How I cured my Broken Heart using Yoga (And How YOU can too!)

I want to start by sharing a story that I hope you will find inspiring. It will help you to understand how the body holds on to grief. And, how to let it go. It's about me ;)

2004/05 were extremely hard years for me after having lost my boyfriend to cancer and my mother to suicide.

Because of this, I developed a terrible broken heart. The pain was palpable and at times, it seemed unbearable.

I brushed it off as normal given my circumstances and thought that time would "cure me".

Because I didn't have the tools to deal with my grief properly, it did the opposite. On a routine physical exam, my Doctor found that my figurative 'broken heart' had manifested into an actual BROKEN HEART.

After rigorous testing, it was found that I had developed a heart Arrhythmia that my Cardiologist said could only be fixed with beta-blockers in the present and eventually surgery. I reluctantly tried the beta-blockers for about a week before I refused them. I also refused the surgery. I was tested and monitored monthly at first and eventually every 3 months. This went of for over two years.

Well I'm happy to report, on my last visit. My cardiologist said and I quote, "Everything looks very normal. Whatever you're doing, keep doing it!"

What I was doing was Yoga with a very special personal focus on opening up my heart energy and releasing blocked emotions.

Every time we did a heart opening pose in class, I gently encouraged myself to become aware of my resistance (which was incredible at first).

Here's a little hint: It has been said that the poses you need the most are the ones you hate the most. So if you are wondering where you store your stuff, notice what you are resisting at start there.

After I became aware of this, it was much easier to encourage myself to stay with the pose. The worst pose for me was Camel Pose (where you sit on your knees, arch your back and open up your heart centre...by overtly moving the body in such a way that releases the physical tension, you are more subtly creating the space in which to release the emotional tension).

As soon as I got in to the pose, I wanted out. Not because I was in pain, but because I was feeling extremely anxious. Slowly I began to breathe into my heart where I could feel the emotion intensely.

By simply having the awareness and by breathing with the intent to let go...we are more likely to release, which is what I was eventually able to do.
And...if it can work me, I know it can work for you! That is why I have a created this simple step-by-step visual poster for you making it as easy as possible for you. 

Be gentle on yourself. Be kind. Healing is a process. You are doing a beautiful job. I'm here for you.