Trauma is not just "in your head." It's not just a bad memory.
For those living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), trauma is a living, breathing force. It's a set of "alarm bells" stuck in the "on" position. It's a nervous system that is frozen in a state of high alert, reliving the past in the present moment—in flashbacks, in nightmares, in a constant, gut-level feeling of being unsafe.
Traditional talk therapy, while invaluable, often struggles to reach this pre-verbal, body-based wound. You can't "think" your way out of a nervous system that is screaming "danger."
This is why the shamanic approach to healing, specifically with Ayahuasca, is offering such profound hope. Ayahuasca does not just engage the mind; it engages the body. In a safe, sacred, and protected container, it offers a path for the deep, somatic release of trapped trauma.
At One Soul Retreats, we believe that holding the space for this level of profound release is the most sacred work we do. This article explores, with deep sensitivity, how this process works.
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1. The Limits of Talk: Why Trauma Is "Stuck" in the Body
When we experience a traumatic event, our "thinking" brain (the prefrontal cortex) often goes offline. Our primitive, survival-oriented "reptilian" brain takes over. It floods the body with adrenaline and cortisol and gives it three commands: Fight, Flight, or Freeze.
PTSD is what happens when this survival energy is not discharged. The body gets stuck in "freeze." The trauma becomes a physical, energetic knot—a set of instructions locked in your muscles, tissues, and nervous system, telling you that the danger is still present.
This is why you can "know" you are safe, but not feel safe. Talk therapy speaks to the "knowing" brain. Ayahuasca speaks to the "feeling" body.
2. The Ayahuasca Ceremony: A Safe Container for Release
For the body to finally "thaw" and release this frozen energy, it must have one, non-negotiable thing: a feeling of absolute safety.
You cannot and will not revisit a place of terror if you do not trust your surroundings. This is why a "recreational" or unsupported Ayahuasca experience can be re-traumatizing.
The entire "One Soul" container is designed, first and foremost, to create the profound level of safety your nervous system needs to finally stand down.
* Medical Safety: Our screening ensures you are physically safe to begin. * Small Groups: You are not a face in a crowd. You are seen, known, and cared for. Master Shamans: The Maestros* are the energetic guardians. They create a "bubble" of impenetrable, high-vibration protection. * Compassionate Facilitators: Our team is trained in trauma-informed support. We are a calm, loving, and constant presence, reminding your nervous system: "You are safe. We are here. You are not alone in this."
This container of safety is the "nest." Once the body trusts the nest, it can finally do the work it has been waiting years to do.
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3. The Healing: A Gentle "Thawing"
Unlike the chaotic nature of the original trauma, Ayahuasca allows you to revisit the wound with a guide, from a place of empowerment. The medicine acts as a "compassionate witness," allowing you to see the memory from a new perspective, outside of the terror.
Then, the somatic release begins. This is the body finally completing the survival response it couldn't in the past. This can look like:
Shaking/Trembling: This is not a sign of fear, but the literal, physical discharging* of trapped adrenaline and cortisol. The body is "shaking off" the trauma. * Crying/Wailing: This is not just emotional sadness. This is the somatic release of un-cried grief, terror, and pain. * The Purge: "La Purga" is often the body's most direct way of expelling the dense, heavy energy of the trauma. * Movement: You may feel your body want to move, to push, to stretch—completing the "fight" or "flight" response that was frozen.
This process is not scary. It is a profound relief. It is the feeling of a 100-pound weight you've been carrying for decades finally being set down. Our facilitators are right there, supporting your body, holding space for the sound, and ensuring you are physically and emotionally held through the entire release.
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4. Integration: Re-Wiring the Nervous System
The ceremony is the release. The integration is the re-wiring.
After the ceremony, your nervous system is in a new, more relaxed state. It has a "new memory" of what safety feels like. The integration work we do at One Soul is about strengthening this new state.
Through journaling, meditation, community sharing, and somatic practices, you are teaching your nervous system that this new, calm baseline is its "home." You are taking the "feeling" of safety from the ceremony and turning it into your new, daily reality.
A Path from Survivor to Thriver
Healing from PTSD is not about "forgetting" what happened. It is about remembering your wholeness. It is about teaching your body, on its own terms, that the war is over, and it is safe to come home.
This is sacred, courageous work. It requires a container of profound integrity. If you feel the call, know that a path exists, one that honors your body's wisdom and holds your journey with the deepest respect.
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