Yoga for Grief and Loss: Poses, Meditation, Devotion, Self-Reflection, Selfless Acts, Ritual - Paperback

by Karla Helbert (Author), Chinnamasta Stiles (Foreword by)

Just as grief is an experience that affects us physically, mentally, emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually, yoga sustains and strengthens us in all of those same areas. This book demonstrates how the principles and practices of yoga can help relieve symptoms of grief allowing those who have experienced loss to move toward wholeness, peace, and feelings of connection with loved ones who have died.

Exploring the six branches of yoga, the book shows how each branch can support us through grief in different ways whether it be the self-reflection of Jnana Yoga, the spiritual devotion of Bhakti Yoga, the meditation of Raja Yoga, or the physical postures of Hatha Yoga. We are shown how to begin and sustain a personal practice, both on and off the yoga mat, which helps us to cope with and move through grief on multiple levels. Expressive and experiential exercises are included to help explore each of the branches of yoga and find ways to put the tenets of each branch into real life practice.

Author Biography

Karla Helbert is a certified yoga instructor trained in Integrated Movement Therapy(R), a therapy that uses the philosophical, physical and spiritual framework of yoga in conjunction with conventional clinical treatment perspectives. She is also a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and a certified Compassionate Bereavement Care(R) provider. She operates a private psychotherapy practice with a focus on loss, grief and bereavement and facilitates bereavement support groups for local hospices and for the MISS Foundation. As a bereaved mother and a trained therapist, she has a deep personal, as well as clinical, understanding of the difficult issues facing those grieving the deaths of loved ones. She is the author of Finding Your Own Way to Grieve: A Creative Activity Workbook for Kids and Teens on the Autism Spectrum. She lives in Richmond, VA.