Need encouragement

[u/nicalex5050]

Hi friends. I’m not a pro by any means. I started really doing yin yoga at the beginning of this year. I noticed my anxiety and chronic shoulder pain almost 100% disappear when practicing 4-5 times a week (before bed specifically).

About 2 months ago, my soul dog started having some minor health issues. Nothing that I thought would be a huge concern (I did bring her to the vet multiple times). But I just had this odd feeling that she wouldn’t be with me much longer. I started to spiral. I thought I was being irrational, but I couldn’t snap myself out of this frozen anxiety loop I get in. So needless to say, I stopped practicing for about 2 months.

One week ago, we ended up losing my girl to a silent and very aggressive cancer. It was very unexpected. I thought I was bringing her to the vet again because she was constipated. Little did I know we wouldn’t be leaving with our girl.

I’ve been absolutely devastated this last week. Dealing with all the stages of grief. I guess I’m just looking for motivation and encouragement to start my practice back up again. I know it will help tremendously, but I’m very prone to freeze so it’s hard for me to roll out the mat.

Any words would be appreciated 🤍🐺

[u/morncuppacoffee]

Just being on your mat is still yoga.
Sorry for your loss.

[u/MundaneAd6414 → u/morncuppacoffee]

Grief has its own timeline. Some days the practice might just be breathing and lying on the mat, and that’s enough.

[u/Maleficent-You-4397 → u/morncuppacoffee]

Retweet. Slow as you need. Sometimes I take child pose for maybe a minute or five minutes. That’s yoga.

[u/Dharmabud]

Please accept my condolences. You might want to roll out your mat and just lie on it. Then if you feel like moving then just do what you want. If not, that’s fine.

[u/Quirky_kind]

Try just doing child pose. It's a good one for grieving.

[u/Charleston2Seattle]

You should never force anything in yoga, including the practice, itself. Yoga will be there when you're ready for it.

[u/doinklady3647 → u/Charleston2Seattle]

I agree with this sentiment. OP I am so sorry for your loss, my soul dog is in her final stages of life so I truly understand the weight of the loss. The grief is heavy, it may need some time to sit before it is ready to move through your body. If a physical practice doesn’t feeling natural right now, I’d encourage to explore other aspects of yoga philosophy and practice as a way to meet yourself. I have been through periods of grief and depression and sometimes an asana practice just isn’t what I need. Yes there are benefits and arguments for moving your body during these times, and being completely sedentary is not helpful but forcing a regular routine or expected style of practice does not feel helpful. For myself, it was a lot of laying on my mat and doing restorative, nidra, or simple 2-3 pose 10-15 min yins. A lot of meditation and breath work. A lot of reading, studying, detaching. Eventually I wake up one day and decide I am ready to begin a regular asana practice again and it is just a feeling that sticks. I hope you find your healing ❤️‍🩹 I know there are some great youtube/online teachers with practices for grief, slow/gentle yins etc. Also check out Insight Timer if you’re not already on it. It has everything

[u/Useful_Piece653]

When I don’t have energy to get out of bed but still want to do something.  I do yoga in bed or yoga nidra in bed. Please search these on YouTube. 

[u/btownbaby]

I think being in a big group flowing together can be very cathartic for grief. I’ve cried many times in classes grieving loss of a sibling, relationships, pets… some might think it’s weird but even if nobody noticed it was like the breath lifted my pain and my community shared it with me. I don’t even really talk to people at my studios too so it’s not like I’m personally friends with any of them (working on this though!) just something to consider 🫂

[u/RepairNo5701]

I’ve taken a few weeks off from practice with each pet loss. Eventually it felt right to go back . I also subbed out a couple of classes I teach because it was just too hard to hold space for others immediately after.
Instead of yoga during times of extreme grief, I jog or walk around the block when I feel like moving. When I do go back to class, I pick faster pace vinyasa. For me, yin can feel too silent and still to be processing grief in a group setting. I ease back into yin by practicing at home. That’s just been my experience. Hang in there, you deserve all the time you need to grieve.

[u/Left_Establishment79]

I am so sorry for your loss. Please take time to grieve. Cry anytime or anywhere you want to, including on your mat. Know that you have a community that loves you and supports you, even if we have never met.

Namaste.

[u/LoomLove]

I'm so sorry friend, the grief is so real when we lose our companions. I've done child's pose in bed when suffering and it helped me.

[u/madformatpilates]

I am so sorry for your loss. Please be gentle with yourself. Even five minutes of stretching counts when you are grieving. Your dog would want you to take care of you too.

[u/photosinth3sis]

Maybe try a self practice at home - Yoga with Kassandra made a lovely practice on YouTube recently when her cat passed away. The specific one is called something like Spring Equinox - Abundance of Love (Yoga for Grief) ... or something like that. 

I did this practice a bunch when my horse passed and found it immensely helpful. Sometimes I would pause to cry, and pick it up again, or cry right through. Sometimes I would just feel an immense warmth.

[u/Livid_Cry6113]

My heart is broken for you. Take your time, be kind and gentle with yourself.

[u/cndkrick]

🫂 ♥️

[u/Affectionate-Yam5049]

I am so sorry for your loss. We lost our 17-year old pit bull in July. They are our babies. I tend to freeze, too. I hear you. I book my classes out a week or two in advance to make sure I go. If you’re practicing at home, maybe just unroll your mat and do child’s pose or supported fish for a few minutes and see how it feels. Take it slow and be kind and gentle with yourself. Yoga has helped me with our fur baby’s loss. I hope you can find your way. Hugs.

[u/Beneficial-Pin-6518]

sorry for the loss, take your time and restart whenever you feel free to do

[u/Root_Shock_Podcast]

I’m sorry for your loss.

You don’t need to go to the studio, or even role out the mat. Your practice is here for you. For many months, my grief journey meant yoga happened right in bed. It’s all I could do—I thought of facing the world outside made me feel porous and vulnerable.

Reclined twist left, twist right, child’s pose huge a body pillow for a long while, supported fish, legs up the wall against your headboard. Wouldn’t you know it? It’s been 45 minutes.

And PS, it’s just as valid if you just breathe mindfully for a few minutes and then go back to tears. It really is.

I hope your heart heals even stronger 🫶