Yoga for Jealousy - Moving Through the Emotion with Compassion and Breath

Jealousy is a deeply human emotion—one that can feel uncomfortable, even shameful. It often arises when we perceive someone else has something we lack: love, success, beauty, freedom, attention. Beneath the surface, jealousy is rarely about the other person. It’s a messenger, pointing us toward our unmet needs, insecurities, or unacknowledged desires. Rather than suppressing or judging jealousy, yoga invites us to approach it with compassion, curiosity, and breath. When we bring this emotion into the light of awareness and move through it with intention, we create space for healing, self-understanding, and emotional resilience.

Understanding Jealousy Through a Yogic Lens

In yogic philosophy, emotions like jealousy are considered vrittis—mental fluctuations that disturb the stillness of the mind. They are not “bad” or wrong, but rather waves that can be observed, processed, and transformed. Through mindful movement, breathwork, and meditation, yoga offers tools to acknowledge jealousy without identifying with it, to feel it without feeding it. Jealousy tends to contract the body: we hunch, tighten the jaw, clench the fists, and protect the heart. Yoga offers the antidote—expansion, softening, grounding, and openness. The following poses and practices can support you in releasing jealousy and reconnecting with your own inner worth.

Supportive Yoga Poses for Jealousy

Heart-Opening Poses (To Expand Compassion & Vulnerability) Jealousy often stems from feeling “not enough.” Heart openers help release tension from the chest and shoulders, where we often guard against vulnerability.

Camel Pose (Ustrasana): Opens the heart and throat chakras, helping release held emotion and speak your truth.
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana): Gently lifts and opens the heart space, restoring emotional balance.
Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana): Combines the grounding of child’s pose with a heart-opening stretch.

Grounding Poses (To Create Stability & Inner Security) These poses help you reconnect with your own foundation, especially when comparison has pulled you out of center.

Child’s Pose (Balasana): Soothes the nervous system and allows a sense of surrender.
Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana): Encourages introspection and letting go.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana): Cultivates a sense of rootedness and self-connection.

Twists (To Release Mental Stagnation & Shift Perspective) Twisting poses help you literally and energetically “wring out” stuck emotions.

Revolved Chair Pose (Parivrtta Utkatasana): Builds heat and helps move stagnant energy.
Supine Twist: A gentle release that helps calm the mind and open the heart.

Breath & Reflection

Pair your physical practice with deep, conscious breathing, such as Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) to calm the mind and balance emotional energy. After your practice, take a few moments to journal:

What is this jealousy trying to teach me?
What part of me is longing to be seen, loved, or valued?
Can I honour my desires without comparing them to someone else’s path?

Jealousy as a Gateway to Growth

When we work with jealousy instead of against it, we begin to see it not as a weakness, but as a signal—a call to return to self-compassion, to honour our desires, and to celebrate others without diminishing ourselves. Yoga becomes not just a tool for the body, but a balm for the heart.