I distinctly remember the first time I had a big emotional event in my personal yoga practice.

It was in a Sunday evening class that I took regularly. The room was intentionally kept dim and the studio was outlined with battery-powered tea lights. I loved this class. It was the self-care I needed at that time in my life when I was bartending for long hours and trying to keep my head above water in school.

The teacher took us through Sasangasana, Rabbit Pose, and I believe it was the first time I had ever experienced the shape. For those who are unfamiliar with Rabbit, I often call this shape Unsatisfying Summersault Pose. Your body is tightly coiled into itself while you lift your hips and hold onto your heels for dear life. As I came out of my first Rabbit Pose I felt a huge rush come over my body and I started to sob. I remember thinking, Thank goodness the lights are low and the sweat is disguising my tears.

Is is normal to feel emotional after a shape? Yes!

Will all people feel the same emotion while in or coming out of a shape? Heck no!

For the first few years of my teaching career I recall telling students that once they came out of Camel Pose (or really any backbend) that they might feel a rush of emotions. I didn’t know why I was saying it considering it’s not something I had experienced in my own practice. It was most likely another scenario where I was simply repeating the words my teachers at the time were sharing in their classes.

Sure, we could go further into the Chakra system and discuss how backbending shapes could maybe have a connection to the Anahata Chakra, the one associated with the heart. Or we could consider how shapes like Camel cause people to move backward in a space, a direction we’re typically not accustomed to.

At this point in my teaching career, I don’t see value in telling students which emotions they might feel when exiting a shape. I invite students to experience their practice however they’re experiencing it without me inputting my two cents. And, if a student approaches me about big emotions they had in or after a shape, I think it’s important to validate their experience.

For me, my big emotional moment came after a shape that is pretty much the physical opposite of Camel. Emotions can happen in and after any shape! And you may not feel any big emotions during your practice and that’s okay too!

Was it Rabbit Pose that released the emotions for me? Or was it the fact that I was battling depression, unsure if my antidepressants were working properly, and managing a schedule of working until 3am and going to class at 8am? I’ll let you be the judge of that.

Regardless of what caused it, if Rabbit Pose wasn’t going to shake loose some emotions, I’m sure all those emotions that were stored in my hips were sure to be released in my next Half Pigeon Pose. (Sarcasm doesn’t always translate via written word. That was very much sarcastic.)