Experiencing loss and grief is a part of life. Everyone copes in their own way, but often times many feel alone and arent sure where or who to turn to. Finding a supportive community is important, and an event this weekend is hoping to provide not only that community, but a means of dealing with the feelings of loss and grief.

On Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Williston ARC, Rachel Stewart Yoga is teaming up with Exhale Yoga & Wellness for Finding Refuge in a Community, a yoga class for grief and loss. Stewart lost her young son Jerry in May and said she found some relief through her yoga practice. After the community rallied around her and her husband Ian, a local firefighter, Stewart said she wanted to find a way to give back and help those in pain find relief as well.

It was something that just sort of saved me, mentally. Stewart told the Williston Herald. Through that, I think it really helped bring some clarity to my mind as far as death and grieving and hearing so many other peoples stories who have reached out to me about what theyve been going through.

Stewart said the class she will be teaching Saturday will be a basic class for beginners, and is meant to be accessible to anyone who wishes to participate. She added that even those with physical limitation are welcome to take part, and props can be provided to help make their practice comfortable.

Stewart said there will also be other grief and loss resources on-hand for those who need them. The ultimate goal, she said, is to provide those who have experienced loss or are supporting those who have in finding the tools they need in order to move forward, and to know that there is a community willing to offer a helping hand.

The same thing that has been beneficial for me, I think could be beneficial to most people, she explained. I wanted to share because Ive been able to just find some peace with it. Its not something Ill ever be able to change, Ill never be able to bring my boy back, Ill never be able to see him again in this life, but its important to be able to still come back to the blessings that we have in our life and be able to find gratitude in what we do still have. It about focusing on those aspects of our life versus the ones that wear us down and cause us to struggle, and I just really want to share that with other people so they can have that same experience in life.

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Grief and loss yoga class planned at Williston ARC - Williston Daily Herald