"Bloom like the rose and the lotus,
through thorns and through mud I rise,
at sixteen, a quiet curiosity stirred within me —
a whisper of yoga,
a call of the soul.

The years passed in waves of practice and pause,
injury and illness dimmed my light at times,
but the flame never died,
it flickered softly, waiting.

Then, in divine timing, 2023 arrived —
and with it, a meeting written in the stars.
I found Neil, and Chi Kri Yoga, on the winds of Instagram.

The moment our paths crossed, my fears began to loosen their grip.
in his presence, I remembered who I was.
he saw beyond my body, beyond my pain,
beyond the walls I built around my heart.

He saw my divine essence,
the quiet strength of my soul,
and with a voice both fierce and gentle, he said,
“Yoga is the ultimate practice of Love.”

Though fear trembled within me, I said yes.
yes to growth,
yes to the unknown,
yes to the journey that would transform me.

The training was long — fifteen months of soul and surrender,
there were nights I wept in doubt,
days I felt I would fall short,
but I remembered his words —
“Fight, suffer or die.”
And I was never alone.

My beloved Jay, my children, Hriday and Aayush,
our sweet Rani, my mum, my sisters Avni and Tulsi,
and my circle of cherished friends —
they held me when I could not hold myself.

My Chi Kri Gold study families, the Orange Tigers and the Golden Cobras,
walked with me hand in hand,
together we shared tears, laughter, and awakening,
together we became one beating heart —
the heart of Chi Kri 2023-2024.

When the final exams came, I turned to Source.
My class theme for the exams: Shakti Shivaya —
the sacred dance of the Divine Feminine and Masculine.
in their embrace, I found my truth,
in their presence, I remembered —
each birth, each death, each breath,
is a step toward liberation.

Then came October 13th, 2024 — Graduation Day.
My heart trembled. My hands shook.
I feared I was not enough.
But grace had already spoken.
When my results were read —
Gold Standard Level 3 — a Golden pass,
I stood in awe.

Tears fell as I walked to the shrine.
I blew a kiss to Shiva,
to every deity that guided me through darkness.
And I cried — for joy, for disbelief,
for the sacredness of it all.

Even now, I am learning to celebrate.
To trust that victory does not need noise —
it blooms quietly, like dawn.
Today, on my parents’ wedding anniversary —
my first teachers of unconditional love —
I bow in gratitude.
I see how far I’ve come.
I see how love has carried me.

I walk this path in faith,
trusting the roots I’ve planted will one day flower
in their own perfect time.
and like the rose and the lotus,
I will continue to bloom —
through every thorn, through every storm,
through every muddy lesson of life.

For perfection is not my aim —
presence is.
And my truest offering is my authentic self.

As Neil taught, "Yoga is union and union is love.”
so with the grace of Shiv and Parvati,
I will rise again and again.
Ganeshji clears my path.
Hanumanji fills my heart with courage.
and Krishna, my eternal friend,
walks beside me — smiling, always."

– Nima Vekaria, Chi Kri Yoga Graduate Teacher (2023)