Everyone just by being alive has experienced some kind of trauma. There are those caught in war zones and conflict areas that live with everyday terror. There are others whose personal circumstances expose them to physical, emotional, and mental abuse. There could be unexpected events like accidents and calamities that we would find difficult to cope. Even if we haven’t experienced any of those, we know trauma through the experiences of loss and grief, fear and disappointment. Maybe it’s through something that is seemingly harmless like being left alone at home when we were a small child, maybe it’s through something that wasn’t personal such as witnessing harm being done by one being to another, maybe it’s through important relationships where commitments are not honored and we end up feeling shortchanged.
Trauma, unfortunately, is everywhere. And there is something that happens to the brain when someone is severely traumatized. Now, it is widely accepted that the two hemispheres of the brain govern different functions: the right is in charge of creative processes and the left the more analytical and logical thinking. When something triggers a past trauma, the right works as it is while the left does not work as well. This means that the brain continues to tell stories about a past trauma, and it cannot distinguish that this belongs to the past and is not a current reality. This is why we may notice someone— even ourselves— reacting disproportionately to a situation. It is because we are not responding to the present moment, but digging up the wounds of the past and reacting to that. There is a way out of the cycle of trauma, and our yoga and meditation practices are the tools. Our body, our breath, our awareness all teach us to ground in this present moment. This helps us understand that at this present moment, our past is not replaying. It belongs to the past, and the present is of a different time and different situation. Repeat these words to yourself: “I am safe. I am free from harm.” Notice if this is something easy for you to say, if this is something that rings true for you. You can remind yourself of this, to train yourself that regardless of the past that we can no longer change, the present is right in front of us. We do not have to fall victim to our past, be stuck in our past, or let our past hinder the freedom we have in the present. May all of us heal from our traumas. May all be safe. May all be free from harm.
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