When a wave crashes on shore, it creates an impact. It may or may not be noticeable, but the impact is still there. The sand moves, water seeps into the ground, shells or rocks may become more visible and animals may become stranded. Each wave has a different impact; if several waves hit the shore in the same spot, the change in landscape is a bit more pronounced each time. The same thing happens to our bodies when we experience trauma.

Our nervous system is like a computer’s memory chip, storing every single sensory input we have ever experienced, from the time we are born—and maybe even before—up until the time we die. It’s how we know almost immediately and instinctually to respond to threats, comfort one another and more. When our body experiences stimuli—whether it is an emotion, situation, sound, visual cue or touch—it becomes stored in our cells and nervous system for future reference. This is how the body learns and adds to instinctual responses.

Stimuli are stored in the body whether they are enjoyable, neutral or threatening. It’s almost like hitting the save button on a computer. It’s in the background, but still lives in our nervous system. Regardless of whether our conscious mind can recall the original events and stimuli, it is literally programmed into our cells, and forever woven into our internal subconscious structure.

So how does this inform the healing process when it comes to trauma? Everything we perceive and process, whether consciously or unconsciously, travels from our nervous system into our subconscious minds where it becomes solidified. If the brain recognizes some sort of familiar emotion or belief pattern in repeated incidents, it becomes a neural pathway. These neural pathways are like roadmaps with specific instructions on how to respond the next time this familiar situation occurs. The more the situation or emotion occurs, the more deeply ingrained that neural pathway will become. Because the brain functions more subconsciously than consciously, the majority of our reactions to any stimuli are already predisposed, depending on those neural pathways.

With that subconscious predisposition, it is nearly impossible to create lasting, meaningful transformation if the entirety of our body-mind system is not working together. The mind may be clear, know what it wants to change and make active steps to change it. However, if the nervous system and, in turn, the subconscious mind, is not on the same page, we will find ourselves self-sabotaging and holding conflicting beliefs, also known as cognitive dissonance. We are therefore unable to truly move forward.

The nervous system also has a spectacular memory because of these neural pathways. As we know, our nervous system has a lot to do with our breathing, movement and muscular alignment as well. Not only does the memory of the nervous system affect our minds, but it affects our bodies too.

Understanding this, body psychology allows us to access those deep muscular emotional holdings in a mindful, safe way. While the mind can be completely clear and free from concern when it comes to a past trauma, the body may be stuck and require assistance accessing those trapped emotions or experiences. It’s almost like trying to walk through a doorway keeping one foot in the other room. It’s a biological protective mechanism, but it’s often not necessary after a certain point.

By inviting mindful, focused awareness to those “stuck” or “trapped” places in the body, those holdings may begin the process of release. Often this process involves a surge of intense emotion, flashbacks or repressed memories, but the body knows it’s safe and protected throughout the process. So often the only thing separating us from the emotional freedom we desire is our ability to simply feel any one emotion without immediately trying to get rid of it or push it away. By meeting these emotions on the physical plane as they have manifested in the body, it allows the mind to separate from the sense of urgency or “now-ness,” and remain calm and aware.

Awareness is the key to feeling, releasing and healing those traumas. Once the mind becomes aware of something previously suppressed, it is almost impossible to become unaware of it. Try as we might, the light of new knowledge stays with us. Body psychology is the doorway of presence between past and possible future; mindful attention to what is painful or hurting is the key.

Rebecca Filiault is a spiritual healer practicing I AM Yoga Therapy, body psychology, I AM Yoga [email protected]Nidra, energetic anatomy alchemy, tapping and other forms of holistic emotional healing. Connect at [email protected].