Trauma-A Spiritual Awakening
“A pure heart, open to the Light, will be filled with the Elixir of Truth.” Rumi
As I hold her heart, I whisper in her ear: “Don’t hold back the tears, let them wash the deep wound of your heart.” In a moment the flood gates open and the emotions of deep pain, shame, despair and anger come rushing in. We take a long deep breath and pause. Within the pause is a sigh of relief, a calmness and a doorway that reflects a hint of light. As she lets out another long breath, I encourage her to feel all of it. “Don’t hold back, Allow yourself to feel so you can let go of the deep wound you have been carrying all your life. This wound has held you back from living a life of love, intimacy and purpose.” She opens and receives the gift of breath, life and love.
As I reflect on my own trauma I came into this world with, I can say from the depth of my soul that the journey I took to get to this place of deep healing and connection has been the biggest gift of my life. My deep desire to know myself and my purpose is what kept me seeking and searching for answers, for a deeper understanding of life, death and the Divine.
We all have had trauma in our lives, and most of us are not even aware how it still plays out on a day-to-day basis. Eventually, it begins to affect our health, relationships and our work in the world. As a bodyworker and a spiritual healer for 28 years, I have learned from my own wounding and the wounds of my clients how trauma gets held in the many layers of a person’s body, heart and spirit. Each layer we purify brings us closer to the core of our truth and purpose in life.
All prophets, messengers and realized beings such as Buddhist monks and Zen masters have all had many challenges that have made them who they were. They would have never had the capacity to do what they did without the many difficult trials they had to face in their lives. We can all learn from the resilience, strength and fortitude that comes from the trials of life that all of us have to endure.
We are now beginning to understand through clinical studies and research in the field of psychology and somatic work how trauma gets passed down through the generations and the collective consciousness. This knowledge is the doorway that can begin to heal the pain and suffering that has plagued our lives and our society for thousands of years. This paradigm shift is what will heal the past generations, the future generations and our present lives. As a mother and grandmother, I can only pray that we understand the responsibility that each one of us has and can contribute to not just ourselves, but to the good of the whole.
By changing our beliefs about facing our shadow side as a gift instead of something to avoid or feel shame about, we can evolve and change into who we were created to be, and we can begin to heal the patterns of trauma that is so prevalent in our time.
Trauma is not an invitation to become a victim, but an opportunity for spiritual awakening.
So where does trauma live in our bodies and why are we now being shown the importance of healing this wound that weaves through all our lives? Most of us are living in a chronic state of freeze. Trauma gets held in the subconscious state which we are not always aware of. It also affects every part of our biology down to the cellular level and creates blockages in the energetic field and in the subtle heart where we connect to the Divine.
When we look at the whole of humanity and the state of consciousness, we see people suffering with addiction, dis-ease, living in darkness and despair, isolated, feeling cut off and disassociated. Trauma blocks our light, shuts us down and creates dis-ease in the body, mind and spirit. Working through the blockages of trauma helps us to live a life full of potential, creativity and connection. This journey takes courage and a deep desire to know oneself, a place of deep yearning to know one’s truth and purpose.
As women, we know innately what is needed to heal the wounds of the many, our children and the Earth. And this work is supposed to be done together as one heart, one community and one sisterhood. This work is for the future generations, our children and all of creation. It’s time we come together, mend our broken hearts and bring our gifts of divine feminine wisdom that is innate in each one of us. As the beautiful African proverb says: “It takes a village.”
“The heart sleeps until it is awakened to life by a blow. It is as a rock, and the hidden fire flashes out when struck by another rock.” Hazrat Inayat khan, Sufi master.
