Grief Yoga: Unraveling the Path of Healing
Grief is an inevitable part of the human experience. When you are grieving, it can be hard to take care of yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually. This is where Grief Yoga emerges as a powerful ally, offering a holistic approach to processing emotions, cultivating resilience, and finding solace amidst sorrow.
Understanding Grief: How It Affects Your Body
Releasing Stored Energy:
“Grief and sadness can get stuck in our body. Deep stretching, breath and meditation are wonderful tools to relieve stagnation, to process grief and to heal on a deeper level.”
- Brent Honnerlaw, Shivaya Yoga & Sound Healing
Grief is a multifaceted journey, encompassing a range of emotions that can manifest in various forms. It’s a natural response to loss, whether it stems from the death of a loved one, the end of a significant relationship, or a major life transition.
The grieving process is unique to each individual but often involves stages such as denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
As we navigate this intricate emotional landscape, our bodies hold onto stress and develop physical symptoms such as muscle tension and soreness, extreme fatigue, headache, dizziness, increased inflammation, increased blood pressure, increased adrenaline, loss of appetite, and shortness of breath.
Any of these above symptoms can lead to further health complications. Studies have also shown that people who are grieving tend to have a weaker immune system than those who are not. While mourning the death of a loved one is very difficult, it is important to remember to take care of yourself during the grieving process.
Grief Yoga: How It Helps with Grief
One of the best types of yoga to practice when you are experiencing grief is Yin Yoga. Yin Yoga is a type of yoga that focuses on slow, purposeful movements that are often held for more extended periods of time. It stretches deep connective tissues, focuses on meditation, and helps release physical and emotional stress.
“Yin Yoga helps us slow down enough to feel. When our breath, heart rate, and mental activity slow, we are able to truly listen to the messages that the body is sending to the mind. When we slow down, we are open to receive healing energy. Grief and sadness can get stuck in our body. Deep stretching, breath and meditation are wonderful tools to relieve stagnation, to process grief and to heal on a deeper level.”
The Role of Grief Yoga in Grief Healing
Physical Restoration
There is a complex connection between the mind and the body. When you are experiencing extreme sadness and grief, you can feel the effects on your body.
Yoga Benefits for the Body & Mind:
“By incorporating yoga into our daily life we learn to trust in a greater force caring for us, and learning to surrender to the experience of uncertainty is life's greatest lesson, viewing each situation as an opportunity for growth rather than an obstacle.”
- Elka Haeckel, Life Coach & Yoga Instructor
Grief Yoga can help reduce some of the symptoms that come along with extreme emotional stress. It can help reduce stress and tension within the body. Yoga can increase the blood flow to different parts of the body, especially the ligaments and the joints. The increased blood flow can result in significant improvements in the body’s physical response to grief. People who practice yoga for grief tend to notice improvements in concentration, appetite, energy levels, and sleep.
Emotional Release
Grief can cause many different emotions to build up. It can result in feelings of anger, guilt, denial, sadness, numbness, and, in some cases, even relief.
Grief Yoga can give a sense of calmness to help you process these emotions. Through mindful movement and breathwork, you can create space for emotions to surface and be processed in a safe and supportive environment.
Grief Yoga Practices: Poses for Coping
When you are grieving, your body tends to want to curl in. Your shoulders want to slump. Your head feels heavy. Moving your body just doesn’t feel as natural and easy as it did before grief.
Grief Yoga is centered on finding poses that feel comfortable and gently push your body. With each of these poses, you can hold the pose for as long as it feels comfortable for your body. You want to focus on your breathing and your emotions.
Balasana (Child’s Pose)
Child’s pose is a great place to start. To begin, kneel with your feet and shins on the floor in a comfortable position. Lean your hips back towards your heels. Stretch your arms out in front of you with your hands on the floor. Curl your head in or rest it on the floor or a yoga block, whichever is the most comfortable for you. Take deep breaths and exhale. Hold this pose for as long as you like before moving on to the next position.
Sukhasana (Comfortable Pose)
There is a reason this pose is called the comfortable pose. This pose is simple and lets you sink into your emotions. Start by sitting on the floor with a blanket or yoga mat. Cross your legs and rest your knees on your ankles. Take a deep breath. While you exhale, reach forward with your arms stretched. Rest your fingers on the ground. You can rest your forehead on the floor or on a yoga mat, whichever is more comfortable. Hold this pose for about 25 breaths. These breaths should be deep and slow while you process your emotions.
Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)
Cobra pose is a comfortable pose that helps open up your chest and stretch your torso. This pose might not feel as natural when you are grieving. However, it is important to give your body a gentle push towards healing. To begin, lay on the ground on your stomach. Place your hands on the floor under your shoulders. Take a deep breath, and as you exhale, lift your head and chest up towards the sky. Straighten your arms and hold for about five breaths.
Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold)
Standing poses can be a little more difficult when you are grieving. These take a little more effort. However, the standing forward fold is an easy, relaxing pose that takes minimal physical effort.
Standing forward fold starts with your feet on the ground, hip-width apart. Bend and rest your hands gently near your feet. Let your head hang comfortably, or get a yoga block to rest your head on. Rest in this position for about 15 breaths. Slowly roll back up to a standing position. Feel your body stretch back up. Focus on the movement through your spine as you stand.
Parsvottanasana (Pyramid Pose)
Stand with your feet together. Step one foot back about three feet and keep your foot at about a 45-degree angle. This will help maintain stability and keep your balance. Place your hands on your hips and breathe in deeply. While you exhale, reach down and place your hands on the floor or yoga blocks if more comfortable. Your head should be gently resting on the shin of whichever leg is in front. Reach your hands back as far towards your back leg as it feels comfortable. Hold this pose for about 20 breaths.
Once you finish this pose, take a deep breath in and bring your torso up halfway. As you exhale, rest your hands on your hips. Take another deep breath in and return to a standing position. This pose can be done again with the opposite foot forward.
Utthita eka pada kapotasana (Extended One-Legged Pigeon)
The extended one-legged pigeon pose is excellent for opening up the hips and releasing tension. Start on the ground on your hands and knees. Pull your right knee up slowly towards your chest, keeping your right foot near your left knee. Rock back on your hips. Slide your left leg back and press your hips towards the ground. Your right ankle should now be near your left hip. Place your forehead on the ground and stretch your arms out in front of you. Hold for five breaths.
Savasana (Corpse Pose)
Corpse pose is a straightforward pose that can have a very grounding effect in a time of grief. This pose is a great place to start or a great place to end your yoga sequence.
To begin, lie down flat on your back. If this is uncomfortable, you can bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground. You can place a blanket, sandbag, meditation cushion, or pillow on your stomach to increase pressure and control your breathing. Hold for about nine breaths.
Complementary Practices: Enhancing the Journey
While Grief Yoga serves as a powerful foundation, incorporating complementary practices can further support and deepen the healing process. These activities can be done as a warm-up before a yoga session or as stand-alone practices when yoga seems like more than you can handle at the moment.
Meditation: Cultivating Clarity and Acceptance
When you are grieving, it can seem overwhelming to sit in your feelings and emotions. Because of this, many people who are grieving avoid meditation or anything that doesn’t keep their minds busy. However, this can be problematic when you are trying to process your grief.
Many people don’t realize that meditation can be used to clear your mind. Meditation isn’t a magic band-aid for healing grief. It gives you a healthy and clear mind to better process your grief. By taking the time to sit with your feelings, you are allowing yourself the time and space to accept the significant changes in your life.
Meditation takes practice. It is not easy to clear your mind of life’s chaos. To meditate for grief, focus on the person you have lost. Allow yourself the space to remember them in a positive light. Take deep, meaningful breaths as you work on processing your emotions.
Sound Healing: Embracing Vibrations of Solace
Benefits of Sound Healing:
“Sound healing helps to rejuvenate the parasympathetic nervous system. In other words, it helps us rest and digest. Not only does deep rest open us to receive healing, the vibrations of the instruments reach us at a cellular level. Sound healing has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety and depression, to improve sleep and to balance emotions.”
- Brent Honnerlaw - Shivaya Yoga @brenthonnerlaw
Sound healing can have incredible benefits when it comes to grief. What is sound healing? If you have ever heard a song that boosts your mood or calms you down, you have already experienced a form of sound healing. There is a reason music influences your emotions. Music is simply different types of sound vibrations.
Sound vibrations can have a significant effect on our brains. In fact, they can actually slow down brain waves to put you in a state of calm and relaxation. Sound healing has been known to often relax people so much they fall asleep. It can help you get in touch with your feelings and emotions to release some of the stress and tension you are experiencing in a state of grief.
Sound healing has been practiced for centuries to help calm the mind. Some common sound healing instruments include:
Singing bowls
Chimes
Tuning forks
Gongs
A sound healing session, or sound bath, would most likely involve you being in a comfortable sitting or lying position. You would then be immersed in sounds created by one of the above instruments. Sound baths usually last for about an hour and include a focus on meditation and breathing.
Aromatherapy: Scents of Serenity
Aromatherapy can be a powerful addition to Grief Yoga, meditation, or sound healing practices, bringing an extra sense of calmness to the space.
Essential oils, known for their ability to ease some of the negative emotions, can be beneficial in easing the depression, anxiety, and stress feelings associated with grief.
When choosing essential oils, It is important to select scents that you enjoy. Depending on the type of essential oil, you can place these on your skin or an oil diffuser. Some essential oils commonly used in aromatherapy for grief are:
Lavender
Ylang ylang
Frankincense
Lemon
Rosemary
Sandalwood
Jasmine
Chamomile
Gratitude: Finding Light in the Darkness
Yoga Benefits:
“Yoga provides us with potent tools to navigate the grieving process. It empowers us to focus on how we can be present for ourselves and others. While we often resist pain, it can serve as an invitation for transformation, sometimes leading us to our purpose. Accepting life's uncertainties rather than resisting them gives us faith and confidence in the unfolding journey.”
- Elka Haeckel @elkayoga
While grief can make it challenging to focus on gratitude, this practice can offer a powerful perspective shift.
During Grief Yoga sessions, individuals are often encouraged to think about what they are grateful for. Think about the qualities you loved about them and the memories you shared with them. As you move through different yoga poses or meditate, think about all you are grateful for having these memories with them. To grieve someone is to love someone. You were able to love someone so greatly that you grieve the loss of their presence.
Closure: Transforming Loss into Empowerment
Grief Yoga is a transformative practice that invites people to embrace their vulnerability, honor their emotions, and cultivate a deep sense of resilience.
Embrace the power of Grief Yoga to guide you through the depths of sorrow, and emerge with a renewed sense of purpose, inner peace, and a deeper appreciation for the preciousness of life.
