Yoga and meditation helped Khushboo Harjani to truly value and appreciate herself
- NAME: Khushboo Harjani
- AGE: 29
- OCCUPATION: Yoga teacher & photographer
- YOGA YEARS: 7+
Why did you start yoga
I started with meditation in 2017. My intention was to help someone get through a difficult time, and after meeting up with them, the thought occurred to me: If I can be at ease with my own mind, I can maybe help them feel at ease too. That thought marked the beginning of a profound inner journey.
My mother has been into yoga and meditation since my childhood, but I only took her teachings seriously after I moved to Bali in 2018 and attended classes there. This was a time of excitement for me, but also one of the lowest points in my life, where I felt like I had lost my identity.
As well as exploring the island and building my photography business, I tried a variety of asana, meditation and breathwork classes and slowly fell in love with the deep impact it had on me. I am an introvert and used to prioritise others’ opinions and preferences to mine. All of these practices helped me remove blocks that were holding me back on the journey to understanding and appreciating myself more.
Favourite yoga haunts
Practicing outdoors in nature always hits the spot for me.
How has yoga changed your life?
As an introvert, I was never aware of my own likes or dislikes and always followed what others wanted or did. Speaking up and voicing my feelings was a massive struggle for me; I always felt like they didn’t matter.
But with each asana and meditation practice, I learnt to listen internally, to strengthen my intuition and trust it fully. I learnt to be kinder to myself, to understand my anxiety better, to react less and respond more and the power of gratitude. I learnt to appreciate all parts of my body and to embrace my voice and have the confidence to speak up when I need to.
Yoga helps me connect deeper with myself, through all the sweat, laughter, tears, anxiety, curiosity, doubt, frustration, love and compassion. Through finding the balance between strength and softness, movement and rest, doing and being, yoga brings me back home.
Best yoga moment
Every single Savasana. Also the feeling when I get out of a deep state of meditation — nothing compares to it.
Anything else
My deepest passion now is to provide a safe space for anyone who wants to connect to themselves deeper through this practice. Our norm as human beings is to evolve, but we need to put in the work to heal and grow. The journey isn’t easy, nor is it comfortable, but it’s possible and it’s worth it. The tools of yoga offer a pathway to get there, because when we learn to embrace the ebb and flow of our daily practice, we learn to embrace the ebb and flow of our daily lives as well.
Find Khushboo Harjani on instagram @yogiiboo
Om Magazine
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