Healing Fear and Trauma with

Pranayama and Qigong

Copyright © 2017 by Sound|Breath|Light
Edited by Clarice Abdul-Bey
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or
electronic form without permission.
First Edition: December 2017
Printed in the United States of America

The author of this book does not dispense medical

advice, or prescribe the use of any technique as a
form of treatment for physical or medical problems
without the advice of a physician, either directly or
indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer
information of a general nature to help you in your
quest for emotional well-being and good health. In
the event you use any of the information in this book
for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the
author and the publisher assume no responsibility for
your actions.
Healing Fear and Trauma with
Pranayama and Qigong

C. Marie Long
For Ma
Digging To The Core
One evening, I asked myself the question of
why had my nature become so secretive and
guarded with my mother over the years.
Growing up, I was absolutely terrified of
her and feared a tongue-lashing and angry
stare more than a spanking. I left home at
19. Got married a few years after that. Had
5 children. Lived all over the world and
traveled to over 17 countries. My husband
and I went our separate ways and I immersed
myself even further into the Restorative
Arts.

I found myself at a crossroad at the same

time that the sickness of my grandmother
called me back home to help nourish, comfort
and laugh with her in her final months on
Earth. Synchronicity. In this time, my mom
and I have grown closer than we ever were
and I have learned that I was, and am, much
more like her than I'd previously thought. I
learned why I've been attracted to a certain
type of man in my life. I learned why I was
plagued with allergies and bronchial
ailments in my teen and young adult years. I
learned the root of my sometimes exacting
nature and love of the arts and beautiful
things. Most importantly, I learned why I
formed a fear of sharing my innermost
thoughts and desires.

When I was 4 or 5, I had a crush on one of

the crossing guards at school. He was
handsome, friendly and helpful. He was much
older. Maybe in 6th or 7th grade. Every time
he smiled and waved to me, I was over the

v
moon. One day, after he walked me across the
street we stopped and chatted for a bit. I
don't remember what we said. All I remember
is that after the last word left his lips,
he kissed me on the cheek. I ran all the
way to my granny's house in glee and waited
patiently for my mom to come and pick me and
my brother up after work so that I could
tell her my news. I was in love!

That conversation didn't go exactly as I'd

envisioned it in my mind. She was furious.
That boy was too old to be kissing someone
my age and I better not let it happen again
or I would get a whooping she said! I was
crushed. Why was she angry? I didn't
understand. All I knew was that I'd shared
my first intimate experience with my mother
and got yelled at and threatened with a
beating. I also had no idea how much that
experience had shaped my inner life until I
uncovered it in deep meditation.

It took almost 30 years to begin to open up

to my mom again about love and my
relationships. The joy I felt from that
revelation was overwhelming. I was finally
free from that seemingly innocuous incident
that had gained control over such an
important part of my emotional life for so
long. It most definitely was not my only
fear but uncovering it and calling it by
name gave me the courage to search for the
other fears - to shine a light on them and
see them for what they truly are. If you
practice even just a few of these exercises
given in this book, you too will dig deep to
the core, free yourself from your fears and

vi
regain control over your emotional life.

vii
 Part I - Philosophy

The Origin of Fear

The Gift of Trauma

Kidneys, the Storehouse of Fear

The Sickness as The Medicine

Part II - Practice

Pranayama

QiGong

Meditations

Kriya Yoga

Diet

Self Hypnosis With Yoga Nidra

viii
The Origin of Fear

Fear is an "unpleasant, commonly strong

feeling instigated by an expectation or
awareness of danger and accompanied by
increased autonomic activity." Fear is often
a very controlling and dreadful emotion.
Numerous psychological and biological
reactions occur at once after experiencing
fear.

Psychosomatic incidents include bouts of

confusion with extreme levels of anxiety and
feelings of terror. Physiological reactions
to fear include a speedier heart rate and
shallow breathing. Suffering fear influences
our outlook on life, self-assurance, and
disrupts our prospects for personal
development.

Countless types of fears exist, as well as

varying levels of anxiety related to fears.
Certain individuals have what they believe
to be bizarre fears, when in actuality they
merely have a less common fear.

It doesn’t matter what the fear is or how

many people have it – if it is affecting
your life in a negative way and holding you
back from full enjoyment of your life, it is
the definition of fear, and doesn’t belong
in your life.

1
What Causes Fear?

Humans come to this planet with two fears;

we are afraid of loud noises and afraid of
falling. *The sensation of falling that we
feel when we are near the state of sleep as
an adult is the second primal fear we
experience as an infant. Each subsequent
fear we experience develops from occurrences
in our past that we associate with pain or
peril. We are trained by these past
experiences to run from the incidents that
we correlate with pain and peril.

Buddhism teaches that fear is one of 108

feelings that we experience as humans and
can be broken down like so:

v 2 ~ Mental | Physical
v 3 ~ Pleasant | Painful | Neutral
v 5 ~ Mental Pleasant | Mental Painful |
Physical Pleasant | Physical painful |
Neutral
v 6 ~ All Senses | Thinking-Touch-Taste-
Sight-Hearing-Smell
v 18 ~ Each Sense experiences each
feeling
v 36 ~ The 18 feelings are experienced by
Layman and the Monk
v 108 ~ The 36 feelings occur in the
Present, Past and the Future

2
Fear is a Normal Process of Growth

The capability to experience innumerable

types of fear does not mean that we are
mentally or biologically inferior. To the
contrary, it is a normal result of our
advancement. There is no need to feel guilt
about becoming afraid, we should view it as
an opportunity to learn about ourselves,
other people and the environment around us.
The unnatural part of fear is the attachment
to it that forms from not having the tools
to adequately process it. The attachment to
fear leads to emotional, mental and physical
illness.

There are five fundamental fears from which

practically all fears are derived.

Ego-death

Fear of disgrace or shame. Extreme self-

disapproval that foreshadows harm to the
integrity of the Self. Fear of destroying
one's sense of self-worth and love of self.

Extinction

Fear of obliteration, of survival. The

primal anxiety experienced by adult humans.

3
 Loss of Autonomy

Fear of being trapped, held captive,

suffocated, or controlled by situations
outside our control. The root of
claustrophobia and reluctance to commit in a
relationship.

Separation

Fear of rejection or being abandoned. Loss

of value as a person.

Mutilation

Fear of losing a body part. Losing control

of a bodily organ function. Fear of being
injured by an insect or animal.

After we release the concept of fear as the

rising of monstrous energies inside of us,
to see it and all of its emotional
associations as simply knowledge; we can
consciously meditate on them and seek the
meaning of their message. The more we seek
to discover the genesis of our fears, the
less they will terrify and control us.

4
Anger is an emotion which commonly stems
from fear. Things, people and experiences
that frighten us can also foster anger
within us. Many other emotions masquerade as
fear. The fear of separation is jealousy.
The fear of ego-death is expressed as shame,
guilt and humiliation. Being fearful of fear
itself is very common. Recollections of fear
spark our avoidance of future experiences.
This occurs so fast, the full consequence of
the impending fear isn't experienced.

Exploring the depths of the five fundamental

fears, we can unfold them even further to
realize seven fears of mental, emotional and
physical wellbeing.

Intimacy

The contradiction of embracing intimacy and

solitude is part of being human. Although
we can be frightened to be alone there is
the equal fear of being attached emotionally
in a relationship. Sharing physical space,
thoughts, feelings - all these things create
vulnerability and fear of deception,
abandonment and control. There is also the
fear of becoming exposed to another's
misery, a burden we may be reluctant to
carry. The shadow side to Intimacy is Co-
Dependence.

Experience

Being open and keen to new and varied

experiences is needed to be healthy and
whole. In doing so, we have to be willing

5
to not mask any emotions and to allow our
bodies to truly feel all energies that it
can produce. The fear of experiencing joy,
pain, sorrow, grief, etc. - stepping outside
of our comfort zone and losing control -
limits and confines us on all levels of
spiritual and emotional development. The
shadow side to Experience is Thrill-Seeking.

Loss of Identity

Distinctive identities are formed as we grow

and move through life. The willingness to
renounce the habit of rushing to define who
we are at any given moment, and to latch
onto an identity out of fear of rejection as
we transition through various stages, is
necessary. It is petrifying for the vast
majority of us. Loss of identify is feared
as much as we fear death. Clinging to
erroneous philosophies about who we are is
often preferred in lieu of letting go and
facing uncertainty. There is a common
belief in the world of holistic healing that
wellness creates safe, delineable boundaries
for the ego to live. That wellness brings
longevity and fulfillment. Being truly
healthy means that we continue to learn and
grow until our death. Stagnancy does not
equate to stability. The concept of a firm,
unchangeable identity is discarded once we
begin to release this fear. The shadow side
to Loss of Identity is Lack of Integrity.

6
 Solitude

The fear of being alone is primordial.

Anxiety arises in many of us if we have to
be alone without any outside stimuli to
accompany us, whether it be another person,
our phones or the tv. We are afraid to face
ourselves. To be naked with our inner
thoughts and emotions devoid of
interference. A persistent state of self-
avoidance leads to delusion. The shadow
side of Solitude is Isolation.

Responsibility

Emotional health necessitates taking

complete accountability for our behavior.
Attributing our circumstances or status in
life to the actions of others is very
seductive. We are ultimately the only ones
who can change our lives. It is scary to
adopt this point of view. For growth and
development to occur, we must trust
ourselves and know the power that we
possess. The shadow side to Responsibility
is Self-Absorbtion.

Impermanence

Fear of loss and death is the cornerstone of

Western culture. Being healthy involves
accepting the impermanence of life and
recognizing its beauty. We must surrender
to the power of change. Change does not
imply instability. We crave stability to
feel safe. This safety fosters a mental and
physical environment for us to reach a place
of clarity so that we may reflect on the

7
unavoidability of our own death without
distraction or delusion. The shadow side to
Impermanence is Nihilism.

Excellence

Fear of failure and humiliation prevents

many of us from discovering, developing and
sharing our talents with the rest of the
world. Within the fear of failure exists
the fear of succeeding. Success births
expectations that we may be afraid of not
living up to. Pledging to pursue excellence
cultivates constant growth, even though it
may at times be uncomfortable or painful.
The shadow side to Excellence is Arrogance.

In lieu of belittling ourselves or other

people for surrendering to these fears, we
should be compassionate and forgiving.
Overcoming the symptoms of fear is
remarkably brave seeing as though our fears
are truly overwhelming and seemingly
powerful. Appreciating the courage it takes
to not only admit our fears, but to face
them, helps us to become encouraged by our
successes and focus less on our failures.

After we alleviate the symptoms of fear, we

must move forward to reap the rewards of our
battles. These are the seven jewels of
healing from fear.

Love

Love is the advantage of overcoming our fear

of intimacy. We are opened up to the joy of
intimacy by offering and accepting love.

8
Deprived of this, no one can survive or
thrive.

Radiance and Vitality

The depth of our potential as humans and as

spiritual beings is accessed by overcoming
our fears of experience, whether they be
painful or pleasurable. New worlds become
open to us and we allow radiance and
vitality into our lives.

Transformation

As fear of loss of identity is released, we

are transformed and an emotional
transmutation occurs. We are freed to expand
and become something greater than we could
have ever imagined.

Self-Awareness and Confidence

Fearlessly confronting solitude lets us

become our own best friend. Our mind
becomes a partner we love to spend time with
instead of an enemy we are always on the run
from. We are awarded with the gifts of
understanding and accepting ourselves, which
leads to a gratifying confidence and self-
awareness.

Empowerment

Taking responsibility for the Self, ceasing

to cast blame outside of ourselves, opens
the door to power over our own lives. We
begin to write our own story. The ability to
choose better and more wisely is granted to

9
us, which in turn attracts more choices for
us to choose from. Taking responsibility in
no way denies the wrongs committed towards
us or the world at large. It just means that
before we commit to changing anyone or
anything else, we seek first to change
ourselves. This focuses our energy in the
direction where it can be most effective.

Energy and Humor

All of the energy that we normally waste by

fearing change, loss and death is redirected
and reabsorbed. This energy can be used to
feed our creativity and to provide us with a
greater sense of humor towards the game of
life. Laughter makes us happier and
healthier and increases our sense of well-
being.

Mastery

Facing our fear of excellence leads to

mastery. Satisfaction, happiness,
contentment and value are derived from
achieving our goals and ambitions. Lifelong
learning kindles our vitality and creativity
and gives life meaning.

The most wonderful gifts are hidden inside

of our fears. If we are willing to look at
them, understand them and ultimately learn
from them, we can easily obtain wellness and
wholeness.

10
The Gift of Trauma
Trauma is a psychological, emotional
reaction to an incident or an experience
that is severely upsetting or disturbing. It
is a danger to our sanity, to the safety of
our body, and our survival. Once trauma
occurs, we seek coping mechanisms because we
do not know what to do. We develop numbness
as a reaction to the built-up anxiety and
cease to be whole.

All knowledge and power lies within the

soul, within ourselves. Our fears block this
realization. Instead of programming our
subconscious with constructive, encouraging
information during stressful times, trauma
steps in to give damaging and paralyzing
instructions and creates a vicious cycle.

When we reincarnate into our present

reality, the experiences that weren't
fulfilled from previous lives are what we
choose to gravitate towards when we select
our new parents and circumstances. These
experiences or lessons, created rather soon
in life, manifest quite frequently as
traumas. The subconscious mind, having been
encoded by these traumatic experiences,
creates addictive and repetitive patterns as
a coping mechanism.

To benefit from these life lessons, we

create the process of self-healing and

11
transformation. We can choose to accept the
offer to grow and become greater than we
could have envisioned, or we can reject the
process and remained mired in grief and
confusion.

Although trauma is an exceptionally painful

process, it also creates an opportunity for
change - a doorway to an incredibly
rewarding emotional and spiritual life. A
doorway into the meaning of life itself.

The process of reprogramming our cellular

structure to accept these gratifying new
realities involves us being directed by the
subconscious towards individuals and
knowledge that will assist us. To truly know
ourselves, we must concentrate our energies
on identifying the biological and mental
patterns, the messages that seek to
communicate with us and steer us in the
right direction.

Psychological trauma is defined in countless

ways. Psychological trauma can produce
physiological reactions just like physical
trauma can. That being said, well-defined
divisions between anxiety, adaptation, and
trauma do not exist. A person's individual
experience is the determining factor in
defining an incident as traumatic.

While the definitions of trauma are wide-

ranging, some common occurrences include
pain, confusion, cruelty, loss, feelings of
helplessness, treachery or betrayal and
violence. Trauma can visit us as a single
event such as natural disasters, death,

12
surgeries, robberies, assaults or an
accident. Conversely, trauma can take the
form of a repeated experience akin to
neglect, warfare or various types of abuse.
Our subjective view of these occurrences is
what informs trauma. Our perception of the
gravity of the danger we are faced with
creates the magnitude of the trauma we
experience. In other words, the more
frightened we are, the more traumatized we
will be. Different individuals could suffer
the same toxic episode and one may remain
generally unaffected while the other can be
traumatized. Trauma has the effect of
accumulating in the psyche and the spirit.
The subsequent emotions of fright, shock,
anger, agony, rage and horror are
overwhelming.

People are trained through trauma. Their

view of the world becomes skewed and they
come to believe that abuse and mistreatment
are standard. Their identities are formed
through this lens and mistrust and fear
become the norm. Indications of trauma
include PTSD, depression, personality
disorders, addictions and substance abuse,
eating disorders and anxiety. Fear can
trigger flashbacks of the memories of trauma
which can cause nightmares, disassociation,
hyper vigilance, paranoia and escapism.

Pranayama, meditation, adjustments to our

diet, Qigong and other practices help us
safely move people out of these states and
serve as a type of alchemy. Trauma serves
to psychologically grind us down into the
dust and mud so that we can be reborn as the

13
Lotus flower - beautiful, gracious, pure and
divine. These practices provide us with a
relative sense of safety at the outset.
Slowly and gradually our confidence awakens
and we begin to discover and accept our
feelings. This granting of presence is
paramount on the road to wellness.

The nervous system becomes balanced. Self

love and trust is recovered. Our mind
becomes less of a menace. We cultivate the
talent to regulate our emotions and
behavioral responses to our environment. We
understand who we are, why we are here and
what we need to attract unlimited abundance,
divinity and providence into our lives.

14
 Kidneys, The
Storehouse of Fear

Winter=Water=Kidneys/Bladder=Storage of Fear

Winter represents the Water element, which

is a time of new beginnings. The kidneys and
the bladder are the yin and the yang
representations of water within the body.
In the wintertime, nature appears to be
dormant, and in this respite replenishes
herself. The fabled Yellow Emperor,
recognized as the forefather of traditional
Chinese medicine, relates in the text "The
Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal
Medicine" that in winter all is hidden.
Winter is the season of retirement into
depth, because of the cold outside. At this
time you must not disturb or disperse the
yang energy (fire energy, creative energy)
so that you can allow the yin reserves
(water energy, receptive energy) to be re-
established within you.”

Digging to the core is a frightening

journey. In the period of winter, which we
associate with darkness, we try to fill
ourselves with light. The holidays were
created from ancient ritual ceremonies in
which we eat and drink excessively and
socialize with others in an attempt to
sidestep the solitude that winter signals us
to immerse ourselves in. We often lack the

15
realization that the doorway to our inner
temple is most accessible during the winter
season.

The most yin of all the five elements is

Water. Kidneys and the Bladder are the
organs correlated with water. They maintain
homeostasis, which is a continuous energetic
rebalancing of our biological state. Three-
fourths of the earth is comprised of water.
Sixty percent of the human body is made up
of water. Water has no shape of its own,
conforming to the form of its host, becoming
like a rock in the form of ice or as a
spirit in the form of mist and vapor. It is
the most mutable and yet the strongest of
all the elements, carving a canyon deep into
the earth or grinding down a mountain
through the passing of time.

The emotion related to the element of Water

is fear. Fear moves like water, shifting and
directing our attention to our environment
and particular situations. Fear can be
beneficial and can guide us to deeply hidden
reserves of knowledge when we are faced with
dangerous circumstances. We can develop the
character of courage and become
psychologically fortified like an
impenetrable castle if we do not incorporate
the fear into our being and become attached
to it.

Fear turns out to be a barrier to growth

when the water element is unbalanced.
Chronic anxiety, paranoia and phobias are
created by the mind to signal this
unbalance. Diabetes, back pain, arthritis

16
and dementia are signals that the body
creates. Fear causes a rise in the
production of adrenalin. Increased adrenalin
production speeds up our heart rate, which
causes us to sweat, contract our muscles and
suspend the breath. This serves to feed the
fear and manifests a debilitating cycle:
excess fear harms the kidneys and in turn,
dysfunctional kidneys enhance fear.

Kidneys function as batteries that fuel the

physical body and sparks us spiritually and
mentally. Cleaning and stripping impurities
from the body, kidneys revitalize our system
and the bladder stores these impurities,
then eliminates them. The purified water is
misted throughout the body, providing energy
and warmth to each cell. Symbolically, this
kidney fire provides the dynamic energy and
unwavering will power that is required to
overcome difficulties and push forward to
realize our goals.

Kidneys possess yin energy as well, which

lubricates and cools the body and mind. This
keeps us mentally and physically flexible
while inhibiting unwanted build up of
friction. Chinese medicine teaches that the
kidneys not only have the function of
stabilizing blood pressure and regulating
our water metabolism; but are also
additionally responsible for maintaining the
health of our bones, teeth and bone marrow.
Considering the spinal cord and brain to be
extensions of the bone marrow, kidney health
is believed to impact memory, reason and
intelligence. Indicators of sickness within
the kidneys and the bladder include knee

17
pain, incontinence, vertigo, lower back
pain, anxiety, fatigue, shortness of breath,
headaches and high blood pressure. Long term
effects include diabetes, Alzheimer’s
disease and dementia.

Kidneys additionally have openings in the

uro-genital cavities (vagina, penis and
bladder) and the anus. Consequently
premature ejaculations, chronic diarrhea and
urinary problems likewise are correlated to
the state of the kidneys. If the kidneys,
lungs, or spleen are lacking in chi, then
the aura or energy field of the body will
also be deficient. Your immunity is at risk
and begins to disturb the other organs.
Healing a kidney deficiency involves working
with the lungs and spleen in addition to the
kidneys. A deficiency in kidney chi will
also affect hearing because they open into
the ears as well. If you are short of kidney
yin energy, weakening vision, ringing in the
ears, weight loss, night sweats and
incontinence will follow.

If you are lacking in kidney yang energy

your vitality will be low and you can get
tired easily. Your arms and legs can get
cold quickly. Getting an erection may be
difficult for men and women can experience
coldness in the womb.

18
 The Sickness as The
Medicine

To heal is defined as being "sound or whole”

and is derived from the root word haelan or
hal. Hal is the root of the word “holy” as
well, the state of spiritual purification.
Knowledge of these roots gives us insight
into a triangular connection between
spirituality, healing and wholeness. This
notion defies presuppositions of Western
medicine which not only does not possess a
model of what a person who is 'whole' looks
like, but also places less value on
subjectivity and spirituality than
objectivity and logic.

Chronically ill people experience a

transformation and emerge on the other side
of the sickness as a different being. During
the illness physical, psychological, social
and spiritual suffering occur to varying
degrees. A fundamentally unpleasant
experience; suffering causes feelings of
powerlessness and prompts a 'crisis of
meaning' that isolates the patient from
society and themselves. Suffering is
extremely personal and subjective -
indicating the need for more than pills to
heal the condition.

Suffering is essential to the human

19
experience. Many kinds of suffering require
a different mode of prescription that can
only be truly cured and managed from within.
Transcendence can be found by accepting our
role in our own healing, and finding the
meaning behind the sickness.

A Sangoma is a traditional healer from South

Africa who heals through prophecy, prayer,
and herbs. They are thought to have a direct
connection to, and an ability to communicate
with the spirit world, the world of the
Ancestors. Ancestors are called on to assist
with everyday problems, including illness. A
Sangoma is called to heal through a
sickness, which is believed to be an
initiation. The sickness is persistent and
incurable by conventional methods. Only when
the Sangoma accepts their role in the
healing of themselves, and accepts their
role as a healer of others, does their
sickness subside. The meaning of the
sickness facilitates the cure.

20
 Preface to the Practice

This work involves healing the organs and

balancing the chakras, which are energy
centers in your body. When these centers are
healthy and clear, your subtle energy, or
Chi can flow through them. The subtle life
force energy called Prana or Chi has many
entry points and storage places but most
importantly it comes in through the tailbone
to your spinal cord, the nexus of your
nervous system, flows up to the head to the
Medulla Oblongata (Mouth of God or Jade
Pillow), the pineal and the pituitary. This
is the Golden Triangle. When enough energy
and light is sent to these areas in your
brain, and creative visualization is
combined with it - you have the power to
think into reality whatever you desire.
Which is why it is so important to be able
to be conscious of your thoughts because you
can manifest unwanted situations and
experiences easier than you can the things
that you do want. So bottom line, this
practice will help you to control your own
mind and in turn, control your fears. Going
back to the spine again, if you visualize
yourself laying down on your side it
resembles the keys from a xylophone or a
piano. In these exercises, the body serves
as an instrument that operates by being
played with your breath, in the form of
pranayama and vocalized mantras, and your
mind in the form of creative visualizations
and silent mantras. This instrument
communicates directly to God, The Divine,
The Universe, your Higher Power - how ever

21
your relationship with The All is defined.
So you can also think of this as a method or
technique of prayer.

22
 Pranayama

Typically humans take 13 to 15 breaths a

minute. We possess the ability to have
control of our mental state and our thoughts
by slowing our breath to 4 inhalations per
minute. Creating a balanced brain and a
fully functioning decalcified pineal and
pituitary gland; this practice fosters
serenity and a peaceful disposition despite
a sometimes chaotic and disruptive
environment.

Before we begin any of the pranayama

exercises we must first retrain ourselves to
breathe correctly. As babies and children we
breathe from the diaphragm and make use of
most of our lung capacity in the process.
As an adult we regress to breathing
shallowly and only use 10 percent of the
capacity that our lungs can expand to. This
causes disease and dysfunction.

23
Deep Breathing

v Focus on the abdomen

v Place both of your hands there

v Inhale gradually and expand your

stomach like a balloon

v Exhale and pull your stomach in slowly,

contracting the abdominal muscles

v Remember to inhale and exhale through

your nose

After a month of consistent practice deep

breathing will become normal to you again.
You can practice this anytime - while you're
watching tv, in the bed, on the commute to
work, even while walking. One added
advantage of focusing on the breath and
breathing is that you occupy the wandering
mind with something productive instead of

24
leaving it to its own devices and filling
you with worry and anxiety.

Perform all pranayamas laying down, standing

or sitting. If you're sitting make sure that
your back is straight.

Pranayama For Post Traumatic Stress

Disorder

v Inhale for 4 seconds, counting mentally

v Hold the breath for 4 seconds

v Exhale for 4 seconds

v Hold the breath for 4 seconds

For an emergency response to a traumatic

triggering, perform this exercise
immediately for 10 minutes, building up to
30 minutes to gradually lessen the freeze-
flight-fight response that your nervous
system uses as a coping mechanism.

25
Breathing slowly and gently allows us to
relax the body, mind and emotions so that we
have the ability to process what is actually
happening to us and to rid ourselves of the
illusion of danger. We disconnect our
fearful thoughts from the automatic
responses that the nervous system produces.

Pranayama For Peace and Harmony

v Inhale for 4 seconds

v Hold the breath for 6 seconds

v Exhale for 4 seconds

v Hold the breath for 6 seconds

26
Pranayama For Assimilating and
Transforming Past Traumas

v Close the right nostril with your right

thumb

v Inhale slowly through your left

nostril, expanding your stomach fully

v Close the left nostril with your right

index finger

v Release your right nostril by removing

your thumb

v Exhale slowly through the right

nostril, contracting the abdominal
muscles

v Inhale slowly through your right

nostril

v Close the right nostril with your right

thumb

v Release your left nostril by removing

your right index finger

v Exhale slowly through the left nostril

27
Perform this 11 times, increasing gradually
to 33 sets.

Pranayama To Slow Your Heart Rate In A

Fearful Situation

v Exhale, pushing all of your breath out

through your mouth

v Curl your tongue up to rest on your

palate, behind your upper front teeth.
*Leave it there until you complete this
exercise

v Inhale through your nose slowly and

deeply for 4 seconds

v Hold your breath for 7 seconds

v Exhale through your mouth for 8 seconds

28
30 minutes of this exercise brings total
relaxation and puts you into a deeply
meditative state. Focus your thoughts on
telling yourself that you are safe and that
nothing can harm you. You are powerful and
in control.

Bee Breath

v Block holes in both ears with your

index fingers

v Inhale through your nose slowly and

deeply for 4 seconds

v Exhale while making a low humming sound

like a bee while focusing on the
vibrations moving from your throat to
the crown of your head

The effects from this exercise are almost

instantaneous. It brings relaxation,
releases tension and defeats insomnia that
arises from fear and trauma.

29
QiGong

30
Kidney Breathing

v Stand with your feet shoulder width

apart and your knees slightly bent.

v Rub your hands together vigorously for

one minute or until your hands get hot.

v Place your hands on your kidneys,

envisioning a dark blue heat
penetrating and radiating in them.

v Inhale deeply through the nostrils;

imagining that the air you are
breathing in is dark blue.

v See the breath going directly into the

kidneys, smiling as you do so.

v At the same time that you inhale,

imagine your kidneys inhaling and
expanding to accept this dark blue
healing energy.

v Continue to smile.

v As you exhale, imagine that your

kidneys are exhaling a dark grey sludge
and that you are pushing it out with
them.

Practice this exercise for at least 10

minutes and up to 1 hour for best results.

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Kidney Detox

v Stand with your feet shoulder width

apart and your knees slightly bent.

v Rub your hands together vigorously for

one minute or until your hands get hot.

v Place your hands on your kidneys and

smile, envisioning a dark blue heat
penetrating and radiating in them.

v Raise up on your toes to trigger the

'Bubbling Spring' or Kidney Meridian
Point 1 that is located in the ball of
your feet below your big toe.

v Inhale deeply through the nostrils;

imagining that the air you are
breathing in is dark blue.

v See the breath going directly into the

kidneys, smiling as you do so.

v At the same time that you inhale,

imagine your kidneys inhaling and
expanding to accept this dark blue
healing energy.

v Continue to smile.

v As you exhale and lower your heels back

to the ground, vocalize the sound 'Foo'
until all your breath is gone.

v See your kidneys are exhaling a dark

grey sludge and that you are pushing it
out with them.

32
Nourishing Kidneys

* Gives reprieve to those who frequently

experience fright for little to no cause.

v Stand up straight.

v Inhale deeply through the nostrils;

imagining that the air you are
breathing in is dark blue.

v Bend over slowly, exhaling into the

kidneys on the way down, touching the
toes.

v Slowly straighten up, inhaling

cleansing dark blue light.

v Exhale into the kidneys as you continue

to lean back as far as you comfortably
can without straining.

v As you lean back, place your hands on

your kidneys.

For optimal results practice for at least 20

minutes daily.

Charging the Kidneys

v Cover your kidneys with your hands.

33
 v Point your fingertips down slightly,
directly behind the navel. This area on
the spine is called 'The Gate of Life'.

v Inhale cleansing blue energy and exhale

dark grey sludge while raising and
lowering yourself on the balls of your
feet at a steady pace.

Kidney-Pineal Activation

Sit comfortably in a chair, making sure your

back is straight and that your feet are flat
on the floor.

Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth,

breathing normally.

Women should put their right hand on their

abdomen with their left hand on top of the
right. Men should put the left hand on the
abdomen first and then their right.

Smile naturally, imagining that you're

smiling on the inside of your body in each
part from your toes to the top of your head,
with special emphasis on your kidneys and
your lungs.

Close your eyes and see the words "I am

calm, safe and happy." in your minds eye,
flashing the words in front of you like a
neon sign, still with your eyes closed.

Now switch your breathing to deep stomach

34
breathing, still with your eyes closed,
visualizing the words "I am calm, safe and
happy." riding on the air that you inhale
through your nose.

Bring the words up through your nose to land

in your minds eye, between the eyebrows.

Do this 33 times.

Continue to breathe deeply, this time

performing the same exercise but inhaling
the words down your throat, into your lungs
for 33 times and then into your kidneys 33
times.

Now lie down anywhere that you feel

comfortable on your right side, with your
left hand over your navel. Combine both
exercises, breathing in the words "I am
calm, safe and happy." up through your nose
to mind's eye, and exhaling these words down
your spine to your tailbone, seeing the
words sliding down hitting the bottom of
your spine. Perform this 33 times as well.

Divine Crane Rotates Knees

* Kidney dysfunction from fear causes issues

with the bones, which is typically
experienced in the knees first.

v Standing straight, bring the feet

together.

35
 v Lean forward and grab the knees with
both hands, bending the knees.
v Rotate the knees in a circular motion,
first to the left 11 times, then to the
right 11 times.
v Perform 3 sets of this exercise.

Lift Heels Bend Knees

This exercise is performed literally like it

sounds: you lift the heels and bend the
knees. You can either hold your arms out
parallel to the ground in front of you or
out to the side. You need to have good
balancing skills for this so if you need to
work your way up to performing more
repetitions with ease don't worry it's okay.
Also know that it is normal for your knees
to make popping sounds if you're not used to
bending them frequently.

Grab Feet to Strengthen the Kidneys

* When the kidneys and the waist are strong,

the whole body is resilient and invincible.

This is another very simple, yet very

effective movement. You bend down and hold
the feet. Breathe slowly and deeply, calmly.

36
See the earth energy coming up through the
Kidney Meridian in the balls of your feet.
Carry it up the inside of your legs all the
way up to your tailbone. Visualize it as a
golden light. Hold this posture for 10
seconds then come back to a normal standing
posture.

Perform this 13 times.

Lifting the Kidneys

* This practice is good for problems with the

bladder, kidney stones, blood in the urine,
incontinence, and uterine bleeding.

v Sit straight up on the edge of the

chair, feet flat on the ground.

v Put your hands on your knees.

v If you prefer, you can stand with your

feet shoulder length apart and your
hands on your abdomen.

v Inhale and focus on your perineum (the

muscles between your anus and your
genitals that you tighten when holding
in the urine)

v Slowly exhale, tightening your

perineum.

37
v Inhale slowly and release.

v Perform a maximum of 20 repetitions and

then rest before doing more.

38
 Meditations

Butterfly Meditation

Whenever you think about something fearful

or traumatic, close your eyes and visualize
it strongly. As you breathe in, bring the
thought to your third eye or mind's eye, and
then literally blow it away. As the thought
leaves, riding on the breath, imagine that
the thought turns into a butterfly and flies
away on its own.

Sugar Cube Meditation

Tools Needed: Sugar Cube, Coffee Mug, Hot

Water, Teaspoon

Get a sugar cube. Perform the 4 breaths per

minute pranayama exercise for 30 minutes to
relax, put yourself in a meditative state,
and to prepare your subconscious mind for
transformation on the molecular level. Place
the sugar cube between your hands, holding
it tightly. Visualize your greatest fears.
See them entering the sugar cube. Now feel a
green healing light pour from your heart,
down your arms and into your hands. Hold the

39
sugar until it is saturated with the green
light. Your fears have been transmuted with
the sweetness of the sugar and the joy that
it brings, and healed with the green healing
energy. Come slowly out of the
visualization. Drop the sugar cube into the
cup, pour hot water over it and stir. Go
outside and pour contents of the cup into
the grass.

Naming The Fear

Being able to recognize that fear is present

can be hugely important in not allowing it
to control you. As you notice your heart
pumping more, your chest tightening, your
back stiffening, let an imaginary alarm bell
go off in your head. Take 9 deep abdominal
breaths, holding the breath for 5 seconds
before you exhale. Place your hand on your
heart. Acknowledge to yourself, “I’m scared,
I’m afraid.” Give the fear a name so you can
automatically create a bit of distance
between yourself and the intensity of the
emotional reaction. Speak to the fear
directly by name.

________, I know that you mean me no harm

and that you came because you think you’re
protecting me. It’s ok ____________, I am
safe. I am happy and at ease, please leave,
now.

Repeat this 5 times.

40
Smoke Meditation

We can try this simple visualization to let

go of fear and anxiety. Sitting in a
comfortable position for meditation, with a
straight back, we close our eyes and breathe
naturally through our nose. Then we spend a
little time identifying what it is we are
currently afraid of. We identify our
deluded, unhealthy fears, such as the fear
of dying, the fear of loss, the fear of
failure, and so forth. Using our wisdom, we
understand that all these fears, and all
dangers, arise because of our deluded minds
and negative actions. We then imagine these
fears together with their genuine causes
(destructive thoughts and actions) in the
form of dense thick smoke, and we breathe it
out. This smoke leaves our nostrils and
vanishes to the outermost reaches of space,
where it evaporates, never to reappear.

Water Meditation

Prepare a warm bath. As the bath is running,

let 4 cinnamon tea bags or 4 cinnamon sticks
steep in the tub. Perform the 4.5 breaths
per minute pranayama exercise for 10 mins to
relax. Visualize any fear that you have. See
it form inside of a huge raindrop, hovering
over the tub. Once you feel them fully
formed, let the water out of the tub and
then see the raindrop fall in the water and
swoosh down the drain, releasing your fears.

41
* Cinnamaldehyde, the main chemical
constituent of Cinnamon and Cassia essential
oils, is well known for its warm, spicy
aroma. A study printed in the June 2015
issue of the Journal of Cellular
Biochemistry suggests that cinnamaldehyde
acts to support healthy molecular function
in the kidneys. The molecular environment of
kidneys is dependent on many biochemical
pathways. One molecule stimulates another
molecule to act on a different set of
molecules, and so on, in a chain of events
until the desired outcome is achieved. This
study showed that cinnamaldehyde inactivated
the JAK2-STAT1/STAT3 biochemical pathway in
the kidney cells, which may help keep kidney
cells healthy.

Note:

In Hebrew Amen means truth, or so bet it.

Aum/Om means the same. Both of these words
come from the Egyptian word ‘Amen/Amun’, a
deity or principle of energy in Ancient
Egyptian Philosophy, which means ‘invisible
or hidden one’. Amen upheld the principle of
Ma’at, or Truth and Justice. So in doing the
Kriya exercises that involve chanting ‘Om’,
you can feel free to substitute ‘Amen’ if it
makes you feel more comfortable to
incorporate a word you are already familiar
with and its meaning.

42
 Kriya Yoga

Pranayama forms the foundation of the basic

practice of Kriya. The origin of the word
means ‘to do’. Kriya techniques involve
giving the mind several tasks to perform
synchronously to reduce distraction and
increase focus in meditation.

Lake of Peace

v Lay down with arms resting next to your

body.

v Cover your eyes with a mask or a towel

to keep the light from your eyes if
it's not completely dark in the room.
Rest for a couple of minutes,
completely relaxing yourself.

v Breathe slowly and deeply on each

inhale and exhale.

v Say to yourself silently, "I'm calm,

I'm relaxed, I'm safe, my mind is
clear."

v Let this play in your mind for a while.

v Next we make a picture of each thought

that comes into our mind.

43
 v As soon as you make each thought into a
picture, no matter how abstract it is,
push it out of your mind, as if you see
a slide show passing by on a computer
screen.

v You can even form an image of a giant

hand to push each thought away

v Every single thought must be pushed

away with no omission, even the
thoughts that you have of thinking
about what you're doing, push them away
as well.

v Each time a thought is pushed aside,

return your inner gaze to your mind's
eye between the eyebrows. See a lake
there, your Lake of Peace, and relax in
it.

Perform this exercise for 20 to 30 minutes.

Kundalini Rising

v Inhale slowly and deeply through the

left nostril while imagining a golden
stream of energy coming in through this
nostril, traveling down your spine.

v As you exhale, vocalize and visualize

'Om' three times, each time with the

44
 golden energy stream bouncing against
your tailbone or Root Chakra.

Perform this exercise for 20-30 minutes.

Magic Breath

Inhale and exhale deeply, picturing a golden

stream of energy rising up your spinal
column, spiraling around it, climbing up
over your head and down the front of your
body, completing the loop. Eventually the
Chi will take on a life of its own, moving
faster than the breath. Continue this for 30
minutes.

Om Nada

v During the evening, at a time when you

won't be interrupted; lay down on your
back, close your eyes and plug up your
ears with your thumbs.

v You are to talk mentally and listen at

the same time.

v Chant 'Om' in your mind as you turn

inward and listen to every other sound
that you hear, coming from inside of
your body.

45
 Diet

Center your nutrition on steamed vegetables,

adding plenty of ginger and garlic to your
diet. Indulge in other foods such as
walnuts, cinnamon, peppermint, seaweed,
turnips, blackberries, asparagus, mustard
and collard greens, flax seeds, sunflower
and sesame seeds, cucumbers, celery,
pumpkin, melons, kelp, spirulina, chestnuts,
blueberries, millet, barley, onions,
cranberries, radishes, black beans, kidney
beans, sweet potatoes or yams, green or pole
beans, lemons and all citrus fruits, beets,
squash, and plenty of water all day long.

Avoid caffeine, liquor, excessive sugar and

meat and smoking.

46
Self-Hypnosis With
Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is a practice in which you quiet
the conscious mind and reprogram the
subconscious to release unwanted emotions
and thoughts by turning to the sixth
direction, the center of your being - in
relation to this text we will be focusing on
the release of fearful and traumatic
experiences. A very deep form of relaxation
and meditation, Yoga Nidra can reduce or
eliminate worry, anxiety, headaches and
PTSD.

*Supplementing this book is a series of

guided meditations that can be
downloaded here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1a_0Ay
2pSzQzwn0cMOzlzsz2ftm_yw7yX

It is suggested that you lie on the floor or

a flat surface where you feel comfortable,
yet are discouraged from falling asleep.

Additionally, you should incorporate

Pranayama into this practice. The rhythm of
5 breaths a minute will put you in a
extremely meditative, hypnotic state. You
can accomplish this with the 3-3-3-3 breath,
inhaling for 3 counts, holding for 3,
exhaling for 3 and holding for 3.

47
I won't make any pretenses; healing yourself
takes some discipline. Discipline is hard
work, it's not easy, and usually not a lot
of fun. Sometimes getting started is hard,
sometimes just doing it day after day is
tough. I would like to suggest creating an
environment that is inspiring for yourself
and the work you wish to accomplish.

Personally I love to play music while I am

doing these practices. I also try to light a
candle of the corresponding color and a
physical representation of the particular
chakra. Gazing at the candle during
meditation and/or pranayama helps to put you
into deep trance as well. The fire of the
candle can also symbolize the fire that
burns inside of you. The passion and
dedication that you have to becoming well.

Light some incense and a candle, get the

music going, relax and begin. After a couple
of weeks these practices will become a
healthy habit in your life and the music,
incense and candles will become automatic
signals to the subconscious that it's time
to do the work.

You might also find it helpful to keep a

journal of your thoughts as you progress
through this work. The depth of feelings and
emotions that come to the surface as you
shine more and more light inside of yourself
will surprise you. It can be uplifting to
look back at the start of our journey and
see the struggles and roadblocks that you
had then that have now vanished. ~ C. Marie

48