YOGA FOCUS
HEALING TRAUMA
WITH YOGA
To move past trauma, survivors need to learn to befriend the body, and yoga asana
practice and meditation can help them do that, writes YogaFit founder Beth Shaw.
e don’t need to look far to see
that as a society we are suffering;
from mass shootings and
suicides to homelessness and
addiction. For many, trauma is the root
cause of suffering. Unless the root of the
problem is dealt with, time is wasted dealing
with the symptoms. It is often hard to
differentiate symptom from cause. Untreated
trauma, often occurring in childhood, leads
to mental health issues such as anxiety,
depression,
mood,
personality
and
psychotic disorders.
The human mind has incredible
protection mechanisms as well as coping
skills. Unfortunately, we don’t always opt
for the healthiest coping techniques first.
Those skills usually have to be learnt after
some unhealthy ones have been given a
run. Trauma varies from person to person,
so it’s fortunate that the path to healing is a
very wide one with many options.
People living with residual trauma are
continually getting ready for the next attack
or life-altering event. When someone is
preoccupied by a real or imagined threat,
the resulting fear, rage, or disappointment
will be reflected in the body. Research
shows that trauma survivors suffer more
illness, in addition, muscle tension, disease,
and injury are physical manifestations of this
preoccupation.
Trauma has such a severe impact
because of the way it affects, and ultimately,
rewires the brain. When the brain gets stuck
in stress mode, it leads to physical changes
and a complicated ripple of life-altering
symptoms. Enter yoga, mindfulness and
meditation. To move past trauma, survivors
W
need to learn to befriend the body, and yoga
asana practice and meditation/mindfulness
can help them do that. Yoga allows us to be
the witness to the body, mind, and emotions,
and make better choices that contribute to
a healthier lifestyle, more positive mood,
better relationships, improved quality of life
and balanced living.
From the place of being the witness, we
can then seek the appropriate treatment.
In yoga and mindfulness, we learn that if
we can find contentment and focus in the
present moment, we will find joy. Trauma
survivors can lose this connection to the
present moment and, as a result, can
easily lose their sense of peace, joy, and
connection to others. This has been my
personal experience.
In certain respects, one may never heal
completely from trauma, but we can certainly
learn to mitigate and cope with the daily
symptoms and feelings associated with PTSD,
trauma, addiction, anxiety and depression by
applying these mind body healing tools and
principles. Mindfulness allows us to stay open,
curious, positive, and present to our unique
and individual process of healing.
Awareness is the key component to
managing the day-to-day shifts and storms.
My own approach to living with trauma,
depression, and emotional dysregulation is
simple yet complex. It involves a constant
vigilance and being the witness to the body,
mind, and emotions. I use intention plus
action to get results.
One of the best ways to start a mindfulness
practice is to simply try a few yoga classes.
Try at least five different types, styles, and
teachers. Letting go of judgement of yourself
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and expectation can be very helpful. Maybe
even try a few classes online in the privacy of
your own living room.
Having experimented, I can honestly say
that taking your healing into your own hands
is one of the most empowering things you
can do. Yoga helps give you that power. We
all heal in different ways, but what is most
important is that we recognise our victories
towards that goal. Celebrate your progress,
be kind and loving to yourself. May you have
more sunny days than rainy ones – and if it is
raining, don’t forget to dance in that rain!
Beth Shaw
Beth is CEO and founder of
YogaFit Training Systems
Worldwide Inc, which has
trained more than 200,000
fitness professionals across
six continents. She is the
author of Healing Trauma with
Yoga and Mind Body Tools.
NETWORK SUMMER 2019 | 43