Emotions after Yoga Class

It’s really more common than one might think. You go to yoga class, you feel pretty good. You’re enjoying the poses, the breathing and then the end: relaxation,  savasana or corpse pose.  Out of nowhere, you discover tears…maybe just a few at first…but then on the drive home, you’re emotional…the floodgates have opened!  Or after class, you just feel irritated or off…maybe even angry.

Experiencing an emotional release after yoga class is very common.  Your mind, body and spirit are connected.   So, when we experience something emotionally — maybe anxiety or loss or grief, it may manifest itself in our body as well.

With yoga, we’re physically releasing tension in the body.  We’re calming the nervous system and we’re becoming more aware of how we’re feeling and what we’re thinking. But along with that release of physical tension or stiffness, we’re also letting go of emotions, hurts or fears that our bodies have stored.  One saying that I’m often reminded of (not sure who said it): “Our issues are in our tissues”….

So I’m writing this post today, to say to anyone who’s discovered tears after yoga class or felt angry on their drive home or gotten a case of the giggles in a pose: this is normal and quite common.  The best thing to do when those emotions hit, is to feel them, acknowledge them…and as I often say in class: let them go.

What might also be helpful is to have a pocket-sized journal or notepad where you could jot down emotions or ah-ha thoughts on paper as you’re thinking and feeling them to reflect on later or share your thoughts after class with a friend or your teacher.

Most of all…I want to say keep going to yoga! Experiencing those emotional releases are so beneficial for us and yoga helps to facilitate that.  An emotional release helps us get past those hurts or wounds in our lives and move forward in the spirit of awareness and growth.