Can We Heal Our Past Trauma Through Positive Focus?
Someone posed a question about whether it's helpful to "re-live the past".
There is a lot of focus these days on positive thinking and manifesting what we focus on. I am a firm believer in both. There is an idea, a fear, that if we allow ourselves to focus on trauma in our past, we will re-create more trauma in our present and future. This fear is based in truth. We don't want to focus on our past and create more of the same in our lives. However, many of us have experienced past traumatic events that left emotional (and sometimes physical) wounds. We can't move forward by dwelling on the trauma of the past, but our bodies have a way of storing anything that's too much to process at one time for a later time when we are better equipped.These times of being triggered are our body's way of saying,"Hey, I still have this trauma stored. Can we deal with this now?"
The only way to stop being triggered by our past is to face it.
I have found that it's absolutely essential to process through the feelings and emotions of past trauma from a grounded, resourced place in order to truly, fully release and heal. This is very different from wallowing in our past traumas or experiences. There is a conscious decision made to move through the trauma and then steps are taken to do exactly that from a place of strength and peace that are currently available. Once the trauma and related emotions have been addressed, heard and viscerally processed, the person returns their focus to a positive mindset and outlook.
Depending on the trauma, release and healing can happen all at once or in waves, similar to the way grief is processed. The waves may come within a few hours or days, or the whole process can unfold over years, with opportunities to continue to heal arising when least expected. Those are triggers. Triggers are opportunities. If you're angry with someone, blaming someone, angry with yourself, victimized, or just feeling sad or sorry for yourself, you are being triggered and it is an opportunity to heal from a cycle or traumatic event that likely began many years ago.
Why do we need to review past traumatic events?
Ignoring past traumas doesn't make them go away.
People who resist this healing process of conscious past review often experience:
- Addictions (tobacco, caffeine, alcohol, marijuana, stimulants, opiates, food, etc.)
- Disharmony in their interpersonal relationships (tendency toward arguing and blaming)
- Feelings of victim mentality (people always being unfair to me or mistreating me)
- Isolation, loneliness (shutting others out altogether)
- A general sense of unrest, lack of inner peace
- Insomnia
- Inability to focus
- Low self-esteem, perception of low self-worth
- Unconsciously repeating the events and feelings that initially began with the past trauma
How can we review past traumas for self-growth and healing?
- Achieving a grounded, resourced state of being through meditation and breathwork
- Setting the intention of reviewing the past trauma for healing and releasing
- Continuing to top-up your grounded and resourced state as you continue the process
- Exploring past trauma and emotions and processing from the stability within
- Identifying lessons learned from that chosen experience
- Realigning with present peace and truth
- Ending the explorative session with a positive focus and gratitude for lessons learned
I've used this process myself and enjoyed wonderful results and personal growth.
I've been privileged to guide my clients through this process with wonderful results as well.
If you need help with this process, feel free to contact me through my website. Phone and video chat sessions are available worldwide.
Love you 💓
Shaun
