"My goal was never to "get rid" of my "bad emotions" – the anger, rage and despair – but to not be consumed by this feeling of doom wherever I turned. I'd say I've gotten very far. I see possibilities, pay attention to when I'm grateful and truly let it reach my heart, because that – if anything – ignites the fire of hope again. And without hope I would not see purpose in anything."

"Something very important that suffering has taught me is that I am strong and I have what it takes to go through whatever comes my way. Suffering has caused me to tap into the strength that naturally resides within me and has allowed me to remember that I am made out of light.”

“Trust the process of the universe and continually rediscover yourself, because you are not the same person you once were and you are not meant to be that same person. Trust because there is no better experience in life than coming out the other side stronger, wiser and elevated to a new level of energy causing you to realize that what you thought had broken you didn’t break you, rather it made you rise.”

"I realized that throughout my adulthood I had been jumping into relationships and seeking validation as a means of soothing unhealed trauma. It was not until a particularly challenging relationship came to an end that I finally started to look at every aspect of my life and my true healing journey began."

"Trauma is like being trapped in a room that is pitch black. There's zero light. You might try to escape, but the door is sealed tightly shut. No matter how hard you try to get the door open, you can’t. You’re stuck."

"I can see that out of my trauma has come tremendous growth. My suffering has allowed me an opportunity to reflect, to search for meaning and to ultimately become a better version of myself."

"Ask yourself what you want your story to be. You are the author. We can't control what happens around us, only what we choose to do with it. That choice can never be taken away from us."

We sat down with Breathwork Practitioner Leyre Murillo to discuss trauma, healing, safety, awareness, compassion, integration and much more! Thank you Leyre for being part of our Trauma & Awakening interview series and for sharing your wisdom and gentleness :).

"Take your experience and make it your strength. Use it to make you a stronger, wiser, better, greater human being. Use it to help, support, and educate others when you are ready. Choose to grow through your experience. You do have a choice. 💕"

"I see that trauma often has deeper meaning behind it. I know that it has propelled me onto a path of wanting to share my mom’s story, my own story and other people’s stories who have experienced similar things. I think the sharing of our experiences is extremely important for the expansion of personal and global awareness, empathy and catharsis. My trauma has meaning now, but it doesn’t mean I should have experienced it."

“I guess a common theme in my life has been letting go of control. I learned this early because I had to, sadly and thankfully. I now have the ability to just be with others through their own suffering, knowing that things will change. I have learned not to impose and not to force change. There is nothing to fix or change in the core part of each individual.”

“I believe that when we reside in environments that are not safe (both internally and externally) and when things are too painful to be with, we naturally move away from the pain and numb or protect ourselves in whatever way possible. Looking back I can see how my eating disorder protected me – probably to the point of actually saving me from a much worse fate.”

"If I could impart any virtue or quality to everyone in my country right now it would be curiosity. Even just a touch. Could everyone be just a touch more curious and lean in just a little more? I think it is incumbent on me to say that I don’t think it is the responsibility of those who have been most maligned, subjugated and oppressed to offer grace to their oppressors. I think it is the responsibility of those of us with the most power and privilege to open and be curious, to listen."

“I think we are in a society that wants us to believe that material accomplishments are where our value is derived, but I really don’t believe in that. If a multi-millionaire feels like shit all the time and has toxic relationships, then they haven’t really made it. I know now that the most important thing is to work on ourselves.”

“I think there is suffering related to the culture of silence around trauma, the burden of carrying trauma and the fear of being judged or labeled, which ironically can only be released through talking, sharing and connecting.”

“There is a deep humanity and freedom in confronting the hardest things to look at.”

"Feel your feelings. If you are sad, don’t do everything in the world to not feel sad. If you feel like shit, feel like shit. It is not going to last forever. The only way out is through."

"Your trauma makes you, you. It gives you a unique perspective. Use it as your superpower."

“For a long time, I tried to escape my reality. I resorted to temporary happiness thinking it would solve all my problems. It didn’t.”

"To me, trauma is the non-negotiable becoming negotiable, without our consent."

"I can now say that going back to prison was the best thing that ever happened."

"I have realized that no matter how “strong” you are, there is no such thing as immunity to trauma, especially for women. We are taught to take care of others before ourselves. It took me a while to realize that what was happening to me was not my fault. It was, however, my job to get myself feeling safe and present again. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done."

“When you have absolutely no choice but to go on, you just go on. Especially when you have little ones who depend on you. You evolve and you fight, because it’s the only option.“

"It takes time for all of us to figure out who we are, let alone when parts of ourselves are largely not accepted by the world. I am grateful that I have been able to come to trust that I am not a burden and that those who love me want to listen to me and know my truths."

“There are definitely moments of clarity amid the shame, but it is a lifelong process.”

“I think if we can turn to ourselves and give ourselves love and the permission to be ourselves, we will experience greater freedom.”

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