Really enjoy the simplicity of modifying shapes as I feel it really allows for participants and facilitators to be in their bodies.
Regular yoga classes can often be faster paced with little space for even considering things like flexion/extension/ rotation
Since learning how trauma can impact our feelings of being not only in our bodies but also feeling safe in our bodies - the soft, gentle and
tender approach of trauma informed teaching really offers a pathway back, without shaming, pushing, or forcing.
Mindfulness also as a tool to heal and as a resource for coping with an unpredictable world is so so valuable.
I have been racing alot with thoughts lately and they are not always helpful - I am finding that as always leaning into daily meditation (no matter how brief)
is such an important way for me to slow down, gain focus, tend to myself and just pause.
I always feel more grounded and in a way better prepared for what is to come.
Dealing with trauma inside the body can be tricky. Trauma can be a trigger inside the body, making the individual feel tense and anxious. When practicing yoga, the body is stretching, allowing expansion for breath and mindfulness. When the body is going through the motions of yoga, the nervous system tends to relax and allows the mind to quiet. In yoga, there have been times when I am asked to do mindfulness before the practice. I find it harder to be still in the beginning, than after. If I have had a traumatic experience, I find that getting up and moving feels better than staying still. Yoga helps with that. I think that mindfulness and yoga go hand in hand, where the practice can complement each other.
Throughout my healing journey mindfulness has helped me stay aware and focused on my goals for being a better person. Yoga has helped me live in the moment and really process everything and every emotion I have held in or over exerted throughout my life that has been filled with trauma. I cannot say how grateful I am to be going through this process enough. I already analyze to the tenth power, so being mindful of the way I think while practicing yoga is one of my favorite exercises. It is one of the only times my mind gets to relax if that makes sense... A brain massage if you will, lol. I think trauma informed yoga is nothing but mindfulness for me. From movement, to breathing, to stretching, to just being...
Thanks for reading yogis ☺️
I like that the poses can be modified according to everyone's body to make yoga inclusive for everyone.
I also like that yoga and mindfulness center my mind, body, and soul together. It is important for me to learn how to be inside myself instead of disassociating from my feelings of trauma. Maybe if I learn how to do it myself, I can help others with it.
I like that it gives me a pause/moment of stillness to just be. Kind of like the pause before a reaction to a situation so I am not impulsively reacting based of my preconceived notions that sway me one way or another.
Hi all
I think yoga and mindfulness is so helpful for healing from trauma because it allows us to be more present in our bodies, with our thoughts, and with our spirit. As being present becomes a habit, elements of trauma on all these levels seem to bubble up when the time is right and we can seek support when we need it. Healing from trauma has not been a linear process for me. It really is the experience of memories surfacing when I have created a safe space for myself to process whatever it is--body sensations, memories, thoughts, emotions, and other sensory experiences. A lot of times, it feels like a shift in thinking--realizing I am in the present and not in a horrible situation that happened in the past, realizing the truth of an experience, realizing I wasn't responsible for something I have felt crappy about for years, finally making sense of an experience from childhood, seeing things from a new perspective, or just being able to let go of a deep emotional block that was not serving me. For me, yoga and mindfulness is an important tool, and when I have created a supportive community around me with trusted friends and a good therapist, I'm able to talk about things that I had buried to the point of not being aware of them day to day.
Hi everyone!
I love to be able to provide modifications for various movements. It makes the session seem safer and accessible to all participants. I've found in my youth sessions that when there are multiple modifications for a movement (options) the majority of the group is willing to try one of them. This is something I never really got from westernized/modern yoga classes. So I appreciate being able to utilize this approach and promote a more inclusive and comfortable environment.
Something else I took away from this session was the distinctions of mindfulness and yoga that Jen shared. Mindfulness is identifying and acknowledging what's going on in the body and how it makes us feel. Yoga is the treatment. Loved this explanation.