AYGMyJune2015

54

may/june 2015

yogajournal.com.au

this creates the space for individual histories, emotions,

physical ailments and habitual patterns to be explored.

Using a personalised practice that evolves along with you,

the yoga therapist helps empower the student to become

actively engaged in the healing process.

Always drawn to the quiet practice of yin, my troubled

mind suddenly became a battlefield that I couldn’t bear to sit

with. I was so tense that I needed an escape, a respite – not

to immerse myself in panic-inducing poses that left too much

space for my mind to wander. I needed to give my body relief

from the constant hum of anxiety in order for healing to occur

and the fog to lift. Meditation was out, and movement was in.

As a result, my yoga changed entirely. It took the form

of reading, walking through nature, gentle asana and even

consuming copious amounts of television. I realised how the

simple pleasures we deny ourselves are often what’s most

needed when things fall apart. And that distracting the mind

can be an essential component of healing. A practice from your

yoga therapist may include physical postures, psychotherapy

and counselling, conscious breath regulation, meditation and

visualisation, sound and mantra, dietary recommendations

and guided yoga nidra.

As a complementary healing modality, Pavlovic explains how

private yoga therapy can alleviate physical, mental and emotional

suffering through a practice that addresses the whole person.

While a group class may limit you to a brief moment of physical

adjustment from your teacher, yoga therapy is tailored to you

and can address a range of issues from depression, diabetes and

cancer to grief, insomnia and chronic pain.

An opening intention for your

yoga for heartbreak practice

Try this intention, written by international yoga teacher

Seane Corn (read more about Corn on page 30).

Sit tall, your hips higher than your knees. (This may

require a blanket or cushion.) Gently close your eyes,

bring your hands to Anjali Mudra (bring your hands

together in prayer at the heart), take 5 deep breaths,

and then recite this intention:

“May this practice reconnect me to my body,

ground me in the here and now, and heal

me from my grief.

“I ask for clarity and for the strength to let go

of any limited beliefs that keep me resistant

to change and unavailable to growth.

“Instead, may I open my heart, see beyond

reason, accept without condition, and love

without hesitation.

“May this practice be blessed.”

• Grief can be a great
  teacher.


• Grief is a natural part
  of life.


• No two people grieve
  the same way.
  
  
  • You can’t hurry love...
    or grief.
  
  
  • We can grow through
    grief.
    
    
    • We grieve in our own
      way, in our own time.
    
    
    • Grief is not to be
      judged.
    
    
    • Grief is healing.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

“ Always drawn to the quiet practice of yin,

my troubled mind suddenly became a

battlefi eld that I couldn’t bear to sit with”

During your

first session, expect to have

an intake assessment, where the yoga

therapist will inquire about the student’s health history, current

medications and treatments, and any physical, mental and

emotional conditions to address. Then, you will be taught a

physical practice with modified poses to suit your capabilities.

Other recommendations, like lifestyle adjustments or meditation

and pranayama, often accompany the daily practice.

Yoga therapy differs in that its

students take an active role in their

recovery while the teacher directs them

toward appropriate tools. “Since much

of the healing happens due to the

regular practice by the student,” says

Pavlovic, “a key responsibility of the

yoga therapist is to inspire and motivate

them to maintain the practice.”

I found that having a detailed daily

prescription gave me structure, while

the personalised practice was both

approachable and restorative. The

changes were subtle at first, but once

I began to process trauma physically,

the stress that migrated to the body

from the mind fade gradually as well.

I still feel like my life is on pause,

like some days pass in slow motion.

I know it takes time but that time alone

does not heal our wounds. Grieving is

hard work and I’m just learning how.

Self-care in grief

Loss and grief are a certainty in life; the causes and how we experience them,

however, are uncertain. When you’re going through the stages of grief, it's

important to look after yourself – it’s your journey and you need to take it in

your own way. Linda Espie, a Melbourne-based psychotherapist who has

specialised in loss, grief and trauma counselling for 25 years, describes grief

as, “A unique and individual response to loss as identified by the individual”.

Here are some things she suggests you remember as you make your way:

POSED BY MODEL. PHOTO: DUDAREV MIKHAIL/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

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