Getting Into Your Body- A Trauma Sensitive Yoga Practice

An opportunity for you to connect with your body. This Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) practice will take you through some gentle yoga forms and breath awareness and will offer opportunities for sensing physical sensations. If you are a survivor of trauma or are looking to safely reconnect with your body, join me in this gentle and effective movement practice.

This track is set to light meditative sound in the background.

Transcript

Hello and welcome.

This is a practice in Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga or TCTSY for short.

It does incorporate a bit of breath and body awareness so it's important to note here that you listen to your body and move at your own pace with anything that I offer.

So if you'd like you're welcome to begin standing.

You're also always welcome to choose a seated practice if you'd like.

Wherever you are maybe beginning by rocking your body back and forth.

Maybe you rock side to side.

Maybe you rock forwards and backwards.

And here possibly noticing the points of contact that your body is making with the surface beneath you and possibly rocking your body back and forth or maybe side to side.

And as you're ready,

Maybe continuing to move your body or maybe choosing to come to stillness,

Perhaps you explore opening your hands and then closing your hands.

Maybe opening your hands and maybe closing your hands.

And maybe you move between those two forms.

The pacing of your movements are always your choice and possibly opening your hands and closing your hands here.

And from here possibly moving into some movement in your legs.

So if you like maybe lifting and lowering your heels.

Maybe lifting your heels,

Possibly lowering your heels and knowing you can come out of any form at any time.

So possibly here lifting and lowering your heels.

You're welcome to stay here or another choice could be possibly bending and straightening your knees.

And as always you're free to choose your own range of movement in any form.

So possibly bending and straightening your knees.

One choice here could be to lift and lower your arms.

Possibly pairing your arm movements with the bending and straightening of your knees.

Always your choice whether to pair the movements or whether to try the movements in some other way that's useful to you.

So wherever you are there's a possibility here to notice sensation.

Maybe you notice sensation in the tops of your legs or maybe you notice sensation in your ankles.

Maybe staying here for a moment or two.

And as you're ready possibly guiding your body to what I'll call a neutral position.

Possibly standing in stillness or in a way of how you might normally stand.

And from here possibly lifting one arm toward the ceiling.

You're welcome to stay right here or another option could be to bend your body to the side.

Possibly bending your body to the side.

Maybe staying here for a moment or two.

And if you like keeping your arm lifted you could guide your body upright.

And one option here could be to bend your elbow.

Another choice could be to place your opposite hand on your elbow.

Possibly staying here for three,

Maybe two,

Possibly one.

And if you were exploring that movement perhaps you choose to switch sides.

So possibly lifting your other arm toward the ceiling.

And you're welcome to stay here or another option could be to bend your body to the side.

Possibly bending your body to the side.

And maybe staying here for a moment or two.

If you like keeping your arm lifted you could guide your body upright.

And an option here could be to bend your elbow.

Another choice could be to place your opposite hand on your elbow.

And maybe staying here for three,

Maybe two,

Possibly one.

And as you're ready,

Possibility here to explore some movement in your neck.

If you like,

One possibility could be to circle your neck in a half circle.

Possibly circling your neck in a half circle.

Or another option could be a full circle.

Going at your own pace as always.

And possibly circling your neck.

And at some point you may wish to switch directions.

And so maybe switching directions or you're welcome to stay on the same side as well.

And as you're ready,

Possibly bringing one foot in front of the other for a lunge type form.

And you're welcome to choose how far you place your front foot.

Maybe you stay here or another possibility could be to bend your front knee.

And you're welcome to choose how far you bend your knee if you're choosing to bend your knee.

There's a possibility here to bring your hands to your waist.

Or maybe you choose to raise your hands up toward the ceiling.

And maybe you stay here a moment or two.

Another choice could be to look forward.

Or maybe you look upward toward your hands.

It's your choice here.

But wherever you are,

Maybe staying here for three,

Possibly two,

Maybe one.

And as you're ready,

Maybe you choose to switch sides.

So if you'd like,

You could possibly bring your other foot in front of the other.

And you're welcome to choose how far you place your foot in front of the other.

Maybe you stay here.

Or another possibility could be to bend your front knee.

There's a possibility to bring your hands to your waist.

Or you may choose to raise your hands toward the ceiling.

Maybe staying here a moment or two.

Another choice could be to look forward.

Or maybe you look up toward your hands.

Either way,

Maybe staying here for three,

Possibly two,

And maybe one.

Whenever you're ready,

Maybe bringing your body back to a neutral form.

And from here,

Possibly exploring the lunge form again,

If you'd like.

So maybe bringing one foot in front of the other.

Possibly bending your front knee.

And maybe you bring your hands to your waist.

Or maybe you raise your hands toward the ceiling.

Maybe staying here a moment or two.

And another option here could be twisting your torso.

So if you'd like,

You could twist your torso to one side.

And you're welcome to keep your arms where they are.

Or you could choose to extend your arms out to the side.

So maybe twisting your torso to one side.

Possibly extending your arms out.

Another option here could be to look forward.

Or possibly turn your head towards your front leg.

Another possibility could be to turn your head towards your back leg.

And maybe you explore all three options.

Wherever you are,

There's a possibility here to notice sensation.

So maybe noticing sensation in your legs.

Maybe in your torso.

Or maybe you notice sensation somewhere else in your body.

And whenever you're ready,

You might choose to switch sides.

So if you'd like to explore the lunge form again on the other side,

You're welcome to bring your other foot out in front of the other.

You're also welcome to stay on the same side if you'd like.

But maybe bringing one foot out in front of the other.

Possibly bending your front knee.

Maybe you bring your hands to your waist.

Or maybe you raise your hands toward the ceiling.

If you'd like to try the twist on this side,

You're welcome to maybe twist your torso.

So maybe twisting your torso to one side.

You're welcome to keep your arms where they are.

Or you could choose to extend your arms out to the side.

Possibly staying here a moment or two.

You're welcome to look forward.

Or another possibility could be to turn your head towards your front leg.

Or maybe you turn your head toward your back leg.

Possibly exploring all three options.

And wherever you are,

Maybe you begin to notice sensation.

Maybe in your legs or your torso.

Maybe somewhere else in your body.

As you're ready,

Maybe bring in your feet back together in a standing form.

From here,

Maybe you keep your feet where they are.

Or maybe you place your feet slightly apart in a standing form.

And if you'd like,

You could bend both knees.

And you're welcome to choose how far you're bending your knees.

Maybe staying here.

Or another possibility is to bring your hands to your waist.

Or possibly raising your arms above your head.

Maybe staying here a moment or two.

As you're ready,

Maybe coming to a standing form.

And here,

You might begin to notice that you're breathing.

There's no need to change or try to control your breath.

Possibly noticing that you're breathing.

You may notice your breath in your chest.

Or possibly in your lower torso.

It's also possible that you don't notice the physical sensations of your breath at all.

Whenever you're ready,

Possibly coming to a seated form.

And you're welcome to sit on the floor or maybe in a chair.

Maybe you cross your legs or maybe you extend them out in front of you.

It's your choice.

But wherever you are,

Maybe you lean your torso forward.

And it's always your choice how far you lean forward if you're choosing to lean.

Maybe staying here a moment or two.

Maybe you begin to notice sensation in your legs.

Maybe in your hips.

Or possibly somewhere else in your body.

As you're ready,

Guiding your body to an upright form.

And there's a possibility here to try that form again.

Maybe this time you choose to keep your legs the same.

Or maybe you choose to try the opposite.

So if you'd like,

With your legs straight in front of you or crossed,

Possibly leaning your torso forward.

And as always it's your choice how far you lean forward if you're choosing to lean.

Maybe staying here a moment or two.

And there is a possibility here to notice sensation in your legs or maybe your hips.

And maybe you notice if there was any change in that sensation from the first form.

Or maybe not.

Whenever you're ready,

Possibly coming to an upright seated form.

And as you're ready,

Maybe guiding your body to a seated form that feels useful for you in this moment.

Or you may wish to lie down.

If you're choosing to lie down,

You're welcome to lay in any way that suits you.

There's a possibility for stillness here.

You're always welcome to continue to move your body in any way you need.

Wherever you are,

You may begin to notice your breath.

Maybe you notice the air coming in and out of your nose.

Or maybe you notice your chest rising and falling.

You're also welcome to notice your body in any other way that suits you.

Or maybe you choose not to notice in this moment.

I'm going to quiet my voice for 30 seconds and I will alert you when that time has concluded.

Possibly staying here for three,

Maybe two,

Maybe one.

As you're ready,

There's a possibility here to conclude your practice with gratitude for taking this time today to interact with your body.

And I thank you so much for practicing with me.

Please feel free to provide any feedback to me and let me know how the practice was for you.

I'm hoping you have a very pleasant day.