What India Taught Me About Ego, Freedom, and Being Fully Alive

Reflections from a month immersed in yoga, chaos, and connection

There’s no better way to explain what yoga means to me than by sharing the biggest lessons I learned during my time in India. Some are spiritual, some are practical—but all of them have stayed with me and reshaped the way I live, move, and relate to the world.

Lessons from India

Relax… but come back as soon as you can.
Rest is sacred—but don’t get lost in it. Life keeps moving, and so should we.

Your habits shape you.
What you do daily becomes who you are. Even the smallest choices—how you wake up, how you speak, how you breathe—create your reality.

Don’t oversleep.
A slow, intentional morning is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. Wake up gently, stretch, breathe, and be with yourself before the world rushes in.

Walk after every meal.
A 15-minute stroll—or 1,000 steps—can do wonders for digestion, bloating, and peace of mind. I’ve made it a ritual: no phone, no headphones, just me, my dogs, their joyful sniffing, and the act of simply being.

Multitasking is not a superpower.
Doing one thing at a time helps you appreciate the small stuff—and helps you actually remember to put the Nutella back.

Try. Fall. Try again.
Even 5 seconds of effort is better than none. Whether it’s a yoga pose, a recipe, a new habit, or a new career—life is just a collection of our tries and fails. That’s how experience is born.

Laugh at yourself.
It’s the best medicine. Laughing with others is the second best.

If you’re tired, move.
Energy comes from motion. Whether it’s dancing, walking, stretching, or shaking your shoulders—movement wakes the spirit. I’ve started every morning with gentle flows and intuitive movement. It’s changed everything.

Dance like nobody’s watching.
Because they usually aren’t. And even if they are—who cares?

Dessert is not the enemy.
Especially if it’s warm milk and sugar before bed. That stuff is a hug in a cup.

Don’t be afraid to cry.
The right people will hug you, hold space, and remind you how strong you are.

Follow your heart.
Do what feels right, as long as it’s done with love and respect—for yourself and others.

You don’t know your limits until you try.
You might discover something you’re amazing at—or something you’re terrible at, which is often even more fun. Either way, you get to laugh and grow.

Maybe curiosity is intuition in disguise.
Tarot found me, and to my surprise, I’m good at it. Or maybe I’m just good at seeing people—and helping them feel seen.

Smile.
Sometimes, one smile can light up someone’s whole day.

Games are magic.
They spark joy, build friendships, and bring out our most playful selves.

Trust the process.
Breathe. The right people will find you. Even a missed flight can become a life-changing encounter.
To Sophie, my wise, hilarious, too-young-to-be-this-kind roommate: I love you. You’re one of my greatest teachers.

Enjoy deep conversations.
They are portals into the soul—yours and others’.
Thank you, Jean-Marc.

First impressions can be wrong.
Shailesh, I thought you were all serious vibes. Then I saw your dance moves. You’ve got heart, humor, and true friendship.

Laugh. A lot.
Emily, your laugh feels like mine. You’re a mirror, a sister, a soul that fits.

Quiet people are often the bravest.
Niamh, your courage inspires me more than you know.

Yoga humbles you.
I thought I was flexible—until I saw what Nina could do with her body.
Nina, you inspire me to keep practicing,
To keep accepting my body, with its limitations and its gifts.
To keep showing up on the mat, keep dreaming, keep growing.

So… What is yoga, really?

Yoga is so much more than a workout on a mat.
Yoga—originally yog—was designed by Patanjali in ancient India as a system for living. It’s a code of ethics, a way to move, breathe, cleanse, eat, and ultimately… sit still.

Yes. The whole point was to be able to sit, focus, and meditate in peace.
That blew my mind.

The postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), mantras, even eating habits—every step of the eight limbs of yoga was created to help us reach a place of calm awareness. And if you’re not paying attention to the small things, even your own body can resist you.
Everything matters.
Everything has meaning.
Every action is a thread in the web of connection—between mind and body, you and me, now and forever.

I truly believe we have soulmates scattered around the world. And when the time is right, the universe turns just enough to let you meet them.

What yoga means to me:

Yoga is presence.
Being fully here—in conversation, in cooking, during a FaceTime, or while playing a silly game.

Yoga is listening.
To your body, your breath, your truth. To others—not to reply, but to understand.

Yoga is self-care.
It’s the quiet joy of tuning in. Paradoxically, sometimes going out into the world is the best way to go in.

Yoga is sharing.
Love, laughter, lessons, energy, and small moments that make life meaningful.

Yoga is living.
Mindfully, joyfully, and with an open heart.

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India reminded me that I don’t have to be perfect, just present. That the path unfolds as I walk it. That freedom isn’t escape—it’s alignment. And that being fully alive is found in the smallest, silliest, most sacred moments.

Namaste. 💛