Definition

The dictionary defines trauma as “a deeply distressing or disturbing experience” or “a personal trauma like the death of a child”. For many years, I actually didn’t know what the true definition of trauma was!

It was not until watching  an episode Family Guy a year ago that I got it! In the episode the two the main characters, dress as widows and go to a widows support meetings. In the meeting –  really black humor stuff – one of the characters says, “Death is natural, it’s our reactions to death which are not natural, it’s not funny, but it’s true” and that’s when I got it!

Trauma is an individual’s  interpretations of something that happens to us (this is excluding people who obviously are  without conscience: e.g. Psychopaths).  

Most people will experience some level of trauma from similar experiences, but others will be deeply affected by the same sort of incident! Its because of their predisposition  internalize the same event more,  and is something deeply affects their ability to grow, to move on in life!

Those in this state are in fact in a holding pattern of fear or something that they are unaware of consciously! And for most people they never overcome it!

Most people deal with trauma – where they first become aware of it  – by going to a psychiatrist or psychologist.  Talking about how and what they are feeling leads usually to  suggestions of how to find meaning in the loss. 

The reality is that it’s not so much the things that are talked about with these professionals, but it’s the changes we make as a result of that talk.  

Yoga Therapy

Yoga therapy –  much more than talking more –  helps individuals get in touch with what is affecting them on a  subconscious level.

I’ve known many people who have gone to psychiatrists for almost 20 years. They have formed a comfortable relationship of convincing themselves – with a collaborating psychiatrist –  to feel that they are making progress in their lives.

Yoga therapy lets people make connections to their trauma –  with mudras, breathing, poses – as to what is really going on inside them. It is this awareness  – that almost bypasses all the BS that talking sometimes leads to – that makes yoga therapy so much more effective.