So many of us in life have deep traumas. I don’t know anyone without some kind of trauma. There are certainly different levels of trauma.
Those traumas change us and can actually physically change how our body functions by altering our gene expression. The altering of gene expression can radically change how our body functions. That is why so many people notice changes in bowel function after trauma. Those traumas can be difficult to digest and become “stuck” inside us. This can take many forms such as constipation, IBS, behavioral changes, becoming more isolated or gregarious, depression, addiction, over achievement (which might not sound bad but this can come at a cost too). The list is endless.
Through my years of working 1/1 I heard many many stories of all types of abuse, rape, bullying, tragedy, pretty much most of the human experience. For many, those experiences can be hard to overcome or reconcile. Especially those that began at a young age and continued. Those initial traumas can be triggered again by other less traumatic experiences or other people’s similar experiences.
People bury shame and guilt for something they could not control or change. That’s the nature of abuse-one is captive and disempowered during the experience and frequently for years and years afterwards. While these experiences alter us, it doesn’t mean one doesn’t’ have the ability to rise above the experience or experiences. I was recently working with someone molested by the babysitter. Fortunately for this person the scars weren’t so deep. They arrived at a place where they could simply view it as a moment in time and a life experience. They did acknowledge the lasting impact of it though affected them in feeling worthy. They had felt ashamed and guilty and it held them back from engaging fully in life. We worked lots on viewing the experience in a different way because that is a choice we always have no matter the circumstances.
Over the years I heard some horrific stories. Honestly some of those stories I don’t know how anyone could ever recover from but here were these amazing people in front of me determined to feel better. They came in my door thinking it was all just physical constipation. No part of our being is just physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. They are all very interconnected, just like nature. If there is no water then the forest becomes the desert. Some people chose to become the desert, barren, dry, painful and prickly for most inhabitants. It can be stunningly beautiful but it is never very full and lush. Trauma can temporarily rob us of our vitality. One might over achieve as a means of escape too. Without actually examining those traumas and doing the work to heal them there is some internal part of us that will remain barren and painful.
I encourage you to seek out those who resonate with you to help you heal. This may be a counsellor, a shaman, a retreat, meditation, writing or something else entirely. Only you know what sounds best for your journey. If you struggle with your bowel finding a place of peace within you for your traumas will help improve your bowel movements and frequently is the main reason you do not go to the toilet properly. We can’t stuff emotions down and expect they will not arise in a different form. They will continue to reappear in different ways until we deal with them.
Another huge trauma that really affects people is grief. There is this magic woman in California who is a color therapist. Her life was struck with tremendous grief when her partner passed suddenly. Then a few short years after her father passed. In between these two times she started working a lot with grief-processing, understanding and being able to move forward again. If you have deep grief and feel you need help, reach out to Conscious Colors (www.consciouscolors.com) for some color therapy. Constance is an amazing person with incredible empathy and a deeply nourishing energy. Freeing up that energy can free up your life!
Another color therapy I’ve personally worked with extensively is AURA SOMA. I trained as an aura soma practioner years ago. The training courses ended up being one of my deepest internal healing journeys. It freed up so much inside of me and was instrumental in me moving through my traumas. I do not offer aura soma but there are people around the globe who offer “readings” and other tools to help you heal.
There are so many alternative therapies to facilitate healing. Explore and find the ones that feel best to you. Feeling best doesn’t not mean it will not challenge you or be difficult. Feeling best simply means it feels like the right one for you. We don’t grow without challenges.