Redford Lewis (our almost 15-year-old fur baby) passed away a week ago.

Grief is a natural and healthy response to loss.

In my grieving, the first few days, I felt stuck, crying all the time, consoling my fiancé Waylon, fatigued, not feeling creative, and not feeling ready to speak about any of it, really.

Emotions from the loss of my beloved Daddy and my Abuela, Rosa, re-opened. My heart was once again broken, and it hurts, and it sucks…but I came back to my breath, came back to the immense love I shared with them, the memories, the good, the bad…and my heart became fueled with love, again.

Like a flower to the sun, I began opening up, and felt more ready to talk to family and friends about it. To pet another sentient being, and not cry all over them..!

That’s when my friend Diana suggested I should share this learning and healing moment with others who are experiencing grief or loss. I’m glad I listened to her. She also edited this video!

I would like to offer a space, a yoga practice, to help you honor the process of your grief and loss. To welcome and uncork the bottled emotions we might be carrying with us during this difficult time.

Grief is such an emotional, intellectual, and spiritual roller coaster that it can easily become stuck in our physical bodies. So, for the next 35 minutes, give yourself the space to feel and process whatever chooses to show up for you:

Knowing that there will be good and bad days, I lean myself into my yoga practice. Some days I want to move fast, breathe fast, and shake it all out. Other days, I just want to hold a pose indefinitely.

There are moments where you really miss the heck out of them…where you just really wish they were here…to then realize that the relationship you had with them didn’t end, it just changed.

My ángelitos. My angels are always with me, in my heart.

If you have lost someone or something close to you, I want to give you my condolences and I am wishing brighter days for your future. Sending you peace and love, and thank you for your love.

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Learn more about Redford:

“Grief is the price we pay—it’s still worth it.” On the death of my dog Redford.

The love of a dog can heal our world.

Just buried Redford.

Redford just passed away. <3

The Adventures of Redford (Half-Hound, All-Trouble). [Rough Draft, Children’s Book]

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