The Dharma of Trauma – Finding Meaning in Life’s Hardest Moments
This isn’t anything new that I am sharing, yet I know, deep in my bones, that I am changed. Something within me has shifted, and I see life through a different sense. My dharma—my soul’s purpose—has been meeting my trauma, not just confronting it, but growing beyond it with a profound sense of courage, dignity, and perseverance.
Each day, my innate trust in my ability to meet life’s challenges grows stronger. I witness countless courageous souls stepping into their own fires—facing tragedies, addictions, heartbreak, grief, and loneliness with a strength they never knew they had. And I can see it in them because I have walked that path too. I have learned, through both surrender and resilience, that even in the deepest chasms of pain, there is a gift waiting to be found.
This past retreat in the Chirripó Valley was a testament to this truth. Held for psychotherapists and healers, it became a space where men and women had the courage to step beyond their professional roles, to strip away the layers of identity, and to simply be. They entered their bodies with curiosity, feeling, sensing, and discovering new ways of being with themselves, their cells, and their energy. It was humbling to witness how dignified, respectful, and engaged they were in their inner work—and to see how this self-exploration translated into deeper possibilities for working with others.
Whether we are practitioners, professionals, or high achievers in any field, we all have access to a profound wisdom: our somatic intelligence. It is the body’s knowing, the whisper of the soul that becomes clearest in the moments when life breaks us open. When we experience the shattering—a broken leg, a fractured marriage, a collapsing company—what we once perceived as solid is suddenly no longer the same. And in that rupture, something extraordinary happens.
Change is inevitable, but within it, we are given the choice: to resist, to cling to what was, or to step forward with rugged resilience and an open heart. And when we listen—truly listen—to that deeper call, when we surrender to the divine’s support, we find ourselves moving toward life in ways we never imagined. Brighter. Stronger. Steadfast in a way that is not about holding on, but about allowing.
This is the dharma of trauma. Not just surviving, but becoming. Not just enduring, but expanding.
If you are walking through a season of hardship, I invite you to reflect:
What is breaking open in you right now?
What whispers from your soul are becoming clearer in this space?
How is your body, your somatic intelligence, guiding you through?
Let’s explore this together. Your resilience is already within you. Your dharma is already unfolding. You are invited to join the Yoga is Medicine Journey here.
Jennifer Degen
March 6, 2025
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