HONOURING YOURSELF and EMOTIONAL ENERGY

One of the hardest things I find in life is sitting in the moment and honouring who I am right now and valuing that time. Even if it feels heavy, sad and broken!

We live in a world where emphasis is put on the bright side, the light and happy, the fun and sociable aspects of our character. That is what we want to present to the world even though sometimes that is not what we might feel deep down. So, what do we do ? We bury our sad, heavy, broken emotions and "put on a brave face".

What happens to these buried emotions? Have you ever thought of where that energy of those emotions go? Its a complex idea if not one you have previously worked with, to think of your emotions as energy that sits somewhere within your body, your physical container if you like.

As you may or may not believe, we are all made up of energy. The Sun, moon, stars, and earth are all energy. Our thoughts, our emotions are all energy. We are energy beings having a human experience with all its connotations and dramas.

If we think of that notion for a moment, that all of our thought forms are energy. How does this then apply to how we perceive a situation ? How we are perceived or not seen at all? Are our thought forms preceding us? Setting in motion whatever we are about to manifest next in our lives, even with the most simple daily encounters. Think of your routines and the people you meet, be it at your workplace, shopping or school gates. How conscious are you in your interactions. Are you talking to someone, yet thinking of some entirely other scenario? Are you trying to present a happy face, when you are crying inside?

As humans, We are such amazing creators and manifestors that sometimes we can work against ourselves - juggling so much of this emotional turmoil within. In Jungian terms, they might call it the "shape shifter", we all have the ability to be other than what we seem to be, to portray the character that is expected to turn up in any given event or meeting. However, if we continually "shape shift" we are meeting others expectations of who we are and not our own. Somewhere, deep within is an emotion, a part of us that wants to be seen and recognised before it can be released. If we don't release these pent up emotions, these questions of self, and instead bury them - the energy of these emotions has to find a space to be stored and it will find that space within your body. This stored energy holds a certain frequency or vibration that will blend with cells and tissues within the body to create imbalance.

We know now that all emotions are transient, they arise due to some event, memory or other energy state needing to be addressed, or seen. According to research, us humans experience approximately 60,000 thoughts and emotions daily, some positive, some negative, some repetitve. How are you managing yours? It really is up to us to discern whats useful, whats not. This takes practice and awareness of what we are feeling, digesting and living with daily.

So, taking this into consideration, what can we do to be our own greatest advocate, to honour ourselves and our emotional energy?

• Start by simply noticing your emotions. Somedays you may feel low energy, feel sad. Somedays happy and gregarious. Can you be ok with that? If we treat all emotions as neutral, neither good nor bad. Honour it by feeling it and not trying to change it. What we allow ourselves to feel can then be released.

• Enquire is there a reason beyond the obvious OR no apparent reason beyond simply being in that state. Can you be kind to yourself in that moment? Sit with it.

• Sit without judgement, merely curious of what you are holding space for right now. Particularly, when there are big changes occuring in your life, can you offer more time to accommodate how that is effecting you emotionally. Trying not to have too much attachment to outcomes. Sometimes it hard to "go with the flow".

• If it does raise an old story or narrative, can you release this of your own accord? Ask if this still carries relevance for you? Is it useful or not? Again, no attachment or judgement.

• Start to journal on what is coming up for you. Make this a daily ritual with your cuppa in the morning? And last thing at night before you sleep. Notice if you can find a change in mindset or attitude after a period of time.

• Try a mindful movement class. Notice the change in your energy or emotional state from before to after class.

Finally, I wanted to share a beautiful poem by the poet, Rumi. A poet of the 13th century, who wrote so prolifically and wisely, on topics that we still deal with today:

The Guest House, by RUMI (translation by Coleman Barks)

(All rights reserved)

This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,

who violently sweep your house

empty of its furniture,

still, treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out

for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door laughing,

and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,

because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.