OMG, Bubba, my beautiful cat died earlier this year! I was gutted. Yoga did not take my sadness away…but it did help with my grief. I know some people reading this may be like … who cares? It’s a cat. That’s fine…keep reading, this post is not for you! Lol.
For those who are missing a furry loved one, this is for you. And you know, maybe it’s not a cat you are grieving. Perhaps a dog or another pet or loved one or loss of some kind. Loss of any kind is hard. My thoughts are with you on this journey.
Yoga has always helped me with other aspects of my life…at work, before a big presentation, or helping me to sleep or be present when I am teaching yoga. Who knew it would also help me when my gorgeous cat became too frail to live, and I was absolutely gutted…
Yoga can help to:
- Pause (we pause regularly during practice and meditate)
- Be patient
- Listen internally to what you need (e.g. maybe you need to call a friend for support, or perhaps you need to see a grief counsellor or perhaps move your body to de-stress, everyone is different)
- Rest (honour your own journey)
- Move your body to release stress hormones in your body, if that’s what you need (walk, yoga, gym, get fresh air outside)
- My breathing exercises helped as I said a teary farewell to my furry companion
Basically, when the body is stressed, one of the first things to happen is you/humans can start to have a shallow breath and panic or breathe from the throat. Also, cortisol (stress hormone) can start flooding the body making it hard to sleep, or rest or stay calm. These are all natural responses to grief. What I have been learning about as well is the stages of grief.
My lovely cat was old, she was 17 years old, and her quality of life was poor. It felt cruel to keep her alive to keep me company, so I found a very kind vet to assist with euthanasia. So, logically I knew it was for the best, but I felt terrible. Overtime, I have stopped crying! And so happy for the moments I had with her…she was a very spoilt cat with me and her previous guardian. Ha ha…and now, I have so much empathy for pet owners when I see them heartbroken that their pet has left earthside. Hence, this pet related post!
Please also know that if sad feelings are overwhelming and persist, there is help available from trained mental health professionals, your local doctor, free services are available. Including Lifeline Australia – 13 11 14 – Crisis Support. Suicide Prevention. Always reach out for support.
So this post is dedicated to all my pet lovers who are grieving or anyone else experiencing loss. Grief is sometimes like a wave. Some days you are good, and other days, the current is strong and pulling you in another direction with rough/choppy waves. Hang in there.
With love,
Roxy xx
