Emotions as teachers

Posted by on Oct 10, 2017 in Uncategorized | No Comments

Emotions sometimes appear in life experiences that feel a bit like riding a roller coaster without the advantage of the clearly marked rails to show the path. They can show up with the strength of a hurricane beginning with red-faced anger then move to uncontrollable tears. Or they might move less swiftly, a dull ache or an on-going frustration that feels like every encounter just adds to a bad mood.
How can we work with our inner emotional world? And how can we find ways toward more emotional health and wellness?

I know for myself when I am spinning in frustration or feeling overwhelmed, it is challenging to step back enough to get a sense of what is happening. For example I may be frustrated because I fell misunderstood by someone. The emotion might feel so strong that it feels like it takes over.

When emotions are very strong, sometimes it is too challenging to get out of the sensations and story so I could take some time to sense the emotion and how it sits in my body. It might feel like heavy pressure in my belly and a thick film at the back of my throat. Maybe I can take a minute and breathe into the areas and or imagine the areas being filled with light. I might notice subtle shifts with each breath and stay with this until the sensations go away or feel less intense.

After working with my body I might allow myself time for journaling or meditation as a way to go inward and see what is behind the emotion. Maybe not being understood triggers this feeling of not being safe or being able to stick up for myself. Diving deeper it may have to do with an experience as a child of asking for a boundary and being told by an adult that my request wasn’t important.

Once I uncover what is behind the emotion, how can I find my way to the core of the feeling and see if I can work with it? I might breathe into the feelings and see if I can help the emotion dissipate. Or I might send prayers and light, asking for this to be healed all the way back to the source.

Overall, I have been more and more aware of how our emotional states are like the fuel of our lives. They propel us forward, motivate us and help us learn more about our own vulnerable natures. What happens when we take more time cultivating more of the state that we want to create? If you want to create more calm in your life how can you cultivate the inner-state of calm? If you want more abundance how can you create a feeling of aligning to prosperity?