Yoga and Plants : What they teach us about growth and balance …
After deciding to step away from corporate life, I moved back to my home country—India, and returned to Chennai, the city where I grew up. I spent my first few weeks joyfully settling into our new home—planning the interiors, arranging the furnishings, and savoring the small pleasures of freedom. I cooked, met relatives and friends, and enjoyed the slower rhythm of days.
But soon, a quiet restlessness crept in. Other than cooking, household chores, and caring for my mother-in-law who was unwell, I began to feel empty. Although I had chosen a peaceful life, free from meetings, deadlines, and targets, I wasn’t feeling fulfilled. A question lingered within me: What should I do with the rest of my life?
That was when my attention turned toward the plants around me. I felt a deep urge to fill our terrace with greenery—beyond the sacred Tulsi (holy basil) that had always been part of our home. Around the same time, I joined the Yoga Teacher Training Program at Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. My love for both plants and yoga began to grow together—silently, steadily, and beautifully intertwined.
As part of the training, I immersed myself in the study of the Yoga Sutra and other classical texts. Each day brought fresh insights—deeper understanding of asana, pranayama, and pratyahara. With learning, reflection, and consistent practice, my love for yoga expanded, filling me with gratitude and awe.
One of the most profound lessons ( from my yoga teacher training ) I learned was that every individual is unique. Yoga is not about achieving perfect shapes or comparing oneself with others. Its about doing your yoga practice diligently every single day. For example, not everyone can bend forward and touch their toes easily; some may need to bend their knees—and that is perfectly all right. The practice must adapt to the person, not the other way around.
Meanwhile, I was also learning how to grow vegetables in our terrace garden. Both practices unfolded side by side, filling my days with wonder. Watching a tiny seed break open, sprout, and transform into a thriving plant was magical—the colors, textures, and quiet rhythm of growth spoke to something deep within me. Each plant had its own needs—sunlight, water, nourishment, time and care.
Gradually, I began to see how yoga and plants mirrored each other in their wisdom:
Plants take their time to grow—rooting, reaching, and unfolding at their own natural pace.
Yoga, too, invites us to move slowly and consciously, allowing each us to evolve according to our capacity—our flexibility, strength, and breath awareness.
Just as we cannot hasten a plant’s growth by adding more water or fertilizers, progress in yoga cannot be rushed. Both require patience and presence. Transformation unfolds quietly, in its own rhythm—guided by our age, lifestyle, and inner readiness. Real growth begins within.
Patience and acceptance—these were the greatest lessons both yoga and plants offered me.
To accept my body as it is, to begin where I am, without comparison. This isn’t always easy for me , especially in a class of thirty people of different ages and abilities . While some moved gracefully through postures, I often struggled.
When I started my teacher training, I couldn’t perform Utkatasana (the full squat posture). I could manage only the half-squat, or chair pose. Watching others do it effortlessly left me frustrated and self-critical. But through regular, mindful practice, I gradually reached the full squat comfortably.
Caring was another shared lesson.
We care for our bodies through right food, exercises ,asanas, pranayama, and dhyana.
We care for our plants by watering, pruning, nurturing, and spending time with them lovingly.
These lessons continue to guide me in my journey as a Yoga Therapist. Each person who comes for therapy carries challenges at different levels—body, breath, and mind. With the tools of yoga, I help them move gently toward health, balance, and happiness—just as a plant grows steadily toward the light.
Yoga in the Lap of Nature
These days, I happily begin my mornings with yoga practice in my terrace garden, surrounded by my plants. It feels wonderful to be in the lap of Mother Nature—under the blue sky, with the gentle rays of sunlight on my skin, the soft breeze moving through the trees, and birds singing nearby. As I breathe deeply, I feel the freshness of the air—the quiet gift of oxygen from plants.
After my practice, I spend a little time tending to the garden—plucking fresh vegetables, pruning, watering, and adding compost to nourish the soil. This simple routine feels deeply therapeutic. It is my way of beginning the day—with movement, stillness, and gratitude.
Deeper Parallels Between Yoga and Plants
As my practice deepened, I began to notice even subtler connections between the world of yoga and the life of plants:
Rooting and Grounding: A plant draws nourishment through its roots; the stronger the roots, the steadier the growth. In yoga, grounding through the feet, breath, and awareness brings us balance and stability.
Balance and Nourishment: A plant thrives only in balance—not too much or too little of anything. Similarly, yoga teaches us to find harmony between effort and ease, strength and Flexibility
Seasons and Cycles: Just as plants rest and bloom in their own natural rhythm, our bodies and minds move through cycles of energy and rest. Yoga encourages us to honor these rhythms with awareness and compassion.
Both yoga and plants whisper the same timeless truth: growth takes time, care, and presence.
When we tend to our bodies and minds the way we tend to our plants—with patience, love, and quiet attention—we begin to bloom from within.
What are your thoughts on the connection between Yoga and plants , do share it with me :samatvayogatherapy@gmail.com