, Yoga is not about being flexible.
It is about being available to myself.
It is about softening the noise inside.
It is about seeing clearly.
And most importantly, it is about remembering what truly matters.
Thank you for reading.
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