When Bessel van der Kolk, Granddaddy of Trauma Research, spells out which modalities reliably remove the imprint of traumatic impacts from the physiology and psychology, people listen.
At the first Trauma Conference in Berkeley, California in 2007, in his keynote address, Dr. van der Kolk pronounced Yoga, Meditation, and Somatic Experiencing as the most effective tools.
This past weekend, I was lucky to be in the audience while Peter Levine, originator of Somatic Experiencing put forth his ideas about trauma as a portal to spirituality, when we can ground the high charge of trauma in the body.
As it turns out, extremes at either end of our nervous system's responses to perceived life-threatening stressors, can take us out of our bodies and into ecstasy. Here's how it works...
Threat is instantaneously assessed by our good ol' reliable brainstem as something we can fight or flee from, OR as "uh-oh, the best bet here is to freeze." These "decisions" are made far below the radar of the neocortex: the "thinking" brain. Actually, in these cases, blood flow is shunted away from the neocortex in order to secure the best possible outcome for survival of the organism. Fight, flight, and freeze are three graces we're born with. They are automatic. Whether we become extremely aroused to run away from danger, or to mount a counter attack OR we freeze - playing opossum, depends upon the reptilian brain's assessment of the situation, and our prior trauma history.
Extreme adrenalized states can lead us to ecstasy. A cinematic example is in the movie Fearless wherein Jeff Bridges survives a plane crash in the Andes and develops almost super-human powers - helping many others to survive. Later, he tests this phenomenal "high" by driving at break-neck speed, and eating strawberries which historically have caused in him a hyper-allergic response - to the point of anaphylaxis. His is a spiritual awakening to the possibilities of human potential.
Our dorsal vagal response, at the other end of the spectrum, causes all systems to shut-down; to conserve energy. It potentially saves a baby from drowning if s/he falls into the water. Digestion, respiration, and motor movement are slowed waaaaaaaay down in order to conserve as much energy as possible. This freeze response buys the organism time for rescue, or for predators to move away. (Most predators are hard-wired not to eat dead flesh. They need the fight response from their prey to stimulate their kill response. This also may save them from eating decaying flesh which may sicken them.)
Other times we go dorsal are post coitus, because it optimizes fertilization, and during meditation, because, when we're not fidgeting, there's a better chance of us catching a glimpse of our Big "S" Self and feeling that ecstatic state of being one with Everything!
Ecstatic states which do not get grounded in the body can deposit us on a slippery slope of wanting to re-create the high we may have experienced under extreme stress. Some of our super athletes may be addicted to that adrenaline rush. Extreme down-hill skiers, sprinters, and ball-players may be trying to replicate an ecstatic experience felt, let's guess, during a near death experience at birth, or with early childhood stressors such as medical trauma or abuse.
Leaving the body can mark us with a profound imprint and hunger (compulsion) to replicate that Ecstatic sense of not being bound to the physical confines of bones and flesh. So, how do we ground these experiences in our flesh? Dr. Levine's approach is: "A little bit at a time."
Yoga is an ideal practice to explore sensations a little bit at a time.
Staying curious, and expanding our awareness of the sensations that accompany an ecstatic state can help. Asking ourselves questions can also help unify our brain. "What else is there to explore in the realm of sensations? Is it menthol cool? Boiling hot? Are there tight, expanded, or floating sensations?"
Curiosity and trauma cannot coexist in the same moment. Survival and not developing PTSD may depend mightily upon our staying curious, and engaging our higher (executive function) brain.
The invitation is to stay conscious while doing a practice of some kind, whether it's a yoga or meditation practice, and to keep asking ourselves, "What am I aware of now?" and, "Who is the 'I' who is asking what I'm aware of?"
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