The experiences we live during the different stages of our lives mark us and shape who we are as adults. Since development is progressive, what impacts us negatively in childhood will continue to be reflected in adolescence and so on.
The accumulation of these adverse experiences are the triggers of what is known as trauma. Trauma is the result of a series of events that cause extreme stress on a psychological and physiological level. This affects different dimensions such as physical, cognitive, emotional, social and spiritual.
Traditional behavioral therapy treatments aimed at introspection are focused on processing traumatic experiences through verbal communication. Prolonged exposure to these therapies helps people mainly on a cognitive, emotional and social level., but it lacks addressing the somatic symptoms of trauma, that is, everything that manifests itself on a physical level in our body. The body is a mirror of our feelings, ideas and beliefs, each cell responds to each of the thoughts and words we emit.
Yoga is a holistic practice where the union of body, mind and spirit is worked on. EIn modern medicine, yoga is increasingly used as a complementary tool for the comprehensive well-being of people and capable of being used as a treatment for trauma.. Different studies show how yoga positively impacts different dimensions of development, mainly physical, emotional and spiritual.
Deep breathing exercises, meditation to calm the mind, and the stretching, balance, and strength postures offered by yoga can mitigate the fight-or-flight response caused by acute stress. This response is activated when people perceive a threat to their safety; it is a reaction to feeling attacked or insecure about the environment to which they are exposed. Traumas are a trigger for this button which can be on for years, under a perception of living defensively of your environment and those around you. On a physical level, an excess of adrenaline and high levels of cortisol are secreted, which brings a series of hormonal alterations to the body that destabilize it, generating insomnia, migraines, indigestion, weight gain, hypertension, inflammation and joint tension, muscle contractions and anxiety among other symptoms.
Through yoga exercises you can work on postural hygiene that eliminates rigidity in the skeleton, lubrication in the joints and flexibility of the ligaments, which in turn translate into a perception of releasing rigidity in thoughts and being more flexible in the way we approach the situations that arise in our daily lives. When a way of speaking and thinking becomes continuous, it ends up expressing itself in behaviors and bodily postures, in ways of being and "being bad." We are our routine and what we think daily, which is why approaching therapy in a comprehensive and holistic way is important to heal the traumas that we may carry with us.
Body conditions vary from one individual to another, since the trauma experienced in each person is different, so treatment is and should be personalized., with the proper accompaniment of a health professional. In yoga there are various styles, techniques and modalities that make this a very vast therapy to explore in the treatment of trauma. The most common styles in trauma therapy are Hatha, restorative yoga and vinyasa. Their differences lie in the duration of the session, the depth and intensity of the postures, breathing techniques and the use of props.
Any of these styles apply to beginners and can be taken in group sessions or personalized to give a much more specific approach to the trauma you want to work on. The general idea is to work on entering that state of relaxation and plenitude, where the person feels comfortable and safe to experiment and explore with their body, be more aware of it and thus be able to heal.
The essential key to yoga is breathing. Sending your focus to each inhalation and exhalation and letting them guide your movements generates a meditation in movement. Practice inhalations and exhalations through your nose at home with your mouth closed, without clenching your lips and teeth, relaxing your tongue and keeping your eyes closed. Count three to five seconds per inhalation and exhalation attentively for 10 minutes. At the end of the exercise, notice how revitalized your body will feel. Thank yourself for that moment you gave yourself to breathe deeply and calm your mind, letting go of any thoughts outside the present.
«With love I listen to the messages of my body». Add this affirmation to your daily meditation and start your day receptive and aware, the key to healing is within you.
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ABOUT
Astrid is a nutritionist who studied a Master of Science in Public Health in Monterrey and lives in Culiacán with her husband.
She likes to research current health topics in the company of her dog Lya. She is a yoga instructor and enjoys the friendships she has generated through her classes.
