Generational Healing
A Holistic Path to Healing Body, Mind & Soul
Let’s admit the fact that our history in the last 500 years or so, we as humans have witnessed a fair amount of wars, bloodshed, famines, deadly disease, poverty and environmental destruction amongst many other tragic events. Even thinking about it can be traumatising to say the least.
Although most of us in today's world are not directly affected by these tragedies, it’s not to say that we haven’t inherited some of the emotional, physical and spiritual traumas associated with our collective history as humans.
Generational trauma, also known as intergenerational trauma, is a phenomenon where trauma is passed down from one generation to another. This type of trauma can manifest in various forms, including physical aches and pain as well as emotional symptoms and imbalances that can affect individuals without them even being aware of its origins.
Healing generational trauma in the living body is a profound journey that involves understanding, acknowledging, and addressing these deep-rooted issues. In this blog and the following blog, we'll explore the concept of generational trauma, its impact on the body, and practical steps to embark on a healing journey.
First, lets understand different ways that generational trauma can manifest in an individual.
Genetic Factors:
Research has shown that trauma can affect gene expression, which can be passed down to offspring. This process, known as epigenetic(s), means that the experiences of one generation can influence the biological makeup of future generations.
Family Dynamics:
Dysfunctional family dynamics, such as abuse, neglect, or addiction, can create an environment where trauma is perpetuated across generations.
Cultural and Societal Influences:
Historical events like wars, colonisation, and systemic racism can leave lasting imprints on communities, affecting multiple generations.
Behavioural Patterns:
Learned behaviours and coping mechanisms developed in response to trauma can be modelled and passed down through family lines.
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Now let's look at different emotional and mental impacts of generational trauma on a person.
Anxiety and Depression
Generational trauma can lead to heightened levels of anxiety and depression. The unresolved emotional pain and stress experienced by previous generations can create a psychological environment where subsequent generations are more susceptible to these conditions.
Low Self-Esteem
Individuals affected by generational trauma may struggle with feelings of low self-worth and inadequacy. This can stem from internalised negative beliefs and behaviours that have been passed down through family lines.
Unregulated Emotions
Emotional dysregulation is a common consequence of generational trauma. This can manifest as difficulty in managing ones own emotions, leading to extreme reactions to seemingly minor stressors or an inability to process and express emotions effectively.
Dysregulated behavior can include: Emotional outbursts, Self-harming behavior, Anxiety, Mood dysregulation, and Impulsivity.
Attachment Issues
Generational trauma can disrupt healthy attachment patterns, resulting in attachment issues. This can manifest as difficulty in forming and maintaining healthy relationships, fear of intimacy, or a constant need for validation from others.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
While PTSD is commonly associated with direct trauma, generational trauma can also contribute to the varied symptoms of PTSD. This includes flashbacks, nightmares, and heightened vigilance, even when the individual has not experienced the trauma firsthand.
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Generational trauma can also manifest in the physical body in many different ways such as:
Chronic Pain
Unresolved trauma can lead to chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, migraines, and other unexplained aches and pains. The body often stores trauma in the form of physical tension and discomfort.
I remember a friend of mine in my early twenties constantly struggling with severe lower back pain. She was also in her early 20’s and the pain was so severe she’d miss classes and be in bed for days on end. She tried all kinds of physical treatments, painkillers and saw a chiropractor regularly. But the pain still remained.
At the time I was not aware of such things as generation trauma and that our emotional traumas can manifest in the body as physical pain. So I had no light to shed for her at that time.
Now, having this understanding I realise that her physical suffering would never actually be healed looking at her pain from just a physical point of view. Her pain was most likely the result of stored trauma trapped in the tissue of her physical body. The only way to go about healing this kind of pain is to address it in a wholistic way - looking at it through the lens of the oneness of the body-mind-soul. And being able to ‘release’ this pain through releasing this stored trauma.
Autoimmune Disorders
There is growing evidence to suggest that generational trauma can contribute to the development of autoimmune disorders. The chronic stress associated with trauma can weaken the immune system, making the body more susceptible to these conditions.
Cardiovascular Problems
Chronic stress and anxiety resulting from generational trauma can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, such as hypertension and heart disease. The body's constant state of "fight or flight" can take a toll on the heart and circulatory system.
Sleep Disorders or Insomnia
Persistent feelings of anxiety and hypervigilance, often stemming from a heightened state of alert.
These are only some of the ways generational trauma can manifest in the mental and physical states of a person however there could be a multitude of ways that generational trauma may be manifesting in a person that we are not aware of.
How do I know if I Have Unresolved Generational Trauma?
Understanding the root cause of our symptoms is the most crucial aspect of self-healing. To truly grasp why we may be suffering from the aforementioned characteristics in our personality, we must first recognize if we have unresolved generational trauma.
The key to this recognition is to detach from our ego state of consciousness and completely trust and surrender to the universe without any preconceived attachments or presumptions. We need to surrender to the almighty universe that created us with an empty mind, allowing it to reveal what we need to know in order to heal.
Practicing mindfulness and meditation is essential in this journey. These practices enable us to observe ourselves in various situations—whether experiencing joy, victories, pain, suffering, failures and so on. By witnessing our reactions and how we navigate life, we can gain profound insights into our true selves. Being mindful of our daily activities, habits and reactions to certain situations can reveal a lot about our inner world.
This process might take some time, and consistency is essential to improve our mindfulness practice. Even if it feels like it's taking a while, avoid jumping to conclusions. Keep practicing mindfulness and trust that the universe will reveal the answers in its divine timing.
Don’t rush the process; instead, develop the skill to let go of control or attachment. This way, the healing process can begin even before you fully understand the root cause of your symptoms.
Using the breath as your guide - Synchronising the body, mind & spirit
Breath is the essence of life on this earth, and there is no better medicine for healing our physical, spiritual, and mental traumas than the breath—the life force energy. Our ancestors developed hundreds, if not thousands, of breathing exercises, which remain some of the most valuable tools available to us today for overcoming trauma and living a life full of health, wealth, and abundance.
The practice of yoga asanas and pranayama, the yogic exercise of cultivating and regulating life force energy, is a holistic approach involving the cleansing and purification of the body, mind, and spirit. Other breath-work techniques offer ways to to directly connect with the nervous system and allow for the release of ‘that which no longer serves us’ or anchoring in new ways of being and moving through life. When practiced correctly, these techniques can have a profound impact on healing generational traumas.
The way we breathe in and out significantly affects our present and future state of existence. Breath is our direct connection to the universe—what we breathe in and how we breathe directly influence our mood and stress levels and can heal many physical ailments. How we breathe out literally carries the message for our future existence on this earth.
The Importance of Mending Family Relationships
1. Emotional and Psychological Well-being:
Healing Wounds: Family relationships often leave deep emotional imprints. Healing these relationships can help in resolving long-standing emotional wounds and traumas.
Reducing Stress: Unresolved conflicts and tensions within the family can be a constant source of stress. Mending these relationships can alleviate this stress, leading to better mental health.
2. Personal Growth:
Self-awareness: The process of mending relationships often requires introspection and self-awareness. Understanding your own role in conflicts can lead to personal growth.
Empathy and Compassion: Forgiving and understanding family members can enhance your capacity for empathy and compassion, not just towards them but towards others in your life as well.
3. Spiritual Growth:
Opening the Heart: As you mend relationships, you open your heart to love, understanding, and forgiveness. This can be a significant step in your spiritual journey.
Karma and Energy: From a spiritual perspective, mending relationships can help in resolving karmic debts and balancing energies, leading to a more harmonious life.
Steps to Mending Family Relationships
1. Self-reflection and Acknowledgment:
Identify the Issues: Reflect on what went wrong and acknowledge your feelings and the feelings of your family members.
Take Responsibility: Recognize your own role in the conflict without placing all the blame on others. This shows maturity and willingness to mend the relationship.
2. Open and Honest Communication:
Initiate the Conversation: Take the first step to communicate. This could be through a phone call, a letter, or a face-to-face meeting.
Express Feelings: Share your feelings honestly but calmly. Use “I” statements to express how you feel rather than blaming the other person.
Listen Actively: Give your family members the chance to share their feelings without interrupting. Active listening shows that you value their perspective.
3. Forgiveness and Compassion:
Forgive Yourself and Others: Forgiveness is crucial in mending relationships. It’s important to forgive yourself as well as the other person.
Show Compassion: Understand that everyone makes mistakes. Showing compassion can help in healing the relationship.
Through all of this, study yourself and witness your journey to becoming more aware of your traumas, take note from interactions with your family members the similarity in traits with their personality and yours.
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We will continue exploring these concepts in our next blog, so please stay tuned and look out for our next email. We will delve deeper into breaking old patterns and establishing new ones to heal the body, mind, and soul from generational trauma.
Additionally, we are excited to be offering a FREE 3-day online yoga retreat September 6,7 & 8th. The retreat will be focused on developing mindfulness, self healing and managing stress. This retreat is open to all levels of yoga practitioners, and no prior experience is required.
To sign up to this completely FREE offering register HERE
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Kush.