Feeling to heal
Every emotion you feel plays an important role in keeping you healthy. This includes the emotions that may be hard to feel or express such as anger, fear, shame, or guilt. Contrary to what many of us have been taught, these emotions weren’t meant to be repressed or pushed away. Rather, they can become a gift to ensure that your needs are met so you can truly enjoy each precious moment more fully.
When you practice mindfulness, you become more familiar with the landscape of your inner self. The thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that may once have been unconscious start rising to your awareness. By noting their presence without judgment, you build the ability to be with what is, even when it feels difficult.
When I was scrolling through my old Facebook pictures yesterday I looked at pictures of my beautiful daughter Cynthia. I zoomed in to see her face more clearly on multiple pictures. I miss her. Than it hit me, a huge wave of Grief.
Every emotion has a physical sensation associated with it. Some emotions may feel hot or bring a tightness to your chest while others generate a sense of unease in your belly.
For me in this moment of grief my chest felt ice cold, it was like a hole opened up in my chest that felt like complete emptiness. Instead of going unconscious and just cry uncontrollably I decided to stay aware and focus on the feeling. Allow it, embrace it. This is fucking painful, but I am safe in my bed. Realizing emotion is just energy in motion and I need to let of flow not block it.
By allowing the feeling and fully accepting it, it slowly starts melting away. Mindfulness practices like the body scan allow you to notice the sensations that arise in the body so you can feel safe witnessing their presence.
Through mindfulness, you may discover that while you notice anger or rage, you are not the anger or rage itself. You are the awareness that is doing the noticing. Rather than ignoring such difficult emotions, mindfulness allows you to bring a tender and loving awareness to them. This opens up a space where you can be with them more fully. You healing lies beyond the pain. And your only way to heal is through the pain.