Heal Trauma in Your Body and Mind with Yoga
Through our lives we experience physical and mental stressors that cause trauma to our bodies and minds. Author and yoga teacher Beth Spindler offers practices to help manage common conditions so that we can age with grace and ease. It is never too late to begin our healing journey.
Beth Spindler has worked as a movement and yoga educator since 1976, working with teachers, therapists, universities, and hospitals worldwide with a focus on therapeutic applications of movement. She holds the highest certification in the field as an IAYT-Certified yoga therapist and is a frequently featured writer and presenter for Yoga International and leads retreats worldwide. Her first book, Yoga Therapy for Fear is a community recommended text, utilized in schools, trainings, and trauma-recovery programs globally. Her latest book, which we discuss on this program is Trauma Aware Yoga and Movement Therapeutics for Older Adults.
#Trauma #yoga #samskaras #anxietyrelief
WEBSITE: bethspindleryogatherapy-teachtoinspire.com IG: Beth.Spindler
THE YOGA HOUR TEAM COMMENTS: Beth begins by sharing that she sees trauma as something left in the body after the event. The discussion really brings out the role and benefit of yoga therapy in healing trauma on our body and mind, particularly as we age. I resonated with the idea of redefining “advanced” yoga as moving inward rather than more the more difficult asana poses often found in advance yoga classes. After all, asana is only one of 8 limbs of yoga and from there we move deeper within. Her final thought is extremely reassuring! “Healing is possible no matter how old we are. It is never too late to heal.”
DR. TRUJILLO’S COMMENTS: I loved Beth Spindler’s understanding that healing is always possible and that we can continue to heal all through our lives. I particularly appreciated her focus on two main practices in healing trauma in the body and mind: activating the vagus nerve, and practices to balance both sides of the brain. Alternate nostril breathing, or brahmari breath, where you hum or buzz as you exhale, both activate the vagus nerve, and simple practices like moving your eyes the opposite direction that you are turning your head can help balance the two sides of the brain. Beth offers easy-to-use yogic practices that address body/mind healing that many of us need as we age.