The basics of yoga tools for healing trauma and working with triggers- And A Mudra Vinyasa
Given the world swirling the way it is, I wanted to share publicly some of the basic tools I teach in my workshops for trauma, that can be used in little ways, at any time. Though they will make most sense if you have been in my workshops, they are accessible to all.
If you have felt especially vulnerable this week, you are not alone.
Principles:
Boundaries
Where are you in space? Do you want to change where you are in the room, your position? Do you want to put anything around you? Blocks at the edge of your mat? A blanket over your body? Do you want to have your eyes open or closed?
Orienting
When we orient ourselves in our current physical environment, we draw the parts of us that are responding to past events and future fear into the moment we are in, and standing in the present gives us back our power- even if the present moment is difficult. You can orient yourself by looking around or walking slowly and noticing physical details- I like to use colors and shapes.
Grounding
Feeling your feet on the ground and anchoring to “big gravity” on the earth and “personal gravity” at your center helps you feel your sense of self and your own perspective. You can walk, being aware of your feet; use yoga or tennis balls on your feet; or simply shift from foot to foot or side to side if you are sitting.
Centering
Centering is being aware of your personal center of gravity and your own relationship to the world from the inside out. It is your symbolic self-ownership. You can do this by meditating on your center, or by working with movement that explores drawing inward and expanding outward.
Breath
Your lungs are the part of you that connects to your nervous system that you can control. Don’t force the breath, feel it. If you are especially triggered, you may want to move your body with your breath rather than holding still and breathing. Think of lengthening your breath gradually rather than “deepening.”
Energy Discharge
When we meet a trigger or traumatic encounter, the body wants to fight or flee. When it can’t, we go into freeze. If we can discharge the fight or flee energy, we won’t go into freeze, or we can discharge it quickly and not collect symptoms. You can shake, move with your breath, tighten and release your big muscle groups, or walk or do jumping jacks. Then slow your movement down, orient and ground yourself. Don’t skip this last part!
Many of you from my workshops have asked me to post the mudras I commonly use. I’ve created a short video so you can see them You can do them as a “mudra vinyasa,” or pick one to hold for any length of time, or create one of your own. You can think of mudras as stories you tell your body with your hands.
(I decided to leave the kitties in. They bring me joy and maybe you too :))
They are as follows:
Vaikara Mudra, Gesture of the Protective Shield
Svasti Mudra, Gesture of Protection from Negative Energy
Svadistana mudra, Gesture of Self-Nourishment
Padma mudra, Gesture of the Lotus- the flower that emerges from the mud
Garuda Mudra, Gesture of the Eagle, for the courage to speak
Adhi Mudra, Gesture of the Earth, for Grounding
