Grief touches our lives in so many ways. Losing a loved one, a job or a career are common sources of grief. Similarly, moving from one’s home base or grappling with sudden change can be very upsetting. There are also less-acknowledged losses we endure, which can even be a part of new and wonderful things happening in our lives. No matter the cause, grief has a life of its own and affects us in profound ways.
Everyone experiences grief differently
Some experience grief as a feeling of heaviness, inertia and sadness, as though their life-force energy has been brought to a standstill. For others, the loss can bring about a sense of relief, or a return of vitality that had been taxed by the circumstances surrounding their eventual loss. Some experience both, to different degrees and at different points in their grieving process.
Wherever you find yourself on the spectrum of grief, it is normal. It is ok to feel how you feel. And like all things in life, it will change with time.
Sometimes, we consider grief as an emotion and overlook the physical impact it can have on us. Shifts in mood, energy levels and sleep-wake cycles, which are common with grief, have physiological effects that inform us how our bodies operate and how we feel. Giving space for the feelings that arise with loss can be deeply healing. In addition, when dealing with intense emotions, physically moving the body can offer tremendous relief.
Find comfort in Yoga
When one of my Yoga Vista teachers suggested offering a “Yoga for Grieving” class, she definitely struck a chord. I didn’t know the nature of her grief, but I knew that this wise, young woman had felt the depth of this emotion. We always hear we need to take time to grieve. But, not often are we told to move with our grief.
In this Hatha Yoga class, Jennifer Monroe welcomes us into and through the grief we hold in our bodies. Take 30 minutes for you today. Slow down, breathe, feel and soften with this simple but empowering Yoga practice:
Yoga to Help You through your Grieving with Jennifer Monroe
Grieving is part of our human journey, but when we are in the midst of it, we can feel thick, slow and stuck. Yoga Teacher, Jennifer Monroe, leads you through a very personal moving journey with your grief, allowing you to feel it and accept its range of sensations and emotions.
Yoga harnesses the power of all the body’s systems. It offers us a way to feel our feelings while nurturing our tissues and replenishing our life-force. Your mind and emotions don’t need to process grief alone. Let your body support them.
If you decide to try this practice, consider doing the movements that work for you. Then breathe through the others. May the wise words shared bring you peace.
With love,
Sherry
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Slow Down with Gentle Yoga led by Dannette
Connecting to our Inner Resilience
CREDITS: Author, Sherry Zak Morris, Certified Yoga Therapist
Co-Author, Susana Jones, Certified Yoga Therapist
Editor, Maria Perez, Certified Yoga & Group Fitness Instructor