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Whether you’ve been doing yoga regularly and wondering if it’s normal to experience an emotional release during yoga sessions …
Or
You’re looking for a way to release the pent-up emotions you’re feeling and wondering if yoga might help.
You’ve come to the right place.
Getting emotional after yoga (or even during a yoga session) isn’t uncommon; in fact, it can be beneficial.
Keep reading to learn more about how yoga can release emotions, when you might experience it, and what you should do if you’re experiencing emotional releases during yoga.
• Can Yoga Release Emotions? • How Can Yoga Release Emotions? • When Do People Usually Experience a Yoga Emotional Release? • Is it Normal to Cry When Doing Yoga? • Is it Normal to Get Emotional After Yoga? • 2 Important Things That Should Be Present During a Yoga Emotional Release • Should You Try to Have an Emotional Release During Yoga? • What Should You Do If or When You Experience a Yoga Emotional Release? • Contact a Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi Location Near You to Learn More About Feeling Emotional Release During Yoga
Absolutely. Although It can be shocking, yoga can release emotions.
This occurs because of the stimulation of your body and your mind that takes place when you’re practicing a grounding exercise, like yoga.
According to the American Psychological Association, yoga not only increases body awareness, but it may also:
• Help relieve stress • Help sharpen concentration; and • Help calm and center the nervous system
Many people who experience an emotional release for the first time are caught off guard and find themselves asking, “Is this normal? Is something wrong with me?”
The truth is, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you if you’re experiencing an emotional release during your yoga session—but it’s also 100% okay if you do not.
Don’t go into yoga expecting a release. It’s completely normal if it does not happen.
Many people go into a yoga class hoping to decompress and reap the physical benefits, but they don’t go into a yoga class expecting a release of tears, anger, joy, etc.
Yoga releases emotions by breaking up what we like to call “energy blocks.” These energy blocks often stem from emotions, traumas, and memories we’ve suppressed over time—even those you may be unaware of.
But how does yoga release emotions? Here are a few possible reasons:
• Practicing yoga allows you to let go of the tension connected to any emotional pain that your body has been physically holding onto.. • The physical focus during yoga can help you become aware of your subconscious emotions. • Yoga can help you reconnect with yourself and with others, allowing for a release of emotion.
But are there specific factors that contribute to this release of emotions?
Let’s take a deeper look at two factors that may be leading to the release of energy and emotions while practicing yoga.
Have you ever felt like you’ve been doing everything right ...
• Eating the right foods • Exercising regularly; and • Doing all the “healthy” practices you’ve been told to do
… but you’re still left feeling physically run down?
It’s believed that our mind, body, and soul are connected. To experience a needed emotional release, tension in your body needs to be released first.
Our bodies remember and store things that have happened to us—whether it be...
• Trauma • Guilt; or • Even happiness.
When we begin to have body awareness and are able to physically address the parts of the body holding onto the tension, we can begin to quiet our thoughts—and then we can create space for emotional awareness.
Sometimes, the energy from traumatic experiences or memories that have been stored deep within the body may get released during yoga.
But even if you’ve not dealt with severe trauma, yoga may cause an emotional release you didn’t know you needed due to:
• Focusing on your body, slowing down, and bringing attention to your feelings and body. ○ There’s nothing distracting you (like technology or the busyness of everyday life) giving your mind the ability to let go of built-up emotions and get the emotional release it needs. • The lighting, relaxing music, and quiet atmosphere during many yoga sessions. ○ These can trigger your body’s relaxation response, allowing certain emotions (particularly from the subconscious mind) to flow more freely throughout your body.
A yoga emotional release may even be connected to your organs.
According to the Five Elements Theory of traditional Chinese medicine, physical pain can often be associated with any emotional imbalances you’re experiencing.
Examples of these relationships include:
• Anger is associated with the liver • Anxiousness is associated with the stomach • Joy is associated with the heart • Fear is associated with the kidneys • Sadness is associated with the lungs; and • Worry is associated with the spleen
It’s not uncommon when practicing yoga to have emotional releases associated with any of the previously mentioned feelings.
If that happens, you may be encouraged to focus on moving and releasing the energy in those specific parts of your body.
Generally, people experience a yoga emotional release because they are…
1. Stimulating their mind and body; or 2. More relaxed than usual
…during their yoga session.
As you practice yoga, you bring your mind more “inside.”
You’re focused on what’s going on inside your mind and body and less of what’s going on outside—and you may find yourself becoming more connected to your emotions.
For many, that’s when the emotional release occurs.
Whether you’re a yogi who’s been doing it for years or you’ve just recently started living the yoga lifestyle, an emotional release can catch you off guard, leaving many to wonder...
“Is it normal to cry when doing yoga?”
It is 100% normal to cry during yoga.
The connection you make with your body during your yoga session may indeed cause you to shed a few tears.
But you may find that this emotional release leaves you feeling a sense of comfort and relief as you become lighter and brighter as part of the process of being empire and freer.
Some people have an emotional release while in the moment of yoga. Others are just finishing yoga when the emotional release hits them—it’s not uncommon to have it happen during the still and quiet that comes at the end of a yoga session.
Having a yoga emotional release can leave you feeling even more> stressed, instead of relieved, if you’re questioning things like:
• Why am I so emotional? • Are people watching me? • What do people think of me? • Am I interfering with other people’s yoga session?
Instead, set yourself up for success.
Before going into any yoga session, you want to ensure that you:
• Find a supportive yoga environment • Keep a positive mindset before (and during) your session
No one wants to walk into a yoga class that feels uncomfortable, overwhelming, and stuffy.
We’ve all entered a room that didn’t feel right—whether it was a new job, a class, or a yoga session—and when you’re practicing an exercise that can evoke so much emotion, the environment should feel as supportive as possible.
Look for an environment that is a…
• Safe • Inclusive; and • Comfortable
…space for whatever emotions may be evoked during your yoga session.
At Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi, we understand that your body and brain are deeply connected.
This is why we provide an environment that promotes a deep mind-body connection that not only can lead to an emotional release, but also leaves you feeling empowered.
Coming into your session with a positive mindset can help you amid a yoga emotional release—if and when it happens.>/em>
Show up at your session with an understanding that you may, in fact, connect your brain and your body on a deeper level during your session, and this isn’t a bad thing.
Take this opportunity to reach deeper inside yourself and let out those emotions. Instead of worrying about if it will happen, try to embrace how you can connect your mind and body as one.
No.
Although it might feel like you’re doing the right thing by trying to have an emotional release during yoga, it can make the session stressful, rather than beneficial.
Instead, go into your session with an open mind and remember—you likely won’t experience an emotional release in every yoga session. But if you need the release, it will come.
Are you worried about what to do while experiencing a yoga emotional release? Remind yourself that this is okay and a good thing.
One of the best things to do is accept the emotional release as it’s happening. Don’t overanalyze it.
Remind yourself that as you move your body, it’s completely normal for the emotions to come with it—you’re building a better connection within yourself. So, as you move your body, the emotions may come out. Do your best to let them flow freely.
At Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi, we want you to experience a happier, healthier, and more peaceful world.
We believe that...
• Physical health • Emotional well-being; and • Spiritual satisfaction
…are all related.
This is why we provide practical techniques and programs to help you connect with all three aspects during our yoga sessions.
We provide unparalleled support and an environment that you can feel safe in to connect with your body and mind—without judgment or discomfort.
If you’re ready to learn more about how experiencing a yoga emotional release works, how it may be beneficial, or why this might occur, contact a Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi location near you today.