A friend of mine reached out to me last week that she has been having a tough few days. I told her something that my husband always says to me when I have a tough few days. Mark has said to me on more than a few occasions, "Take a day...watch a movie, go to yoga, just give in to it for the day, and you might feel better tomorrow." For me, in a way, him saying these words to me , gives me permission to just surrender to the dark feelings. (now, I have the type of job that allows me to check out for the day and i know not everyone can do that) However, for him to just say that to me, makes me feel OK with the feelings. Otherwise, I'd be fighting the feeling all day, coming into hiding (yes i still have to try and not hide). Putting all the energy into fighting to feel better, and hide the darkness...makes it worse the very next day. But him giving me permission, saying it's 'OK...Feel what you feel.' ...usually allows the darkness to pass right through.
This is a huge theme in Yoga. Feel what you feel, feel it all. For example, Chair pose...for me and for many this is a tough pose to stay in for a while, even though your legs are the strongest muscles in your body...for me, the minute i get in, i want to get out. It is uncomfortable, it takes an overwhelming amount of mental energy to stick with this pose. The "practice" in this pose and often through the yoga practice is getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. What happens when you are uncomfortable? Feel the feelings, surrender to it, breathe and be OK with it. It kind of sounds pretty similar to what my husband has been saying to me all along. Ha! I knew deep down inside of him lived a yogi - if only i could get him to a class;)