12d • General discussion
Yoga practice doesn't equal healing
The truth about yoga and trauma that we don't talk about enough.
Yoga practice, on its own, does not necessarily heal trauma.
I know this from personal experience. I've been practising yoga for 25 years, and I live with complex PTSD. Despite all those years of practice, yoga alone did not heal my trauma.
Now, don't get me wrong. There are yogic practices that can be incredibly supportive in trauma recovery. But there's a difference between using yoga as a supportive tool in healing and believing that yoga practice itself will heal trauma.
I've heard people in the yoga community suggest that asana clears your chakras, releases negativity, and therefore clears trauma.
But trauma recovery is not that simple.
The depth of our healing work needs to meet the depth of our wounds.
Attending a yoga class once, twice, or even three times a week doesn't automatically resolve trauma. And when we tell people that yoga will heal them, we risk leaving them feeling as though they're doing something wrong when they continue to struggle.
Sometimes, yoga can be a beautiful part of the healing journey. Sometimes, certain practices may feel overwhelming or activating. And sometimes, we need additional support beyond what a yoga class can offer.
As yoga teachers, I believe we have a responsibility to understand these distinctions.
We don't need to be trauma therapists. But we do need to understand our scope of practice, create environments that support choice and autonomy, and recognize when a student may need support beyond what we can provide.
💛 This is something I'm passionate about helping other yoga teachers understand.
If you're a yoga teacher who wants to create a more trauma-informed, supportive space for your students, I'd love to connect.
If you're a teacher with your own trauma history who has practised for years but still feels like something isn't shifting, I'd love to hear your story, too.
You are not failing at yoga because you haven't healed.
You deserve support that meets you where you are.
Send me a DM. Let's talk about how we can approach yoga, trauma, and healing with more compassion, honesty, and understanding.
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Yoga practice doesn't equal healing
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