Healing Your Wounds: Emotion’s Essential Role in Clearing Trauma

Module 109 - Class 2We’re All Recovering; Update Old Coping Strategies

Ch. 11 p.304-311; Meditation 19.5 min. from 14:30 to 35:00; posture on page 57.

In this class we look into the phenomena of trauma, survival-strategy coping mechanisms, their undesirable effects and how to resolve them. There is a good bit of explanation in the video, and I recommend that you use a simple breathing technique and meditate to explore viscerally during the class. Have in front of you a sheet for self-analysis and whatever you discover.

Here is the trauma and recovery model we will be working with:

We begin life with a clean slate. The impact of harmful events leaves impressions on us about how life is here on earth. These survival-based, adaptive assumptions create deep beliefs we are not aware of, but which rule our actions. In response to those deep beliefs, we adopt coping mechanisms, much like grabbing the first floating object to save us after a shipwreck, in unconscious attempts to stay safe and manage life. These patterns are tenacious in their attempt to save us, but can be replaced through conscious effort.

After doing the meditation which follows, fill in any of the items on this list that pertain to you. (Replace the example given)

Memory of your innocence before trauma hit:

(Really happy at 5 yrs., remember playing with Mom.)

Traumatic events:

(Mother was stressed and under attentive to my needs. There was a lack of care that I received.)

Beliefs about yourself and the world:

(I figured that I don't matter, I am unwanted. I am on my own here.)

Your belief- based behaviors (Coping mechanisms you adopted to survive, given your belief):

(My coping was to withdraw, be silent sweet and take care of everyone else.)

The cumulative effects of the long term behavior originating from these beliefs:

(The effect is that I have little time, health, money or love for myself. This confirms my belief that I don’t matter/ no one cares, which locks in the limiting behavior. )

The guided meditation is 19.5 minutes from 14:30 to 35:00. The posture can be found on page 57.

In this meditation you’re asked to bring up traumatic memory, siit with it and feel.

Could you recall a peaceful place before the trauma?

Could you remember the shattering of that peace?

Which emotions arose then and now?

Was there any earlier warning signs of something wrong before it happened that you can recall?

Ask: what do you need now to be complete?

Is there something to do, to know, or to be today that make it all right?

Can you can handle now what you could not have then?

Imagine taking that back and re-writing the story. Write this story here.

Coping mechanisms to identify:

Inner anger. Can you describe this in yourself or others?

Numbness: Describe in yourself or others.

Addiction and distraction: Describe what you’ve seen in yourself or others.

Cold depression: Hyperactivity to cover any of the other emotions especially apathy and giving up.Is this you?

All of these share the element of Disconnection, from yourself, from emotions and feelings, from your ability to handle life, from your soul. So the remedy is connection. Reconnecting to self is always available, always there for you.

Can you verify this in your own experience? Describe when you have had it, and not felt it.

Safety comes from two forms of power:

The masculine, projective, action-oriented ability to handle things.

The feminine, listening, allowing, patience, compassion, nurturing, kindness of being with things.

Do you utilize both of these in balance? Identify which is under used and how are you can bring more of it into your life.

An example of this balance is the mutual use of forgiveness (receptive) and boundary setting (projective).

Discuss these two factors in your life and how you can use them better now.

Stephanie’s Story: Is there any part of this that relates to your life experience?

Meditation 6.5 minutes from 1:05:21 to 11:30, using meditation posture from page 67.

The approach here is to resolve past issues and reach peace and harmony within and without.

List some practical external solutions from currently occurring or recent trauma that will help you truly cope well:

List internal changes which will address it:

Further work and study: If connection is a healing solution, how can you be connected more and in many ways?

Identify 5 to 10 ways, and you will actually put each into effect.

House Cleaning: Clean up current low level harms which are currently happening and negatively affecting you. No more abuse, large or small!