Whether I am traveling to places and specific destinations or simply traveling through time, travel in itself has always felt like a journey to me.
In life, I often notice how easy it is to stay within comfort zones and seek predictability, because the unknown can feel uncomfortable. Yet in my experience, the journey of yoga has been about slowly moving beyond that comfort zone and learning to sit with unpredictability.
Change has never felt easy. There is always some fear in stepping into the unknown. But I have also found that the unknown can become a place of beauty, wisdom, discovery, and growth.
The practice of yoga has helped me discover many aspects of myself that I may not have noticed otherwise. Self-awareness, introspection, my own strengths, weaknesses, fears, and patterns all become more visible through this practice. Along the way, yoga has offered immense insight — and what has stayed with me most is that this journey has no final destination.
The journey of yoga has brought both challenge and expansion. It has taken me to places within myself and around the world that I may not have discovered otherwise. Exploration, curiosity, connection, and growth have naturally become part of the experience.
Whether I am exploring the outer world or my inner one, yoga has consistently added more meaning, depth, and purpose to my life.
Traveling and living around the world became even more meaningful for me through the practice of yoga. It allowed me to connect more deeply with different cultures, religions, ethnicities, people, foods, landscapes, and energies. I found myself becoming more present not only in the places I was in, but also within myself.
Over time, I started noticing how certain places seemed to carry the same energies that I often explore through yoga postures and philosophy.
Seville, Spain — Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) | February 2020
One memory that has stayed with me deeply was practicing Ardha Chandrasana — Half Moon Pose — in Seville, Spain.
In yogic philosophy, the moon symbolizes cooling and feminine energy — softness, intuition, reflection, and calmness. Half Moon Pose asks for both grounding and ease. It strengthens the body while requiring balance, concentration, and trust.
Seville carried that same energy for me.
There was a softness in the way the city moved — the colorful streets of Barrio de Santa Cruz, the orange trees, the relaxed evenings, and the warmth of the people. At the same time, the city held immense passion, history, and depth through Flamenco, architecture, and culture.
What fascinated me most was the Alcázar of Seville, which reflected for me the confluence of cultures and religions through its architecture and history.
It made me reflect on how yoga exists far beyond the mat. Sometimes a posture teaches me something that I later recognize in a place, a conversation, an experience, or a moment in life.
That, to me, is what yoga has come to mean beyond the physical practice.
Vrksasana, Tree Pose
Goa, India — August 2019
Tree Pose is a posture of balance, grounding, and centering. It is one of the basic standing poses that everything builds upon. Over time, I have also felt there is space within it for expression. Here I am bending slightly sideways and adding an element of Crescent into the shape, exploring how structure and softness can come together.
My first time travelling to North Goa was in 2000, to celebrate the millennium. And then 19 years later, I went to South Goa. Both experiences felt very different from each other.
This particular trip remains one of my most special vacations with my girls. The early morning beach walks are what I remember most. Seeing fishermen gather in large numbers to catch fish gave the beaches a raw and rustic feel that I do not often see elsewhere. There was also a strong sensory memory from those mornings. The smell of fish in the air, stray dogs wandering along the shore, and the quiet movement of people beginning their day. It felt very real and very unfiltered in a way that stayed with me.
Life felt very simple there. Practicing yoga, swimming in the ocean, drinking fresh coconut water every day, and eating beautiful Goan food. One of the highlights was jaggery crepes, something I still remember. We also explored the old city, visited some beautiful churches, and I really loved the simplicity of Se Cathedral.
Somewhere between the palm trees, the ocean, and those quiet mornings, I felt very grounded, like I was reconnecting back to my own roots.
Utthitha Hasta Padangusthasana, Standing Big Toe Pose
Acadia National Park, US — August 2018
Standing Hand to Big Toe Pose is an advanced standing posture. To enter the pose, I need to focus on balance and stability by keeping the eyes relaxed and staying connected to the breath.
Along with balance and stability, it also requires flexibility in the hamstrings and hip joint. It does not happen in a day. Over time, the body slowly opens and creates space for the posture.
I enjoyed trying this pose at Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park. The surface of the rock was uneven and less stable, and the presence of water all around made it feel even more challenging.
Yoga has taught me over the years how to find balance between fear and freedom. Fear is not necessarily a bad thing. It keeps us safe. So when fear arises, I try to return to slow and steady ujjayi breath.
This practice develops concentration and focus and helps me see more freedom beyond fear. The hike around Jordan Pond made our trip to Acadia National Park truly memorable.
Astavakrasana, Eight Angle Pose
Maine, US — June 2017
Astavakrasana is dedicated to Sage Astavakra, who was born with a physical disability but was known for his deep wisdom and learning. Many yoga poses are named after sages, stories, and mythological figures.
This is an asymmetrical arm balance that reminds me not to judge people based on appearance.
I notice that judgement is something that comes up often in life, not only towards others but also towards myself and what I think I am capable of. Yoga has taught me to shift my attention back to practice, and to what is possible in the present moment, instead of what is not.
If there is ever a thought that yoga is not for you, or that you are too inflexible or do not look a certain way, I always remind myself to look again.
The practice has endless possibilities, just like the ocean behind me in this photograph. I am balancing on the rocks with the ocean in the background, which made this moment feel even more present and alive, as if the pose and the surroundings were part of the same experience.
Padangusthasana, Toe Stand
Boston, US — July 2016
Padangusthasana is a beautiful pose that looks calm and serene. I always remember this quote by B.K.S. Iyengar, “How can you know God if you do not know your big toe?”
Toe Stand is a challenging yet playful posture that demands concentration, hip flexibility, core strength, ankle mobility, and balance.
Before yoga, I often thought of the core as only the abdominal muscles. But this practice brought my attention to something as small as the toes, and how much strength and support they can hold. In Toe Stand, even the smallest parts of the body become important enough to support the entire weight of the body.
This pose has always reminded me to approach practice slowly and enjoy the journey into it.
The Charles River in Boston is one of my favorite places to visit whenever I am there. There is always movement around the river and the Esplanade, yet at the same time it feels peaceful and grounding. Practicing Toe Stand there felt fitting somehow, finding steadiness and balance while surrounded by so much movement and flow. Toe Stand being one of them!
Garudasana, Eagle Pose
Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Vancouver, Canada — August 2015
Garudasana, known as Eagle Pose, is a beautiful standing balance posture that works the hips while also stretching the shoulders and upper back. It strengthens the calves and ankles while increasing concentration and focus. It calms the mind and relaxes the nervous system.
In Indian mythology, Garuda is referred to as the king of all birds and symbolizes hope, rebirth, speed, prowess, and bravery.
Walking on the suspension bridge and looking over the vast forest provided a true bird’s eye view. Practicing Garudasana here felt very connected to the experience of balance, focus, and perspective.
The Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is filled with adventure, from tree top walks to cliffside pathways, all of which make you feel like you are soaring high above the forest.
Udharva Dhanurasana, Wheel Pose
New York City, US – June 2014
Is a full backward bend that helps rejuvenate and energize the body and the mind. It’s often said that you are as young as your spine is flexible. I find a strong connection between wheel pose and NYC. I love its diversity and the high energy that this city offers.
I remember when I moved to NYC I didn’t like it right away but it slowly grew on me. Wheel pose didn’t happen right away. It took me a year of consistent practice and one day it just happened!
If you haven’t made a connection with yoga and don’t like the practice, try it again. It may grow on you and the connection may just happen! You never know!
Ustrasana, Camel Pose
Siem Reap, Cambodia — April 2013
Ustrasana, or Camel Pose, is a beautiful backbend and heart opening posture. It stretches the hip flexors, opens the shoulders, stretches the abdomen, and helps create flexibility in the spine among its many benefits. When practiced correctly, it supports different systems of the body including the respiratory, digestive, circulatory, and lymphatic systems.This posture also creates space through the throat area and is often connected to the Vishuddha Chakra, or Throat Chakra, which is associated with communication, expression, and finding one’s inner voice.Cambodia remains one of the most remarkable places I have visited. Its beauty lies not only in its temples and landscapes, but also in its deep cultural heritage, history, and resilience.While practicing Ustrasana there, I could not help but notice certain similarities between yoga and Cambodia itself. Both carry a quiet strength and depth beneath the surface. Both ask for openness, presence, and connection. And both, in their own way, leave a lasting impression long after the experience is over. I understand. The previous version is structured in a contemporary online style with many short paragraphs for emphasis. Your writing is more reflective, essay-like, and contemplative. It moves like someone thinking aloud, making connections between personal experience, philosophy, technology, and the body. It needs longer passages, fewer dramatic breaks, and a more natural flow.