If you have gone through a loss, especially the passing of a loved one, you would know that grief is a challenging experience that affects us in profound ways. While grief may be accompanied by intense emotions and sorrow, it also presents an opportunity for healing and growth.
One powerful tool that can aid in the grieving process is creativity. In this blog post, we will explore how creativity can help you in the grief journey, offering solace and healing at this time.
Grief as a creative process.
Hard though it may be, if you look at grief, it is a creative process. With the loss of someone, there is a reconstruction – a dissembling and reassembling of our lives, our very being.
Creativity, in its various forms, offers a way to express and process these emotions, allowing us to find meaning and purpose amidst the pain. By embracing creativity, we tap into our inner resources and engage in a transformative journey.
Release through creative expression.
When words fall short, creativity becomes a powerful outlet for releasing pent-up emotions. Through art, music, writing, or any other creative medium, we can perhaps draw out our feelings, giving them a tangible form outside our being.
The creation process itself can be a cathartic release, allowing us to let go of pain, anger, and sadness, and paving the way for healing and renewal.
Reflect on and discover yourself.
Engaging in creative endeavours opens a space for self-reflection and self-discovery. The process of creating allows us to explore our inner world, uncover hidden emotions, and gain insights into our own healing journey.
Whatever our creative process may be – painting, journaling, dancing, pottery – we can delve deeper into our grief, uncovering layers of understanding and finding new perspectives that bring us closer to acceptance and growth.
Build connections and finding support.
Creativity can also be a bridge that connects us with others who share similar experiences. Engaging in creative activities within support groups, workshops, or online communities creates a sense of belonging and validation.
It offers an avenue for sharing, finding common ground, and supporting one another through the healing process. Connecting with others who understand our grief is a comfort, and can be empowering.
Embracing Transformation and Resilience.
Creativity has the power to transform our grief journey into a story of resilience and hope. By engaging in creative pursuits, we tap into our innate ability to adapt, evolve, and find beauty amidst the pain.
Through the act of creation, we become active participants in our healing process, rebuilding our lives with a renewed sense of purpose and strength.
Yoga tips for creativity in grief:
We are all creative, whether or not we may consider ourselves as such. Creativity can be through any outlet, including cooking, making up games with our kids, or coming up with an incredible presentation.
Yoga has a few tools to help you ignite creativity:
- Yoga asana focusing on the throat chakra may help spark your creativity further. Learn more here.
- Ujayii breath – a form of yogic breathing (pranayama) may also help with creativity (see below).
- Listening is a part of creativity and communication – so pay attention to what your passions are? Do you love flowers? Do you love animals? Do you love reading? All these are important ‘listening to self’ kind of study that we can do – also known as pratyahara in Sanskrit.
Creative Resilience For Grief Support.
This guided meditation is to help you unlock your creativity as a healing tool in your grief. The meditation will guide you to find the creativity within you and reflect on which form of creativity suits you best. Then the practice will lead you to harness your own creative energy as a tool to support your healing.
How to practise Ujayii Breath:
Ujayii breath – also know as Breath of Victory or Ocean Breathing – is the most common breath practice while moving through yoga asana. To begin practising, perhaps try it first in a sit practice as follows:
- Lengthen your spine and soften the spaces of your face;
- Check in with your throat and mouth, relax the spaces there
- Begin by connecting with your breath, keeping your mouth closed through your inhales and exhales
- Slowly begin to constrict the muscles at the back of your throat so that that your breathing makes an ‘oceanic’ sound
- For some, this breath practice may create a loud snoring noise, a soft whispery sound, or a rushing noise.
- TIP: Open your mouth and imagine trying to fog up a mirror or window (just breathe in and out, there is no need to use your voice in the process). Once you get into a steady rhythm, slowly close your mouth and you’re there! … or almost there…
Being vulnerable, being creative.
While grief may seem overwhelming, incorporating creativity into our grieving process can be a profound source of healing, growth, and self-discovery.
Whether through painting, writing, music, pottery, dancing or even your own self-sequenced yoga practice, we unlock the power of expression, connection, and transformation.
Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.
Brene Brown
And in grief, we are definitely vulnerable. By embracing creativity, we honour our grief, find solace in the act of creation, and ultimately embark on a journey of healing, resilience, and renewal.
Check out the Yoga For Grief Chakra Immersion below (free BTW) if you would like to practise with the throat chakra to help you with creativity in your grief.
