10am - 12pm PT
In 2018, Courtney lost her younger sister to a sudden, tragic accident. The depth of grief that followed was something she had never before experienced. She described the feeling to friends and family as, “being hit by a truck in the center of my chest.” The muscles and bones around her heart and lungs became contracted as she carried the heaviness of despair.
The shock of sudden loss, the feeling of deep heartache, the weight of emotion— these are stored in the fascia of our body, creating muscular contraction that prevents us from opening ourselves to participate fully in life. Through the practice of restorative yoga, we can support the body through expansive states of breath, posture, and awareness that allow us to process stuck emotion. We can reprogram the memory held in our tissues to one of remembering our innate joy for life. This class will be an opportunity to cultivate our grounded center, to practice being the witness of all that arises, and to observe our experience from a place of compassion.
In this workshop, inspired by principles of Iyengar yoga, Courtney will guide the group through breathing techniques and yoga postures that have helped her through the journey of grief to re-open the heart, expand the lungs, and calm the mind.
If you have any yoga props such as a bolster, blankets, and/or yoga bricks, please have these available to assist you in our practice together. (If you don’t have these items, that’s okay, just bring yourself!)