After one of my recent yoga practices, my hubby asked me how my class was. I responded, “It was great! I cried”. He said, “There is no crying in yoga”. I told him, “Yes! There absolutely is crying in yoga!”.
I often find that there a huge emotional release for me during my yoga practice. Sometimes it stems from just being able to temporarily set aside being a so many things to others (mother of twin teenagers, full time employee, spouse, daughter to aging parents, etc) and just focus on myself. Sometimes it is because the words of the teacher strike a unique chord for me that day.
It’s a good kind of crying…sometimes just a trickle of tears, occasionally a bit more, but I always, always feel better afterwards.
It has not been a very long time since I started practicing yoga, but have been following the experience of others. Never before have I heard (read) something like that. You must have really aced the process then, like letting all your negativity flow out.
When I first started doing yoga in earnest, I cried often. And you’re right: it’s a good kind of crying. The body holds memories, emotions, and so much more. With yoga, the mind-body separation disappears and this is a good thing! Yoga has been the most transformative part of my personal healing journey. I still cry sometimes during some practices, but now I can welcome the tears and feelings. I let them flow along with my body.
I’ve never cried after a yoga practice or during one, but I’ve heard more than a few people do. For many, it really can be a huge emotional release of negative emotions, stews, etc! Let it out.
I’ve cried, but out of frustration. When I first started yoga I practised and persevered yet saw little gain in certain areas. My body and mind were two separate entities and the body was unwilling to comply. Next came acceptance. The crying stopped after that.
Yoga crying is fantastic! Yoga works on the subtle body, which is where the physical body and psychological and emotional body converge. We can access parts of ourslelves that are often off limits through mental endevours alone.
Yes crying happens more than we might think. Especially when doing Yin yoga. I was a karma cleaner at a studio in Vancouver for a number of years and saw a lot of tears, and other emotional release, in and around the yoga studio. Especially, during or after yin classes. Apparently, yin yoga can release energies that, over time, get stored in the tissues of our bodies. Because of the extended period of time that poses are held, yin goes deep into the tissue releasing long forgotten stresses and/or anxieties. As a result, for many, yin yoga can bring out emotions that have long been forgotten, and can, at times, leave us completely unprepared. But no worries. It’s all good. Do a Yin class. Rediscover what you already know about yourself.
I frequently cried in Savasana. It always surprised me. I would be laying there and tears were rolling down the sides of my face. I was going through a difficult time. Yoga and art helped me survive.
I think of crying as a form of emotional release, when an emotion has built up to an intensity that can not be contained. When we think of the physical practice of yoga, it is all about release, letting go of deep tension that we have been holding onto for too long. I think of the crying as tears from the past that I am strong engouh to release in the present.
It’s nice to hear the perspective on crying and yoga from @Fiji. My first yoga experience was Fijis Chaka Flow video, and so far is the only yoga session I’ve spontaneously cried — don’t worry a very positive feeling! Definitely a letting go of tension that I think regularly occurs. These kinds of tears sometimes pop up at other times in my life, but typically a smile is always nearby. After this kind of a cry, an emotion of joy typically is not far behind. Causally, it is sort of like the deep release then creates a feeling of inner joy as these emotions may have been quite a struggle to let go over time.
The experience was like a personal demonstration of the subtle body benefits of yoga, and I have become a regular practitioner since. It has become a core practice for me in keeping balance in mental and emotional health in the years since. Thank you Fiji!
Thank you for sharing Brandon. I love that you shared that there is often a smile near by, and that is an important point to make. When we release tension that has been stored and carried for a while, there is a space, a lightness that is often experienced right after. It is similar to carrying something really heavy for a great distance then getting to set it down.
