I've been alive for 29 years and I have had my fair share of trauma, hurt and pain so when I started my conscious healing journey, I had my work cut out for me. Healing isn't sunshine and daisies or cute yoga pics (see above LOL)! Healing is gruesome work, its discipline, its late nights crying, its dealing with painful memories, its facing your deepest darkest fears, its confronting yourself and taking accountability for the role you've played in some of your pain. Healing is work and effort and dedication and discipline and it is always worth it because healing is for you and you are divinely worthy and deserving.
One thing that has made my healing journey a little easier is that there are so many different tools available for us and we can always tweak them to suit our wants and needs. I've been blessed enough to have been exposed to yoga as a practice and as a philosophy and I can confidently say that I owe so much of my healing to yoga and here's why/how:
So its very important for me to let you know that I believe that healing takes place on various levels; mind-body-soul, because trauma often attacks on various levels. Trauma affects the way we think (mind), how we feel (body) and energy (soul). Yoga is a practice that impacts the entire mind, body and soul, making it the perfect tool for healing.
Through a regular yoga practice I have learned to have control over the types of thoughts that I entertain. One of the recurring thoughts that stood in the way of my healing (especially after being raped) was that it was my fault and that I no longer had control over my body. I used mantras and affirmations and the logic that came about through the critical thinking that yoga philosophy encourages to counter those faulty and destructive beliefs. You can look up or come up with your affirmations, my healing affirmation has been, "My body is wholly and completely mine" I hope you can find one that helps and heals you the way mine has helped and healed me.
Trauma shows up in the physical body through tension and tightness in the body. We tense up when we are scared or have a fearful memory which can lead to sore muscles and physical pain. Yoga practice (asana) helps us move and flow, bringing healing movement into the body and helping us to let go and release pent up tension. My favorite yoga poses for release are deep intense stretches like pigeon pose. Yoga requires a lot of physical strength, so it can be very empowering to practice poses like headstands!
Finally, yoga teaches us to tap into our inner peace, personal power and meditative state of euphoria. This is so freeing, healing and restorative for the soul. Hop onto your mat as your journey through your healing!
Namaste