Meet Anthropologist & Sanskritist @omkarlie sharing her #yogasavedmylife story with us.

"After struggling for a decade with a chronic blood disorder, migraines & depression, yoga gave me back to myself" . . "Adolescent illness took nearly everything away from me that I loved. It almost took my life. I was ski team President, but could no longer compete due to illness. I was first chair violist, but couldn’t attend concert because I was too sick. I was a straight A honor roll student with many friends, but I had to drop out of high school because I was hospitalized too frequently . . I was scared that if I loved anything, my body would take it away from me. I felt helpless, out of control: deeply depressed. Even after the illness was cured, my body, mind, & soul remained deeply wounded & disconnected. I instinctively knew that I needed to find a way to become whole again. I knew I needed to forgive my body & work together with it, to love it deeply, & to learn to trust again . . So, I went to my first yoga class. I thought yoga would be a positive way to relearn my body and mind. It was. As my body became stronger, my mind became more resilient & my soul learned to feel comfortable in this skin again. As my body became more flexible, I learned that love is more powerful than fear & that I could trust myself & my wisdom enough to relax into life. Yoga helped me feel life in my veins and know that I was, indeed, vibrantly alive after nearly dying 🙏 . . Along the path of asana, I discovered the incredible philosophy behind yoga practice. I devoted myself fully to the deep study of yoga asana & philosophy. Along my yoga journey, I meet transformational people who shaped my life beyond imagination. Yoga practice took me around the world & to India eight times, yoga was my pathway through college, & yoga even took me to Harvard for my masters degree . . I know that without yoga none of this would have been possible. Through yoga I learned to make peace with my body, find my strength, & trust again. And, by embracing the teachings, my world expanded beyond my wildest dreams. The power of yoga is immense & I am grateful ❤🙏