Yoga Helps Us Realise Weβre Human: Yogic Self-Inquiry For Trauma Recovery & Astrology With Rob Dorgan
In a world that rarely slows down, many of us live with a nervous system on overdrive. Anxiety, burnout, and emotional exhaustion have become the norm, not the exception. But what if there was a way to meet that inner chaos with curiosity instead of judgment? What if we could approach our struggles, not as flaws. But as invitations to deepen our self-awareness?
This was the heart of a recent two-part conversation on my podcast recently. Yoga for Trauma: The Inner Fire of Yoga podcast. With Rob Dorgan. A senior yoga teacher and teacher trainer, An astrologer, meditation teacher, and author. . Together, we explored yoga’s profound capacity to support mental health. Recovery from trauma through self inquiry. Reduce anxiety, and catalyse inner transformation. Especially when paired with consistent self-inquiry.
As Judith Lasater so beautifully says: “How human of you.”
That phrase became a theme throughout our chat. Because at its core, yoga isn’t about perfection. It’s about making peace with our humanity.
Rob’s Story: A Lifelong Journey with Anxiety and Yoga
Rob Dorgan’s journey into yoga began in the 1980s. Not out of curiosity, but necessity. He described himself as a “nervous, high-strung child.” Who by age 8 had developed ulcers and by 12 hospitalised with complete exhaustion. He was burning out before he’d even finished school.
A chance visit to an astrologer changed the course of his life. “You need something to help your nervous system,” the astrologer said. “Something like yoga.”
Back then, yoga was still on the fringes. Rob’s first class was in a carriage house with a handful of students. And while his mind resisted initially. Something powerful happened in shavasana, that final resting pose.
“I didn’t know what it was,” he told me. “But I knew it helped me. I felt calm, maybe for the first time.”
That moment led Rob down a lifelong path of practice and teaching. He’s now also an international retreat facilitator. And author of Awakening the Mystic, a semi-autobiographical novel. That weaves together the Yoga Sutras, astrology, and personal healing.
Importantly, Rob makes a distinction: yoga didn’t “cure” him or heal trauma. What it did was help him manage anxiety. It gave him a language for self-regulation and a set of tools to calm his nervous system. Tools that are as powerful today as they were 30 years ago.
Yoga for Anxiety and Mental Health: Why It Works
Rob and I agree. Yoga is one of the most effective ways to support mental health. Not because it fixes everything, but because it changes the way we relate to what’s difficult.
Whether it’s breathwork, gentle movement. Or a gateway into of stillness where important insight arises. Yoga gives us access to what neuroscientists now call neuroplasticity. The brain’s ability to rewire itself.
“Even five minutes a day can make a difference,” Rob explained. “It’s not about doing more. It'’s about doing what you can, consistently.”
That consistency builds something powerful: self-trust.
When you say, “I’ll show up for myself today,” and you do. Even for just 10 minutes, you begin to rebuild integrity with yourself. That’s something many people with anxiety, ADHD, or trauma struggle to access.
It’s why I often say: a personalised home yoga practice. Tailored to your energy and lifestyle, can be far more impactful than going to a studio twice a week.
The Kleshas: Understanding Our Inner Obstacles
In Awakening the Mystic, Rob explores the five Kleshas. Mental and emotional obstacles outlined in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. That keep us stuck in cycles of suffering:
- Avidya (ignorance)
- Asmita (egoism)
- Raga (attachment)
- Dvesha (aversion)
- Abhinivesha (fear of death/change)
In his novel, the main character confronts these Kleshas one by one in a symbolic journey of healing. What I love is that you don’t need to be a yogi or an astrologer to connect with this narrative. These aren’t abstract concepts, they show up in our lives every day.
When we’re clinging to how things should be (Raga). Or pushing away discomfort (Dvesha), we’re living from reactivity. Yoga helps us recognise these patterns, and respond with more awareness.
“We can’t avoid obstacles” Rob said. “But we can change how we respond to them.”
My Own Fire Story: Self-Inquiry Through Loss
In part two of the episode, I opened up about my own traumatic experience: surviving my second house fire. This time, I lost more than just belongings.I lost a sense my identity, and felt out of control.
That fire became the catalyst for some of the deepest self-inquiry work I’ve ever done.
One conversation that changed my perspective was with Celia Roberts. The yogi I’m studying yoga therapy with. She reframed the fire in a way that helped me understand why I was the way I was and how to start working my way through it.
What she said about burning down more than just my house. And how that ties into the element of Agni, was both confronting and liberating.
If you’re curious how self-inquiry, symbolism, and ancient yoga philosophy can help reframe trauma and loss. I invite you to listen to part two of the podcast. It’s a moment that still gives me goosebumps.
How to Start Your Own Practice: Simple Yoga for Anxiety
If you’re new to yoga or struggling with anxiety, burnout, or trauma, you don’t need to do anything elaborate. Start small. Honour your nervous system.
Here are Rob’s and my go-to tips:
- Breathe: Start with 3–5 minutes of diaphragmatic breathing. Inhale for 4, exhale for 6.
- Move gently: Try slow, grounding poses like child’s pose, legs-up-the-wall, or cat-cow.
- Create ritual: Make your space feel nurturing.
- Be consistent: Even 10 minutes daily can reshape your nervous system.
- Stay curious: Meet your inner critic with compassion. You’re human. You’re learning.
Final Thoughts: Burn What No Longer Serves
Whether you’re managing anxiety, processing trauma. Or simply seeking clarity, yoga offers more than physical flexibility. It offers emotional freedom.
Through the lens of self-inquiry, we can burn away what no longer serves us. We can meet our shadows without shame. We can remember that resilience isn’t about avoiding the fire. It’s about learning how to rise from the ashes.
So if you’re ready to start, and have met your mood. Roll out your mat. Or don’t! Sit quietly. Take a breath. Journal your thoughts. There’s no wrong place to begin.
Because yoga isn’t about the poses. It’s about what they awaken within you.
How to connect with Rob Dorgan:
https://robandsteve.co/ https://awakeningthemystic.net/ Youtube Instagram
