It is common place to hear people speak of being traumatized or sustaining trauma from one thing or another. There is an entire industry; self help books, workshops, retreats, modalities on how to manage trauma.
There are trauma coaches, trauma relief clinics, trauma release experiencing, so much trauma, trauma, trauma. We speak of it so frequently and loosely that I wonder if the word has lost meaning?
Let’s take a deeper look.
The most common association is any event that was horrific or detrimental to a person; and rightfully so. More often we label these significantly disruptive occurrences that have happened as trauma when trauma is actually an injury or disruption caused by something outside the body or how the body and emotional state of a person react to a situation.
So many words…blahhhh
Let me break it down.
There is a cycle of reactivity that occurs when you need to protect yourself. This is called a trauma cycle. It begins with heightened awareness to detect a threat. If a threat is perceived an actual activation of the fight or flight mechanisms kicks in. You will react instinctively in the way your body believes is most likely for survival. If fighting or flight (fleeing) is perceived as futile, your body will enter a freeze state and in basically, prepares itself for death.
When you freeze there is a release of substances into the body that basically numbs it to make your demise more pleasant. Morbid, but true. If you don’t die then your body returns to fight or flight mode to escape.
If there is no perceived threat, your body will begin to discharge the energy accumulated for the trauma cycle and return to its normal state. Ever felt yourself trembling? Now, if that return to normalcy is interrupted, the energy of the trauma cycle is not release and the body can hold onto it indefinitely.
Anxiety anyone?
When examining the lasting effects of trauma, studying the body’s physical expressions, to evaluate the completion of the trauma cycle, is necessary. Was the energy of the trauma cycle released fully?
How would you know?
The ailments a person may be experiencing can give tremendous insight. Imagine, incomplete trauma cycle energy piled on top of past, festering, incomplete cycles and compounded with daily stressors. A recipe for diseases of the body and mind, for sure.
In understanding what trauma actually is, we can get to the task of expelling the energy that has been disrupting our physical and mental states of wellbeing. Understanding that true deep healing can occur when the body is in a relaxed state can enable you to utilize trauma release as an adjunct and or alternative to whatever therapies may or may not be helping you with diseases and disorders that may not be resolving.
The human body cannot fully heal itself if it is not relaxed.
Just sleeping is not enough. FULL relaxation is when your body, as an organism, can regulate itself completely. It cannot completely relax with incomplete trauma cycles present. In addition it will shutdown any functions that are not considered imperative to survival, think immune system, thyroid, circulation to the limbs and sexual organs.
Arming yourself with knowledge of what trauma actually is and addressing it actively is the best way to empower yourself for optimal healing of disease, injury and every day wear and tear. If you suspect or know that you have incomplete past trauma cycles, it is best to do a bit of research on the modalities that are available to you. Many of them can be done on your own. If you need assistance get help. There are more and more options becoming available. Many of them cost nothing at all. If there is a fee… aren’t you worth it?
Invest In Your Wellness Before It Becomes Your Illness.
Originally published at www.expandtoexperience.com