The Body Remembers: How Yoga Can Release Stored Trauma
We sat down to speak with Anouk Prop, who's a trauma therapist and yoga teacher. And we're talking about how best we can approach yoga in a way that promotes healing.
We're especially diving into the benefits of pranayama as a way to connect deeply with our bodies, harness our vital life force energy (prana), and cultivate deep states of relaxation or focused energy.
For those who've experienced trauma, learning pranayama in a gentle, consistent, and sustainable way can be a profoundly transformative tool, working directly with the nervous system, allowing you to find greater sense of calm and ease within your life.
The effects of trauma can be all-encompassing: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. When we experience overwhelming events, our nervous system reacts instinctively – preparing us for fight, flight, or freeze. This might help us survive, but when danger passes, these survival responses can linger in our bodies, disrupting our natural equilibrium and sense of safety.
In this episode, you'll gain insights into:
Anouk's transition from PhD student to a psychologist and her journey to Thailand and India exploring Ashtanga yoga
The role of yoga in healing emotional states and the importance of breathwork
How developmental trauma and can impact a person's life
How trauma gets stored in the body and what you can do to release it
Co-regulation and the transformative power of physical touch in yoga teaching
Challenges of re-adapting to Western culture after living overseas
Anouk's transformative experience living and working at an orphanage in India
What Anouk is doing now and the importance of giving back
I understand the challenge of healing from trauma first-hand, Harmony, (even when you have a dedicated yoga practice).
That's why I believe in having a holistic yoga practice, one that includes many different tools that can be used at different times, as needed along your personal path.
Trauma, by its very nature, disrupts our sense of safety and well-being.
Unprocessed stress can become lodged in the body's tissues, manifesting as chronic tension, pain, or emotional reactivity. Our traditional yoga postures (asanas) can be incredibly beneficial, but for someone grappling with trauma; however, a physically demanding practice or the sheer intensity of a dynamic sequence can feel overwhelming.
Anuok shares insights on why Yoga Nidra is a powerful practice, especially for those carrying the weight of past experiences.
If you're curious to explore a more gentle form of yoga, consider starting with the simple breath awareness, or laying with your legs up the wall, and start listening deeply to what your body needs.
Stop.
Take a deep breath.
And allow this deeper sense of safety and relaxation to be your guide.
Opportunity Awaits…
Whether you're seeking relief from stress, a deeper connection to yourself, or simply a chance to reset and recharge, the retreat I'm offering in Norway, at Alex's Nøsen Yoga Mountain Lodge is an invitation to step into a whole new chapter.
Spaces are limited.
So, if you're feeling a call to take this transformative journey with me, don't hesitate!
Unlayering: Using Yoga as a tool for Spiritual Wellness to Increase Energy + Fulfilment
We'll be focused on tending to our 5 levels of being through:
🧘♀️ gentle openings of the body using yoga asana
🌀 mindfulness practices + meditation
💖 somatic work to heal the emotional body
🌅 nourishing energy through pranayama
🙏 letting go of old patterns to release + upgrade
June 16, 2024
Move your practice beyond your asana practice.
The 2Hr Spiritual Wellness Workshop will include meditation, chanting, gentle asana, pranayama, and a time for questions & conversation.
Class is being given by Donation
All proceeds go to Yoga Gives Back.
Support Yoga Gives Back
Join a Workshop or Retreat
✨ May 24 - 28, 2024 - Lisbon, Portugal
✨ May 30 - June 3, 2024 - Nosen Retreat Center, Norway
✨ June 26-30, 2024 - Munich, Germany
✨ July 1 -10, 2024 - Alacati, Turkey
Work With Harmony:
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Two Minute Breathwork Session
Learn more about Anouk:
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The Finding Harmony Podcast is hosted and produced by Harmony Slater and co-hosted by Russell Case.
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