Losing a Pet: Yoga for Grief

Losing a beloved pet is mentally, physically, and emotionally draining. The permanence of the loss has the potential to shake you to the core. It’s painful. It’s tragic. Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.

When You Lose a Pet, You Lose Family

I very recently lost a good friend. Cooper was a nine and a half-year-old Black Labrador Retriever with a heart of gold and a love for all things edible.

Sitting here, weeks later, I can still feel his soft ears and hear his labored breathing. I know the exact moment he started to drift away. His eyes stopped opening in response to my voice, and his breath slowed significantly.

I remember thinking at that moment that there are few things comparable to that pain. Knowing that his sweet soul was leaving me very soon, and just hoping that he would find his way back to me during this lifetime.

Saying Goodbye

Everyone deals with grief differently, typically based on their beliefs. Luckily, my spiritual game is strong. My husband and I felt the change in the air when Cooper passed, both in different ways, and both before we knew for sure he was gone.

On the drive to the emergency vet, my husband felt cold, and the hair on his arms stood up straight. He could feel Cooper next to him in the car, pushing his nose between the headrest and door frame like he always had, yet he was resting quietly on his bed and blanket in the backseat.

I felt happiness. It was an inexplicable fleeting feeling of pure joy, thrown seemingly inappropriately into a day that had weighed me down with grief.

There is a bittersweet emotion that comes with a moment like that. Cooper was free, but he was also gone.

Be Kind to Yourself

There is no cure for sadness, but it’s so important that we take the time to feel it. During a grieving period, taking care of ourselves is vital to carry on as usual, even in these not-so-normal times.

Meditation is fantastic for grief, especially if we’re looking for a connection to those who have passed on. If meditation and spirit guides aren’t your thing, yoga will carry you through.

When you’re ready, roll out your mat. Sit for a while. Cry if you want to. Don’t force your body into anything.

Stretch. Breathe. Take in every emotion, and then breathe some more

Yoga for Grief

Whenever I’m feeling stuck in an emotion, I focus on a yoga practice that will open my heart and hips. The hips hold a ton of emotion and stuck energy, so we can release that emotion when we can focus on opening them up.

It’s quite familiar for me to end a hip opening session in tears, depending on my emotions. This situation was no exception.

My face, mat, and yoga blocks were covered, but I felt better. Embracing your feelings is so much better than blocking them, even when they hurt.

My go-to Yin Yoga flow for grief includes the following poses:

Easy seat

Mountain

Chair

Figure Four Chair

Forward Fold

Plank

Down Dog

Upward Facing Dog

Cobra

Pigeon

Lizard

Low Lunge Twist

Child’s Pose

Camel

...and a really long, emotional Savasana.

I held each pose for 2-3 minutes, letting my body settle in, and allowing my brain to focus on something other than my sadness. When it was over, I felt a massive release.

Grief Doesn't Have a Timeline

Your grief, no matter what sparks it, will not go away after one hip and heart-opening yoga session. You’ll need time, focus, and daily practice.

If you feel too sad to get your mat out, just try sitting on the floor in a comfortable seat and see where your brain goes. There is no time frame when it comes to how long you’re supposed to grieve over a loss.

I am pretty sure I will cry over Cooper for many years. He has a piece of my heart with him, and I'll always miss him.

Wherever you are, all things heal with time. Keep trucking.