I Am A Yoga Girl - Mahwish Aurangzeb

I hadn’t heard of a yoga practice up until my teenage years, where the idea of it intrigued me. The people I saw doing yoga had these soft graceful movements and seemed to have this calming energy about them, all I knew was I wanted to feel what they were feeling.

After hurting my lower back and constantly being in pain, I decided to take the plunge and sign myself up for a local yoga class. The night before I was talking myself out of going on my own and then the next morning, I thought to myself if I don’t go now I never will!

It was such a beautiful experience, the teacher was warm and welcoming, the atmosphere was calming, and I felt free for the first time in a long time. Since my first class I have been practicing the art of yoga and mindfulness - it’s almost become a ritual for me. Something I started doing every night and without realizing, it changed my life in many ways. Being able to move freely on my mat with no expectations, going at my own pace and listening to calming music was something I had never experienced before or knew could exist- especially not in my world.

I have always felt like I’m floating along in a life that isn’t mine, where I am still searching for me and my true self. I am sure the rituals I have created for myself will one day lead me to my purpose. Where I can find out who I am and what I have to share with this beautiful world we live in. Yoga is a practice that has changed my life in many ways. It has taught me patience and that it’s perfectly normal to feel different emotions. Paired with meditation I have allowed myself to be calm and in control of my thoughts. To look for the light in darker times, to search for happiness that can be found in the little everyday moments.

To be a part of a yoga community has given me a sense of belonging. Being a Yoga Girl means to believe in yourself and to be strong and independent. I remember I am a Yoga Girl during tough times, and I have so much to share with this world and one day if I work hard enough, I am going to create something beautiful and inspire others. I recently wrote down a mantra for myself “I am beautiful, I am loving, I am whole” I recite these words every morning and they always come back to me when I’m on my yoga mat. It’s as though the Universe is reminding me to believe in these words and giving me signs to remind me, I am exactly where I am meant to be.

You are also exactly where you are meant to be, whether you believe it or not. If I could get the whole world to practice yoga and meditation I would! It would be a beautiful experience for us all. I always encourage those around me to just take one yoga class and see where it could take them. Your mat awaits you…it will change your life.