Student's Guide to Radical Healing
Show Vol.1 Table of Contents

Vol.1 Table of Contents

Yoga

Yoga, like meditation, can reduce stress, depression, and anxiety while also creating a connection between the mind and body. While yoga cannot address the root causes of trauma, it can alleviate traumatic stress symptoms.

We know that trauma can live in the body and show up in physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual ways. Yoga can create reconnection and trust within your body.

It’s important to note that the origin of yoga did not focus on exercise or weight loss, instead of movement, flow and deep connection between your mind and body. While yoga poses may be challenging they shouldn’t hurt, and you do not need to be an expert to try yoga. Trauma-informed yoga is a specific focus in which the guide or facilitator asks for consent before touching others, using scents or turning off the lights.

Where can you try yoga:

  • The SRWC at UNLV offers yoga classes weekly, free for students enrolled in 4 or more credits.
  • The Rape Crisis Center has free trauma-informed yoga classes every Tuesday at 4:45 PM: mats are provided and you can reach out for transportation.
  • The Downtown Yoga & Wellness Coop has a 45min Trauma Recovery Yoga class for all levels. Drop-ins are $10.
  • Follow the Care Center Instagram (@unlv_care) to find updated resources, like online yoga classes.
Three cactus characters peacefully floating in some bubbles. There are other, smaller bubbles floating around them.

Try a Healing Meditation Practice!

The following mantra meditation, as taught by master teacher Sri Dharma Mittra, gives the mind an anchor to return to when traumatic sensations or memories surface.

  1. Preparation

    Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position (or on a chair with your feet flat on the floor) and your hands resting comfortably on your thighs, with palms facing up.

  2. Coordination

    Synchronize the breath with the following syllables and mudras (hand gestures). Inhale to the count of four as you slowly and gently close your fingers in toward your palms, keeping thumbs soft, while silently saying the first syllable. Exhale to the count of four as you slowly and gently open your palms while silently intoning the second syllable, and so on.

    HUM (inhale)…SA (exhale)…SO (inhale)…HUM (exhale) SO (inhale)…HUM (exhale)…HUM (inhale)…SA (exhale) SO (inhale)…HUM (exhale)…HUM (inhale)…SA (exhale) HUM (inhale)….SA (exhale)…SO (inhale)…HUM (exhale)

    Repeat the pattern for several rounds.

Resources:

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