How Yoga Helps Highly Sensitive People Reconnect with Their Emotions

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) or you’ve at least heard about it, right?

You might be wondering, how exactly can yoga help HSPs?

To explain, let me share a bit of my personal story.

For a long time, I wasn’t in tune with my own emotions. As an HSP, I was always hyper-aware of the energy in a room. I could sense when others were stressed, upset, or even just a little off. I’d pick up on the smallest shifts in how they spoke, moved, or looked at me.

I was constantly worried if someone was mad at me and why that might be. My focus was always on how others were feeling and what I could do to make them like me more.

But in the process, I completely forgot about myself.

It got to the point where I barely knew how I felt. Even when I sat down to reflect after an emotional situation, nothing would come up. On the rare occasion I realized I was sad or upset, I would immediately rationalize it: “Oh, they didn’t mean it that way, so there’s no reason to be sad,” or “I probably did something wrong, so I shouldn’t be angry that they treated me poorly.”

For the longest time, I believed I was never angry! I saw myself as calm, always at ease, not easily irritated. But the truth is:

I was just really good at suppressing it.

One of the things that helped me reconnect with my emotions was yoga. Specifically, there were two yoga classes I regularly attended that made a big impact on me, and they both had two things in common:

1. Music as a guide: Music played a central role in setting the atmosphere. It allowed me to sink into the flow of movement, amplifying whatever I was feeling at that moment. Whether I was happy, sad, or angry, the music helped me dive deeper into my emotions and work through them during the practice.

2. The power of words: Hearing the right words at the right time made a world of difference. When the instructor said something that resonated, it opened the door to understanding how I really felt. Combined with movement and breath—and without any judgment—my emotions would suddenly surface.
   
   

Sometimes, it was hard to let myself feel sad, even crying during class. Other times, I could feel how angry I was and release all that energy through a set of burpees. But through it all, I was finally feeling—really feeling—and understanding myself.

And once I became aware of my emotions and needs, I could start making changes in my life. The past few years have seen so much growth, and looking back, I’m proud of what I’ve achieved.

More importantly, I want to offer this experience to others, especially to fellow HSPs.

I believe we HSPs tend to lean heavily into other people’s emotions. Don’t get me wrong—our empathy is one of our greatest strengths—but in focusing on others, we can forget ourselves.

What we truly need (and what ultimately benefits others, too) is to stay connected to ourselves. When we know our own needs and boundaries, we can bloom. And when we bloom, we’re truly powerful. When we shine, we inspire others. If we take care of ourselves, we have the energy to be fully present for those around us.

So, if you’d like to learn more about my blend of dance and yoga, I’d love for you to stop by my Instagram (@jenniferrao.yoga) and say hi with a comment or message!

Embracing your journey with you,

Jennifer