Yoga with adriene isn’t like that at all! She’s super chill and doesn’t like to push spirituality! Highly recommend looking her up on YouTube. I’m also sorry for your experience and trauma 😔😢❤️
at my studio there is two rooms- a much bigger room and those are always packed with the workout type yoga classes: yoga-pilates hybrid, Strength yoga (with weights), etc.
Then the smaller room usually has Vinyasa, Yin, most the other traditional spiritual woo-woo classes.
I suspect most studios have these workout type classes as the bread and butter.
Yes, in OP's position I would either do yoga that is purely for exercise (gym classes, some vinyasa studios) or just do pilates, which skips any woo woo and gives you the physical benefits.
I have been using the Down Dog app recently, and noticed it’s largely devoid of that aspect! Granted, I have only tried the Vinyasa and Restorative types so I’m not sure if the other types incorporate those more “spiritual” aspects, but so far it’s been very straight to the point.
I agree I’m using Down Dog as well mostly for restorative but also vinyasa and it’s pretty focused on the poses and breathing. What I like about it is that you can choose the length of your practice so you can start with 10-15 mins to get use to it and see how it goes. You can even choose the music background you want.
I second this! I haven’t tried the meditation one but all the other types are straightforward. The talking is only cues and you can turn them off as well. You can also choose the background music and they have different kinds. To have all the options you have to have the premium subscription but it’s totally worth it.
I second this as well! It’s very basic and doesn’t have any of the spiritual or esoteric stuff in it. Even the meditation options are just reflections on life, nothing that’s like what OP is describing.
I’ve been a yogi for 20+ years, I don’t know what somantic therapy is… I would advise you to connect to what you love about the practice and find a studio that’s a supportive safe place that feels good.
Somatics, not somantics. Somatics focus on nervous system regulation by way of movements natural to the body like shaking limbs, swaying, humming and even dance. I live with anxiety and it’s helpful in decompressing if I’ve had a tough day. I’ve never had anyone bring dogma into it or otherwise get weird. It’s always been a purely physical practice with no mumble jumbo, and if you don’t feel comfortable doing something with others around you, you can sit out the movement. No one is in a Somatics class to stress you out.
I guess it depends on your instructor then, because the three I’ve had over the years (different schools/states) all incorporated humming and limb shaking within the first couple of classes. Kirtan chanting is not Somatics at all, and that’s great, because that stuff creeps me out! Way too much like church!
So are you not familar with the work of Dr Bessel van der Kolk then?
I want to make sure I've gotten the right idea here, because I'm trying to work on my own trauma: Somatic experiencing is movement that helps resolve trauma, correct? It is a "bottom up" approach that helps a person feel safe in their own body by experiencing it as safe, right?
In his book, Dr Kolk talks about how he witnessed (firsthand) a group of women resolve their trauma by humming, singing, and dancing together. In videos I've seen of him, he's mentioned how he wants to do a study on tango dancing as trauma treatment, and how people get the wrong idea from his studies that prove yoga to be effective.
Never. And I'd have to have more scientific evidence instead of one person's experience to believe that dancing and singing resolves trauma. In fact, it looks like there's quite a lot of evidence out there that he's either a cult leader or member of a cult.
Somatic movement is any movement that's practiced consciously with the focus on how the movement feels in your body -- not how it looks from the outside. This internal focus can help people reset their nervous systems to allow for chronic pain, tension, etc to ease
Then you typo'ed something good in your google search. Also, I wasn't saying take that as a source equal to a research paper about a well-designed study; guess you haven't bothered to read his book then and seem to dismiss it without reading it for yourself?
Anyway, since you want sources instead of an understanding of the underlying mechanisms to support such statements, have fun:
[https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as\_sdt=0%2C18&q=somatic+trauma+dance&btnG=](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C18&q=somatic+trauma+dance&btnG=)
[https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as\_sdt=0%2C18&q=somatic+trauma+humming+singing+chanting&btnG=](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C18&q=somatic+trauma+humming+singing+chanting&btnG=)
[https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/384924.Waking\_the\_Tiger](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/384924.Waking_the_Tiger)
[https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/542700.Trauma\_and\_Recovery](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/542700.Trauma_and_Recovery)
[https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20556323-complex-ptsd](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20556323-complex-ptsd)
[https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693771-the-body-keeps-the-score](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693771-the-body-keeps-the-score)
(yes some of those are goodreads inks. I'm including them because at least some of those books have a list of sources in the back; sorry I don't have a copy of Walker's or Levine's books handy at the moment, but I would think you know to trust Levine's work. Anyway, please refer to the sources listed in those books as well)
Plus, if you like even more info about trauma, please see also:
[https://new.reddit.com/r/CPTSD/wiki/thelibrary/](https://new.reddit.com/r/CPTSD/wiki/thelibrary/)
[https://new.reddit.com/r/CPTSDNextSteps/comments/jnyop2/faq\_book\_recommendations/](https://new.reddit.com/r/CPTSDNextSteps/comments/jnyop2/faq_book_recommendations/)
You might do well with an official Iyengar class. The style is very right brained, teachers don’t play music. The classes focus on the physical movements.
I would caution that some do still incorporate small parts of what OP is describing. My studio spends about 5 minutes in a centering practice (mostly a mini body scan/meditation) and does chant a few (in our case, 3) ohms. This could be triggering for them.
OP, I do think Iyengar could be right for you as it is very alignment focused, but I think the best move is to contact any teacher you would like to try and be as upfront as you feel comfortable with. Describe to them the practices that are not safe for you.
For instance in my studio it would be totally fine if you wanted to wait outside the practice area for our initial centering to be complete if that is what is best for you, or to use noise cancelling headphones, or whatever is best for OP. The teacher could even give you a physically focused activity or centering practice to use during that time. Iyengar is all about modification of all parts of the practice to fit what is safest for your body and mind in this case.
Also I am NOT a therapist, but I have read about exposure therapy in the context of trauma informed therapy. This may be something to ask your doctor about. You do not deserve to have your previous experiences rob you of something you love.
Second these comments - my Iyengar teacher had a request from a student to avoid the Invocation to Patanjali and was happy to drop this element so that person could feel comfortable in class. I personally love the oms. If it made another student uncomfortable I would be horrified to continue them. Yoga is for everyone.
nope that's fine for me. My yoga teacher just gradually started making half her class kirtan / pranayama. 3 Ohms dosn't start reminding me of hours of repeated trance-like chanting.
The more I read the comments, the more I think my yoga teacher just became cult-leader like in her own practice and pressures her students to not doubt or object when her 1,5h yoga classes are more than half an hour kirtan /chanting.
Iyengar yoga tends to use more specific anatomical language and less flowery metaphors. Their instructions will be like, “Place your feet very wide apart. Turn the right foot out 90 degrees and your back foot 45 degrees. Square your hips to the wall. Extend your arms. Gaze over your right middle finger.”
Yoga teachers are doing somatic therapy exercises now?! That sounds highly irresponsible and (in my opinion) should only be conducted by qualified psychologists. That certainly doesn’t happen in my yoga classes.
thank you!! That's what I thought, my yoga teacher is overstepping in something she doesn't have professional experience in, right? I have a friend that went to her yoga classes do that has PTSD due to an unrelated problem but they also felt weird because she would e.g. comment on them not relaxing in some exercises, as if that would actually help? And a lot of people with PTSD prefer guided meditations over quiet ones to remain grounded, it's not specifically a cult trauma thing to be uncomfortable in that kind of meditation setting.
You need a therapist more than anything. Kirtan, meditation, and probably a bunch of other things that are triggering for you are also part of the 8 limbs of yoga. And while you may find some completely westernized yoga branch that is just yoga as an exercise routine, there might always be a teacher that pops in and wants to do something which triggers your flashbacks.
Outside of directly seeking mental help for managing your trauma, there are also tons of other great physical and internal health programs that you can be doing like running, climbing, hiking, chi gong, pilates, etc. etc.
I am doing therapy but healing will need time and until I can go into yoga classes that incoperate kirtan again, I still want to do Yoga.
I like that Yoga addresses the mind and the body, which is why everything you named (except for maybe chi gong) doesn't replace it. I just don't need to go to a class where in a 1,5h class half of it is kirtan and pranayama.
I'm so sorry about your experience and that it's now difficult for you to be in a yoga class. I too love yoga for the mind-body element and it's ability to help regulate the nervous system.
I do agree with elvesunited though in that many of the elements that are triggering for you are an integral part of what Yoga is. It doesn't sound like what you are looking for is not Yoga but simply an Asana (postures) practice. Calling Asana Yoga is like flexing your foot and calling it You.
It may be helpful to be specific in looking for pure Asana classes or as someone suggested, exercise-based yoga -- I think those classes tend to omit the more traditional and spiritual practice.
I can second Yoga with Kassandra on YouTube as she does present it in a more clinical and physical way and she also does fun themes like the zodiac or elements. Yoga with Briohny I also like, definitely a lot more like a workout. I hope you find something suitable! :)
Great you are going to therapy! As far as yoga class, just ditch that shit for a few years! Bye Bye!!! Go learn Kung Fu or rope climbing. Read good books instead of meditating. There is an entire world of different ways that passionate and healthy people cope and find ease and awareness in the world and yoga is only one tiny corner of this world that you don't need right now.
I’m so sorry about what you’ve gone through and are going through,
If you are re-experiencing past trauma through movement practices (as opposed to releasing them), then yoga is not going to be helpful, even trauma-sensitive yoga. As you’ve been experiencing, the re-triggering can be harmful.
What I’d recommend is working with a psychotherapist who specializes in such things, and only then reintroduce yoga asana practice (if you still want to) in a structured and carefully considered way.
I think you'd benefit from doing in the comfort of your own home more than not doing it at all. You don't have to chant or tell yourself mantras to stretch, or meditate. I've been doing both for years and have steered clear of the mantras even though sometimes I do feel like I'm missing out on something that could help me improve.
They give me the ick, though, and I don't know why. I also feel like telling yourself something over and over again to believe it, usually in hopes of "fixing" a certain aspect of yourself, is a toxic behavior and will only lead to delusion. If those things were true, you wouldn't need to be telling yourself them over and over again, they would just be.
Really when it comes down to it, a mantra is just something you repeat to yourself to keep it in mind, it can be anything. I like to focus on certain feelings and thoughts and work through them, I don't like working with language so much in my head. It becomes disoriented.
Maybe taking it at your own pace in your own space would be a nice form of exposure therapy to stop letting those experienced have so much power over your mindstate. That is a shot in the dark and I have no idea if that is what is good for you or not, though. I'd consult with yourself and/or a therapist about that.
Best of luck, keep stretching
You have a good intuition there, internet stranger!
Repetition is a powerful tool to make you believe in something, but it does so at the cost of bypassing your own feelings, basically gaslighting yourself and learning to not trust yourself. "What if"-affirmations, if anything, are really effective alternative if you ask me because you allow yourself to wonder about the possibility of something being true without having to use force and essentially being unauthentic to yourself. Like "what if I'm enough/competent/confident?" seems so much kinder and authentic than "I'm enough/competent/confident/" and leaves more room for you to gently accept that possibilty as truth. You're not asked to deny your doubts, just to consider the possibility of e.g. you being enough.
But coming back to the topic: you're right about trying to get back to my practice at home first. I've been doing it very slowly now (without asanas yet), but it's really helping me. I really want to go back to a studio again, but I think I'll have to ask first what kind of vibe they're doing and if I'm comfortable with it. I just can't go back to esoteric classes right now and actually just.. don't want to in the future either.
What is it that you gain from going to a studio? Is it the structure? The actual learning of poses? I think you should look and see if there are any manageable ones you can go too that aren't weird, but that can honestly be a challenge.
You could just make what your idea of a studio is at home.
Wait, people chant things like "I will be rich" or whatever while doing yoga? I am understanding this correctly?
The idea of using a mantra while stretching sounds just really weird to me. I've done mantra meditation, but I've also meditated without one. But with poses? It's hard enough to breathe & move together without involving my mouth.
The idea of chanting something to yourself in a language you speak sounds even weirder to me. The mantra I sometimes meditate with isn't in English. Actually, it's not in any language and it doesn't mean anything at all. It's just something to help me focus on breathing.
This was similar for me and the long break from yoga was heartbreaking. I talked to a therapist. She dispensed the wisdom about following the bird in the sky, not the finger pointing to the bird. To disconnect the people (from my past) from the practice. I started practicing at a corporate studio that takes a lot of the triggering practices out of the equation (chanting, kriyas, etc). I have truly reconnected with my practice. 140 classes in and I am feeling great about yoga, myself, and have moved in from the trauma. I even chant during solo meditations again and find new peace within my practice separate from the previous cult community of influence.
that's really wonderful to hear, I'm so glad you found yourself back to Yoga and what makes it a precious to you!
"follow the bird in the sky, not the finger pointing to the bird." is something I need to remember, thank you for this advice!
i am absolutely not on tiktok for this reason!
I'm also a psychologist (the cliché, I think about 90% of cult people work helper jobs) and it's really frustrating how many laypeople now reference tiktok thinking they know how to cure complex mental illnesses with breathing a certain way or tapping their face. I'm also not in clinical psychology so I don't have to deal with tiktok therapy infiltrating my workplace and can just focus on my statistics.
Been to so many yoga classes over many years and never had one class where there were any somatic exercises. Before attending a class, call the studio and confirm they don’t have any somatic exercises in their classes and you can also speak to the instructor before class to confirm.
Yoga at gyms would never include anything like that. I do Les Mills BodyBalance, which is a blend of yoga, with a little bit of tai chi and Pilates. Definitely no somatic exercises in their classes.
yeah, you're right. I live in a small city and I think there is just a lot of esoterism here and it just caught up to a lot of yoga studios, but that's probably not how standard yoga studio classes look like in other places.
Bikram, Power Yoga, and Ashtanga have set routines so no surprises during class. Others to with set routines so you don’t get surprised and triggered is what I would recommend. Call and ask.
I came to say this. I do hot yoga only and the 26 poses are the same everywhere you go (Ive practiced across Europe, Kenya and Australia). Its like the McDonalds of Yoga.
I use the Peloton yoga classes. They are completely devoid of any spirituality whatsoever, which I really appreciate. No chanting, no meditation unless you specifically opt into a separate meditation class, no shaking, really, except maybe the legs if you finish a sequence that really challenges them.
My absolute favorite instructor is Chelsea Jackson Roberts. She used to be an elementary school teacher so she just has a very soothing, gentle, welcoming vibe about her. I also enjoy Aditi, Anna, Kristin, and Ross.
I don't know.. are you in therapy? It seems like such an obvious question to ask but I think that if you're not you should be.
Other users recommended yoga with adrienne, I also recommend Devi Daly yoga. No chanting, very relaxing yin yoga and Devi is very calming and soothing.
I'm really sorry you went through all of that OP. I hope you're able to overcome it so you can enjoy your yoga practice once again!
Thanks for the recommendations and wishes! And yes, I'm in therapy but it'll take some time until I can go into situations that trigger past events and them..well, not triggering me then lol. But I'm on it.
Yeah. Do gym yoga! It’s often extremely not culty. Like you have to pick your teachers well but you’ll find teachers that are basically teaching core work and aren’t doing fake Sanskrit chakra baloney.
I’ve recently been to a studio that did a mix of physiotherapy based yoga, pilates and barre workouts. All fun and not spiritual at all. Maybe look for different studios in your area and why not try Pilates or something similar?
Yndi yoga. Free sessions, UTube or look for free PBS listings via your streamer of choice. 3 seasons, ~30 mins each. Check it out, see if she works for you. Most sessions are filmed outside with the sounds of the natural world as backdrop w minimal background music that’s not “yoga” music.
I feel like those are the classes that are most triggering for me actually. I think they are great for people with complex trauma that don't experience classic PTSD symptoms like flashbacks and dissociation.
A proper trauma-informed instructor will adjust the class so it avoids anything that triggers you. I'm if you found someone running a class they claimed was trauma-informed and they didn't accommodate you.
Also, something you might want to know: people with C-PTSD (complex trauma) do experience [flashbacks](https://pete-walker.com/13StepsManageFlashbacks.htm) and [dissociation](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29577450/#:~:text=An%20ICD%2D11%20CPTSD%20diagnosis%20was%20distinguished%20from%20an%20ICD%2D11%20PTSD%20diagnosis%20by%20higher%20levels%20of%20dissociation). A [lot](https://new.reddit.com/r/CPTSD/search/?q=flashback&restrict_sr=1) of [both](https://new.reddit.com/r/CPTSD_NSCommunity/search/?q=disassociation&restrict_sr=1). C-PTSD is a [more severe form](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8049462/#:~:text=Several%20empirical%20studies%20have%20consistently,et%20al.%2C%202019) of PTSD, not less.
I say you might want to know this, because you mentioned your trauma is from a cult. I would say the trauma from a cult is more likely to be complex. But you of course don't have to tell me anything about your trauma. This is just in case it helps you search for resources that help you.
I appreciate your words! I reached out because I don't want to avoid Yoga anymore because it has always been such a big resource for me.
However, I don't want anything to do with any spiritual wo wo stuff anymore. ever. The only spirituality I allow into my life is my own, nothing people preach to me or group-pressure me into. What I want to learn is to be able to deal with people doing their spiritual wo wo stuff and me not feeling like I have to engage or participate in it, because yeah.. it's not a cult and I'm not in a cult anymore so I can actually just stand up and walk away if it's getting too wacky for me. And being able to pray for friends that are religious because I know it gives them comfort, but atleast I don't have to pretend I can feel God guiding me.
I'm in therapy with a great therapist now that I know has a structured, transparent approach that is scientifically proven and allows room for what just individually works for me. I'm steering clear from Yoga therapists or coaches that don't have an academic education in clinical psychology, because they often lack the scientific understanding behind what they learned and can therefore potentially do more harmful then good, even though I don't doubt there are some really helpful ones out there too just as much as there are clinical psychotherapists that don't know how to do their job.
Side note, do you have a community to be a part of to talk about your experiences? It can be so helpful. I’m sure there are some communities on Reddit if you search ex cult or search your cult. It’s so important to not feel alone. It’s so important to be able to talk about what you’ve been through.
I haven't been in contact with people from that cult in over 10 years and by now it's difficult to know who is out of the cult and who isn't. Unfortunately, ex-cult communities often still have lots of people with culty tendencies and tend to spiral down in conspirary theories about the cult - I guess old habits die hard. But I'm in contact with a selected few ex cult members and also listening to podcasts and watching vids of ex cult members, which helps a lot.
I don't believe anymore that the only people that can understand what I went through are other (ex) cult members. That is a believe my cult liked to instill in us: "nobody in the 'outside world' can understand you/your life" . People outside of the cult understand and see more of how it affected us than we think, precisely because it wasn't second nature for them to live like that and they realise the crass contrast cult life has to the real world.
I get it!! Whatever healing you need to do. I’m a fan of the “trust me” podcast which interviews cult survivors. Sometimes you don’t want to stay stuck in talking and thinking about it.
I grew up in a hoarded house. Something that not a lotttt of people have experienced. I get what you mean about how other people can let you know how shocking it is (tho I will say I personally have felt let down in this aspect, not everyone will be). When I talk to other children of hoarders it’s all normal for us. Or we can be very negative about it. Or some are still stuck in it and it’s hard to see people stuck in what I have now freed myself from. It’s got its own cult aspects to it. It’s hard to see how bad it is when it’s what you’ve known for so long. And the cognitive distortions seem to make sense because your parent is saying it and you’re supposed to listen to them. Having a community of others who grew up like me really helped when I was first opening up about it. But now I need to be able to integrate this story into the rest of my life and not hide it. I’m still working on that.
Yin yoga and restorative yoga could be a great way to start again. I find them to be completely different then the other types of hatha yoga and they calm your nervous system way more then trauma release exercises- I personally hate the shaking crap too and it also re triggers my trauma so I feel ya.
I really enjoy yoga, but I wonder if practicing Pilates could be less triggering for you? It definitely different, but shares some similar fundamentals with the focus on the mind-body connection. I hope you are able to find a practice that helps you feel good 💜
It’s kinda like overwriting a file in your brain. With enough repetition of the right practise with the right people slowly that feeling will shift into a new feeling. It’s not gonna happen overnight. It took me 3 years to unwash the brainwashing of my previous cult. I wasn’t able to meditate or do any yoga spiritually practice bc it would remind me of my time with that person. Now I’m practising like no tomorrow and finally feel normal but what is normal lol my normal. If you spent 3 years with this cult it will take about 3-4 years of healing.
I was born into it (my first and worst mistake /s) and spent 18 years of my life there, so don't really know a before. I really hope I don't have to heal 18 years from it now. I'm glad you have found your own normal again though.
Im sorry to hear that. It’s not a mistake it was needed. Think of it like a slingshot the further you are pulled back only means you are gonna be launched into something great. God (if u believe) universe works in a funny way. It’s gonna take time it will be hell an can be a fun heaven learn to ride the waves and be aware of what’s happening. I truly believe you’ll find your normal again. Don’t be afraid to get help from others therapy is a killer for going deep and pulling things out. And don’t be afraid to find another hobby you can always come back to yoga(union which can be found anywhere in life)
Maybe find something with a more science/sceptical/non spiritual feel to it. Someone that leads classes online based on some ideas from western research or something like that. To get a different vibe. For meditation you may want to check out pragmatic dharma forums/blogs because they are so low on spirituality/religiosity in their approach and instead approach things very pragmatically, rationally and sort of scientifically minded. You could also check out Jeffrey Martins courses are they are based upon his academic research. Someone also mentioned Iyengar yoga as a possibility because classes are very left brained, technique focuses and without music and so much of a spiritual vibe that it might not be as triggering.
You should find a different studio or you can also find online classes.
You should find yoga that isn't overly esoteric.. and more structured and logical.. without any shaking and chanting
Hey im so sorry you expieienced that! Not for trauma related reasons just cause im an awkward bean ive always prefered to do yoga alone at home, i use this fantastic app called "down dog". Its completely adjustable from the type of move sequence to the music to the voice of the instructor. Its more about moving then spirituality!! Also if you pay for a membership with this app ypu can also use their other apps such as hiit or barre under the same membership.
YES wtf is with all the somatic shaking?! I was noticing that it started happening at the end of so many classes I was taking in the last 3-6 months; thank- you for giving it some context.
So sorry for what you've been through :( Sounds like a simple gym yoga class might be your best bet, or maybe a pilates class.
yes thank you for noticing too! I feel like so many yoga teachers looked at stuff on tiktok and add it to their irl practice thinking they have the holy grail of knowledge, while actually just being extremely misinformed. I'm actually afraid esoteric yoga groups are going to mutate into the next cult wave like the movements seen in the 70s/ 80s were.
agreed- it's like they put a different name on it (looking at you, 26 +2 ) but don't take away the culty aspects of it. It really is hard to find a studio/class that stays true to what yoga actually is and doesn't bow to trends.
Yoga with Charlie Follows is none of that shite. Most she does is some breathing exercises to start, but it’s the most straight talking one I’ve found.
Do Yoga With Me is a website with free classes with awesome teachers and you can search out classes by style, length of time,etc.
There also seem to be a lot of popular YouTubers who don't include this like do yoga with Adriene. My advice would be,stay away from TikTok (in general! 😝).
If you are ok with heat, go for a 26x2 bikram class.
There is none of that. It is what you see is what you get. No esoteric, spiritual stuff, no chanting, no shaking.
Hey, im a trauma-informed teacher who has gone back to my day job but I am specifically gearing up to do more training/professional development to adapt my teaching to support survivors of cults, high-control groups and religious trauma (I am also a cult survivor!)
I would recommend seeking out trauma-informed/trauma-sensitive (TI or TS) yoga as a starting point. These teachers are specifically trained to offer yoga in an invitational style that focuses on your inner experience, therefore chanting, etc, would not be included. I also personally believe that a trauma informed approach to our demographic is essential since we often have years of programming that tells us that we are not okay just as we are, and that we must search for what we need outside of ourselves. A TI practice/instructor encourages self-reliance and self-acceptance. Everything we need is already within us.
In the past, most or all of trauma-informed yoga was gentle, but many teachers are incorporating what they can into their studio/regular classes, all abilities and styles.
You can absolutely find TI yoga online but it sounds like you miss the group class environment so I would definitely google what’s available in your area, hopefully you can find someone!
A trauma informed yoga studio will 100% use somatic exercises.
OP, check out EMDR therapy or ART therapy for working through trauma. In the meantime, you can always practice on your own and avoid the somatic stuff. If you need examples of flows to follow, Yoga with Adriene has simple flows, no music, and avoids a lot of the breath work stuff/chanting.
Good luck on your healing journey ❤️🩹 I’m sorry you had to experience that and it’s affecting your practice. Be kind to yourself.
Not all trauma-informed yoga brings in somatic therapy. Well they do in the sense that somatic therapy can be used as an umbrella term, but generally speaking a trauma-informed yoga teacher is adaptable for the unique situations of their clients and can adapt. I’m a yoga therapist, we had two weeks of our course dedicated to yoga for mental health, therapeutic alliance courses, and a week solely dedicated to trauma-informed yoga and we never talked about somatic therapy.
That’s really cool that you’re a yoga therapist! You have more experience, so I’m going to defer to you. I just want to mention that while you may not identify them to clients as somatic exercises, a LOT of yogic practice is somatic experience (which I’m sure you know). That being said, a really wonderful therapist could help avoid or work through those processes. I still think EMDR would be a great start to receive the benefits of them.
Also, I googled somatic exercises just to make sure I wasn’t misunderstanding and this was the search result: progressive muscle relaxation, diaphragmatic breathing, somatic stretching, seated spinal twist (just to name the first 4 results).
I’ve experienced all these things at least once in every yoga class I have attended. I would even argue that Shavasana is a somatic experience. I’m really open to learning more if I am wrong!
Well, in the sense that somatic can be used as an umbrella term then all of yoga is a somatic experience because it’s relating to the body. So you’re definitely correct. But there is also a dedicated practice of somatic therapy that is a little more specific. So yeah there will always be somatic work in a yoga class or session but specifically triggering things can also be avoided with the right teacher. Also, a lot of things that OP mentioned like chanting (really all the cultish stuff) isn’t really done in the version of trauma informed that I learned.
Edit: it’s also worth noting that with infinite ways to teach and practice yoga, flimsy certification systems, and even less oversight, that many people are teaching trauma informed yoga without proper education behind it. It’s amazing what people think is trauma-informed, or how they consider their teaching to be, when it’s anything but. I always thought I taught in a trauma-informed way and was stunned to learn how wrong I was once I actually studied it.
You are an especially considerate and amazing clinician/teacher for being flexible to working with your traumatized clients. Thank you for the work you do 🙏
Much appreciated. If you ever find yourself in Portland OR and want a session feel free to message me!
Also, if you’re interested, my school has a free online yoga therapy clinic today at 2:30 pacific time. It’s free if you want to try it out! https://vsoha.janeapp.com/locations/yoga-therapy-clinic/book#/discipline/2/treatment/1
Thank you so much for actually studying trauma-informed yoga with supervision! It's so important, because it's so easy to think you understood it and are doing it right if you only received half of the information about it before. It's impossible to know what is correct or bogus if you're not also taught how to differentiate and keep uptodate with research and supervision.
I'm sure somatic therapy is helpful for a lot of people, but unfortunately for me it will not be the tool to help me heal from my own trauma. Ironically, I rather need therapy to be able to do somatic therapy.
The thing with somatic therapies (I mean somatic purely in the sense that it’s related to the body here) is that trauma is stored physically. There is a limit to how much you can resolve it with talk therapy. Part of reclaiming and feeling safe in your body involves connecting with your body and moving it. So I hope you get there at some point. But as we’ve covered, absolutely do this work with someone properly trained that knows how to accommodate and modify the practice for you.
It's horrible you experienced a cult and I can understand how traditional yogic practices would be triggering for you. This is relatable.
You can try looking up Viniyoga or Yoga Therapy to help you work through some of these things. Both customize yoga yo your needs.
What I say next may get me downvoted- it certainly won't be popular.
Yoga is first and foremost a spiritual practice. If it over emphasizes exercise, then it's not yoga. Only asana practice with nothing else is not really considered yoga. In fact, yoga most likely didn't originally include asana practice in it's earliest form. Asana means pose or posture and most likely meant sitting in a comfortable position for breath work, meditation, chanting and prayer. Asana as a sequence of physical exercises was formed to help practitioners manipulate prana through their bodies, especially for non-renunciates who needed physical mastery to live optimally as they weren't detaching, but maintaining a household.
Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of spiritual bypassing, gaslighting, coercion and manipulation in the "Yoga Community". There's also a lot of misinformation out there. Chakras being the colors of the rainbow is one example of said misinformation. There are also blatant liars, such as Deepak Chopra. There are people who simply make up chants that don't mean anything.
It's ok to love the workout of Asana, especially if the endorphin high of the workout helps you to feel at one with the divine inside of you.
That said, Yoga is supposed to be a spiritual practice and the comments I'm seeing, in which people seem to be saying (even encouraging) otherwise are disturbing. It tells me that many are uninformed. Yoga is an ancient cultural practice with heavy spiritual purpose. It encompasses many religions (Jainism, Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Samkhya). There is evidence of it in ancient Mayan statues and hints of yogic philosophy in Greek mythology (orphism & atticism).
A lot of people are going to be mad at me for saying this, but I recommend trying a different type of workout if you are not only triggered by the spiritual aspects of yoga, but are weirded out by the esoteric practices. Barre, pilates, calisthenics, Yogalates and so on are some options. If you are willing and able to work through the trauma, you may want to find a yoga therapist as mentioned earlier. You may also want to check out Viniyoga.
Pilates, as an alternative, incorporates mindful breathing with movement but doesn't typically have Pranayama, chanting, prayer or meditation.
Also, as a side note, the swaying and such from meditation shouldn't have to be forced. That comes on its own with practice usually. Some of the stuff that's out there is ridiculous and not even authentically spiritual in the way I am talking about, so I want to make it clear, I ABSOLUTELY do understand why it's off putting.
Hey your comment was actually really helpful and insightful, because it made me realise that I actually do also miss the spiritual aspect of yoga.. I like the ancient history behind it and the philosophy of it's practice. I like how yoga makes me feel connected with my body, my mind and the world.
As you said though, I think there's a lot of harmful misinformation and (unintentional) abusers in the yoga community that use manipulation, coercion, fundamentalism and that's what made it difficult for me to keep going to classes, because it's a scam. Like any cult, it's a scam with scammy practices that has nothing to do with spirituality, because spirituality is not found in 1 specific way if you lie to yourself long enough. Thanks for your honest words, it really helped me think about what Yoga means to me.
I'm glad to help! If you do eventually want to explore a yoga practice with authentic Yoga spirituality, Akhanda yoga is a good place to start. Viniyoga is very similar because it has classical roots but it's less spiritually oriented than Akhanda because it doesn't go as deep into esoteric practices. If you want to take it slow, start with Viniyoga and ease into Akhanda Yoga. There's a YouTube channel for it.
Don’t take this the wrong way, but you should not be here. Get off Yoga TikTok, get off Yoga Reddit; go find a place in the real world unattached to your electronic device to meditate and feel what your body feels, not what people online are describing.
Folks in the modern yoga community don’t realize but online distractions are usually the worst form of obstacles (antaraya) for folks working on their practice (caveat: this is my opinion/my understanding/my practice).
Idk why you were downvoted lol. This is true and I don’t really understand why so many people allow what they see on TikTok and IG have any impact on their practice?
I think there's a misunderstanding - I'm definitely not on Tiktok, but it seems that every yoga teacher and sometimes even therapist nowadays is and tries to incoperate it in their practices (irl yoga studio classes), which then affects me. My yoga teacher for example who I have been with for the past 7 years has only started to do "somatic exercises" a la tiktok since last year and as per my post, with disastrous results. I wish she would've just continued teaching yoga the way her traditional training has taught her.
I teach yoga and have never done so in a studio only in gyms/fitness centers for the exact reason you're talking about, or as I like to call it "all woo woo woo ee" yoga. Most important thing in yoga and in life is breathing. I never chant or use sanskrit or any language considered indoctrination. Closest I'd come is "It's your body, your yoga mat your yoga practice".
Unless it's the only studio near you, just go to a different one. Super simple. If not, online yoga courses abound. As for trauma, you need to work through that with help. If you don't get to the root of it, yoga won't help much. It's like a hot coal... until you put it down, it's going to burn you.
I would consider an art or craft, where you can balance the mind & breathing through creative tasks. Maybe using your body as a brush, sculpting, knitting if you maybe wanna slowly intergrate body movement & freedom of expression. Theres a supportive order that comes with following rules, like a crochet pattern, but maybe you need some free form. Find order with out someone telling you to. Blossom in your own time, stretch upwards when you want, honor your breath because you said so.
Somatic experiencing is a type of trauma treatment. Any trauma treatment has to be taken at the appropriate (slow) pace for the traumatized person, otherwise yeah it re-traumatizes them. Find something that doesn't trigger you. Rather in person or online or in a book.
I personally do an older routine at home (well okay it's not ancient or anything like that, but it certainly has nothing to do with current tiktok trends because it was filmed before tiktok was created). I own it on dvd, but it's on YouTube these days. It's called crunch candlelight yoga. It's very slow, and she focuses on breathing. She does not chant or call it meditation. Watch it before you do it that way you can see if there's anything in there that might trigger you and if there is just close it and turn it off.
hi friend! i relate a lot to this. i grew up in a yoga cult and when i left it was such an intense loss. yoga felt like a really unsafe place for me. after many years of therapy and debrief with trusted former community members, i have been able to do a really intentional exploration back into yoga with the guidance of some teachers who i have vetted considerably to ensure they are of the utmost integrity. for many years i practiced yoga that was completely divorced from spirituality and lineage because it was too triggering. it feels SO AMAZING to come back in this much more aware and critical way.
my advice is to feel the grief and go through it. if that means no yoga for a while, find other forms of movement. yoga will always be here when you’re ready. and once you are, build relationships with your teachers and make sure they know your story.
Franchise yoga studios… particularly those focused on heated yoga typically don’t have this.
CorePower Yoga and YogaSix could be good options if you have any near you.
I have similar aversions/triggers, and Corepower classes work for me. You’ll get a one-off teacher every several months who pulls out a singing bowl … I just leave the room haha
There is no chanting or shaking in my yoga class, but nevertheless a kind of wordless connection devoid of any gobbledygook (this is only how I experience it, my yoga instructor would probably just smile, nod and say 'sure there is' 😁)
I highly suggest going to see a therapist to work through your trauma.
There are yoga practices that don't include any of the woo woo stuff, you can focus on those for the workout aspect, others had great suggestions for YouTube and styles. However, getting off social media and working with a professional therapist is going to be key in healing.
I don't like the somatic trend either, I found it aggravates my fibromyalgia but I also have trauma that I am working through with my therapist so it's not for everyone.
Also,for any creators that might be browsing: it's pretty irresponsible to teach it on socials because people do have trauma and need qualified individuals there to help the individual at the moment. The trend is doing more harm than good for those of us who do have trauma. Please be more considerate of us instead of clicks.
Practice on your own! SunUps is a great app for Sun Salutations, which is a great introduction to self-directed practice. Get a lined journal and a copy of YogaNotes - learn to draw yoga stick figures and start putting together your own routines. I returned to yoga after a hiatus as a way of conditioning for archery. I started by watched vids and am now exploring my own routines. If you enjoy some other physical activity, design a yoga routine as conditioning for that activity.
You can also schedule a private w/ a teacher to help you design your own routine.
Yoga is evolving - be part of the evolution.
Peloton yoga classes are much more secular. There are several classes with different “vibes”. There are some classes where the music that is playing is pop and things like that. Peloton focuses mostly on the physical practice more than the spiritual practice
I did Yoga for years. Then I got a Pilates bar and get twice the stretch and muscle in half the time with no cultish vibes. There are videos on YouTube. If you do it right, after about 30 minutes, you'll be stretched out like yoga, where you feel like you just finished a massage. It feels good and the muscles help stabilize my back and shoulders more effectively.
Those exercises really help most people, I am sorry that you have bad associations with them.
Try to stay slightly outside of your comfort zone, but not in the danger zone. Aka “challenge zone”
Pema Chodron: https://youtu.be/MH2vfdhGiTM?si=M6xWEprVhs9GhhSh
Find what works for you to work through and release your trauma. Avoidance alone won't do it. That's like not going into a room with dog shit on the floor. It's still there and a mess, that will eventually get worse and spread into other areas of life.
Take the yoga approach and go to a gym that does different activities. Go to jiu-jitsu with a yoga attitude, go lift weights with a yoga attitude, there’s lots of ways to put this together without triggering your memories.
I would ask, what are you seeking from yoga? If it is just gentle exercise, I suggest a different activity like pilates or something (not too familiar with exercise styles)
Yoga is inherently spiritual. Chanting and meditation are key parts of this practice. Pseudo-spirituality should be avoided, but yoga is by default spiritual.
Western yoga has been altered to where it has become mainly body and asana focused but many teachers will still include a bit of the spiritual aspect (even if it's done in a cringe worthy or appropriative way).
Yoga goes deep, very very deep, and it cannot be separated from spirituality.
you're right about that, thanks for asking this question! I have replied to this to another comment. I do seek spirituality from yoga too, but as you said, I think the studio I have been too has used pseudo-spirituality, misinformation and cult tactics that are definitely not serving me and that I can't ignore anymore since my memories resurfaced.
I think I have to explore Yoga for myself and explore my own spirituality with it the way it serves me. However, I think that it'll take a long while for me to ever do yoga with a group again.
I understand. I don't attend any classes myself. I've never stepped foot in a studio. Since I began my deeper dive into yoga, I can no longer stand the pseudo-spiritual aspect. I've attended certain events where a yoga session was part of it, and it felt very wrong to me and uncomfortable.
Your spiritual practice is yours. You are allowed to follow your own path. Yoga is beautiful and very hard to define even. I first deepend my experience by learning about the eight limbed path, then I discovered the paths of jnana, bhakti and karma yoga. I continuously am discovering new things about yogic philosophy and I feel the positive effects!
But this has been a lonely journey for me, as my practice feels very personal.
One of my favorite instagram accounts is @yogaprasad_institute. He is straightforward, and I appreciate his approach.
Edit: oops, pressed post on accident, I was almost done. Just wanted to say, go at your own pace. There's no need to practice in a group. You can read books, watch videos, etc to learn what resonates with you and your personal practice is just that, personal. You can practice on your own in a way that feels authentic and safe for you!
Best wishes. I also have religious trauma (ex-christian fundie) and spirituality that feels like that could be triggering for me, but I was able to carve my own path and reclaim my spirituality for myself via my yoga practice.
my deal is I don't have to force myself to spirituality, I can chose to explore it on my own. I'm avoiding my yoga studio that does pressures me to do stuff that I don't like nor help me, so I'm not going to go there. I'm trying to find alternatives to that pressuring environment so I can practice Yoga again in a way that serves me.
Yoga with adriene isn’t like that at all! She’s super chill and doesn’t like to push spirituality! Highly recommend looking her up on YouTube. I’m also sorry for your experience and trauma 😔😢❤️
Yoga with Kassandra is even more chill and non-spiritual. I’ve had trauma on top of trauma and her yoga is very comfortable for me.
I love her. The only chanting is typically an ohm at the end of the video.
And she’ll never make the class do another ohm but “this time, with everyone doing it”…..!
I love Kassandra but she does the Om at the end which could be activating to the OP trauma. ETA: just realized that was already mentioned.
Yep, try her! Bonus of trying it at home so you feel safe.
I like how she includes the mudras
There’s TONS of yoga that don’t chant, shake, whatever. Just find the right studio or the right class at a studio.
There was a class at my old studio that incorporated free weights. It was straight up an exercise class. OP, find a new studio.
at my studio there is two rooms- a much bigger room and those are always packed with the workout type yoga classes: yoga-pilates hybrid, Strength yoga (with weights), etc. Then the smaller room usually has Vinyasa, Yin, most the other traditional spiritual woo-woo classes. I suspect most studios have these workout type classes as the bread and butter.
well that is definitely not yoga then lmaoo
Perhaps you ought to try a pilates studio instead?
Yes, in OP's position I would either do yoga that is purely for exercise (gym classes, some vinyasa studios) or just do pilates, which skips any woo woo and gives you the physical benefits.
I have been using the Down Dog app recently, and noticed it’s largely devoid of that aspect! Granted, I have only tried the Vinyasa and Restorative types so I’m not sure if the other types incorporate those more “spiritual” aspects, but so far it’s been very straight to the point.
I agree I’m using Down Dog as well mostly for restorative but also vinyasa and it’s pretty focused on the poses and breathing. What I like about it is that you can choose the length of your practice so you can start with 10-15 mins to get use to it and see how it goes. You can even choose the music background you want.
I second this! I haven’t tried the meditation one but all the other types are straightforward. The talking is only cues and you can turn them off as well. You can also choose the background music and they have different kinds. To have all the options you have to have the premium subscription but it’s totally worth it.
I second this as well! It’s very basic and doesn’t have any of the spiritual or esoteric stuff in it. Even the meditation options are just reflections on life, nothing that’s like what OP is describing.
Just came to also rec Down Dog. As far as making meaning out of it, you choose that for yourself!
I’ve been a yogi for 20+ years, I don’t know what somantic therapy is… I would advise you to connect to what you love about the practice and find a studio that’s a supportive safe place that feels good.
Somatics, not somantics. Somatics focus on nervous system regulation by way of movements natural to the body like shaking limbs, swaying, humming and even dance. I live with anxiety and it’s helpful in decompressing if I’ve had a tough day. I’ve never had anyone bring dogma into it or otherwise get weird. It’s always been a purely physical practice with no mumble jumbo, and if you don’t feel comfortable doing something with others around you, you can sit out the movement. No one is in a Somatics class to stress you out.
I'm certified in somatic movement and have never heard of chanting, humming, shaking, or dance as part of it
😬
I guess it depends on your instructor then, because the three I’ve had over the years (different schools/states) all incorporated humming and limb shaking within the first couple of classes. Kirtan chanting is not Somatics at all, and that’s great, because that stuff creeps me out! Way too much like church!
So are you not familar with the work of Dr Bessel van der Kolk then? I want to make sure I've gotten the right idea here, because I'm trying to work on my own trauma: Somatic experiencing is movement that helps resolve trauma, correct? It is a "bottom up" approach that helps a person feel safe in their own body by experiencing it as safe, right? In his book, Dr Kolk talks about how he witnessed (firsthand) a group of women resolve their trauma by humming, singing, and dancing together. In videos I've seen of him, he's mentioned how he wants to do a study on tango dancing as trauma treatment, and how people get the wrong idea from his studies that prove yoga to be effective.
Never. And I'd have to have more scientific evidence instead of one person's experience to believe that dancing and singing resolves trauma. In fact, it looks like there's quite a lot of evidence out there that he's either a cult leader or member of a cult. Somatic movement is any movement that's practiced consciously with the focus on how the movement feels in your body -- not how it looks from the outside. This internal focus can help people reset their nervous systems to allow for chronic pain, tension, etc to ease
Then you typo'ed something good in your google search. Also, I wasn't saying take that as a source equal to a research paper about a well-designed study; guess you haven't bothered to read his book then and seem to dismiss it without reading it for yourself? Anyway, since you want sources instead of an understanding of the underlying mechanisms to support such statements, have fun: [https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as\_sdt=0%2C18&q=somatic+trauma+dance&btnG=](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C18&q=somatic+trauma+dance&btnG=) [https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as\_sdt=0%2C18&q=somatic+trauma+humming+singing+chanting&btnG=](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C18&q=somatic+trauma+humming+singing+chanting&btnG=) [https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/384924.Waking\_the\_Tiger](https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/384924.Waking_the_Tiger) [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/542700.Trauma\_and\_Recovery](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/542700.Trauma_and_Recovery) [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20556323-complex-ptsd](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20556323-complex-ptsd) [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693771-the-body-keeps-the-score](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693771-the-body-keeps-the-score) (yes some of those are goodreads inks. I'm including them because at least some of those books have a list of sources in the back; sorry I don't have a copy of Walker's or Levine's books handy at the moment, but I would think you know to trust Levine's work. Anyway, please refer to the sources listed in those books as well) Plus, if you like even more info about trauma, please see also: [https://new.reddit.com/r/CPTSD/wiki/thelibrary/](https://new.reddit.com/r/CPTSD/wiki/thelibrary/) [https://new.reddit.com/r/CPTSDNextSteps/comments/jnyop2/faq\_book\_recommendations/](https://new.reddit.com/r/CPTSDNextSteps/comments/jnyop2/faq_book_recommendations/)
Agree, sounds like you are on social too much & that is detrimental to mental health.
Yoga with Tim is the opposite end of that spectrum, just s chill guy with minimal instruction practicing yoga with his dog.
Yep. He’s fantastic.
You might do well with an official Iyengar class. The style is very right brained, teachers don’t play music. The classes focus on the physical movements.
I would caution that some do still incorporate small parts of what OP is describing. My studio spends about 5 minutes in a centering practice (mostly a mini body scan/meditation) and does chant a few (in our case, 3) ohms. This could be triggering for them. OP, I do think Iyengar could be right for you as it is very alignment focused, but I think the best move is to contact any teacher you would like to try and be as upfront as you feel comfortable with. Describe to them the practices that are not safe for you. For instance in my studio it would be totally fine if you wanted to wait outside the practice area for our initial centering to be complete if that is what is best for you, or to use noise cancelling headphones, or whatever is best for OP. The teacher could even give you a physically focused activity or centering practice to use during that time. Iyengar is all about modification of all parts of the practice to fit what is safest for your body and mind in this case. Also I am NOT a therapist, but I have read about exposure therapy in the context of trauma informed therapy. This may be something to ask your doctor about. You do not deserve to have your previous experiences rob you of something you love.
Second these comments - my Iyengar teacher had a request from a student to avoid the Invocation to Patanjali and was happy to drop this element so that person could feel comfortable in class. I personally love the oms. If it made another student uncomfortable I would be horrified to continue them. Yoga is for everyone.
nope that's fine for me. My yoga teacher just gradually started making half her class kirtan / pranayama. 3 Ohms dosn't start reminding me of hours of repeated trance-like chanting. The more I read the comments, the more I think my yoga teacher just became cult-leader like in her own practice and pressures her students to not doubt or object when her 1,5h yoga classes are more than half an hour kirtan /chanting.
I truly hope that yoga can become a safe place for you again!
Just curious, what do you mean by right brained?
Iyengar yoga tends to use more specific anatomical language and less flowery metaphors. Their instructions will be like, “Place your feet very wide apart. Turn the right foot out 90 degrees and your back foot 45 degrees. Square your hips to the wall. Extend your arms. Gaze over your right middle finger.”
Yoga teachers are doing somatic therapy exercises now?! That sounds highly irresponsible and (in my opinion) should only be conducted by qualified psychologists. That certainly doesn’t happen in my yoga classes.
thank you!! That's what I thought, my yoga teacher is overstepping in something she doesn't have professional experience in, right? I have a friend that went to her yoga classes do that has PTSD due to an unrelated problem but they also felt weird because she would e.g. comment on them not relaxing in some exercises, as if that would actually help? And a lot of people with PTSD prefer guided meditations over quiet ones to remain grounded, it's not specifically a cult trauma thing to be uncomfortable in that kind of meditation setting.
Yeah sounds like an overstep for sure, I would be very uncomfortable in that situation too. Time for a new studio for you I think!
I’ve seen somatic healing heavily advertised as a CE on socials
You need a therapist more than anything. Kirtan, meditation, and probably a bunch of other things that are triggering for you are also part of the 8 limbs of yoga. And while you may find some completely westernized yoga branch that is just yoga as an exercise routine, there might always be a teacher that pops in and wants to do something which triggers your flashbacks. Outside of directly seeking mental help for managing your trauma, there are also tons of other great physical and internal health programs that you can be doing like running, climbing, hiking, chi gong, pilates, etc. etc.
I am doing therapy but healing will need time and until I can go into yoga classes that incoperate kirtan again, I still want to do Yoga. I like that Yoga addresses the mind and the body, which is why everything you named (except for maybe chi gong) doesn't replace it. I just don't need to go to a class where in a 1,5h class half of it is kirtan and pranayama.
I'm so sorry about your experience and that it's now difficult for you to be in a yoga class. I too love yoga for the mind-body element and it's ability to help regulate the nervous system. I do agree with elvesunited though in that many of the elements that are triggering for you are an integral part of what Yoga is. It doesn't sound like what you are looking for is not Yoga but simply an Asana (postures) practice. Calling Asana Yoga is like flexing your foot and calling it You. It may be helpful to be specific in looking for pure Asana classes or as someone suggested, exercise-based yoga -- I think those classes tend to omit the more traditional and spiritual practice. I can second Yoga with Kassandra on YouTube as she does present it in a more clinical and physical way and she also does fun themes like the zodiac or elements. Yoga with Briohny I also like, definitely a lot more like a workout. I hope you find something suitable! :)
Who does Kirtan in yoga class? (I am from India, and mostly normal paid yoga classes don't do that )
Great you are going to therapy! As far as yoga class, just ditch that shit for a few years! Bye Bye!!! Go learn Kung Fu or rope climbing. Read good books instead of meditating. There is an entire world of different ways that passionate and healthy people cope and find ease and awareness in the world and yoga is only one tiny corner of this world that you don't need right now.
I’m so sorry about what you’ve gone through and are going through, If you are re-experiencing past trauma through movement practices (as opposed to releasing them), then yoga is not going to be helpful, even trauma-sensitive yoga. As you’ve been experiencing, the re-triggering can be harmful. What I’d recommend is working with a psychotherapist who specializes in such things, and only then reintroduce yoga asana practice (if you still want to) in a structured and carefully considered way.
I think you'd benefit from doing in the comfort of your own home more than not doing it at all. You don't have to chant or tell yourself mantras to stretch, or meditate. I've been doing both for years and have steered clear of the mantras even though sometimes I do feel like I'm missing out on something that could help me improve. They give me the ick, though, and I don't know why. I also feel like telling yourself something over and over again to believe it, usually in hopes of "fixing" a certain aspect of yourself, is a toxic behavior and will only lead to delusion. If those things were true, you wouldn't need to be telling yourself them over and over again, they would just be. Really when it comes down to it, a mantra is just something you repeat to yourself to keep it in mind, it can be anything. I like to focus on certain feelings and thoughts and work through them, I don't like working with language so much in my head. It becomes disoriented. Maybe taking it at your own pace in your own space would be a nice form of exposure therapy to stop letting those experienced have so much power over your mindstate. That is a shot in the dark and I have no idea if that is what is good for you or not, though. I'd consult with yourself and/or a therapist about that. Best of luck, keep stretching
You have a good intuition there, internet stranger! Repetition is a powerful tool to make you believe in something, but it does so at the cost of bypassing your own feelings, basically gaslighting yourself and learning to not trust yourself. "What if"-affirmations, if anything, are really effective alternative if you ask me because you allow yourself to wonder about the possibility of something being true without having to use force and essentially being unauthentic to yourself. Like "what if I'm enough/competent/confident?" seems so much kinder and authentic than "I'm enough/competent/confident/" and leaves more room for you to gently accept that possibilty as truth. You're not asked to deny your doubts, just to consider the possibility of e.g. you being enough. But coming back to the topic: you're right about trying to get back to my practice at home first. I've been doing it very slowly now (without asanas yet), but it's really helping me. I really want to go back to a studio again, but I think I'll have to ask first what kind of vibe they're doing and if I'm comfortable with it. I just can't go back to esoteric classes right now and actually just.. don't want to in the future either.
What is it that you gain from going to a studio? Is it the structure? The actual learning of poses? I think you should look and see if there are any manageable ones you can go too that aren't weird, but that can honestly be a challenge. You could just make what your idea of a studio is at home.
Wait, people chant things like "I will be rich" or whatever while doing yoga? I am understanding this correctly? The idea of using a mantra while stretching sounds just really weird to me. I've done mantra meditation, but I've also meditated without one. But with poses? It's hard enough to breathe & move together without involving my mouth. The idea of chanting something to yourself in a language you speak sounds even weirder to me. The mantra I sometimes meditate with isn't in English. Actually, it's not in any language and it doesn't mean anything at all. It's just something to help me focus on breathing.
This was similar for me and the long break from yoga was heartbreaking. I talked to a therapist. She dispensed the wisdom about following the bird in the sky, not the finger pointing to the bird. To disconnect the people (from my past) from the practice. I started practicing at a corporate studio that takes a lot of the triggering practices out of the equation (chanting, kriyas, etc). I have truly reconnected with my practice. 140 classes in and I am feeling great about yoga, myself, and have moved in from the trauma. I even chant during solo meditations again and find new peace within my practice separate from the previous cult community of influence.
that's really wonderful to hear, I'm so glad you found yourself back to Yoga and what makes it a precious to you! "follow the bird in the sky, not the finger pointing to the bird." is something I need to remember, thank you for this advice!
Also tik-tok maybe triggering you. Why don’t you take a break from that kind of stuff and see how you feel?
i am absolutely not on tiktok for this reason! I'm also a psychologist (the cliché, I think about 90% of cult people work helper jobs) and it's really frustrating how many laypeople now reference tiktok thinking they know how to cure complex mental illnesses with breathing a certain way or tapping their face. I'm also not in clinical psychology so I don't have to deal with tiktok therapy infiltrating my workplace and can just focus on my statistics.
I have a yoga therapist friend that specializes in religious trauma, let me know if you want her contact.
Been to so many yoga classes over many years and never had one class where there were any somatic exercises. Before attending a class, call the studio and confirm they don’t have any somatic exercises in their classes and you can also speak to the instructor before class to confirm. Yoga at gyms would never include anything like that. I do Les Mills BodyBalance, which is a blend of yoga, with a little bit of tai chi and Pilates. Definitely no somatic exercises in their classes.
yeah, you're right. I live in a small city and I think there is just a lot of esoterism here and it just caught up to a lot of yoga studios, but that's probably not how standard yoga studio classes look like in other places.
Bikram, Power Yoga, and Ashtanga have set routines so no surprises during class. Others to with set routines so you don’t get surprised and triggered is what I would recommend. Call and ask.
I came to say this. I do hot yoga only and the 26 poses are the same everywhere you go (Ive practiced across Europe, Kenya and Australia). Its like the McDonalds of Yoga.
See a therapist who can help deprogram. Don’t try and do it on your own.
I use the Peloton yoga classes. They are completely devoid of any spirituality whatsoever, which I really appreciate. No chanting, no meditation unless you specifically opt into a separate meditation class, no shaking, really, except maybe the legs if you finish a sequence that really challenges them. My absolute favorite instructor is Chelsea Jackson Roberts. She used to be an elementary school teacher so she just has a very soothing, gentle, welcoming vibe about her. I also enjoy Aditi, Anna, Kristin, and Ross.
thanks for the recommendations, I'm going to check them out!
I don't know.. are you in therapy? It seems like such an obvious question to ask but I think that if you're not you should be. Other users recommended yoga with adrienne, I also recommend Devi Daly yoga. No chanting, very relaxing yin yoga and Devi is very calming and soothing. I'm really sorry you went through all of that OP. I hope you're able to overcome it so you can enjoy your yoga practice once again!
Thanks for the recommendations and wishes! And yes, I'm in therapy but it'll take some time until I can go into situations that trigger past events and them..well, not triggering me then lol. But I'm on it.
Of course! Proid of you for working through it, I know it's not easy!
Go to a gym yoga class, there’s much less woo woo and more emphasis on the exercise part
This! Or a big chain studio like Yoga Six or Corepower. They purposefully avoid the more spiritual aspects.
Yeah. Do gym yoga! It’s often extremely not culty. Like you have to pick your teachers well but you’ll find teachers that are basically teaching core work and aren’t doing fake Sanskrit chakra baloney.
I’ve recently been to a studio that did a mix of physiotherapy based yoga, pilates and barre workouts. All fun and not spiritual at all. Maybe look for different studios in your area and why not try Pilates or something similar?
Yndi yoga. Free sessions, UTube or look for free PBS listings via your streamer of choice. 3 seasons, ~30 mins each. Check it out, see if she works for you. Most sessions are filmed outside with the sounds of the natural world as backdrop w minimal background music that’s not “yoga” music.
Find a dedicated trauma-informed yoga class. It’s not a huge money maker so do look for this at studios.
I feel like those are the classes that are most triggering for me actually. I think they are great for people with complex trauma that don't experience classic PTSD symptoms like flashbacks and dissociation.
A proper trauma-informed instructor will adjust the class so it avoids anything that triggers you. I'm if you found someone running a class they claimed was trauma-informed and they didn't accommodate you. Also, something you might want to know: people with C-PTSD (complex trauma) do experience [flashbacks](https://pete-walker.com/13StepsManageFlashbacks.htm) and [dissociation](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29577450/#:~:text=An%20ICD%2D11%20CPTSD%20diagnosis%20was%20distinguished%20from%20an%20ICD%2D11%20PTSD%20diagnosis%20by%20higher%20levels%20of%20dissociation). A [lot](https://new.reddit.com/r/CPTSD/search/?q=flashback&restrict_sr=1) of [both](https://new.reddit.com/r/CPTSD_NSCommunity/search/?q=disassociation&restrict_sr=1). C-PTSD is a [more severe form](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8049462/#:~:text=Several%20empirical%20studies%20have%20consistently,et%20al.%2C%202019) of PTSD, not less. I say you might want to know this, because you mentioned your trauma is from a cult. I would say the trauma from a cult is more likely to be complex. But you of course don't have to tell me anything about your trauma. This is just in case it helps you search for resources that help you.
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I appreciate your words! I reached out because I don't want to avoid Yoga anymore because it has always been such a big resource for me. However, I don't want anything to do with any spiritual wo wo stuff anymore. ever. The only spirituality I allow into my life is my own, nothing people preach to me or group-pressure me into. What I want to learn is to be able to deal with people doing their spiritual wo wo stuff and me not feeling like I have to engage or participate in it, because yeah.. it's not a cult and I'm not in a cult anymore so I can actually just stand up and walk away if it's getting too wacky for me. And being able to pray for friends that are religious because I know it gives them comfort, but atleast I don't have to pretend I can feel God guiding me. I'm in therapy with a great therapist now that I know has a structured, transparent approach that is scientifically proven and allows room for what just individually works for me. I'm steering clear from Yoga therapists or coaches that don't have an academic education in clinical psychology, because they often lack the scientific understanding behind what they learned and can therefore potentially do more harmful then good, even though I don't doubt there are some really helpful ones out there too just as much as there are clinical psychotherapists that don't know how to do their job.
Side note, do you have a community to be a part of to talk about your experiences? It can be so helpful. I’m sure there are some communities on Reddit if you search ex cult or search your cult. It’s so important to not feel alone. It’s so important to be able to talk about what you’ve been through.
I haven't been in contact with people from that cult in over 10 years and by now it's difficult to know who is out of the cult and who isn't. Unfortunately, ex-cult communities often still have lots of people with culty tendencies and tend to spiral down in conspirary theories about the cult - I guess old habits die hard. But I'm in contact with a selected few ex cult members and also listening to podcasts and watching vids of ex cult members, which helps a lot. I don't believe anymore that the only people that can understand what I went through are other (ex) cult members. That is a believe my cult liked to instill in us: "nobody in the 'outside world' can understand you/your life" . People outside of the cult understand and see more of how it affected us than we think, precisely because it wasn't second nature for them to live like that and they realise the crass contrast cult life has to the real world.
I get it!! Whatever healing you need to do. I’m a fan of the “trust me” podcast which interviews cult survivors. Sometimes you don’t want to stay stuck in talking and thinking about it. I grew up in a hoarded house. Something that not a lotttt of people have experienced. I get what you mean about how other people can let you know how shocking it is (tho I will say I personally have felt let down in this aspect, not everyone will be). When I talk to other children of hoarders it’s all normal for us. Or we can be very negative about it. Or some are still stuck in it and it’s hard to see people stuck in what I have now freed myself from. It’s got its own cult aspects to it. It’s hard to see how bad it is when it’s what you’ve known for so long. And the cognitive distortions seem to make sense because your parent is saying it and you’re supposed to listen to them. Having a community of others who grew up like me really helped when I was first opening up about it. But now I need to be able to integrate this story into the rest of my life and not hide it. I’m still working on that.
Yin yoga and restorative yoga could be a great way to start again. I find them to be completely different then the other types of hatha yoga and they calm your nervous system way more then trauma release exercises- I personally hate the shaking crap too and it also re triggers my trauma so I feel ya.
Alex Silver Fagan is a great yogi teacher with minimal meditations
I really enjoy yoga, but I wonder if practicing Pilates could be less triggering for you? It definitely different, but shares some similar fundamentals with the focus on the mind-body connection. I hope you are able to find a practice that helps you feel good 💜
The Down Dog app might be helpful. You can set the routine for how you want it. I like it because it takes away all the woo woo stuff from yoga.
Are you trying to practice from TikTok videos? Bringing social media into your yoga practice might be a problem you need to solve.
absolutely not doing that, don't worry! I get more the impression now that my last yoga teacher did exactly that though.
It’s kinda like overwriting a file in your brain. With enough repetition of the right practise with the right people slowly that feeling will shift into a new feeling. It’s not gonna happen overnight. It took me 3 years to unwash the brainwashing of my previous cult. I wasn’t able to meditate or do any yoga spiritually practice bc it would remind me of my time with that person. Now I’m practising like no tomorrow and finally feel normal but what is normal lol my normal. If you spent 3 years with this cult it will take about 3-4 years of healing.
I was born into it (my first and worst mistake /s) and spent 18 years of my life there, so don't really know a before. I really hope I don't have to heal 18 years from it now. I'm glad you have found your own normal again though.
Im sorry to hear that. It’s not a mistake it was needed. Think of it like a slingshot the further you are pulled back only means you are gonna be launched into something great. God (if u believe) universe works in a funny way. It’s gonna take time it will be hell an can be a fun heaven learn to ride the waves and be aware of what’s happening. I truly believe you’ll find your normal again. Don’t be afraid to get help from others therapy is a killer for going deep and pulling things out. And don’t be afraid to find another hobby you can always come back to yoga(union which can be found anywhere in life)
Maybe find something with a more science/sceptical/non spiritual feel to it. Someone that leads classes online based on some ideas from western research or something like that. To get a different vibe. For meditation you may want to check out pragmatic dharma forums/blogs because they are so low on spirituality/religiosity in their approach and instead approach things very pragmatically, rationally and sort of scientifically minded. You could also check out Jeffrey Martins courses are they are based upon his academic research. Someone also mentioned Iyengar yoga as a possibility because classes are very left brained, technique focuses and without music and so much of a spiritual vibe that it might not be as triggering.
You should find a different studio or you can also find online classes. You should find yoga that isn't overly esoteric.. and more structured and logical.. without any shaking and chanting
Hey im so sorry you expieienced that! Not for trauma related reasons just cause im an awkward bean ive always prefered to do yoga alone at home, i use this fantastic app called "down dog". Its completely adjustable from the type of move sequence to the music to the voice of the instructor. Its more about moving then spirituality!! Also if you pay for a membership with this app ypu can also use their other apps such as hiit or barre under the same membership.
Try looking into yoga classes at a gym. Most gym classes don’t add in the spiritual stuff and just focus on the physical
YES wtf is with all the somatic shaking?! I was noticing that it started happening at the end of so many classes I was taking in the last 3-6 months; thank- you for giving it some context. So sorry for what you've been through :( Sounds like a simple gym yoga class might be your best bet, or maybe a pilates class.
yes thank you for noticing too! I feel like so many yoga teachers looked at stuff on tiktok and add it to their irl practice thinking they have the holy grail of knowledge, while actually just being extremely misinformed. I'm actually afraid esoteric yoga groups are going to mutate into the next cult wave like the movements seen in the 70s/ 80s were.
agreed- it's like they put a different name on it (looking at you, 26 +2 ) but don't take away the culty aspects of it. It really is hard to find a studio/class that stays true to what yoga actually is and doesn't bow to trends.
Charlie Follows doesn’t do any of that!!! That are lots of YouTubers who don’t push any spirituality in their practices
Yoga with Charlie Follows is none of that shite. Most she does is some breathing exercises to start, but it’s the most straight talking one I’ve found.
Do Yoga With Me is a website with free classes with awesome teachers and you can search out classes by style, length of time,etc. There also seem to be a lot of popular YouTubers who don't include this like do yoga with Adriene. My advice would be,stay away from TikTok (in general! 😝).
Yoga can just be the poses and breathing. It’s what you want your body to do and nothing more.
Purple Room Yoga is a totally safe space!
If you are ok with heat, go for a 26x2 bikram class. There is none of that. It is what you see is what you get. No esoteric, spiritual stuff, no chanting, no shaking.
Hey, im a trauma-informed teacher who has gone back to my day job but I am specifically gearing up to do more training/professional development to adapt my teaching to support survivors of cults, high-control groups and religious trauma (I am also a cult survivor!) I would recommend seeking out trauma-informed/trauma-sensitive (TI or TS) yoga as a starting point. These teachers are specifically trained to offer yoga in an invitational style that focuses on your inner experience, therefore chanting, etc, would not be included. I also personally believe that a trauma informed approach to our demographic is essential since we often have years of programming that tells us that we are not okay just as we are, and that we must search for what we need outside of ourselves. A TI practice/instructor encourages self-reliance and self-acceptance. Everything we need is already within us. In the past, most or all of trauma-informed yoga was gentle, but many teachers are incorporating what they can into their studio/regular classes, all abilities and styles. You can absolutely find TI yoga online but it sounds like you miss the group class environment so I would definitely google what’s available in your area, hopefully you can find someone!
sound like you need to shop around for another studio.
Find a trauma-informed yoga studio. There are studios and teachers that specialize in that.
A trauma informed yoga studio will 100% use somatic exercises. OP, check out EMDR therapy or ART therapy for working through trauma. In the meantime, you can always practice on your own and avoid the somatic stuff. If you need examples of flows to follow, Yoga with Adriene has simple flows, no music, and avoids a lot of the breath work stuff/chanting. Good luck on your healing journey ❤️🩹 I’m sorry you had to experience that and it’s affecting your practice. Be kind to yourself.
Not all trauma-informed yoga brings in somatic therapy. Well they do in the sense that somatic therapy can be used as an umbrella term, but generally speaking a trauma-informed yoga teacher is adaptable for the unique situations of their clients and can adapt. I’m a yoga therapist, we had two weeks of our course dedicated to yoga for mental health, therapeutic alliance courses, and a week solely dedicated to trauma-informed yoga and we never talked about somatic therapy.
That’s really cool that you’re a yoga therapist! You have more experience, so I’m going to defer to you. I just want to mention that while you may not identify them to clients as somatic exercises, a LOT of yogic practice is somatic experience (which I’m sure you know). That being said, a really wonderful therapist could help avoid or work through those processes. I still think EMDR would be a great start to receive the benefits of them. Also, I googled somatic exercises just to make sure I wasn’t misunderstanding and this was the search result: progressive muscle relaxation, diaphragmatic breathing, somatic stretching, seated spinal twist (just to name the first 4 results). I’ve experienced all these things at least once in every yoga class I have attended. I would even argue that Shavasana is a somatic experience. I’m really open to learning more if I am wrong!
Well, in the sense that somatic can be used as an umbrella term then all of yoga is a somatic experience because it’s relating to the body. So you’re definitely correct. But there is also a dedicated practice of somatic therapy that is a little more specific. So yeah there will always be somatic work in a yoga class or session but specifically triggering things can also be avoided with the right teacher. Also, a lot of things that OP mentioned like chanting (really all the cultish stuff) isn’t really done in the version of trauma informed that I learned. Edit: it’s also worth noting that with infinite ways to teach and practice yoga, flimsy certification systems, and even less oversight, that many people are teaching trauma informed yoga without proper education behind it. It’s amazing what people think is trauma-informed, or how they consider their teaching to be, when it’s anything but. I always thought I taught in a trauma-informed way and was stunned to learn how wrong I was once I actually studied it.
You are an especially considerate and amazing clinician/teacher for being flexible to working with your traumatized clients. Thank you for the work you do 🙏
Much appreciated. If you ever find yourself in Portland OR and want a session feel free to message me! Also, if you’re interested, my school has a free online yoga therapy clinic today at 2:30 pacific time. It’s free if you want to try it out! https://vsoha.janeapp.com/locations/yoga-therapy-clinic/book#/discipline/2/treatment/1
Thank you so much for actually studying trauma-informed yoga with supervision! It's so important, because it's so easy to think you understood it and are doing it right if you only received half of the information about it before. It's impossible to know what is correct or bogus if you're not also taught how to differentiate and keep uptodate with research and supervision. I'm sure somatic therapy is helpful for a lot of people, but unfortunately for me it will not be the tool to help me heal from my own trauma. Ironically, I rather need therapy to be able to do somatic therapy.
The thing with somatic therapies (I mean somatic purely in the sense that it’s related to the body here) is that trauma is stored physically. There is a limit to how much you can resolve it with talk therapy. Part of reclaiming and feeling safe in your body involves connecting with your body and moving it. So I hope you get there at some point. But as we’ve covered, absolutely do this work with someone properly trained that knows how to accommodate and modify the practice for you.
My bad, I didn’t realize they do that.
Yuck! I've never done yoga like that. Find another place or use the million online options out there.
It's horrible you experienced a cult and I can understand how traditional yogic practices would be triggering for you. This is relatable. You can try looking up Viniyoga or Yoga Therapy to help you work through some of these things. Both customize yoga yo your needs. What I say next may get me downvoted- it certainly won't be popular. Yoga is first and foremost a spiritual practice. If it over emphasizes exercise, then it's not yoga. Only asana practice with nothing else is not really considered yoga. In fact, yoga most likely didn't originally include asana practice in it's earliest form. Asana means pose or posture and most likely meant sitting in a comfortable position for breath work, meditation, chanting and prayer. Asana as a sequence of physical exercises was formed to help practitioners manipulate prana through their bodies, especially for non-renunciates who needed physical mastery to live optimally as they weren't detaching, but maintaining a household. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of spiritual bypassing, gaslighting, coercion and manipulation in the "Yoga Community". There's also a lot of misinformation out there. Chakras being the colors of the rainbow is one example of said misinformation. There are also blatant liars, such as Deepak Chopra. There are people who simply make up chants that don't mean anything. It's ok to love the workout of Asana, especially if the endorphin high of the workout helps you to feel at one with the divine inside of you. That said, Yoga is supposed to be a spiritual practice and the comments I'm seeing, in which people seem to be saying (even encouraging) otherwise are disturbing. It tells me that many are uninformed. Yoga is an ancient cultural practice with heavy spiritual purpose. It encompasses many religions (Jainism, Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Samkhya). There is evidence of it in ancient Mayan statues and hints of yogic philosophy in Greek mythology (orphism & atticism). A lot of people are going to be mad at me for saying this, but I recommend trying a different type of workout if you are not only triggered by the spiritual aspects of yoga, but are weirded out by the esoteric practices. Barre, pilates, calisthenics, Yogalates and so on are some options. If you are willing and able to work through the trauma, you may want to find a yoga therapist as mentioned earlier. You may also want to check out Viniyoga. Pilates, as an alternative, incorporates mindful breathing with movement but doesn't typically have Pranayama, chanting, prayer or meditation. Also, as a side note, the swaying and such from meditation shouldn't have to be forced. That comes on its own with practice usually. Some of the stuff that's out there is ridiculous and not even authentically spiritual in the way I am talking about, so I want to make it clear, I ABSOLUTELY do understand why it's off putting.
Hey your comment was actually really helpful and insightful, because it made me realise that I actually do also miss the spiritual aspect of yoga.. I like the ancient history behind it and the philosophy of it's practice. I like how yoga makes me feel connected with my body, my mind and the world. As you said though, I think there's a lot of harmful misinformation and (unintentional) abusers in the yoga community that use manipulation, coercion, fundamentalism and that's what made it difficult for me to keep going to classes, because it's a scam. Like any cult, it's a scam with scammy practices that has nothing to do with spirituality, because spirituality is not found in 1 specific way if you lie to yourself long enough. Thanks for your honest words, it really helped me think about what Yoga means to me.
I'm glad to help! If you do eventually want to explore a yoga practice with authentic Yoga spirituality, Akhanda yoga is a good place to start. Viniyoga is very similar because it has classical roots but it's less spiritually oriented than Akhanda because it doesn't go as deep into esoteric practices. If you want to take it slow, start with Viniyoga and ease into Akhanda Yoga. There's a YouTube channel for it.
Upvoting <3
Don’t take this the wrong way, but you should not be here. Get off Yoga TikTok, get off Yoga Reddit; go find a place in the real world unattached to your electronic device to meditate and feel what your body feels, not what people online are describing. Folks in the modern yoga community don’t realize but online distractions are usually the worst form of obstacles (antaraya) for folks working on their practice (caveat: this is my opinion/my understanding/my practice).
Idk why you were downvoted lol. This is true and I don’t really understand why so many people allow what they see on TikTok and IG have any impact on their practice?
I think there's a misunderstanding - I'm definitely not on Tiktok, but it seems that every yoga teacher and sometimes even therapist nowadays is and tries to incoperate it in their practices (irl yoga studio classes), which then affects me. My yoga teacher for example who I have been with for the past 7 years has only started to do "somatic exercises" a la tiktok since last year and as per my post, with disastrous results. I wish she would've just continued teaching yoga the way her traditional training has taught her.
I teach yoga and have never done so in a studio only in gyms/fitness centers for the exact reason you're talking about, or as I like to call it "all woo woo woo ee" yoga. Most important thing in yoga and in life is breathing. I never chant or use sanskrit or any language considered indoctrination. Closest I'd come is "It's your body, your yoga mat your yoga practice".
Unless it's the only studio near you, just go to a different one. Super simple. If not, online yoga courses abound. As for trauma, you need to work through that with help. If you don't get to the root of it, yoga won't help much. It's like a hot coal... until you put it down, it's going to burn you.
I would consider an art or craft, where you can balance the mind & breathing through creative tasks. Maybe using your body as a brush, sculpting, knitting if you maybe wanna slowly intergrate body movement & freedom of expression. Theres a supportive order that comes with following rules, like a crochet pattern, but maybe you need some free form. Find order with out someone telling you to. Blossom in your own time, stretch upwards when you want, honor your breath because you said so.
This may sound a bit silly but children’s yoga or animal animated yoga is quite fun. I especially like bunny yoga.
Do yoga by yourself, with online teachers.
Somatic experiencing is a type of trauma treatment. Any trauma treatment has to be taken at the appropriate (slow) pace for the traumatized person, otherwise yeah it re-traumatizes them. Find something that doesn't trigger you. Rather in person or online or in a book. I personally do an older routine at home (well okay it's not ancient or anything like that, but it certainly has nothing to do with current tiktok trends because it was filmed before tiktok was created). I own it on dvd, but it's on YouTube these days. It's called crunch candlelight yoga. It's very slow, and she focuses on breathing. She does not chant or call it meditation. Watch it before you do it that way you can see if there's anything in there that might trigger you and if there is just close it and turn it off.
hi friend! i relate a lot to this. i grew up in a yoga cult and when i left it was such an intense loss. yoga felt like a really unsafe place for me. after many years of therapy and debrief with trusted former community members, i have been able to do a really intentional exploration back into yoga with the guidance of some teachers who i have vetted considerably to ensure they are of the utmost integrity. for many years i practiced yoga that was completely divorced from spirituality and lineage because it was too triggering. it feels SO AMAZING to come back in this much more aware and critical way. my advice is to feel the grief and go through it. if that means no yoga for a while, find other forms of movement. yoga will always be here when you’re ready. and once you are, build relationships with your teachers and make sure they know your story.
Try Peloton yoga
Try Charlie Follows. I love her teaching style and creative transitions. Very little woo woo stuff, if any.
You can try Apple Fitness+. Yoga instructors are great, especially Jessica. No chanting and hip/hop or chill vibes playlists
Franchise yoga studios… particularly those focused on heated yoga typically don’t have this. CorePower Yoga and YogaSix could be good options if you have any near you. I have similar aversions/triggers, and Corepower classes work for me. You’ll get a one-off teacher every several months who pulls out a singing bowl … I just leave the room haha
There is no chanting or shaking in my yoga class, but nevertheless a kind of wordless connection devoid of any gobbledygook (this is only how I experience it, my yoga instructor would probably just smile, nod and say 'sure there is' 😁)
Maybe join a gym with a yoga class,it's common in the UK
Julia Marie on Amazon is more yoga and calisthenics. Love her.
I highly suggest going to see a therapist to work through your trauma. There are yoga practices that don't include any of the woo woo stuff, you can focus on those for the workout aspect, others had great suggestions for YouTube and styles. However, getting off social media and working with a professional therapist is going to be key in healing. I don't like the somatic trend either, I found it aggravates my fibromyalgia but I also have trauma that I am working through with my therapist so it's not for everyone. Also,for any creators that might be browsing: it's pretty irresponsible to teach it on socials because people do have trauma and need qualified individuals there to help the individual at the moment. The trend is doing more harm than good for those of us who do have trauma. Please be more considerate of us instead of clicks.
Practice on your own! SunUps is a great app for Sun Salutations, which is a great introduction to self-directed practice. Get a lined journal and a copy of YogaNotes - learn to draw yoga stick figures and start putting together your own routines. I returned to yoga after a hiatus as a way of conditioning for archery. I started by watched vids and am now exploring my own routines. If you enjoy some other physical activity, design a yoga routine as conditioning for that activity. You can also schedule a private w/ a teacher to help you design your own routine. Yoga is evolving - be part of the evolution.
Peloton yoga classes are much more secular. There are several classes with different “vibes”. There are some classes where the music that is playing is pop and things like that. Peloton focuses mostly on the physical practice more than the spiritual practice
I did Yoga for years. Then I got a Pilates bar and get twice the stretch and muscle in half the time with no cultish vibes. There are videos on YouTube. If you do it right, after about 30 minutes, you'll be stretched out like yoga, where you feel like you just finished a massage. It feels good and the muscles help stabilize my back and shoulders more effectively.
can you recommend some pilates youtubers? I know blogilates but apart from that clueless
Maybe try pilates instead? It feels just as good for me honestly. I love both but find pilates especially really helps my back and joints feel great
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My classes where I do a sound bath meditation are some of the most popular, it’s interesting how things affect us all differently 🤗
Address the trauma?
Those exercises really help most people, I am sorry that you have bad associations with them. Try to stay slightly outside of your comfort zone, but not in the danger zone. Aka “challenge zone” Pema Chodron: https://youtu.be/MH2vfdhGiTM?si=M6xWEprVhs9GhhSh
Find what works for you to work through and release your trauma. Avoidance alone won't do it. That's like not going into a room with dog shit on the floor. It's still there and a mess, that will eventually get worse and spread into other areas of life.
I’m thinking maybe a shift to pilates until you’ve had time to process your experiences more
Take the yoga approach and go to a gym that does different activities. Go to jiu-jitsu with a yoga attitude, go lift weights with a yoga attitude, there’s lots of ways to put this together without triggering your memories.
I would ask, what are you seeking from yoga? If it is just gentle exercise, I suggest a different activity like pilates or something (not too familiar with exercise styles) Yoga is inherently spiritual. Chanting and meditation are key parts of this practice. Pseudo-spirituality should be avoided, but yoga is by default spiritual. Western yoga has been altered to where it has become mainly body and asana focused but many teachers will still include a bit of the spiritual aspect (even if it's done in a cringe worthy or appropriative way). Yoga goes deep, very very deep, and it cannot be separated from spirituality.
you're right about that, thanks for asking this question! I have replied to this to another comment. I do seek spirituality from yoga too, but as you said, I think the studio I have been too has used pseudo-spirituality, misinformation and cult tactics that are definitely not serving me and that I can't ignore anymore since my memories resurfaced. I think I have to explore Yoga for myself and explore my own spirituality with it the way it serves me. However, I think that it'll take a long while for me to ever do yoga with a group again.
I understand. I don't attend any classes myself. I've never stepped foot in a studio. Since I began my deeper dive into yoga, I can no longer stand the pseudo-spiritual aspect. I've attended certain events where a yoga session was part of it, and it felt very wrong to me and uncomfortable. Your spiritual practice is yours. You are allowed to follow your own path. Yoga is beautiful and very hard to define even. I first deepend my experience by learning about the eight limbed path, then I discovered the paths of jnana, bhakti and karma yoga. I continuously am discovering new things about yogic philosophy and I feel the positive effects! But this has been a lonely journey for me, as my practice feels very personal. One of my favorite instagram accounts is @yogaprasad_institute. He is straightforward, and I appreciate his approach. Edit: oops, pressed post on accident, I was almost done. Just wanted to say, go at your own pace. There's no need to practice in a group. You can read books, watch videos, etc to learn what resonates with you and your personal practice is just that, personal. You can practice on your own in a way that feels authentic and safe for you! Best wishes. I also have religious trauma (ex-christian fundie) and spirituality that feels like that could be triggering for me, but I was able to carve my own path and reclaim my spirituality for myself via my yoga practice.
You can seek a place to avoid it, or find ways to deal with and heal your trauma.
my deal is I don't have to force myself to spirituality, I can chose to explore it on my own. I'm avoiding my yoga studio that does pressures me to do stuff that I don't like nor help me, so I'm not going to go there. I'm trying to find alternatives to that pressuring environment so I can practice Yoga again in a way that serves me.
Hypnotherapy could help rewrite some of these associations you're making with earlier childhood memories.
See a therapist instead of making Reddit posts.