Yoga Saved Me

What this episode explores

• A raw, personal story of stress, grief, and the moment everything changed
• How grief after losing both parents affected Adrianne’s physical health
• The blood pressure readings that became a wake-up call
• How yoga and mindfulness became her lifeline
• The role Veterans Yoga Project played in her healing
• A mini Mindful Resilience class you can follow along with
• Support for anyone grieving during the holidays

Key moments

• The breaking point
Adrianne shares blood pressure readings from the months after her father passed in 2021. Numbers in the red zone. A doctor who wouldn’t let her leave until they stabilized. The shock of realizing stress and grief were affecting her body more than she knew.

• What grief looked like day to day
Hair loss. Weight changes. Sleeplessness. A rash across her arm. Crying every day and trying to function while falling apart inside and missing her parents deeply, especially around holiday seasons.

• The turning point
Finding Veterans Yoga Project — free, trauma-informed classes for the military community, caregivers, and first responders. Logging in with the camera off. Crying through classes. Returning anyway. Learning breath work, meditation, mindful movement, gratitude, and rest.

• Becoming a teacher
Starting yoga teacher training with no plans to teach — just a need to heal. Earning a 200-hour certificate, then trauma-informed training, then Veterans Yoga Project certification. VYP offering her first teaching role in 2023.

• Why she teaches today
Not to perform yoga. Not to be “perfect.” But to offer community, support, and tools for navigating grief, stress, and uncertainty — the same tools that helped save her life.

Mini Mindful Resilience Class (follow along)

Breath work
• Inhale through the nose
• Exhale through the mouth
• Or breathe through parted lips if congested
• Notice coolness in, warmth out

Meditation
• Visualize light snow falling
• Imagine watching it as a child
• Notice the softness, the stillness, the quiet

Mindful movement
• Gentle neck rotations
• Shoulder rolls
• Slow head tilts with steady breath

Gratitude
• Name one small thing you appreciate
• If nothing comes, set the intention to notice gratitude today

Rest
• Take five minutes if that’s all you can find
• Let your breath settle
• Let your body soften

Holiday Grief Reflection

• Grief can hit harder during the holidays
• Empty chairs and missed traditions stir deep emotions
• It’s okay to cry — tears reflect love, not weakness
• You can show up for others only when you first show up for yourself

Resources mentioned

Veterans Yoga Project
• Free daily online classes
• Yoga, meditation, breath work, and Yoga Nidra
• For veterans, active duty, reservists, first responders, caregivers, and their families
• veteransyogaproject.org

Closing message

Grief changes you. Mindfulness and movement help you keep going.
If this season feels heavy, you’re not alone.
Take a breath.
Take your time.
Take what you need from this practice.

Release Tension When Stress Builds Up

⁠⁠⁠Free 3-Day Course⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠10-Day Course⁠⁠⁠

Mindfulness partners:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Adagio Teas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yoga Design Lab

Take a 20-minute break to unwind.

Release Tension When Stress Builds Up

⁠⁠Free 3-Day Course⁠⁠

⁠⁠10-Day Course⁠⁠

Mindfulness partners:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Adagio Teas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yoga Design Lab

Feeling drained on Thanksgiving? Dreading the holidays? This 20-minute meditation is for you.

Release Tension When Stress Builds Up

⁠Free 3-Day Course⁠

⁠10-Day Course⁠

Mindfulness partners:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Adagio Teas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Yoga Design Lab⁠

Use these affirmations to find moments of calm regardless of the chaos on the news.

Release Tension When Stress Builds Up

Free 3-Day Course

10-Day Course

Mindfulness partners:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Adagio Teas⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Yoga Design Lab

Carine in Belgium studied Sankrit in University. Listen to this episode to learn more about this amazing woman.

Release Tension When Stress Builds Up:

Free 3 Day Course

10 Day Course

Mindfulness partners:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Adagio Teas⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Yoga Design Lab

Use one deep breath between each line.

Two ways to Release Tension When Stress Builds Up:

3 Day Tension Release

10 Day Tension Release

Mindfulness partners:

⁠⁠⁠Adagio Teas⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Yoga Design Lab

Let's learn and practice the 3 Part Breath, also known as The Grand Yoga Breath. This technique serves as a cornerstone for all pranayama practices and is a great way for anyone to improve their breathing habits. Besides enhancing the functioning of all body systems, it also helps in calming the mind.

Two ways to Release Tension When Stress Builds Up:

Free 3 Day Course

10 Day Course

Mindfulness partners:

⁠⁠⁠Adagio Teas⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Yoga Design Lab

Find a quiet place, sit down, exhale, and follow my voice.

Two ways to Release Tension When Stress Builds Up:

Free 3 Day Course

10 Day Course

Mindfulness partners:

⁠⁠Adagio Teas⁠⁠

⁠⁠Yoga Design Lab

Here’s a precise, practice-based flow when sadness feels heavy.

Breathwork Exercise: Exhale Release

• Sit upright, feet grounded.

• Place one hand on your chest, one hand on your belly.

• Inhale gently through your nose for a slow count of 4.

• Hold the breath softly for 2.

• Exhale through pursed lips for a slow count of 6–7, imagining the heaviness leaving your body.

• Repeat 6–8 rounds.

• After the last round, pause in stillness and notice any shift.

Affirmations for Sadness - Speak slowly, with breath:

• “I allow myself to feel sadness without judgment.”

• “My feelings are valid, and they will pass.”

• “I am gentle with myself in this moment.”

• “I can hold sadness and still be steady.”

• “Each breath brings me a little more calm.”

Journaling Prompts

• What is the story my sadness is telling me right now?

• Where do I feel this sadness in my body? What does it need?

• If my sadness could speak, what would it ask for?

• Who or what helps me remember I’m not alone?

• What is one small act of care I can give myself today?

Two ways to Release Tension When Stress Builds Up:

⁠Free 3 Day Course⁠

⁠10 Day Course⁠

Mindfulness partners:

⁠⁠Adagio Teas⁠⁠

⁠⁠Yoga Design Lab

Meet Chaja van Boesschoten of Design IN Yoga.

Currently in Tanzania with her family, she offers classes online.

In sum, Chaja teaches Hatha/ Kundalini Yoga with a deep focus on pranayama and energetic exploration.

She has experienced living cross-culturally, having lived in the Netherlands, France, Italy, and Tanzania.

She has a strong interest in women's health.

Connect with Chaja:

Instagram: ⁠@designinyoga_⁠

Website: ⁠https://designin-yoga.kit.com/28c11e33d1/⁠

Mindfulness partners:

⁠Adagio Teas⁠

⁠Yoga Design Lab