In this fast-paced world it might be easy to confuse productivity with healing. But I promise you that when it comes to trauma (the leftover response to traumatic experiences in your nervous system) productivity should be thrown out the door. Taking healing much more slowly and allowing it to gently open your nervous system can be way more profound than diving in too deep and hitting a wall. Or worse, you could retraumatize yourself if you don't do it slowly and intentionally. Here's 3 ways you can practice gentle trauma release and take the slow burn route to healing.
Trauma gets trapped in the body because your mind didn't know how to process it in the moment. This is true for smaller traumas, like sudden job loss, death of a pet, having to move to a new city, or cheating. And it's especially true for big traumas like sexual assault, domestic violence, and car accidents. You brain is hyper specialized to survive. So, in order to protect you the brain might store some of these traumas in the body. It's safer there for now, but eventually, if you want to be liberated from these old pains, you must figure out how to get them out of the body.
Before we get started, I want you to be aware of one very powerful safety resource you can use in case things get too rough. That is orientation. If you start overthinking, or can't feel your body anymore, or you get trapped in a flashback, you can orient! Open your eyes and look around the room. Touch things near you. Smell a candle nearby. But most importantly look around. This tells your brain that you are here now, not in the past. It's ok to resource into safety whenever you need it. Even if you're not sure if it's too much, give the resource a try. Remind your nervous system that it's ok to resource. Don't push too hard. Remember that productivity is not the same as healing.
So, the first way to do gentle trauma release this is with sound. It might sound crazy, but by letting out loud sounds this can liberate the trauma. Sound is energy in motion. So, when you realize that the trauma is active (like you got triggered, or your body starts to feel the feeling of the trauma again, or you are stuck in a flashback) you can yell, and that energy will move out through your throat chakra. I always recommend doing this with safety in mind. You don't necessarily want to lose your voice and hurt your vocal cords. So, my suggestion is to yell in the back of your throat instead of projecting it out the front. Growls, grimaces, primal sounds, and grunts are best to help protect your voice.
Also be aware of your setting when you do this. It's ok to put it on hold for a little bit until you're in a safe enough environment to let loose with sound. Our society is VERY repressed, so if you scream in public, they're going to think you're nuts. Sometimes I don't care about this and do it anyway, but most of the time I wait for a space I have more privacy. But definitely try to find a space to actually let it out! Don't add more layers of trauma repression on top by continuing to repress the response.
The second way to do gentle trauma release is with movement. Maybe you can't scream where you're at, but you can kick, punch, or shake with it. Again, notice when a trauma response is active or triggered, or you're stuck in a flashback and then move it! Again, your safety should be top of mind! If you're going to punch something, make it soft, like a pillow. If you're going to kick, try to be on a soft surface. I like to lay on my bed and just go crazy punching my fists into the mattress and kicking my feet wildly. I try to just let my body free flow with whatever movement naturally wants to come up and if nothing is coming up then I try to just shake and see what happens.
The most important part is to just allow what happens. Don't try to force yourself into something that doesn't feel natural. But at the same time, go ahead and try things out if nothing is coming up. Maybe punch the air and if that feels dull then stomp your feet. Keep trying things until it just bursts out of you.
The third practice I'll share for gentle trauma release is a combination of breath, movement, and sound. This practice is surely the most powerful one. But again, productivity isn't necessarily aligned with healing. So, feel free to use just sound, or just movement. For this practice you don't have to wait until the trauma is activated, you can do it anytime.
You're going to start by breathing an open mouth connected breath. That's a relaxed jaw and breathing only through the mouth if you can. Feel free to take quick breaks if your throat gets too dry. Or if it's not possible, then inhale through the nose and out the mouth. You can do this lying down or sitting up, just make sure if you fall over it is soft. You're going to breathe quick. This kind of breath activates your nervous system. So, any traumas that are waiting to be processed become much easier to access. It's totally normal for you to experience light headedness or tingles in your face or hands. If you have asthma, are pregnant, or have heart issues don't try this without a trained professional.
Breathe this open mouth connected breath for a couple minutes to really activate the nervous system. Then you'll start to breathe a fuller breath, it doesn't have to be quick. Inhale a full, deep inhale and focus on the felt sense in your body. This is any sensation that's alive. After the heavy breathing, there is usually something that will awaken. Maybe it's a tingle in your hand. Maybe it's a heaviness in your belly. Maybe it's an ache in your back. Whatever it is, on the exhale, you're going to move and sound it.
This can feel awkward at first, but the most important part is to free flow with whatever comes up. Don't try to talk yourself out of a sensation. Whatever is alive is what you'll work with. Don't try to resist the movement or sound, really go for it. So, if it's a tingle in your hand maybe punch or flick your hand. If it's a heaviness in your belly maybe shake your belly. If it's an ache in your back then maybe kick your feet and shake your body. If you're not sure how to move, then try something out just to see. Explore and just move and shake and punch and kick. Inhale and feel the felt sense. Exhale and move and sound the sensation.
Keep going like this until it either feels too much, then take a break and orient, or go until it feels complete. I promise that opening these doors won't keep them open. You won't be stuck in rage. You can shut this back down any time you need to. It's designed to be opened and closed. One practice won't get it all no matter how hard you go. So, relax, trust, and explore. Then stop whenever you feel. You can come back whenever you're ready for more.
Remember, I'll repeat this one more time, the most important part is to free flow with whatever comes up. No matter which of the 3 ways you are practicing, free flow with whatever comes up. The more you critique, and question, and resist what comes up the less this method will work to help liberate you. Commit to the process, and watch what happens! And always remember that going too hard too fast will not serve your healing journey, whether you're doing this practice or any other healing modality. Sometimes your nervous system wants to take the slow burn route, and you must listen when it says to slow down.
INSPIRED ACTION: Does this sound scary? Does this sound too much? Honor your reaction and also trust that this is ancient wisdom. Somatic practices are not new, just the term somatic practice is new. The Tantric lineages (and many others) knew about this kind of healing for thousands of years. Your body is designed to do these kinds of practices to gently release trauma from the body. Don't let those traumas build up because you're not willing to let go of control and move.
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