A Cat, Backbends, and Me

My cat, Tamson  was my workout partner, he yogaed with me, did cardio, lifted weights, well okay really he just napped and snacked, while I worked out.  Tamson died about a month ago, he was old and had lived a good long life. I lost my constant companion.

Tamson lounging in one of his cat carriers.

About now you are all  wondering what this all has to be with backbends.  Backbends open the heart up.  The heart chakra is greatly affected by backbends. They can also release emotions and fears. My yoga practice today happened to include several variations on cobra pose and a couple other backbends.  

I had finished the first heart opening segment and was in the middle of the second heart opening segment in horse stance, punching and doing breath of fire.  Now the only problem was I started crying.  There was the empty kitty bed.  That’s when the breath of fire ended but I kept up with the rest of it as tears streamed down my face.  I felt my grief, sorrow, and how much I miss that cat.

Ravi Singh says “If you can feel it, you can heal it.” I let myself feel what I was feeling and punched the heck out of my sadness today.  I didn’t try to stop the tears and be “balanced” didn’t feel that I needed to get it under control.  I let it be, I let it happen, I chose to feel so that I can heal. Let healing happen in your life, let it blossom and shine. Sat nam.