A Yogis View on Grief

A Yogis view on Grief - Mental Health, Wellbeing

Going through a difficult loss & grieving a loved one, can be one of the hardest most challenging things you will ever go through. It is one of life's, most hidden emotions and now more than ever we maybe finding that many of us are grieving what 2020 did to us, and or who it may have taken along the way.

As a Yogi, we have a ‘view’ of life and its cycle

The Universe, the Earth, the stars, the plants, the organisms - everything is a cycle being. Forever in a state of change; from growth, blossoming & transformation. The reason we practice Yoga is when the hard stuff comes knocking..which it will, we have done the work to be able to handle it. No doubt it will make us bend a lot to not break, but that is the essence of who we are as Yogis.

And to be a Yogi is to Love.

If you are grieving right now dear one, know that grief is just love in your physical being confused because it can't love your dearly departed how it used to. Firstly, just be kind to yourself - as if you were unwell. Wrap up in a blanket, drink copious amounts of warming tea and watch programs that do either of two things: inspire you or make you laugh during this time.As energy workers, yogis know that we are at our core energy. So when energy moves & changes - we try to keep that in mind when someone passes. Like the seasons, grief & loss are Autumn & Winter - a time of letting go, regrowth & rejuvenation. As cycle beings, like a clock, nothing ends, it simply continues going around in the same direction through the seasons. So like the Buddhists, Yogis believe that all souls are eternal and in a constant cycle of Karma/Dharma. There is comfort in this - don’t you think?

In the beautiful yogi world, loved ones are all around us. Still here but in different forms, other energies that in some way will sustain us like the fallen leaves sustain the tree. So with that in mind, we can find solace that our sadness need not be there, we can in fact find joy. The joy that the person who has left has done so because of transformation. There are many things we don’t understand about the universe & are seeking every day to do so - but what we do know is that we seem to be living in a multidimensional universe with many layers or bubbles. When we leave this dimension, the 3rd, nothing is lost or dead, everything is simply released in another form in a different space around us. If you are new to Yoga, then this may have blown your mind but the comforting point is, they are still here.

Now when that sinks in, you can feel that ease of panic lift. There is no reason to panic the physical has gone but all the rest, the connection you had to them, the conversations everything stays. So don’t sign them off, or give up. Talk to them as if they are still here, experiencing the world through you now. Listen out for when they whisper in your ear with something funny or when you feel them next to you... those aren’t tricks of the mind, they are real, they are consciousness & you are connected forever through it together.

This is a bit of a skill to strengthen, as it takes an acceptance of the mind & all its capabilities but meditation, dream decoding and deepening your consciousness can all be developed to make these experiences stronger & more often. When you understand that in your own mind you can travel to other dimensions, have conversations with departed loved ones & find your place amongst it all. When you understand that eternity is at play, and that grief is just love you can better place it to help your physical body with this new transition it is experiencing.

Self-care through grief is key in order to help the body & the mind to process & release it and here are some helpful ways you can move through this period of growth & into your own blossoming transformation:

Journaling: writing everything down - the good, the bad, the weird and the ugly. Getting it all down on paper will help you to process it.

Meditation: start small & use guides to support you but try all types to see what helps. I used the Mimi Method for most of my healing journey. Her morning & evening meditations are incredible for soothing & encouraging you to build a life. She also does walking meditations & healing from childhood trauma - I cannot recommend her enough!

Baths & Massages: the body needs to be encouraged to relax so it can process, so add evening baths to your routine and weekly or monthly massages to move the energy.

Yoga Practice: soft & gentle, think Yin or Restorative and any classes that focus on the Chakras especially around the heart, throat and root as these will likely be unbalanced after your loss.

Feng Shui: do it in your own time but work on the energy of your space & do small things like add new bedding or change the furniture around so that it feels like your space for healing & recovery.

Study: this is a weird one but in order to understand you have to study - read about the universe, use this time to deep dive into who you are now and who you want to be moving forward. Use this knowledge and turn it into the wisdom of your future.

Read: reading will transport you to a different place, so read books that help you to develop your connection with your loved one or bring comfort to you during this time. I particularly enjoyed reading Matt Haig’s novels during my darker hours especially; reasons to stay alive & the midnight library, I’ve linked these for you below friend.

Find Joy: wherever you can, if it's Friends or playing with your cat or drawing. Whatever feels good, or brings a smile. Invite all these small moments into your life & let them thaw you out & help to rebuild you.

Love: when and as much as possible, offer your love out don’t hold onto it. Do charity work, love your garden, hug your family & friends (covid allowing) and replace the dark with the light until you come back into alignment.

Dear one this time is never meant to be easy but try to replace fear with understanding and grief with love - nothing is over or dead, but just like a rainbow it's now in many different colours and forms x

www.theprivateyogi.co.uk