Pay Attention To The Small Details

Yoga is traditionally practised at morning or evening, but can be used at any time of the day. Consciously connect with the earth, resting the soles of your feet and placing the palms of your hands face down. Bring your awareness to your heart, placing your hands on your heart centre. Breathe in, consciously receiving love from all those who care for you and from all people, known and unknown, who wish you goodwill. Breathe out, consciously sending love to all those in your heart and sending goodwill to all people, known and unknown. Bring your awareness to your solar plexus, placing your hands on your belly. Breathe in, consciously sensing the energy of freedom and choice. Breathe out, consciously releasing all connections that do not serve you at this time. Bring your awareness to the sacred universe surrounding us, sensing into the mystery. Breathe in, consciously connecting yourself to that limitless reality. Breathe out, deepening that connection. Bring your awareness to your highest self.

Unsatisfied Hearts

Breathe in through your nostrils, drawing on that connection. Open your mouth and breathe out making a whispered aaaah sound, consciously breathing your spirit into the world, connecting yourself with all that is. You can come back to this meditation at any time you desire to deepen your sense of connection. Intentional movement helps us focus our bodies for grounding and flow, and yoga can provide an experience of unity by connecting our energy with body, mind, and spirit for healing and recovery. Yoga is an ancient aspect of Hinduism and involves a series of movements and poses which aim to unite intention, breath, movement, and stillness as a spiritual practise. Yoga, with its gentle reminders to connect the breath and movement, can help us integrate all parts of ourselves. Using yoga during our healing can deepen our sense of stillness and presence, strength and confidence. There are hundreds of yoga poses or asanas and even the most experienced practitioners consider them practise. The focus is not on getting the pose perfect or increasing repetitions. Yoga poses are about uniting the mind, the breath, and the body. In yoga, breathing is deep and even and mindful, consciously drawing on the diaphragm, breathing into and out of the belly. The following two simple poses are useful to begin using yoga as part of your healing.

Have You Heard?

This is a standing and fundamental pose for balance. Concentrate on the feet, one at a time. Lift each one a little, spreading the toes and then placing them back in position, consciously grounding and balancing, left and right, front and back. Concentrate on the legs, one at a time. While leaving the feet on the floor, lift and tighten the muscles of the calf and thigh and then release them back in position, consciously grounding and balancing, keeping the knees unlocked. Concentrate on the spine, using a long stretch that is led upwards by the top of your head, and downwards as your fingertips spread towards the floor. Consciously lift your ribs and open your chest, stretching and grounding and balancing. Allow your breath to assist you soften your face and head, maintaining a forward gaze. Breathe into the energy of the mountain, strong and still and connected. This is a standing pose for energy and focus. It begins with the mountain pose. Then, with hands on hips, move your feet wide apart to a point of comfort and stability.

A Minor Variation

Raise your arms to shoulder height, out by your sides with your palms to the earth. Turn your left foot out 45 degrees and turn to face the same direction as your foot. Allow your back foot to move slightly, keeping your heels in alignment with one another. Lean your weight into your left leg, keeping your knee directly above your foot. Hold the pose, breathing in and out. Return to the centre, facing ahead and turning the feet back to parallel. Repeat the movement to the right side and return to centre. Hold the pose, breathing in and out. Allow your breath to assist you to soften your face and head, maintaining a flowing movement from one position to the other. These poses may assist you to build a renewed sense of connection between your body, your mind, and your spirit. This energy is a powerful morning foundation for meaningful connections across your day. There are many classes, in person and online, to support you if you sense that yoga might be a useful pathway from grief to healing. Lavender oil is drawn from the leaves of the plant and is widely used to reduce tension and increase balance. Fennel oil is extracted from the seeds of the plant and retains its aniseed perfume. It can support internal health and balance. Cypress oil comes from the small leaves of the tree and can be used to support grounding and growth. It’s based on the mandala, which is an ancient and sacred expression of harmony and unity that uses the circle, pattern, and colour. You might like to explore some images of mandalas before you begin. I am present and centred. I am safe and connected. I am inspired by beauty and nature. Take some time to pull apart petals and leaves so that you have a range of shapes, colours, and textures in small piles beside your paper. Pay attention to the small details. Choose a flower or a leaf that represents you. Begin to make your mandala by placing it in the centre of your circle. You may wish to glue as you go, or you may wish to complete your mandala and then glue. You may prefer not to use glue and instead take a photo of the finished mandala, returning the materials to the garden. Choose something from your collection of leaves and flowers to represent the loved one who has died. Place it where you wish. Take your time to build the mandala, using symmetry and patterns across the circle. Each mandala will be unique too.