Is It Normal to Feel Emotionally Triggered During Yoga?
Some yoga poses feel physically challenging. But others? They challenge us emotionally.
Supported rest, child’s pose, or simply lying still can feel unbearable—not because of our bodies, but because of the stories we carry in them.
Some yoga poses feel physically challenging. But others? They challenge us emotionally.
Supported rest, child’s pose, or simply lying still can feel unbearable—not because of our bodies, but because of the stories we carry in them.
Why Rest Feels Unsafe for Some Bodies
If you grew up in environments where love had to be earned, productivity was praised, or stillness was unsafe, then rest might activate a threat response.
Common messages from the inner critic:
“Don’t be lazy.”
“You have to keep going.”
“You haven’t done enough.”
“You don’t deserve to relax yet.”
These aren’t just thoughts—they’re internalised beliefs, often reinforced by early relational experiences.
The Poses That Call It Out
Some specific yoga shapes tend to bring these inner dynamics to the surface:
Child’s pose (balasana): Kneeling with your forehead to the mat can feel vulnerable or evoke helplessness—especially for those who had to stay on guard.
Supported savasana: Lying back with full support often activates discomfort around receiving. It can feel like “doing nothing,” which the inner critic may condemn.
Heart openers (like reclined butterfly): These expose the chest and belly, which may feel unsafe for those with trauma histories.
Why This Discomfort Is Information
It’s not about pushing through. It’s about getting curious.
When a pose feels intolerable, try asking:
“What part of me is reacting here?”
“What does it believe about rest, stillness, or vulnerability?”
“What support do I need in this moment to feel more at ease?”
Supporting the Nervous System in Stillness
Use bolsters, blankets, and walls to signal external safety—your system doesn’t have to carry it all.
Practise for less time, more often. Small, consistent safety helps more than forced stillness.
Pair stillness with warmth—a weighted blanket, soft lighting, or gentle music can help your system soften.
End with movement. Knowing you’ll move again soon can reduce freeze responses in the body.
Affirmations for When Rest Feels Unsafe
These affirmations are not meant to override discomfort—but to gently offer another voice alongside it:
“It’s safe to pause. I can come back to movement when I’m ready.”
“I don’t need to earn rest—I’m already enough.”
“Stillness isn’t weakness. It’s a different kind of strength.”
“I can let this shape hold me. I don’t have to hold everything right now.”
“Even if it feels uncomfortable, I can be kind to the part of me that resists.”
Yoga Isn’t About Performing Stillness
It’s about exploring what happens inside when we stop doing—and how we meet ourselves there.
If you find rest confronting, you’re not failing. You’re meeting the part of you that was never taught how to feel safe there. And that’s where the work begins.