The Triggering, Confronting and Life changing Things I Learned From ‘The Body Keeps the Score’.
As a yoga instructor, I have always known that movement is healing. But The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van der Kolk deepened my understanding of just how much our bodies hold onto - the memories, the emotions, the unprocessed experiences, and how movement, breath, and presence can help us release what we may not even realise we’re carrying.
Trauma lives in the body…
One of the most profound things I learned from The Body Keeps the Score is that trauma is not just a story in your mind - it’s a physiological imprint in your body.
It alters your nervous system, your breath, your posture, even the way you experience time.
Often you can recognise this in students as they first walk into the studio.
Perhaps after a busy day or challenging week, or maybe when it’s a student’s first time joining a yoga class; shoulders instinctively curl forward, breath is unconsciously held or very shallow and the body might resist or muscles guard as movement is introduced.
These are not just physical reactions; they are stories the body is telling.
What’s incredible is that you have the power to teach your body a new story.
Through mindful movement, breathwork, through the simple act of noticing and being present, you can rewrite those narratives.
The power of breath…
Van der Kolk highlights how trauma disrupts our connection to the breath, pulling us into shallow, restricted breath patterns that reinforce stress and anxiety.
The breath is our most immediate and accessible tool for healing.
One of the most fascinating things he explains is the way the breath directly influences the nervous system.
Your inhale stimulates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), increasing heart rate and preparing your body for action, while the exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), slowing the heart rate and promoting relaxation.
This means that by focusing on lengthening your exhale, you can consciously guide your body into a calmer state.
Breath is such an integral part of your yoga practice. Whether it’s deep belly breathing, alternate nostril breathing, or an energising breath like Kapalabhati, these mindful breath practices will relax your body, and relax and rewire your mind.
They tell your nervous system: You are safe. You can let go.
When you extend the exhale, you signal to your body that there is no immediate danger. Tension can dissolve and the nervous system can reset.
It’s a simple and powerful tool that we always have access to. You can shift your internal state with just a few mindful breaths.
Movement is medicine…
For those who have experienced trauma, traditional talk therapy isn’t always enough.
The body holds things that the mind cannot articulate.
This is where yoga becomes so powerful.
The way you move and take up space, the way you ground into your body and the earth, the way you come into shapes that open the front line of your body and open your heart; all facilitate the kind of healing that words alone cannot.
I know to approach my teaching with sensitivity; reminding students that they are always in control of their practice.
In your yoga practice, there is no right or wrong when you are moving in a safe and mindful way.
You can modify the shapes to make them your own, you can pause, or take rest whenever you need. Yoga isn’t about forcing yourself into a shape but about listening to what your body needs in that moment.
Feeling safe in your body…
One of my biggest takeaways from The Body Keeps the Score is how trauma disconnects us from our own bodies.
When we experience stress, fear, or trauma, the body and the mind can become a place we want to escape from rather than inhabit.
Many people learn to constantly distract themselves to avoid the discomfort that lingers in the body. But true healing comes from learning how to be present within ourselves and to feel safe in our own skin.
Embodied practices like yoga, breathwork, and meditation help rebuild this connection by teaching us how to listen to the subtle messages of the body.
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) which is a practice of body tapping, is a very powerful tool in this process.
By gently tapping different areas of the body and specific energy points while acknowledging emotions; EFT helps regulate the nervous system.
Not only does it help to release trapped energy, and rewire old emotional patterns, but the act of physically touching and tapping your body is a way of honouring your body - of acknowledging its presence and reconnecting with your body rather than dissociating from it.
With each tap, you are sending a signal of safety and acceptance, reinforcing the message that it’s okay to be in your body.
Savasana, our final resting pose at the end of a yoga class, is one of the most important postures for this exact reason. It teaches us to be still - to stop running, to stop avoiding and to stop distracting ourselves.
It invites you to simply be in your body, to observe your thoughts without attaching to them, and to recognise that you are safe, even in stillness.
The mind and body are not separate; they are one.
The more you reconnect to yourself, the more you can befriend, unite with and work with your mind instead of feeling like you have to escape it.
It’s not about silencing thoughts but about learning to sit with them, to listen without fear, and to find peace in simply being present.
Integration off the mat..
Reading this book changed the way I view healing.
Healing is not linear. It is not about "getting over" something but it’s learning how to acknowledge it and its existence.
It’s about creating safety within ourselves so that we can move forward without being controlled by the past or overwhelmed by our emotional responses.
I encourage you to take your practice off the mat.
To breathe deeply when you’re feeling anxious.
To notice when your body is holding tension.
To move in ways that feel nourishing, loving and compassionate, rather than punishing.
Your body is always speaking to you. The question is: Are you listening?
If you haven’t read The Body Keeps the Score, I highly recommend it - whether you are a yoga teacher, a student, or simply someone on a journey of self-discovery.
For me this book was triggering and confronting at times. It will change the relationship and the language that you have with your past experiences, and it will change the way you understand yourself and those around you.
And if you are holding onto something - something heavy, something unspoken, know this:
You are not broken.
Your body is not against you.
Healing is a non-linear journey and you're not alone.
Healing is possible.
And it can begin with something as simple as your next breath.
If you ever want someone to talk to or someone to practice with, I am here for you.
Please reach out if you would like to connect.
With gratitude and love,
Jordan
