A Little More Compassion to Yourself
Dr. Gabor Maté once said, “Trauma is not what happens to you, it is what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you.” Our stress and trauma are locked in our bodies and remain out of our conscious awareness. Yet, the unconscious is always conscious of sensations – the sensory information arises in the body and is being communicated to the mind, and then back again. Body <-> Mind = Positive Feedback Loop. Resultantly, the body remains in a constant state of stress. The notion of the time dissipates – the past becomes the now, and the now can determine the future, unless we regain control over the feedback loop. To regain control, first, we explore ways of working with the body in a safe manner to bring more awareness to the bodily sensations. Then, we create new embodied experiences that take us back to the state of the flow of here and now. As a yoga and meditation guide with ten years of practicing experience, I share yoga practice not as merely physical postures, but rather as a practice to restore the mind-body balance. I help facilitate a safe space for practitioners and empower them to maintain healthy relationships with their bodies.
I combine the elements of Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga. Ashtanga, in which the intermediate series places a focus on nervous system regulation, utilizing postures such as the backbend to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Vinyasa is an invigorating, challenging, flow-based practice. Like Ashtanga, the breath is synchronized with the movement in Vinyasa, creating a dynamic, engaging practice that supports deep emotional release and physical strength.
While slowing down and meditating can be challenging, I was happy to discover dynamic 5Rhythms practice (ecstatic dance) in 2015. In this practice, there is no teacher to provide an adjustment. Our nervous system has been within us long enough for us to connect to it naturally, without anyone telling us how to move. Awareness of movement is a pathway to learn about ourselves. The goal is just to experience it the way it is – no matter if we know why the movement is this way. The important aspect is the how, not why. By attending to the movement properties, we develop awareness through sensations of the body.
Similarly to psychoanalysis, the somatic practices help us to begin paying attention to the patterns of the movement and engaging with these patterns in different ways. It is a process-oriented and not prescriptive. The movement shows us the ways of engaging with ourselves. A combination of yoga, meditation, movement, and therapy transformed my health and life. I aspire and then support others on their journey.