“May your heart heal. May your past no longer block your view of the present. May you breathe again, laugh again, rest again, live again. May it be so.” ~ — Thema Bryant-Davis
Grief….. can overwhelm. You’re not just imagining that you’re unable to do any kind of what use to be “normalcy”. There’s a defense mechanism that kicks in to protect yourself when you’re grieving – it’s like you go into survival mode.
And, grief, can last what seems to be a lifetime if not addressed. The longer you let it go and allow it to encompass your life, the more it nests into your body and mind AND the more it embodies you.
The loss from Grief comes in many forms ~ the loss of a loved one or friend, the loss of our health, the loss of a job, a home, a pet ~ your grief is real and affects every aspect of your life. Don’t let anyone tell you anything different.
It’s not that the loss is going to disappear – but what if …
what if…..
(and I know it’s hard to imagine)
what if you…
were given the life tools to get back on your feet? How would that feel?
Grief is the natural and normal reaction to loss. It is not a disease. It is stored in our bodies and affects both the immune system and sympathetic nervous system. It often presents itself physically – in pain, fatigue headaches, and a loss of appetite. It affects your sleep, your eating, your ability to concentrate, your energy level, your breath, your ability to think about anything else other than your loss.
You are not imaging any of this– it’s real!
The bereaved body is so wound up and so stressed out that it changes the neuroplasticity and chemical make-up of the brain. If we can’t change the new make-up of the brain from grief, we are stuck in this everlasting embodiment of burden from our grief.
The practice of Therapeutic Yoga for Grief addresses self-care and facilities to integrate the experience of loss to support connection of your body, mind and soul. It gives you the resources and shifting necessary to heal the grief deeply embedded in the brain – without healing the brain, you can never heal your heart break. This practice can have a profound impact to recognize the power of therapeutic yoga on those coping with grief.
I recently had a 36 year old client suffering deeply from the loss of her cat. Through our one-on-one sessions together, she came to realize that the death of her cat was the “straw that broke the camel’s back”. There was so much profound previous grief in her life that we uncovered. I was able to customize a practice for her that has allowed her to move on with her life – have joy in her life – have meaning in her life and share this meaning back to her family.
That’s one of the reasons why Therapeutic Yoga for Grief can be an effective way to manage the pain of grief. Research presented in the Int J Yoga states that a “sustained practice also leads to important outcomes such as changes in life perspective, self-awareness and an improved sense of energy to live life fully and with genuine enjoyment. The practice of yoga produces a physiological state opposite to that of the flight-or-fight stress response and with that interruption in the stress response, a sense of balance and union between the mind and body can be achieved.” This outcome was most definitely the positive outcome my client experienced.
Note: my client had no previous yoga experience. I meet my clients were they are at and customize a Therapeutic Yoga for Grief practice for their home practice. Therapeutic Yoga for Grief is far more encompassing than just the physical postures. We’ll explore and together we’ll come up with a solution to lead you back to a healthy, worthy life style.
The intervention of Yoga for Grief is not a magic potion but can help us find some meaning or sense in our suffering. Even though the present moment is painful, it will shift and change and we can be alright.
Meet Linda ~
Linda Benton is a Yoga Therapist (1 of < 4k/globally) Linda works with all ages. She is a compassionate, encouraging and attentive teacher. The program she offers is accessible to everyone, regardless of Yoga experience.
If you want to learn how Linda can help you start work thru grief and feel better, contact her [email protected] 847.819.8804 www.LindaBentonYoga.com
~ Namaste ~
Sources ~
Desikachar K, Bragdon L, Bossart C. The yoga of healing: Exploring yoga’s holistic model for health and well-being. Int J Yoga Ther. 2005;15:17–39.
Benefits, barriers, and cues to action of yoga practice: a focus group approach.
Atkinson NL, Permuth-Levine R
Am J Health Behav. 2009 Jan-Feb; 33(1):3-14.
Modulation of immune responses in stress by Yoga.
Arora S, Bhattacharjee JInt J Yoga. 2008 Jul; 1(2):45-55. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21829284/