How Yoga Helped Me Recharge

A few weeks ago, my schedule got booked with things I don't even remember; this happens way too much, I barely remember what happened yesterday. But I do remember being so busy that I had to stop practicing yoga. My body craved for it, but I couldn't make time for it, at all. As much as I wanted to get down and do a downward dog and some sun salutations, my body was way too tired to roll my yoga mat out. It was the first time in a very long when the most exciting part of my day would be bed time. Crawling under my sheets as the AC blew cold air to cool down the blazing humidity that summer has to offer. Bedtime became the best part of my day.

Finally, one late night when my mind was working too much to sleep, my yoga mat miraculously rolled out in front of me and the next thing I knew it, my arms were sore from sun salutations. Here is how yoga helped me recharge in the past week.

Let the Cracks Lead the Way

After two weeks of yoga-free days, my body has reverted itself back to a form it wasn't used to. Absolute stiffness. I was so stiff that almost every pose I did made a crack, or ten. But the cracks felt more like a symphony of freedom than a symphony of agony. For some, cracks sound revolting, but if you do it yourself, it feels oh so good. Even just with standing up and stretching your hands over your head can do so much for your back. Let the cracks lead the way and give back to your body, just for this tiny moment.

Breathe it All In

The thing about yoga is that every pose you do, you do with your breath. Inhale up, exhale down. Doing this allows us to become more aware of our breath since it's what keeps our hearts pumping after all. And after a good 20 to 30 minutes of synchronized moving and breathing does amazing things to your abdomen. It feels like your belly has been craving for good air for a long time. Another genuine way to give back to your body to recharge. Breathe it all in.

Listen to Your Body

Treat your body like a temple. It's what keeps you moving, thinking, and breathing. It's your flesh and blood, so why not listen to it. With every pose that I made, I listened and moved with my body. When I couldn't hold on much longer, I let go and stayed in child's pose for a full 2 minutes because my body needed it; and because, well, sun salutations can be exhausting when you're restarting. Listening to your body allows us to become aware of the steps we take and the decisions we make. It helps us understand how our body works and what it wants and needs. But most importantly, listening to your body practices listening to your instincts.

| Cardigan - Wet Seal | Shirt - Forever 21 | Jeans - Bershka |

| Bag - Society6 | Shoes - H&M |

Photo creds: Shabana Feroze

Restarting my yoga regime again helped me blow away the fog that's been blinding my vision for the past few weeks. It's helped me think clearly and recharged my body. It's revitalizing just letting the cracks lead the way, breathing in all that good energy, and listening to my body. It feels great to start again.

Restarting something again isn't a bad thing. If you fail and will have to start all over again, it's alright. Failure gives you another shot to start over, to start better, with a clean slate. Never give up, and keep going; even if you have to start again.