Do You Know Where Your Memory Is Stored?
The term samskara is a Sanskrit term referring to all our experiences and memories stored in our being.
Our memory is stored not only in our head but throughout our entire body.
This is why we can find ourselves in tears while in a yoga pose – not because we’re necessarily in pain but because we are releasing the stored, stuck energy that may be the result of trauma.
I think of samskaras as veils that obscure the way we see things. Depending on the density of the impression, if it were an old conditioning or trauma lodged in our cellular memory for generations, that would be dense and more difficult to see clearly through and color how we relate to certain experiences, ethnicities, or genders.
For instance, research has shown that the children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors have stored trauma that has been passed down. When they hear a German accent, this may cause a ripple effect of fear throughout their being. They may know intellectually that there’s nothing to be afraid of, but the stored memory still affects them energetically, which may elicit distrust and disdain.
This has been shown in generational trauma tests with mice. A test was done with mice getting electrical shocks surrounded by and smelling cherry blossoms. Then when the mice were just around the cherry blossoms without the shocks, their heart rates would skyrocket, and they would run away. These mice then had babies, and when the babies smelled cherry blossoms, they became frightened and immediately ran away. When surrounded by cherry blossoms, the babies, two generations from the original mice, became agitated and run away. The test stopped after three generations, but this is a clear example of ancestral trauma stored in our cellular memories.
Not moving and releasing the energy creates tension, pain, disease, anxiety, and depression. Moving our body with our breath is essential to clear “the information stored; otherwise, it becomes stuck, stagnant, and weak.
We are an energy body wrapped in a flesh suit. Our experiences are stored in the tissues – hence the phrase “our issues are in our tissues.” The idea of being an energy body needs to become part of our normal everyday reality. To move the body with the breath is an energetic and emotional cleanse that needs to be done as daily hygiene, which should be a habit, just like brushing our teeth and bathing our body. Our internal energy bodies’ flow is imperative to our overall well-being.
The energy body connects consciousness to the body. As we age, the connection gets weaker. If we think of our physical bodies like a computer and our energy body as the wifi signal, it’s hard to operate the computer when the wifi is weak. Meridian Flow yoga and qigong practices connect our ethereal body or consciousness to our physical body. These practices help heal us on many layers, so we don't have to pass them down or act unconsciously in ways that we regret later.
If you're interested in joining a group of yogis that are diving deeper into these practices and teachings, consider the Master’s Path. And if you're a yoga teacher, join the same training as a 300-hour teacher training. It's a great group of yogis that meet for a seasonal weekend about every other month for a weekend of workshops that address all of the layers of your being.
A recent Masters Path student reported that her family and therapist both noticed how calm and grounded she was after one of the seasonal weekends.
The week after the training weekend, many of the students tell me that they can't wait for the next one. This beautiful yoga community is growing, learning and supporting each other, and thriving!
Join now while the Master's Path is offered at the early bird discount, saving $250 for the year, and the 300-hour teacher training early bird saves $500!
Our next training weekend is August 12-13; hope to see you there!
From my heart light to yours~
Namaste,
Maggie