PTSD: How can yoga help?

In March 2010, I had gone to Cambodia to attend a short workshop by Hart Lazer, on using Yoga to deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. As part of his Karma Projects, Hart travels to Cambodia twice a year to work with a group of youths from Transitions Global. During his trip to Phnom Penh, he touches base with NataRaj Yoga, where a group of young teacher trainees are learning the ropes of teaching Yoga. In a country that still feels the devastating effects of Polpot’s regime from the 1970s, the healing power of Yoga is most needed.

On the surface, the teacher trainees appear strong, happy  and carefree. One would never have guessed that the group I met have all been subjected to sex trafficking. And the whole process of of learning yoga, working with their own bodies, learning how to teach yoga… It has become a process of self discovery for these victims, who often become disassociated from their own bodies.

The National Institute of Mental Health defines Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as…

“An anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or military combat.”

“People with PTSD have persistent frightening thoughts and memories of their ordeal and feel emotionally numb, especially with people they were once close to. They may experience sleep problems, feel detached or numb, or be easily startled.” (“>more on signs and symptoms)

So how can Yoga help?

Well, what Hart did for these teens was to have them

1) Identify which poses make them feel STRONG, EMPOWERED, INVINCIBLE

They were generally standing poses such as the Vibradrasana series (Warrior 1 and 2), Tadasana (Mountain pose), Vrksasana (Tree Pose)…

Then, he gently asked them to

2) Identify which poses make them feel VULNERABLE, SCARED, ANXIOUS

The  poses which they mentioned included Adho Mukha Svasana (downward facing dog), Table pose, Reverse Table pose, Uttanasana (Forward fold), Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby). Besides feeling vulnerable in these positions, they also get flashbacks of their attacker coming at them.

What Hart had them do was to hold themselves in a ‘vulnerable’ pose for as long as they can until they start feeling anxious, then move into an ‘empowering’ pose, as a way to counter those feelings, memories and emotions. He had said its the body’s way of calibrating itself, and healing the trauma from within.

I have no doubts about it. I have seen the effects of Yoga on these teens. It is extremely inspiring, it is extremely motivating, and it is the reason why I decided to take up the teacher training course. Because I hope to share with others, the healing effects of Yoga. More than just a physical practice, more than a physically therapeutic session, I whole heartedly believe in the nurturing and healing power of Yoga, for our mental and emotional self.