Upavistha Konasana – This pose used to be flat out my nemesis pose, I'm not a naturally bendy yogi! When I was studying, my teacher would call this pose and my mind would go blank, I resisted it on every level! I felt 'stuck', tight and irritated, I would leave the pose and want to cry every time, it would make me feel so exposed and vulnerable.

So often the pictures we see are beautiful but the journey there, that is not seen is often ugly as hell! So when did things start to change for me? When I stopped fighting with myself to be somewhere I wasn't yet, when I started to be ok with allowing myself to be vulnerable. By opening up to this I have landed in the place I visioned for myself, not by force but by surrender. This pose symbolises that journey for me and the multiple layers that yoga helps heal, restore and strengthen mind, body and soul.

A reminder to never judge from what you see on the outside, until you understand the journey within.