A ROOT Awakening #1: Healing and Habit Change
By: Jasmine Rausch
At ROOT, we believe that yoga therapy is all about habit change so it was only appropriate to kick off our first blog entry about connecting healing and habit change. So, let’s dig in.
The words “healing” and “curing” are used interchangeably but these two words are very different. Let’s first get to the “root” (sorry, I had to) of each of their meanings. Curing refers to ridding all signs and symptoms of the condition. Healing is about becoming whole, which can occur even if a condition is not present. As a yoga therapist, my work focuses on healing and in my experience, healing requires us to change our habits. Here are two steps that you can start taking today to begin changing habits and healing.
#1. Self-reflection: Whether we are healing from a childhood trauma, an old heartbreak or chronic illness or pain, we have to do some self-reflection. Looking at our patterns is the only way to move beyond the superficial symptoms that may be expressing themselves in the body. All of us have patterned behaviors, that we develop as a way to survive and stay safe. These can include self-limiting beliefs, negative thinking, and even physical imbalances or physical guarding. Most of us typically keep these patterns despite life’s changes, which prevent us from truly healing. A good question to ask yourself is; what pattern am I carrying that is preventing me from moving forward?
#2. Opening your mind: An open mind is necessary to change our habits. An open mind provides space, possibility and opportunity for personal growth. Shifting from a limiting mind set to a space of possibility allows us to process experiences as just that, an experience and not as conclusion. It allows us to develop new strengths (physical, mental and emotional). To heal any layer of our being it is essential to move away from old survival patterns and move towards something that will better serve our current needs. Once we are able to recognize and change our old habits we will break free from the cycle of suffering and the healing process will resume.
Healing starts in your hands. Are you ready to break free and enter a new reality?
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