How to Start Healing the Pain of Divorce with Yoga and Meditation
Remember who you are
Has your divorce left you feeling like you don’t even know yourself anymore? A study on breakups and mental health found that the dissolution of an unmarried relationship was closely related to a decline in life satisfaction and psychological distress.
No matter which side of the breakup you were on, getting over the pain of a divorce can be a long and difficult process.
The good news is that by meditating and taking up yoga, you can start the process of healing the pain that you’re feeling.
Yoga is about so much more than exercise. It’s a way to reconnect with yourself on a level that nobody else can. Here are five ways to use yoga as a tool for healing after a painful divorce.
1. Focus on living in the moment
When going through a divorce your life becomes one giant to-do list. You have to go to work, make meals, visit lawyers, attend court dates, and basically do anything else that will prevent you from ripping your hair out.
There can different reasons for divorce and needless to say, divorce is not a thrilling process.
Do away with lists and upcoming dates and focus on the here and now while doing yoga.
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research found that living in the moment is actually good for your health. Their research shows that “When we are immersed in the present moment, guilt and anxiety dissipate. Negative emotions lose their hold on us.” The study then goes onto say that conversation flows easier when living in the moment.
Put simply, living in the moment can help you let go of life’s worries and enjoy yourself.
2. Create a new structure in your life
Routines and structures are good for us. They help us be more productive and have a sense of satisfaction when we accomplish even the simplest of daily tasks.
Yoga works best if it is practiced regularly. Many people love to do yoga at the start of the day, while others prefer giving themselves that personal time to stretch and create a sense of calm before bed.
By making yoga and meditation a part of your daily routine, you take back some of the power you may feel you have lost after getting divorced.
3. Reconnect with your inner peace
When was the last time you felt truly peaceful in your life?
Odds are your separation from your spouse threw a wrench in your regular daily routine. Now your life is filled with chaos, even if only temporary.
Yes, it is not uncommon to feel lost after getting out of a serious relationship. However, studies show that yoga is positively connected to spiritual and emotional wellness as well as personal peace. Yoga can help you learn how to center yourself and find peace in your daily routine.
4. Lose weight and boost confidence
Wait a second, isn’t yoga just a bunch of stretching?
This is a common thought of those who have never done yoga before.
While it’s true that yoga involves a lot of stretches and holding poses, it can still be incredibly helpful for losing weight and toning your body.
Yoga can influence weight loss by the difficult poses that are held for extended periods of time.
The changes you see over time, whether it is weight loss or building up strength and tolerance, will help boost your self-confidence.
5. Remember who you are
One way that yoga can help you heal from divorce is by reminding you who you are.
Take the time to meditate on who you used to be, who you are now, and set goals for yourself in the future. Not only are goals great for getting motivated about your life, but they also create a sense of drive and accomplishment in your mind. Getting to know yourself as a single person is important for your personal satisfaction. It can also help alleviate the pain you’re feeling.
The International Journal of Yoga shows that yoga can help alleviate ailments and problems that affect people today such as anxiety and depression.
Regularly practicing yoga can also assist individuals with their pursuits of peace and calm in their lives — both of which are ideal to cultivate if you are in distress, such as after getting a divorce.
Don’t let your divorce steal the joy and independence you once felt. Use yoga to reconnect with yourself. Yoga can help you live in the moment, find please, and let go of the false idea that your life has to be perfect in order to be satisfying. Topics discussed in marriage courses, such as compassion and goal-sharing, are great subjects to meditate on during your yoga sessions.
