“The body keeps the score, and yoga is a way to rewrite the story.” – Bessel van der Kolk.
Ermergherd! How is it Thursday already? Do you ever feel like your life is just one giant Groundhog Day? I feel like that every time I hit Wednesday!
Meanwhile, I wanted to talk about yogasana and the emotional release that can sometimes rise up out of nowhere and smack us in the feels.
Have you ever found yourself unexpectedly emotional during a yoga practice? Maybe frustration bubbles up in an intense shoulder stretch, or tears surface in a deep hip opener. Perhaps a wave of joy washes over you in a heart-opening pose and you feel like laughing out loud, or an old memory suddenly surfaces without warning. If this has ever happened to you, know that you’re not alone—and more importantly, that it’s completely natural.
Yoga isn’t just about stretching the body; it’s about unwinding stored emotions, experiences, and energy that have been held within us, sometimes for years. When we move and breathe with awareness, we create space—not just in the muscles, but in the mind and heart as well.
So, let’s explore why emotions arise in yogasana and how we can navigate these moments with compassion and awareness, and to just trust in the process.
Why Do We Store Emotions in the Body?
The body and mind are deeply interconnected. When we experience emotions—whether joy, grief, anger, or fear—those feelings don’t just exist in our thoughts; they manifest in our nervous system, muscles, and tissues.
Think about how your body reacts to stress—shoulders creeping toward the ears, a tight jaw, a clenched stomach. Over time, if these tensions aren’t released, they become habitual patterns, storing emotional energy within the body. Yoga, through movement, breath, and deep presence, offers a way to access and release these stored emotions.
The Emotional Map of the Body
Different areas of the body are often linked to specific emotions, which is why certain poses can bring up unexpected feelings:
🧎♀️ Hips – The Emotional Junk Drawer
The hips are a powerful storage space for unprocessed emotions, particularly grief, sadness, and past traumas. Long-held poses like Pigeon Pose (Kapotasana) or Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana) can bring up unexpected waves of emotion as we soften and release tension.
🔥 Shoulders & Neck – The Weight of the World
Tight shoulders and a stiff neck often indicate stress, frustration, or unspoken emotions. If you’ve ever felt irritation or agitation while working in Eagle Pose (Garudasana) or deep shoulder openers, it could be your body’s way of processing built-up pressure and responsibility.
💖 Chest & Heart – Openness, Joy, & Vulnerability
Heart-opening poses, such as Camel Pose (Ustrasana) or Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana), can be incredibly uplifting—but they can also feel vulnerable and confronting. If you experience an unexpected surge of joy, sadness, or even resistance in these poses, your heart might be releasing old grief or emotional barriers.
💨 Throat – Unspoken Words
A tight throat or discomfort in Fish Pose (Matsyasana) or Plow Pose (Halasana) might be linked to communication blockages—things left unsaid, emotions suppressed. These poses can help clear emotional congestion, allowing for more authentic self-expression.
What to Do When Emotions Arise on the Mat
1. Breathe Through It
Instead of resisting or suppressing emotions, allow them to be there. Deep, steady breaths—especially exhales—help move the energy through you, rather than keeping it stuck.
2. Meet Yourself with Compassion
If frustration, sadness, or vulnerability arises, let go of judgment. You are not “too sensitive” or “too emotional”—you are simply human, healing, and processing.
3. Stay Present & Listen
Ask yourself: What is my body telling me? Is there something I need to acknowledge, let go of, or make peace with? Sometimes, just witnessing emotions without analyzing them is enough
4. Let the Tears Flow (or the Laughter!)
If tears come, let them. If joy bubbles up, embrace it. These moments of emotional release are gifts—they mean something is shifting, opening, and healing within you.
5. Ground Yourself After Practice
If you experience an emotional release, take a few extra moments in Savasana or Child’s Pose to recenter and ground. Place your hands on your heart or belly, reminding yourself: I am safe. I am present. I am whole.
The Beauty of Emotional Release
Experiencing emotions during yoga is a sign that your practice is working. It means you’re allowing your body to release old layers of tension, stored stress, and emotional weight that no longer serves you.
Healing isn’t always a linear journey—sometimes, we uncover things we weren’t expecting. But trust that every release, every deep breath, and every moment of presence is a step toward greater freedom, lightness, and connection to yourself.
So the next time you feel tears in Pigeon Pose, frustration in Eagle, or joy in Camel, know that your body is guiding you exactly where you need to go.
What's happening in The Pantry? 🧘♀️
Beginner Yoga Courses Are back and in full swing.
This is a fantastic course that I have honed over a decade of teaching it to hundreds of new yoga enthusiasts. I love teaching it. I love sharing it and I love seeing the results the students get from just 8 sessions of consistent practice.
It really is a fantastic course to upskill or start your yoga journey, and we have plenty of people take it as a refresher every year or so as well as bring their friends and family.
If you need a refresher or just want to ease back into your practice join us either on a Monday or Thursday evening and bring a friend ;)
SIGN UP TODAY and enjoy the myriad benefits of a regular yoga practice, plus be part of the best darn beginner yoga course in town.
MALA, MANTRA AND MANIFESTATION WORKSHOP
This doesn't come around that often (maybe once every few years) so grab one of the super limited spots in the class and learn how to make your own hand-knotted mala, that you can use in your meditation practice or to curb your anxiety. Learn how to use it effectively and learn a super amazing manifestation ritual while you're at it :)
It's time to manifest your best life for 2025 and beyond.
All the deets are right here I can't wait to share this wonderful workshop with you, so book your spot and join me at the end of THIS month!
Restorative Yoga Workshop
Your beloved 2 hours of restorative yoga is back in April and June.
Restorative yoga is a completely different experience than most other styles of yoga. Restorative yoga is a restful practice that is all about slowing down and opening your body through passive stretching. If you take a restorative class, you may hardly move at all, doing just a few postures over the course of the session. It is a practice of deep relaxation that emphasizes the meditative aspect of yoga—the union of body and mind. Through the use of props for support, many of the postures are held almost effortlessly.
Head here to book your sessions and join Tash for a restful evening of deep relaxation.
Don't forget our NEW SUNDAY MORNING class :)
Join Ele for an exploration of your being every Sunday morning at 9.30am!
Head here to book all your regular yoga classes
Remember you can join us online from anywhere in the world, live or at a time that suits you with our instant 14-day on-demand Zoom recording!
Don't forget you can also join us for a FREE meditation session every Saturday morning, and even if you can't you can book in via Zoom and do the meditation later in the day :)
Get To Know Your Teacher Series
Meet Karryn
Professional Background
What inspired you to start teaching yoga? I moved to Tokyo and was looking for community. I found that at my local studio and my love for yoga grew from there. I wanted to create spaces where all people felt welcome and accepted.
How long have you been practising and teaching yoga? I dabbled in yoga during my teens but didn't really get serious till my early twenties. I took my first teacher training in 2007 and started teaching the following year.
What styles of yoga do you teach or love practising the most? I was all about vinyasa when I began. It was my first love but now I really appreciate balancing my yang with some yin. I'm in absolute bliss when I practice Yoga Nidra.
What’s your teaching philosophy or approach to yoga? That's a big question. I think a lot relates to what brought me to yoga. We're all connected and sometimes in the rush of daily life we forget that. I want people to feel connected to themselves and connected to each other. I want to create safe spaces for people to be themselves and find a little peace and calm.
What’s your favourite yoga pose and why? There are so many. Can I pick Savasana? I'm dreaming of Yoga Nidra now that I just wrote it.
What’s the one thing you want students to take away from your classes? A sense of inner calm.
Personal Insights
What’s something unique about your yoga journey or practice? I have taught in so many places, and not just in different countries but places within those countries, from a shelter in Washington DC to a rooftop terrace in Italy. All those experiences and different cultures have really shaped me.
What are your go-to ways to unwind outside of yoga? Being in nature. If it's green I'm good.
Do you have a morning or evening routine that keeps you grounded? I try to wake up early to meditate and do a short yoga practice or breathwork but in the last few months I've been listening more to my body and sometimes that means just staying in bed for that extra half hour.
What’s your favourite way to incorporate mindfulness into daily life? Reminding myself to be present, pausing for three deep breaths anywhere and everywhere (I promise just three breaths makes such a difference).
Fun & Quirky
If you could invite any 3 people (alive or historical) to a yoga class, who would they be and why? My first (serious) yoga teacher Leza Lowitz as she started me on this path. I'd also love to see more of my family on the mat as I know how much they'd benefit from it.
What’s the most unexpected thing in your yoga bag? I travel light to yoga but I am known to have many a random thing in my handbag.
Describe yourself in three words! Calm, welcoming, loyal
Do you have a favourite mantra, quote, or affirmation you live by? I love so many. I always come back to being present and curious. I also chose a word for this year and it's "space." I'm attracted to so many ideas around that word, creating space in my daily life, creating space in my body and mind.
What’s a fun fact about you that most people wouldn’t guess? I love Bollywood movies and even used to take Bollywood dance classes. Sadly I haven't seen a Bollywood film in a long time now and my Bollywood dance moves would be quite embarrassing at this stage.
Studio Connection
What do you love most about teaching at The Yoga Pantry? It reminds me of my first studio with a friendly community.
What’s your favourite thing about The Yoga Pantry community? Everyone is warm, and welcoming and nobody takes themselves too seriously. We all benefit from a little laughter.
What makes your classes unique or special? I love to give lots of options to up-level or down-level so everyone feels welcome.
Quickfire Round
Favourite yoga prop: bolster
Favourite yoga playlist vibe: chill
Tea or coffee?: oat flat white
Favourite local spot to relax: Waitakere Ranges
One thing you can’t live without: Yoga
Karryn teaches Ebb and Flow Vinyasa every Thursday night at 6pm and our incredible Thursday Night Beginner Course at 7.15pm.
Join her in person in our beautiful studio in Mt Eden or from the cosy comfort of your own home.
Book a class with Karryn and enjoy the delightful benefits of moving with your breath and challenging what you thought you were capable of.
See you on the mat!
Let’s keep breathing, moving, and healing. 🌿✨
With love & deep release,
Tash x
P.P.S Don’t forget to share your Yoga insights on social media with the hashtag #TheYogaPantryLife #Yogaislife
Let’s spread the yoga love far and wide!
I see you, and I appreciate you, you are awesome x
