The biology of an incomplete response
In the animal kingdom, a gazelle that escapes a predator will physically shake for several minutes after the danger has passed. This shaking is a biological mechanism to discharge the massive amount of adrenaline and cortisol generated during the chase. Once the energy is discharged, the gazelle's nervous system returns to baseline.
Humans have the same biological hardware, but we often suppress the discharge. If you are in a minor car accident, your body mobilizes the energy to fight or flee, but societal norms dictate that you sit still, fill out insurance paperwork, and pretend you are fine. The physical survival response is initiated, but it is never completed.
How trapped energy manifests
When this survival energy is not discharged, it remains locked in the nervous system. The body continues to act as if the threat is still present, even if the mind knows it is safe. This trapped energy often manifests physically.
It can look like chronic muscle tension, particularly in the jaw, neck, and psoas (the deep hip flexor that engages when we prepare to run or curl into a ball). It can manifest as digestive issues, because the body refuses to prioritize digestion when it believes it is under attack. It can also result in a general feeling of numbness or dissociation, as the nervous system eventually shuts down to protect itself from the overwhelming trapped energy.
"Action is movement with intelligence. The world is filled with movement. What the world needs is more conscious movement, more action." — B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life
Why talk therapy isn't always enough
Talk therapy engages the prefrontal cortex — the logical, narrative part of the brain. It is excellent for understanding the context of your trauma. However, trauma is stored in the older, more primitive parts of the brain (the amygdala and brainstem) and in the physical tissues of the body.
You cannot logic a tight psoas muscle into relaxing. You cannot tell your amygdala to stop perceiving danger. To release trauma from the body, you have to speak the language of the body: sensation, breath, and movement.
Releasing trauma through somatic practice
In therapeutic yoga, we create a safe container for the body to complete the interrupted survival response. This is not about reliving the trauma. It is about gently increasing the nervous system's capacity to feel physical sensations without becoming overwhelmed.
Through precise alignment, mindful breathing, and somatic tracking, we slowly discharge the trapped energy. As the physical tension releases, the nervous system finally receives the message that the danger has passed, and the body can return to a state of rest.