Text from the series “Holistic Healing Chronicles: Nourishing Your Body, Mind, and Soul for Lasting Wellness” by Nisarga Eryk Dobosz.
Greetings to all fellow seekers of healing and self-discovery!
We enter this world as pure, loving, and conscious beings, yet it is inevitable that we encounter experiences that leave a lasting impact on our lives. The period from conception to around 8 years old is crucial for shaping our personalities, and during this time, we are also endowed with unique sensitivities, gifts, and life purposes. The intensity of these experiences can influence our body, psyche, and nervous system in diverse ways, leading to various manifestations of trauma—be it the significant “T,” the subtle “t,” or merely disruptions.
Trauma, in essence, is the enduring emotional response stemming from distressing events. The aftermath of a traumatic experience can detrimentally affect one’s sense of safety, self-perception, and the ability to regulate emotions and navigate relationships. Broadly speaking, trauma can be categorized into three main types: Acute, Chronic, or Complex. Acute trauma arises from a single incident, while chronic trauma is characterized by repeated and prolonged exposure, such as in cases of domestic violence or abuse. Complex trauma, on the other hand, involves exposure to various and multiple traumatic events, often of an invasive, interpersonal nature.
These traumatic events often overwhelm our nervous system, creating an intense and fast external factor that the system struggles to cope with effectively. In response, our nervous system develops a compassionate reaction or activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System to shut down, leading to what we term a Trauma Vortex. This vortex occurs when we are unable to express these overwhelming feelings, causing them to implode into the body. The stored experiences become somatic memories, gradually creating tensions within us that persist over time.
Contrary to a common misconception, diving headfirst into these experiences with intensity and expressing them all at once does not magically eliminate the vortexes forever. Instead, we must embark on a journey to build counter vortexes—safe spaces within our bodies. This involves gradually regaining a sense of our bodies, cultivating awareness of our internal and external resources, and reconnecting with our felt sense and interoception.
Healing from trauma involves allowing ourselves to fully express the emotions tied to the trauma vortex, all the while being anchored in the safety of the counter vortex. This process expands the window of tolerance of our nervous system, enabling the release of trapped energy within our bodies as life force and vitality. Expressing emotions like fear, rage, grief, or anger in a conscious and connected manner completes the cycle of fight/flight from past traumatic events. It also forms new neuroconnections in the nervous system that foster safety, attunement, and the compassionate presence of the Ventral Vagal Complex.
Ultimately, achieving a state of being attuned, happy, trusting, and intimately connected with others in the presence of our hearts and bodies is the healing destination we all seek. It’s an important journey of self-discovery, self-compassion, and reclaiming the essence of our true selves.
With heartfelt compassion and dedication,
Nisarga Eryk Dobosz
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Nisarga Eryk Dobosz – founder of the Integral Body Institute. He has been practicing bodywork, breathwork, meditation and tantra for over 20 years. He is a bodywork and breathwork therapist, specialising in Myofascial Energetic Release, Biodynamic Breathwork and Trauma Release and deep tissue work. An experienced teacher of Lomi Lomi Nui massage and Tantra.
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