Today, I’d like to introduce you to Rylan, a young woman who took our yoga teacher training and ended up finding a transformative journey of self-discovery into the depths of her soul. As she describes it so eloquently, her yoga mat became a magic carpet that took her exactly where she needed to go: back home to herself.

I am a person that lives for a random adventure. The type of person that loves to just hop in the car and explore the wonders of the world. Whether it be a local festival, flea market or concert I am there. As a young girl, my favorite Disney movie was “Aladdin” and at any chance I could, I would hop on my mother’s living room rug and pretend to be Princess Jasmine, flying high in the sky to another unknown destination.

So when I signed up for my 200 hour yoga instructor training during the summer of 2017, I was ecstatic for the adventures that my yoga mat and I would take over the course of the next 6 months. However, there was one adventure that I was not fully prepared to embark on; the journey of self-discovery. This was an adventure that I had avoided for years because I just didn’t want to deal with my past. I didn’t want to be face to face with insecurity, self-doubt, and disappointment. I didn’t want to acknowledge that there were parts of me that were broken. I just wanted to finish the course so that I could help others use yoga as a way to cope with their everyday life and to feel good about themselves.

During the first few months of the course, my yoga mat and I had so much fun traveling through the world of yoga. I learned so many great things, from the different chakras to yoga nidra and I was able to successfully redirect my magic carpet away from the dreaded “Self-Discovery” exit for about three months into the course. It wasn’t until one evening class when one of my instructors was teaching us about mudras and their energetic effects that I decided to veer right and deal with my “stuff.”

My instructor that night introduced the session with the “Lotus” or “Padma” mudra. Alex Tran from the “Seattle Yoga Journal” said that “When we practice this mudra, we cultivate faith that as long as we stay rooted, we can move toward the light and emerge as the best version of ourselves.” For those of you who are unfamiliar with the lotus flower, it only blooms in dark, murky water and is a representation of rebirth, beauty, fertility and transcendence.

My instructor that night left the class with this quote after we completed our evening practice; “Remember, no mud, no lotus.” The quote resonated throughout my entire being as if she has just gently stroked a hidden Tibetan singing bowl that was inside of my gut. With these words, she ignited my root chakra and it was then that I decided that it was time for my yoga mat and I to take the “Self-Discovery” exit and clean out what no longer served me. It finally clicked that in order to help my future students navigate their own journey on their yoga mat that I had to experience all of the bright, dark and dreary exits on my own journey.

Now, we would be here forever if I went into all of the intricate parts of the beginning of my own self-discovery journey, but, here it is short and sweet. It has been the most authentic, rewarding and terrifying experience of my life. Making the choice to dive down deep into the murky waters to face the “not so beautiful” parts of yourself is not the first choice that anyone would make, however, it is necessary to successfully navigate through life in order to become the best version of yourself.

There are many people who believe that your journey through life should only be full of happiness, smiles and roses. However, in reality, the journey is comprised of smiles, roses, happiness, thorns, sadness and some tears. It is not until you learn how to be comfortable with the entire spectrum of the journey; the highs and lows that you will experience the release, the courage, the unveiling, the growth and ultimately the awakening of your inner lotus. Choosing to be comfortable with the uncomfortable and embarking on self-discovery led me on an adventure back home to myself, an adventure that I still am navigating today; a journey that I welcome with open arms and with a smile.

My yoga mat and I have many more adventures to embark on and I challenge each and every one of you to find your “magic carpet” and travel down deep into the murky waters to unveil your inner lotus flower. Be free, be fierce and be fearless on your journey and watch in awe how your flower blooms.

Namaste