Yoga

September is yoga awareness month! So let Ms. Chambers share with you some of the gems I’ve picked up along the way which is trauma yoga. Trauma yoga is therapeutic yoga that uses the application of yoga postures, which aims to reduce and prevent structural, physiological, emotional, spiritual pain, suffering, or limitations. Yoga can treat depression, trauma, stress, anxiety, and other mood disorders by increasing feelings of relaxation, which improves self-confidence, body-image, and a reduction in pain just to name a few qualities. Yoga has been one of the most important healing tools I have discovered. When studying for my master’s I was intrigued by the idea of how the body keeps the score which is a great read I must say for those who are working through trauma. This read helped me to see how important it is to remove the trauma for our bodies. It has helped with wholeness and letting go of triggered responses. Isn’t it strange how our bodies clench up when danger is near or we perceive fear, imagine the body being in that state without even noticing? This is what happens to the body after experiencing trauma. Triggers can send the body back into these learned postures which can be addressed through therapeutic yoga. Connecting spiritually, enhancing body awareness, and learning information about the benefits of yoga is worthwhile. The fact is trauma writes itself on our bodies and as we are able to gain a better understanding on how to care for ourselves, we have to entertain the idea of how the mind, spirit, and body responds to stimuli. Yes, talking about it helps but what happens to the residual stress that we are left with after sessions. Sitting with this idea and thinking of experiences of trauma that I have experienced or vicariously experienced helped me to understand why and how alternative healing methods have a place in my practice. At LIFE we believe in talking while doing with some of our clients because sometimes it is hard to get clients to sit still while in sessions however, with the addition of yoga in practice I have learned how this can help in releasing past trauma that has been held on to.

By: Lawanda Chambers