Sometimes, during the day, we experience a feeling of tightness in our bodies. Our shoulders tense, our hips stiffen, and our breath becomes shallow without us even noticing.
Over the years, through practice and by really learning to listen to my body, I’ve
come to understand why. I’ve realized that the body already picks up and holds
the emotions my mind doesn’t even notice. With every practice, I’ve felt this
more and more, and gradually made it my own.
I first felt that my hips were holding onto emotions during my first yoga
practice. Suddenly, my legs began to tremble. Later, I realized that the trembling
was actually a kind of release. It turned out that all the fears, feelings of being
stuck, and insecurities I’d been carrying for years had settled there. My
shoulders are the same. Whenever I take on too much or feel overwhelmed,
they’re the first to react. They rise, as if carrying an invisible weight. When that
happens, my chest tightens, and my breath becomes shallow.
I usually notice the tightness in my diaphragm last, because the breath is where
we hold the most. The things we don’t say, the emotions we push down, the
feelings we put off… From the outside, it might look like we’re just breathing,
but really, our breath is a silent container for our emotions. Whenever I want to
say something but hold back, lower my voice, or push an emotion aside because
‘now’s not the right time, it all ends up in my diaphragm. I notice this
especially during intense periods, my breath becomes quick, and my belly
doesn’t fully expand, because the body instinctively protects that area first. It’s
no wonder the diaphragm gets affected so much. Breath is like a bridge between
the body and emotions. The more consciously I breathe, the more I feel the
burden start to dissolve.
For me, breathing is no longer just a vital function; it’s
the most essential tool that lets me truly sense my emotions.
In yoga, this process of remembering becomes even more noticeable. When I
hold a pose for a while, I feel a wave rising through my body. Sometimes it
brings relief, sometimes sadness, and sometimes a kind of emptiness I can’t
quite put into words. It no longer surprises me when a student suddenly bursts
into tears during class, because I know that in that moment, the body is simply
releasing what it’s been holding.
That’s why breathwork is so important to me. When I take a deep breath, I truly
feel a sense of relief. It’s as if my body is saying, ‘You’re safe now.’ When that
sense of safety comes, my muscles relax, my mind settles, and the weight I’ve
been carrying inside begins to ease.
The body doesn’t forget. But when we give it space, allowing it to soften through
breath, movement, and relaxation, it begins to release the burdens we’ve carried
for years. Perhaps this is exactly what we mean by healing: the body opening,
loosening, and gently reminding us of the truth in its own time.
Melis Gence
Instagram: @melispurelife Mail: a.melisgence@gmail.com
