I sat on the wooden floor with about 20 other students, unsure of what to expect. My mind was restless: Why was I here? Why did I think this was a good idea? I had always been skeptical about spiritual practices—my late mother’s voice echoed in my head, “You are crazy to believe in this crap.” Yet, something drew me to try. Over the years, I noticed the power of yoga in healing childhood trauma as an adult.
The sun shone softly through the windows. A small Buddha statue sat at the front, and the instructor smiled warmly. “Welcome to Ashtanga—you’ve chosen the most strenuous form of yoga,” she said. While her words weren’t encouraging, her energy was. I awkwardly followed her instructions.
Over the years, this practice traveled with me across Germany, Spain, and Canada. I can’t fully explain why I stuck with it—it just felt right. Yoga transformed me and became an essential tool for healing childhood trauma as an adult. Here are seven principles I learned from Ashtanga Yoga that supported my healing journey.
If you’d like an overview of how adults heal from childhood trauma beyond these principles, check out my article Adults with Childhood Trauma: How to Heal and Reclaim Your Life.
So, here are the principles I learned in yoga to heal childhood trauma as an adult.
Principle 1: Start where you are
When I began Ashtanga, I had no idea what to expect. My body was stiff, my mind was restless, and I often feared judgment. Yet, after each session, I felt a peace I had never known.
Healing from childhood trauma as an adult can feel overwhelming. Social stigma, fear, and discomfort often tell us to ignore our past. The first step is to start where you are, trust your intuition, and explore healing practices that resonate with you.
Principle 2: Embrace discomfort
At first, every posture felt strange and awkward. Over time, I learned that discomfort is part of growth. Healing childhood trauma as an adult is similar: real progress often lies outside your comfort zone. Growth and transformation require facing difficult emotions and memories while staying supported and safe.
Principle 3: Be gentle with yourself
Ashtanga taught me to respect my body and honour its limits. Healing from childhood trauma as an adult works the same way. We may have parts that ignore our bodies and push us hard to get on with our lives. They are so-called “carry-on” parts. These are essential parts that helped us survive. However in recovery, they may need to learn to soften with patience and persistance. Be gentle with your fears, emotions, and wounds, while remaining committed to your growth. Gentleness is vital—it allows your healing to unfold at its own pace.
Principle 4: Stop comparing
Early in my practice, I constantly compared myself to others. I realized this kept me stuck. When healing childhood trauma as an adult, comparisons with others’ lives or experiences only hinder progress. Everyone’s journey is unique. Focus on yourself, your growth, and your own path.
Principle 5: Challenge your mind
One Ashtanga posture, Utpluthih, involves lifting the body while sitting in lotus. The first time I tried it, I thought I couldn’t do it. By staying calm, focusing, and practicing repeatedly, I succeeded.
Similarly, healing childhood trauma as an adult requires challenging negative beliefs. Our past may shape how we see ourselves, but we can transform our thoughts and emotions with commitment and curiosity.
Principle 6: The power of the breath
Breathing in Ashtanga Yoga—using Ujjayi breath—anchors the practice. It helps stay present and reduces stress. Healing childhood trauma as an adult is enhanced by breathwork: it keeps you grounded, enables you to process difficult emotions, and supports emotional regulation. Simple practices like mindful breathing can make a huge difference.
Principle 7: Commit to your process
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the founder of Ashtanga Yoga, said, “99% practice, 1% theory.” Knowledge alone won’t heal us. The same applies to healing childhood trauma as an adult. While we didn’t choose what happened to us, we are responsible for our own healing. Commitment, consistent action, curiosity and non-judgement are essential. Over time, you will become more gentle with yourself. Only you can walk this path, but freedom is possible.
Healing from childhood trauma as an adult is challenging, but practices like yoga provide structure and mindfulness to guide you along the journey. They can be powerful additions to choosing trauma counselling and EMDR therapy for childhood trauma.
Conclusion
Healing childhood trauma as an adult is a journey that requires patience, courage, and consistent practice. Yoga taught me how to start where I am, embrace discomfort, be gentle with myself, and honour my unique path. Breath work, challenging limiting beliefs, and committing to the process reinforced my growth and resilience. Neuroscience now provides evidence that our brain can recovery and create new pathways. Healing childhood trauma as an adult is possible—and every step, no matter how small, is a victory.
These seven principles from yoga can support anyone beginning their healing journey, whether or not yoga becomes part of their practice. To go deeper into what healing from childhood trauma as an adult can look like, take a look at my article Adults with Childhood Trauma: How to Heal and Reclaim Your Life.
