Healing Collective Trauma through Yoga: a book review.
A path of Connection and Liberation.
You have heard me talk many times about the web of our lives. We live in an interconnected world, each of us not only carries with us personal experiences, but also the traces of a collective trauma that has been transmitted through generations and cultures. This trauma, although invisible to the naked eye, manifests itself in our emotions, thoughts, and the way we relate to others and to ourselves.
Last month I read the book Healing Collective trauma, and in this blog I want to explore collective trauma through this book. The concept of collective trauma, as explored by Thomas Hübl in his book, invites us to recognise and heal the wounds we have inherited as a society, especially those that relate to oppression, violence, and dehumanisation.
From our yoga practice, we can find powerful tools to address and heal this collective trauma, not only on an individual level, but also as part of a larger process of community and global healing.
But you may be wondering: what is Collective Trauma?
Collective trauma is the psycho-emotional suffering shared by a group of people, often as a result of painful historical events, such as wars, slavery, genocides, racism and systematic oppression. Although we are often unaware of these traumas, their effects remain in our psyche and in our social dynamics, being transmitted from generation to generation through what Hübl calls “trans-generational memory." This trauma not only affects the direct victims, but also influences the way survivors and their descendants perceive the world and relate to each other.
When we look from a yoga perspective, we recognise that the scars of this trauma are not only found in our minds, but also in our bodies, as the body stores unprocessed emotions. This makes healing our own collective trauma an integral process that involves both mental awareness and deep connection with the body.
And that leads us to our next question, how can we heal Collective Trauma with Yoga?
Yoga, with its focus on the unity between body, mind and spirit, offers a powerful way to heal both personal and collective trauma. Through conscious practice, we can learn to release the tensions accumulated in our body and reestablish a sense of security and well-being that may have been altered by traumatic experiences. I have always said that I prefer to see myself as a guide more than a teacher, a guide who creates a space, a place, that helps to observe emotions and lead you towards self-knowledge, since it is through this that we get to the root of our problems.
In this book I have taken a lot of new concepts that I can integrate in my trauma sensible classes and bring them into Group practices.
The practice within a Group helps this healing to be more powerful and that is why I love practicing yoga in a group. Because we are a group moving together in unison. Sharing emotions, getting to know each other a little more and above all, healing without even realising it.
1. Create a safe space for healing:
One of the first steps in healing collective trauma is to create a safe environment, a space where we can face our emotions without fear of judgment or repression. In our yoga practice, this can be achieved through mindfulness that allows us to be present without forcing anything. By listening to the body's signals, we begin to develop a deeper understanding of what has been stored in our being. This act of listening and being present is the first step towards liberation.
Thomas Hübl mentions the importance of shared presence, which can be directly applied in group yoga practice. By practicing in community, we connect with each other's experiences and energies, which can help heal collective trauma. This collective healing energy is powerful, as the inner work we do as a group creates a healing field that goes beyond individual work.
2. Releasing Trapped Emotions in the Body
Trauma, according to Hübl's perspective, is not only recorded in the mind, but is held in our body. In yoga practice, through postures and breathing, we can access these trapped emotions and give them space to be processed and released. Conscious breathing (pranayama) is especially useful for activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for returning us to a state of calm and balance, facilitating emotional release.
Asanas (postures) can help us unblock specific areas of the body where trauma is stored. For example, hip-opening postures, such as butterfly pose o reclining butterfly pose, can release tensions that are associated with emotional and collective traumas, especially those related to vulnerability or fear.
3. Introspection and self-compassion as healing tools
One of the fundamental principles of yoga is self-knowledge, and this is vital to healing collective trauma. Through introspection, we learn to observe our reactions, fears, and patterns without identifying with them, which allows us to let go of emotional burdens from the past. This process of self-observation helps us differentiate what is ours from what we have inherited from our ancestors or our culture.
In this process, self-compassion plays a crucial role. Instead of judging ourselves for our emotions or the impact of collective trauma, yoga invites us to practice unconditional acceptance. This practice of compassion, both towards ourselves and towards others, is essential to free ourselves from accumulated patterns of pain and suffering.
4. Connection with the whole: Community healing
Healing is not an isolated process. In the book Healing Collective Trauma, Thomas Hübl highlights the importance of the connection between individuals as a transformative force. By healing as individuals, we are also contributing to the process of collective healing. This idea is central to the practice of yoga, where the interconnectedness of all beings is emphasised.
When we work with collective trauma on a personal level, we are actually also working on the healing of our community, our culture, and our planet. The practice of yoga, especially when done in a group, creates an energy field that can amplify the healing processes of each member of the community. This is one of the reasons why community practice has such a profound impact on healing collective trauma: we help each other heal through our presence, our energy, and our mutual support.
Let’s heal together through Yoga:
Healing collective trauma is a profound and challenging process, but it is also an opportunity for transformation. By integrating the teachings of yoga with an understanding of the traumas we have inherited as a society, we can begin to release the wounds of the past and build a more conscious and compassionate future. By working with body, mind, and energy holistically, we have the ability to free ourselves from collective suffering and create a space of peace, healing, and unity on both a personal and collective level.
As Thomas Hübl said, “Healing only happens when we are able to fully feel what we have experienced.” On the path of yoga, we can feel, release, and ultimately heal, not only our individual wounds, but those of an entire collective.
So next time you practice in group or even in your own take this into your practice and through practicing with intention remember you can help heal others and at the same time heal yourself.
I invite you to read this interesting book if you want to reach and offer a much safe space for your students.