We know that who we are is a result of our thoughts and emotions coming together to create an experience which, over time, can become our beliefs, behaviour patterns and moods. Emotions are the ego mind’s ‘glue’ that holds these old neural pathways in place. When you only change your thinking or your behaviour, it is unlikely the change will be lasting because of the power of emotions has not been addressed.

Emotions are stored throughout your body, not just in the brain. When an old pattern is triggered, we often feel it through different bodily sensations. It is important to allow our body to dissolve and release that ‘glue’ holding the old in place. A Rewiring Meditation, and many other contemplative practices, will often provide space for old emotions to rise up as the old thoughts are invited to let go. Do not continue to shut these emotions down, to hold them in. Welcome the presence of sadness, hate, anger, humiliation, and so many other emotional reactions that have become stuck. Feel the body heat, the shaking, tears, shortness of breath, and so many other physical aspects of our body’s response to the old stuck places.

Coughing, yawning, sneezing, tears, stretching, or a need to scream or hit something are just some of the ways in which our bodies begin to loosen and release the old stuck places. Please allow these old emotions to come up so they can be released and space is created for new neural pathways to form. These new neural pathways can bring in feelings we choose to have now…feelings such as love, joy, excitement, satisfaction, and gratitude.

The more you give yourself permission to feel these old emotions in safe places with safe people, the less they will show up in other areas of your life. This may be a therapist or spiritual leader. It could also be a friend with whom you form an agreement of confidentiality in shared time. Or it could be in the privacy of your own safe space that you allow yourself to feel deeply the old that is coming up to be released, perhaps through music. Weep it out, dance it out, sing it out…just let it out.

It is never acceptable to attack another (or yourself) physically, verbally or emotionally. But it is part of being human to have these emotional reactions and stuck places. We now know that we don’t have to stay stuck…we have taken the first step of awareness. Are you willing to take that second step of emotional release?

 

Header Image courtesy of Pixabay/geralt